View Full Version : Trail Runners vs boots for winter hiking
Andrewsobo
01-19-2014, 17:57
I'm planning to do about 100 miles from Damascus north in early February, and I'm wondering what other people think about shoe selection. I wear trail runners when i hike, but i also have a big pair of Danners for work that I could wear because of the weather. I've done a trip with light snow wearing trail runners and it wasn't too bad.
fiddlehead
01-19-2014, 18:17
Depends on YOU.
And the conditions.
I would wear them IF I was in hiking shape and didn't need too many breaks during the day.
I would carry extra fleece socks (my preference in snow, wool would be OK to I believe)
If you need to stop a lot to rest, and your feet get cold, change your socks.
ALWAYS keep a dry pair for sleep.
Have fun. Sounds like a fun hike.
It really comes down to what the weather does. If you don't get deep snow, then you'll be okay in the trail runners. Some deep drifts will make your day truly miserable though.
astrogirl
01-19-2014, 22:12
As long as you have dry clothes and socks to sleep in, you can get away with a lot.. that said, I wouldn't go anywhere near Damascus in February. And I'm actually kind of a hard ass from the upper Midwest.
takethisbread
01-20-2014, 08:34
the few times I have been north of Damascus in the winter the weather up in Grayson Highlands has been freezing cold like northern New England , snow and absolutely deserted . up at elevation that first few days out of Damascus looks pretty rough. different strokes I guess ! have fun I'd bring boots.
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Are you nuts? Here, let me stuff a bunch of snow down through the low tops into those trail runners and you can walk around all day. Go with the boots if you know you will be spending all day in the snow, and in February at 5000 feet, you will.
I haven't really done extended multi night winter hiking, only overnights, but I have noticed a tradeoff on cold nights. My Asolo boots will freeze and putting my feet into them in the morning is like putting them into an ice cube resulting in numb toes within minutes. My trail runners might get really cold or freeze but the warmth of my feet seem to be more able to warm up the shoe resulting in overall warmer feet IF the shoes don't get wet. I think that if I knew in advance that it would be dry and cold, I would take trail runners but if I expected slushy or snowy conditions, I would opt for the boots even though they retain cold in the mornings for much longer.
Trail runners just don't keep my feet warm enough when it gets below 35-ish degrees, but I am cold by nature so YMMV. Have you hiked in trail runners in the winter? Also, Remember that a little snowfall can create rivers in some places on the trail. Hiking through cold water and mud can be bone chilling...
Kerosene
01-20-2014, 10:04
A few years before I switched to lighter, mesh boots, I had the opportunity to hike 15 miles over the Roan Balds in 4-5" of new snow and sub-freezing temps. I was really, really glad that I had Gore-tex boots that one and only time; I just wish that I had brought my gaitors for that section hike. As some snow managed to get in over the top of my low-cut boots, I endured cold feet for much of the hike; it would have been unbearable in mesh trail runners.
Andrewsobo
01-20-2014, 11:38
I hiked through harriman state park in new york on the AT in december a couple years ago, temps were 20s and 30s the whole time with light snow falling and a few inches on the ground, nothing seriously deep though.
I had a pair of trail runners on and they got wet every day, but I changed into dry socks at the end of the day and they would usually be kind of frozen solid in the morning, but would then thaw out as i walked in them. I walked with wet, cold, feet all day pretty much and it didn't bother me. I just don't want to get frostbite.
I wear Hiking boots in winter and trail runners from early spring to late fall, you should be okay using trail runners, but those Danners will eat your feet up, ASolo makes a really good hiking boot.
saltysack
01-20-2014, 13:08
Trail runners for me... Bring xtra socks
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If you use trail runners, your feet will get quite wet (and depending on temps, cold) when hiking in snow. If you can put on dry socks and down booties in camp, you will at least have warm dry feet at that point. Goretex lined boots would be my choice for a few days, but on a longer trip these will eventually completely wet out, at which point they will be cold and heavy too.
