Do these boots fit? And avg pack weight?

[SwingLow]

I have bought several pairs of boots now and they seem fine until I take them out for a test. I am hoping I don't have to return the ones I just bought. I wore them to Stone Mountain and they were fine going up but on the way down my toes scrunched all the way up in the front. I was wearing sock liners and wool socks too. I have gel inserts that I was going to try with them, but after even putting my foot in they felt too tight and I could not move my toes at all. Maybe I should try them with the inserts in? How much space is there supposed to be in boots? I bought these from Bass Pro and I really like them, but the store did not even have a ramp for me to test them on. I would really like to make them work if at all possible. I am leaving in two weeks!

Also, what is the average pack weight people usually carry?

[Elder]

They seem too small.
Go to Mountain Crossings/ Neels Gap,
bring your socks and get fit right.

[SwingLow]

Well I was thinking they were big in the front cause my toes were sliding forward? I am all the way in Statesboro :-/

[Many Walks]

You'll want to try on boots with the socks and inserts you intend to hike with. There are several lacing methods you can try to be sure the boots don't slip back and forth by keeping them held to your ankles while keeping the room for your toes. Be sure to have enough room at the toes or the downhills will smash them to the point of losing your nails. Severe damage to your feet will be extremely uncomfortable and can be a hike ender. Also, in a thru many people find their feet tend to spread. It may sound odd, but you'll want to consider going 1 to 2 sizes larger than what you normally wear, especially with heavy socks, liners and inserts. Be sure to break everything in as much as possible before the long hike and take a few things like body glide, duct tape, mole skin, new skin, nail trimmers and foot powder to keep your feet healthy. Wash them every night and air them out at every opportunity.


There are several insert options and folks have different preferences. We've tried most and have settled on the Spenco Backpackers for cushion, support and longevity.


Most people end up with a pack weight around 25-30 lbs including food and water. The lightweight folks will have half that or less and those into more camping than hiking will go double that. Go as light as you possibly can while carrying what you need for the season to be safe clean and fairly comfortable to make it through the journey. Just keep in mind you're really only out for a week or less, so keep the load basic and get the luxury in town. Everyone has a different setup, so go with what works for you.


Take good care of yourself and enjoy your hike!

[JAK]

I think getting a pair of hiking boots is like getting your leg rebroken, reset, and then a cast put on. You definitely want to get it done by a real expert in the field. But would you really want this done unless it was absolutely neccessary?

As for packweight, for a 5 day trip, total weight on my feet including clothing, gear, food and water, would be about 10 pounds in summer, 20 pounds early spring and late fall, and 30 pounds mid-winter. What also matters is how much excess body fat you are carrying, and how strong and healthy your back/hips/legs/knees/calves/ankles/feet are, and how fast your body recovers from exercise. If you can get by with light trail runners, that drain really well when wet, you will develop and maintain strong feet/ankles/calves in addition to your back/hips/legs/knees. It will also be easier to keep your feet from overheating and blistering.

[restless]

Having worked at Neels Gap a few years ago, I can pass along one of their methods for boot fitting that you can do yourself. When trying on boots and leaving them unlaced, slide your foot as far forward in the boot as it will go. Then stand up and bend your knees so that your upper leg is at about a 45 degree angle. A correctly fitted boot will allow you to place a finger to a finger and a half between your hell and the back of the boot. Anything less and your asking for problems. This will alllow your foot to swell during the day without too much crowd in the boot. As other people have mentioned, wear socks that you intend to use hiking when getting fit. Also, you mentioned you were in Statesboro. You might check online to see if there is a Great Outdoor Provision Company in your area(ie -two hour drive). If so I would go there and seek assistance with proper boot fitting. An ill fitted boot can ruin even a great dayhike.

[Rocket Jones]

When I got fitted for my last boots, I called around until I found someone very experienced in fitting hiking boots. I made an appointment and we spent about 3 hours trying on several different brands/models of boot. We finally decided that nothing they had in stock was what I needed, so we special ordered the boot he felt that would work best for me. When they showed up I went in and they fit like a dream.

Lots of sales people know the details about their boots, but having someone who really knows how to fit boots is a huge plus.

[bigcranky]

Try re-tying your shoes before a downhill. Really tighten them more than you think you need. Kick your heel back before tightening. I do this for long downhills every hike.

[sbhikes]

If you have even a hint of thinking your boots might not fit then they don't. Get rid of them quick. Don't be sentimental. Hurting your feet is not worth it. If you don't want to follow this advice, then be sure you have some spare shoes along. You're going to need them.

Personally I do not like shoes that rely on tightness to keep my toes from hitting the front on downhills. For that I prefer bigger shoes. Big enough that no matter how far forward I slide I can't possibly hit the front of the shoe. But still snug around the mid-foot. I can find this with running shoes, not so much with boots.