One pair of shoes/boots for the entire AT.

[SweetestFetus]

I know it's not impossible! How many of you needed only one pair of shoes/boots for the entire trail, and what did you use?

I would hate to waste my (non-existant) money on multiple pairs of shoes if I needn't. I'm fine with wearing them down to the bare-bones if I have to.

[Ender]

I sort of did. My first pair blew out within 200 miles. Got a replacement pair that then lasted the entire rest of the trail, and then was used for another 150+ miles of hiking.

So... kinda. If I had just started with that second pair, they would have lasted the whole way.

I used Vasque Sundowners, BTW... it was in 1998.

[garlic08]

My wife also thru-hiked, in 2002, with a single pair of Vasque Sundowners.

[garlic08]

In my opinion, there's no way a single pair of light trail runners will last the entire AT. 800 miles is really pushing it. Heavier walking shoes like the Merrell Moab Ventilator would have a much higher possibility and I've seen them get close to 1500 miles, but I'd be surprised to hear of a pair making an AT hike intact.

[SweetestFetus]

Thanks for the info on the Vasques. I'll check them out.

[TheCheek]

I had a pair of Merrells whose model is no longer made. I went 1600 miles in them, so they didn't make it but my point in writing this is because the Vibram soles were still in really decent condition in comparison to the shoes themselves at the time of retiring them.

Other thing to note is that in 2005 Merrell was very thru hiker friendly in my experience. One phone call asking about repairing them, told them I was thru hiking and they ended
up shipping a free replacement pair up ahead on the trail for me. It wasn't even a yogi.

[Tinker]

Don't buy a bunch of your favorite make, model, and size to do your thru. Your feet will probably change dramatically in size and need for support. Start off with what works and replace them as necessary along the way. Have folks at home send you shoes if you can't find ones which fit at outfitters along the trail.
This is pretty much common knowledge. Thruhikers told me this when I was contemplating a thru many years ago.

[Gator 65]

I used three pairs of Merrill Mids. There is nothing wrong with finding a pair that works while you are prepping for the thru hike then do a quick break in of a 2nd and / or 3rd pair to have ready to ship to you when you need them. My 1st pair got me to Damascus, 2nd pair to Pa. and then finished with the 3rd pair. I probably would have made it with two pair but did not want to push the issue and end up losing time or taking on pain or possible injury. Believe me, boots are nothing to cut corners on when it comes to your gear.

[butts0989]

I agree with tinker. IMO the Lasportiva Fireblades are great for long distance hiking, but i know i would have to buy about 2 pairs on a trip because my foot would most likely grow up atleast a size.

[NomadandKatahdin]

I hiked in 1992 with Merrel Wilderness. They were about $250 back then...I still have them today. I did have to put new vibram soles on them.

[weary]

I sort of did. My first pair blew out within 200 miles. Got a replacement pair that then lasted the entire rest of the trail, and then was used for another 150+ miles of hiking.

So... kinda. If I had just started with that second pair, they would have lasted the whole way.

I used Vasque Sundowners, BTW... it was in 1998.
I had pretty much the same experience. I started with a 5-year-old pair of Dexter hiking boots. When the leather cracked, letting in pebbles, I replaced them with a pair of Merrill goretex lined boots, which lasted all the way to Katahdin and another five years of wear around the house and garden, and on numerous trails.

The trade off is weight. "All the way" boots weigh an extra pound or so, over the "replace every 300 or 400 miles" variety.

Weary

[Ender]

I had pretty much the same experience. I started with a 5-year-old pair of Dexter hiking boots. When the leather cracked, letting in pebbles, I replaced them with a pair of Merrill goretex lined boots, which lasted all the way to Katahdin and another five years of wear around the house and garden, and on numerous trails.

The trade off is weight. "All the way" boots weigh an extra pound or so, over the "replace every 300 or 400 miles" variety.

Weary

So true. What you gain in durability you pay for in weight.

[Grampie]

Started my thru with a pair of Montrail AT Hikers that had about 250 miles on them. Got as far as Duncannon, PA and had them resoled. Used them for the rest of my hike. They were shot when I finished and had to be thrown away.
I don't think Montrail makes boots anymore. I hiked in 2001.

[Jim Adams]

I myself and others that I have seen have thru 'd with one pair of Sundowners.
I got 1400 miles from a pair of light Hi-Tec's in 1990.

geek

[ChinMusic]

Wear whatever makes your feet happy and deal with the replacement whenever.

[shwn354]

hiked in '08 with a pair of generic EMS brand, plain leather hiking boots w/vibram soles. They were falling apart a bit around the seams by the time i got to maine, but they lasted me the whole trip. another hiker had a pair of generic cabela's boots, and they were the exact same, only with a different store name stamped on them. I paid about $85 for them in around 2005.