A third option is to use trail runners, but use goretex or sealskin socks to keep your socks drier (and warmer). These can be dried overnight using body heat (drape them over shoulders or arms under your base layer while sleeping). This would be my choice, but if there is any way you can test this out for yourself, I would do so.
Andrewsobo
01-20-2014, 15:34
Any idea where to buy those goretex or sealskin socks locally? Too late to order them online.
If you use trail runners, your feet will get quite wet (and depending on temps, cold) when hiking in snow. If you can put on dry socks and down booties in camp, you will at least have warm dry feet at that point. Goretex lined boots would be my choice for a few days, but on a longer trip these will eventually completely wet out, at which point they will be cold and heavy too.
A third option is to use trail runners, but use goretex or sealskin socks to keep your socks drier (and warmer). These can be dried overnight using body heat (drape them over shoulders or arms under your base layer while sleeping). This would be my choice, but if there is any way you can test this out for yourself, I would do so.
I just finished a weekend of hiking in two inches of snow around 25 degrees and it confirmed my agreement with qiwiz. Add this weekend's trip to a wet snow trip and a really cold trip last year for the total of my goretex sock experience. Based on that experience, I suggest trail runners -- but they need to be a larger size than normal, at least a half size bigger. I've been using new balance minimus shoes only because they are so light that there isn't much to absorb water (I only use them in winter when wearing a really thick wool sock and...). I also use super feet to beef up the shoe. Then I wear rocky gore text socks, which you need to buy a full size bigger than usual if you hope to get them on over thick socks. I wear a really heavy pair of wool socks below the rocky socks. The goretex socks go quite far up over the ankle, and any snow that gets into your trail runner is outside the sock, so gaiters are a judgement call. My feet have stayed dry and warm to five degrees. The shoes are light enough so the total worn weight isn't much different from my summer weight, as a bonus... But dry feet after years of winter trail runner hiking almost seems like cheating.
i only have found them on the internet... Good luck.
Slo-go'en
01-20-2014, 16:56
Unless you want to risk loosing a couple of toes, get yourself a proper pair of Gortex lined hiking boots and a pair of gaiters. That is not the time of year nor the place to use marginal footware.
takethisbread
01-20-2014, 18:01
I hiked through harriman state park in new york on the AT in december a couple years ago, temps were 20s and 30s the whole time with light snow falling and a few inches on the ground, nothing seriously deep though.
I had a pair of trail runners on and they got wet every day, but I changed into dry socks at the end of the day and they would usually be kind of frozen solid in the morning, but would then thaw out as i walked in them. I walked with wet, cold, feet all day pretty much and it didn't bother me. I just don't want to get frostbite.
Harriman park is a lot less fearsome in the winter than the section between Damascus and Troutdale. a lot of this section at 5,000 ft usually plenty of snow this time of year.
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Drybones
01-20-2014, 18:20
1. Chech the weather forecast, if you know there will be a lot of snow take the boots.
2. Light snow or no snow take the trail runners and a pair of Dirty Girl Gators. I caught the winter blizzard this spring hiking in trail runners, the gators kept snow out. Take 2 pair of extra socks.
3. For 100 miles a pair of lightweight mid hikers with Goretex would be my choice, but not for more than a week and not if knew there would be a lot of rain.
Harriman park is a lot less fearsome in the winter than the section between Damascus and Troutdale. a lot of this section at 5,000 ft usually plenty of snow this time of year.
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hey, disagree with me -- fine. but i've done the section from damascus to troutdale in the winter. roan mountain in the winter. the shenendoahs in the winter. i may be weird but i don't make up advice. i would absolutely use goretex socks instead of goretex boots any day... goretex socks form a much better membrane since there are no laces or tongue involved.
