The Weasel
09-04-2002, 14:40
This is a topic I hope some other veterans will add to (and correct me on):
NO PIECE OF GEAR IS AS IMPORTANT TO BUY AS YOUR TRAIL FOOTWEAR. YOU CAN SURVIVE WITH A CRUMMY TENT, A BAD STOVE, OR A STUPID SLEEPING BAG. BAD FOOTWEAR CAN CAUSE YOU SERIOUS PERMANENT INJURY OR JUST PLAIN RUIN AN OTHERWISE GOOD TRIP! READ ON.
Here are my rules for Cheechakos about buying trail footwear:
(1) Decide what type of footwear you need: If you are fairly large (roughly 250+ lbs for men or 175+ lbs for women) or carrying 50 lbs. of packweight constantly (which is a mistake, but another topic), I'd recommend boots, either medium or high, for ankle support. Especially on rocky/rooty trails like the AT, you can have some problems, especially until your ankles get in shape, and you can develope tendinitis. If you're less than that, I'd recommend considering "trail shoes", which are like running shoes in appearance, but with a far better tread/sole. If you're hiking in a moderately dry area, consider "trail sandals" which are starting to show up now.
(2) Do some research online or in Backpacker magazine. There are a variety of styles (not in a fashion sense, but in a "this works for this kind of person") as well as prices. Backpacker does very good reviews, and has an excellent annual buyer's guide.
(3) Do NOT buy your shoes at a "sporting goods" or "shoe store" if at all possible. Find the GOOD backpacking outfitter in your area, and by that I mean the one that looks DOWN on REI. (REI is good, but does not always have true "bootfitters" on staff - ask if they have one, and if he/she isn't in that day, leave and return when they are.) Before saying, "I want those Vasque boots," ask the bootfitter for opinions, and tell them your style of hiking and where you tend to go (AT and Isle Royale may demand a more aggressive boot than trails in northern Ohio.)
(4)Always try boots on at the end of the day, as late as possible, preferably on a day when you've been on your feet a lot. This is because your feet will often swell one full size and one full width over the course of a day, and is one of the prime reasons why people say, "They are tight now, but they fit when I bought them." Walking a couple of miles won't do it; the best way, if you're a guy, is to tell your wife/friend "I'd like to go shopping with you at a mall!"
(5) Always bring with you a pair of liner socks AND a pair of trail socks. These make a difference in sizing. The "booties" or "test socks" some stores have are not what YOU wear.
(6) This sounds crazy, but it's true: BRING YOUR FULLY LOADED PACK. Don't just put weight in it; load it as if you were going out for the longest typical trip, because that's how your pack will be balanced. Then try to buy at a store that has a "boot rock" (REI is good on this) which is a large rugged boulder that allows you to "test walk" your footwear. If they don't have one, go outside and use curbs. Then, with your pack on, "crazy walk" on the stone or curbs, twisting your ankles and using aggressive walking to get a sense of what it will be like on the trail. Do that for 10-15 minutes. People will stare at you. The bootfitter will nod approvingly.
(7) Keys to good buying are also like good trail practice: Put your socks on, but pull the tips a little after they are on to loosen the toe area. Open laces fully so you don't "sausage" your foot into the toe box, tightening/constricting the sock area. Pull all laces equally, lace to the top and double knot.
If this sounds complicated and time consuming, it IS. But no single piece of gear matters as much, or carries the potential for dangerous injury or pain, as your footwear. Even with the best of boots, you can have problems, so avoid the avoidable.
The Weasel
"Well a promise made, is a debt unpaid, and the Trail has its own stern code." -- Robert Service
NO PIECE OF GEAR IS AS IMPORTANT TO BUY AS YOUR TRAIL FOOTWEAR. YOU CAN SURVIVE WITH A CRUMMY TENT, A BAD STOVE, OR A STUPID SLEEPING BAG. BAD FOOTWEAR CAN CAUSE YOU SERIOUS PERMANENT INJURY OR JUST PLAIN RUIN AN OTHERWISE GOOD TRIP! READ ON.
Here are my rules for Cheechakos about buying trail footwear:
(1) Decide what type of footwear you need: If you are fairly large (roughly 250+ lbs for men or 175+ lbs for women) or carrying 50 lbs. of packweight constantly (which is a mistake, but another topic), I'd recommend boots, either medium or high, for ankle support. Especially on rocky/rooty trails like the AT, you can have some problems, especially until your ankles get in shape, and you can develope tendinitis. If you're less than that, I'd recommend considering "trail shoes", which are like running shoes in appearance, but with a far better tread/sole. If you're hiking in a moderately dry area, consider "trail sandals" which are starting to show up now.
(2) Do some research online or in Backpacker magazine. There are a variety of styles (not in a fashion sense, but in a "this works for this kind of person") as well as prices. Backpacker does very good reviews, and has an excellent annual buyer's guide.
(3) Do NOT buy your shoes at a "sporting goods" or "shoe store" if at all possible. Find the GOOD backpacking outfitter in your area, and by that I mean the one that looks DOWN on REI. (REI is good, but does not always have true "bootfitters" on staff - ask if they have one, and if he/she isn't in that day, leave and return when they are.) Before saying, "I want those Vasque boots," ask the bootfitter for opinions, and tell them your style of hiking and where you tend to go (AT and Isle Royale may demand a more aggressive boot than trails in northern Ohio.)
(4)Always try boots on at the end of the day, as late as possible, preferably on a day when you've been on your feet a lot. This is because your feet will often swell one full size and one full width over the course of a day, and is one of the prime reasons why people say, "They are tight now, but they fit when I bought them." Walking a couple of miles won't do it; the best way, if you're a guy, is to tell your wife/friend "I'd like to go shopping with you at a mall!"
(5) Always bring with you a pair of liner socks AND a pair of trail socks. These make a difference in sizing. The "booties" or "test socks" some stores have are not what YOU wear.
(6) This sounds crazy, but it's true: BRING YOUR FULLY LOADED PACK. Don't just put weight in it; load it as if you were going out for the longest typical trip, because that's how your pack will be balanced. Then try to buy at a store that has a "boot rock" (REI is good on this) which is a large rugged boulder that allows you to "test walk" your footwear. If they don't have one, go outside and use curbs. Then, with your pack on, "crazy walk" on the stone or curbs, twisting your ankles and using aggressive walking to get a sense of what it will be like on the trail. Do that for 10-15 minutes. People will stare at you. The bootfitter will nod approvingly.
(7) Keys to good buying are also like good trail practice: Put your socks on, but pull the tips a little after they are on to loosen the toe area. Open laces fully so you don't "sausage" your foot into the toe box, tightening/constricting the sock area. Pull all laces equally, lace to the top and double knot.
If this sounds complicated and time consuming, it IS. But no single piece of gear matters as much, or carries the potential for dangerous injury or pain, as your footwear. Even with the best of boots, you can have problems, so avoid the avoidable.
The Weasel
"Well a promise made, is a debt unpaid, and the Trail has its own stern code." -- Robert Service