[SunnyWalker]

Do you know about your needs as far as boots? Big toe box or small? Stuff like that. Light or heavy or mid? I can't see replacing as needed "wasting" money. I try for mid or heavy boots. Also, the ? "Keen" brand are worht looking at.

[Miner]

Most shoes, its the internal support structure that goes first before the outside falls apart, unless you have really been abusing them. I choose to switch out my shoes while the outside still looks usable (500-600mi) as I'm more interested in treating my feet as well as I can since foot problems can end a hike. For me, I'd rather save money somewhere else. In fact, I still have 3 pairs I sent home from the PCT that I use for day hikes since they still have decent tread on them.

Now some boots do last longer but they have their own issues to consider inlcuding the price for a good pair as not all boots are equal.

[restless]

I wanted to echwhat has been said here. The most important thing is to realize your feet are going to grow anywhere from a size to a size and a half during the course of your hike. Most lightweights are not made to last the entire length of the AT. A heavier boot would go much farther, and should you decide to go with something along the line of a Limmer, the break-in time is much greater. Each persons walking style is different so while others on this thread have found success with Sundowners, there are probably many more stories of people who did not have such luck. if you want ot buy one pair of boots with the hopes (note:no guarantee) of them lasting the entire trek, I would go with a heavier boot. Buy a size up from what you would normally buy. You should be able to get a finger or two behind your heel with your foot forward in the boot. Then wear heavier socks until your feet grow.

[rugged shark]

If I had started with a new pair, I probably could have finished with one pair of boots. I used Alico Sierra's. I had to get a older pair replaced in Erwin, but did make it to Katahdin with that pair which probably could have made the entire trail - but they were really beat.

[jersey joe]

I was able to get up to Caratunk Maine with one pair of Asolo boots.

[Railroad King]

I had a pair of LaSportiva Trango Trek boots. They lasted the whole trail but lost most of their waterproofing and had a hole or two near the top by the end. Wore out the original insoles and bought Superfeet in Daleville. Superfeet is amazing and lasted the rest of the way. One of the shoelaces got worn out in New England somewhere and an end broke off so I had to buy new boot laces at an outfitter. Overall it was only about 35 bucks in maintenance costs.

[Roland]

It's been mentioned a few times, but it bears repeating.

There are a number of heavy leather boots that will go all the way. The trade-off is weight. Not only the starting weight of the boot, but the additional "live weight" when the boots are wet. Boots which are sturdy enough to go all the way can absorb a lot of water and that adds considerable weight to every step. Plus, they take much longer to dry than synthetic materials.

[Phreak]

I haven't thru hiked the AT but I had a pair of Salomons XA Pro that had close to 1500 miles before I replaced them. Both hiking and trail running.

[fw2008]

This is an interesting thread, considering that I may be doing a TH next year.
I now own a pair of Asolo Gore-Tex boots with Vibram soles. I don't know the model, as they are 12 years old. The soles are gone now, so in looking for a new pair of boots, I want to keep a possible TH in mind.

I once owned a pair of Vasque boots, which were the most comfortable boots I have ever worn; didn't even require any break-in. But those weren't thru-hike boots. Much too light I think.

The Asolo on the other hand, with the leather uppers and thick Vibram soles would probably make a decent boot to start a TH in.
Those boots do, of course require a full break-in. I made that mistake when I bought them.
I wore them for 3 days at work, then went on a weekend hike on the AT in Killington, VT.

After the first day, I was hurting so bad, I should have stopped the hike, but I persisted, and finished the 2-day trek.
Overall, I probably did about 20 miles over the 2 days.
After that, I could hardly walk, even in running shoes for a week, and for much longer in the boots.

These boots kept hurting the back of my ankles for a long time, but suddenly one day in the Catskills, they stopped hurting. So I guess it took about 100 miles to really break them in.

That's why, if I am even thinking of a TH next year, I need to buy my boots during this summer, so that they are fully broken in by the time I start.
I don't normally do all that much hiking in summer, but I have to re-condition my body some long distance trekking.

FW

[sbhikes]

If they have vibram soles you might be able to have them resoled.

[Sleepy the Arab]

I have a pair of standard Limmers with about 3300 miles on them. I'll probably be taking them on the Long Trail this year.

[prain4u]

Some of us have extra wide--or extra narrow--foot sizes. Sadly, not every brand of footwear comes in extra wide (or extra narrow) widths. Few outfitters carry every brand of footwear or every "rare" size. Thus, some of us are forced to be a bit more deliberate and intentional in pre-planning our footwear replacement needs for a thru hike--as we are not always able to find something that fits when we walk into an outfitter or shoe store..

Therefore, I really appreciate what people are saying on this thread regarding different brands of footwear and how long they lasted for them. It will give me some basic data to take into consideration as I make plans for replacing my own extra wide footwear on a 2012 thru hike.