View Full Version : modifying shoes for hiking
rgarling
03-14-2006, 13:49
A while back there was a post from a thru-hiker about how he modified his shoes for hiking. The gist of it was he would buy some relatively inexpensive running shoes, cut out the tongue, throw away the insoles and cut off whatever else he didn't like about the shoes. These details may be wrong, but it gives you an idea about where he was going with it.
anyhow, I thought it was so extreme that I more or less forgot about it. Now I think it might be a good idea. Does anyone remember that particular post in greater detail, or have ideas along the same line?
icemanat95
03-14-2006, 14:04
Be aware that a shoe is largely designed as a unit with different elements supporting other elements to provide a total package. Cutting out the tongue or other elements is risky business and could end up degrading the shoe to the point that it simply cannot hold up in use.
not that i'm all that knowledgeable, but i do read a lot of posts here, several times a day, but i've not seen anything like that... however, in ray jardine's book, he talks about a similar trimming of his shoes... no tongue, cut out what doesn't fit, etc... maybe that's where you read it...
fiddlehead
03-15-2006, 05:27
I've seen people cut out the backs, tongues, even a toe box once. Anything goes. use your imagination and be creative. don't listen to those that tell you that things are made the best possible way and there's no need to change them. IN fact, make your own!
tlbj6142
03-15-2006, 10:00
I've never understood why folks would cut out the tongue? What's the benefit?
only thing i do to any shoe or boot is ditch the factory insole and add superfeet inserts:cool: neo
http://www.superfeet.com/content/index.html
I've never understood why folks would cut out the tongue? What's the benefit?
ventilation while walking, dries out faster if it gets wet, saves a half ounce.
the offset is that your socks become the new cushion against the laces rubbing on your foot... you might have to build up a tolerance for it. however, sandals don't have a tongue either, and work fine for hiking once your feet get used to them... the roman legionnaires carried close to their body weight in equipment while wearing sandals... no 'ankle support' there! it's all what you're used to...
rgarling
03-15-2006, 11:45
I decided to do some experimentation on a pair of New Balance 470 shoes I had lying around. These are inexpensive shoes designed for trail running. I didn't like these shoes very much, and didn't even like wearing them for a walk around the block.
The first thing I did was to remove the tongue using a seam-ripper. This was an immediate improvement. The shoes were much cooler and looser on the foot. I took a 1.3 mile walk around the neighborhood. Without the tongue, you need to tie the laces a bit looser, but once that was set, they felt pretty good, so I took a 5 mile walk about 2 miles of which was on an AT-like trail. There was one bothersome spot on one shoe, which I took care of by cutting out a decorative seam and part of an unnecessary lace support. (As I remember the original post, if a part of the shoe was bothersome, he'd actually cut out the offending material. i.e. cut a hole in the shoe. In my case, I didn't make a hole, just cut off an extra layer of material that had been stitched on.)
Anyhow, the shoes actually feel pretty good now; however, I probably won't use them for this year's section hike because the sole is a little too thin, and the material on the toe isn't thick enough for good bump-protection. Besides, I just bought some Asics Gel Eagle Trail V shoes that are much better.