Snowleopard
01-20-2014, 22:30
I find my trailrunners (Vivobarefoot) start feeling cold at perhaps 20F in the dry and are miserable in slush or cold puddles. With Rocky Goretex socks they're ok in slush and cold puddles but are certainly cold for me in the teens. I only have room for a thin pair of liner socks and a medium pair of darntough wool socks.
Rocky goretex socks: http://www.rockyboots.com/11gore-tex-socks/FQ0008011.html They've gotten more expensive since I got mine last year. They're hard to get on, so I went a couple sizes just to get them on.
For when it's colder or there is deeper snow, I use NEOS overshoes with a felt liner (like Sorel liners) and several pairs of thick wool/fleece socks (i.e., no shoe inside)
This is warm for me to below zero on day hikes, but I haven't used them for a thruhike. http://www.overshoesonline.com/?gclid=CILdy4WajrwCFUdk7AodgGwAAQn I think my model is the Adventurer. NEOS makes a 10mm EVA insole that I don't have, but think it would help with insulation. They also fit over my trail runners (and even my heavy hiking boots) and make them a lot warmer. They are completely waterproof and NOT breathable, so for extended use a vapor barrier sock (or bread bag) would keep your insulation drier.
From what I've read of winter in the south, I'd probably take my trailrunners with Goretex socks and NEOS for very colder conditions; if I expected temps below 0F I'd use the NEOS with felt liner.
Furlough
01-21-2014, 08:09
As long as you have dry clothes and socks to sleep in, you can get away with a lot.. that said, I wouldn't go anywhere near Damascus in February. And I'm actually kind of a hard ass from the upper Midwest.
Looks like you will get mid-west like weather today and tomorrow in Front Royal. Back to the topic at hand. Boots.
Andrewsobo
01-21-2014, 09:45
Hmm well it's too late to get the goretex socks or the NEOS overshoe, so I'm just going to go with my Danners. They are big, stupid heavy, and clunky, but if they save a few toes so be it.They are goretex lined, full leather, 8" ankle height. My legs are going to get so tired from lifting them... Probably going to shoot for 10 miles a day. Or less.
You made the right choice. I've woke to snow on my face in the back of a shelter and 3 ft of snow on the ground when we were not expecting it. This was near the end of April heading SoBo into Damascus a few years ago. February? I wouldn't chance it.
I use La Sportiva Wildcats year round up here in New England. I will use them with snowshoes, microspikes, YakTrax and of course no traction devices. The length of the trip and the amount/type of snow dictates how many extra pair of socks I bring.
DSettahr
01-23-2014, 12:39
I've used trail runners, with gaiters, in an inch of snow, in temperatures in the upper 20's/lower 30's without any problems. In conditions with deeper snow, or colder temperatures, I wouldn't rely on trail runners alone.
I have used trail runners inside a NEOS overshoe in full on winter conditions in the Adirondacks though, with success. My feet were warm and comfortable.
Tipi Walter
01-23-2014, 17:46
Winter hiking or winter backpacking? There's a big difference between dayhiking and backpacking footwear. The main criteria in the winter is to keep your all-important socks dry and for this I recommend boots and goretex boots. Plus, trail runners tend to have little lug traction whereas boots have a better tread for mud and snow---and Kahtoola microspikes work good with a standard backpacking boot like Asolo. I don't even know if trail runners accept microspikes.
THE ADVANTAGES OF GORETEX BOOTS
Okay, let's reason it out. 85% of all creek crossings in the Southeast mountains of TN, Georgia, NC and VA are easy fords between 1 to 6 inches deep and so whatever you are wearing will sink to that depth in order to do a ford or to rock hop. Try these little crossings in fabric boots or trail runners and POW you've just saturated your socks---not good on the first day of a 21 day winter trip. A good boot with a GTX liner is able to pull 6 inch deep wadings with no leaks, and of course you don't stand in the water for 20 minutes. Fabric boots soak in water like a canvas tennis shoe and so the high need for an above ankle GTX boot.