View Full Version : what type of footwear is best for AT
i'm heading out nb in march - do i need waterproof hiking boots or will a light pair of trail hiking shoes do the job. what about tevas?
The Solemates
02-03-2006, 11:01
you may get a thousand answers to this question. some people take full-grain leather clompers. others take running shoes. still others hike in chacos. its just preference.
i like lightweight mid-cut to high-top trail runners. something like this: http://www.vasque.com/products/m-velocitygtxxcr.cfm
although i would never pay full price. they have stuff like this in campmor for $40-$60 all the time.
Lone Wolf
02-03-2006, 11:03
i'm heading out nb in march - do i need waterproof hiking boots or will a light pair of trail hiking shoes do the job. what about tevas?
There's no "best" footwear for the AT. No footwear is really waterproof.
i'm heading out nb in march - do i need waterproof hiking boots or will a light pair of trail hiking shoes do the job. what about tevas?
Whatever pair of boots/shoes fits you best. After that it's all about the options.
Shiraz-mataz
02-03-2006, 12:47
...what about tevas?
A coworker asked what footwear I plan to use on my upcoming section hike of Maryland. He looked dumbstruck when I told him I was just going to wear my Teva sandals! They work well for me but then again my feet are conditioned for it by running around barefoot most of the time. Truth be known, they'll probably be packed away for most of the 42 miles anyway! I'd mentioned this in another post but I'm working on my third year with a pair of Terra-Fi's but their X-Terra sandal looks promising too.
KirkMcquest
02-03-2006, 13:40
Alot of people wear montrail's. Apair of lightweight gators will help keep your feet dry in rain, swamps, etc..
Kerosene
02-03-2006, 18:29
As The Solemates said, you'll get a thousand opinions. Mine is that you need something more than trail runners...a number of hikers I've spoken to say they feel every rock in the trail, and eventually they get tired of having wet feet the first time they hit a puddle in the morning.
I wear low-top Garmont Eclipse GTXs which have a harder toebox than most low-tops. However, I wish I had bought the non-Gore Tex version. Yes, my feet will stay dry for quite awhile, but they will eventually get wet, and these boots take a l-o-n-g time to dry out. I think the best option would be to periodically apply a waterproofing "solution" in exchange for a faster drying out period.
mweinstone
02-04-2006, 17:25
i use the same asolo boots since they came out.lots of pairs,but allways the same model. asolo tps 520 gtx wide. 3lbs 14ozs of rock crushing power.able to scare small hikers off the trail. my boots were once convicted of kicking a frozen litre nalge two blocks on ice and sentenced to be my endentured slaves in perpetuity.my boots are so loved by the townfolk,each spring they come out to meet me with boot wax and new laces in a day of parading we call,love mats boots day. once me and my boots were at a party and a sexy girl fell in love with my boots and made oyt with them. when you absolutly must have the best,choose asolo 520's,their kissable!
IMO, if your interested in hiking in sandals, chacos are the way to go. my tevas only made about 170 miles (granted they were already a little worn). i bit the bullet and bought some chacos and they went for the rest of the journey (700+), they've also done the tahoe rim trail, and several other trails and they are still my #1 3-season hiking footwear. durability is my biggest concern on footwear (other than comfort). i've seen too many thru hikers go through 4 and 5 pairs of poorly made and expensive shoes. good luck in your adventures.
digger51
02-04-2006, 20:45
I use a cheap $20 pair of boots from Walmart. They are as waterproof as any others Ive found and feel great.
I use a cheap $20 pair of boots from Walmart. They are as waterproof as any others Ive found and feel great.
Are they Ozark Trails?
LIVESTRONG
02-05-2006, 11:31
I wore boots for 1500 miles on my thru and wore chacos for the other 700 miles and I wish I would have wore chacos the whole time, they are so comfortable and you never have to worry about getting your feet wet cause within 25-30 mins they are dry. wear a pair of waterproof socks if hiking in the snow. I definatly suggest you wear chacos over tevas, tevas just wasnt made for long distance hiking.