Boots

[cyclocrosser]

Recently I was discussing my plans of thru hiking with some friends and someone brought up something I had not thought of: Will I wear out more than one pair of boots? I had not anticipated needing more than one pair. Is it reasonable to do with one pair or will I need more?

[The Solemates]

Depends on what type of boot you plan on wearing. If it was me, I would plan on doing it in a very lightweight synthetic type trail runner, in which case you will need probably somewhere around 4 pairs, depending on their durability.

[MOWGLI]

Recently I was discussing my plans of thru hiking with some friends and someone brought up something I had not thought of: Will I wear out more than one pair of boots? I had not anticipated needing more than one pair. Is it reasonable to do with one pair or will I need more?

You will probably go through more than one pair. I used 2.5 during my hike. Some folks who use running shoes go through a pair every 200-300 miles.

I hope that helps.

[Footslogger]

Recently I was discussing my plans of thru hiking with some friends and someone brought up something I had not thought of: Will I wear out more than one pair of boots? I had not anticipated needing more than one pair. Is it reasonable to do with one pair or will I need more?========================================
It happens that some hikers go all the way with one pair of boots but it's rare. Your feet change as you hike, the boots (depending on the style/quality) will get wet and soft and even "stretch out" somewhat. Also, as previously stated, you may choose to wear low cut trail shoes. In that case you can definitely count on going through 3 - 4 pair.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[hikerjohnd]

What kind of boot might go the distance? I have a pair of OneSport (I think the company is Montrail now) Moraine's and was hoping (but not counting) on them taking me to Maine.

[Footslogger]

What kind of boot might go the distance? I have a pair of OneSport (I think the company is Montrail now) Moraine's and was hoping (but not counting) on them taking me to Maine.===========================
I've seen a set of Moraines and a few other Montrail styles make it all the way to Katahdin ...but that's one hell of a boot. Better get it really broken in before you start or it will break YOU in.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Lone Wolf]

If you have boots that can be re-soled then they will make it all the way.

[Mags]

What kind of boot might go the distance? I have a pair of OneSport (I think the company is Montrail now) Moraine's and was hoping (but not counting) on them taking me to Maine.


Very few boots make it the whole way. The boot above is described as "for heavy duty backpacking/light mountaineering" so it MAY go the whole way. I know Limmers (and most Norwegian welt boots) have a track record of lasting forever and just need re-soling.

What may happen is the the tread of the boots will wear down. I suspect the Morraine may need to be re-soled at some point. It may go the whole 2200 miles w/o a re-sole. It will definitely need to be-resoled at the end of the trek.

Having said all that you may want to re-think your choice of footwear. A boot described as beiong for "light mountaineering" is probably overkill for most trail hiking. A heavy boots means more weight on your feet meaning you will get tired..possibly getting more injured.

If you want to go the boot route, have you thought of a medium - light weight boot? If you are like many starting AT thru-hikers, your pack is probably in the 30-40lb range with food, fuel and water. This type of boot will be more than adequate for the weight load.

FWIW, I used LL Bean Cresta hikers and Asolo 535s on my AT thru-hike. The Cresta hiker was a beautiful, wellmade boot and worked well. I now hike in sneakers, but my baseeback weight is down from 30lbs to 10lbs.

In the end, however, it is what works for you. If you need to use the boots you bought then go for it. You can always swap out if the heavier boots are not working quite as well.

Good luck!

[hikerjohnd]

I've had the Moraine's since 96 or 97 and they are pretty well broken it by now. Until this thread I had not given my boots a second thought, assuming I would wear my trusty stompers and hit the trail. I know they will give out eventually and figured if they didn't go to Maine, I'd switch to a different boot, watching fellow hiker's to see what was popular. I stil may start in my stompers, but I think I'd like to go ahead and get a back-up pair ready and broken in.

So here's my question: When I bought my stompers, I went to several shops and tried stuff on and made a decision. Where I am now, there are few shops that carry hiking boots (outside of Timberland and the like). What is the opinion on mail-order for this kind of item? Should I make a trip to Atlana or Jacksonville (or does someone know of a place near Savannah, GA) to try on boots again? What is popular/durable for a light/midweight boot? I personally prefer an all leather boot, but am open to all suggestions.

Thanks for the input!

[Footslogger]

So here's my question: When I bought my stompers, I went to several shops and tried stuff on and made a decision. Where I am now, there are few shops that carry hiking boots (outside of Timberland and the like). What is the opinion on mail-order for this kind of item? Should I make a trip to Atlana or Jacksonville (or does someone know of a place near Savannah, GA) to try on boots again? What is popular/durable for a light/midweight boot? I personally prefer an all leather boot, but am open to all suggestions.

Thanks for the input!====================================
Take the trip and try several types/styles on, whether you decide to buy them on-line or in the store. I worked for an outfitter for several years and specialized in footwear/outerwear. Unless you're that one-in-a-thousand person with perfectly normal feet who can wear shoes/boots off the shelf, you owe it to yourself (and your feet) to get properly measured and fitted. A good outifitter will guarantee their product so that if you get home and decide you aren't satisfied they'll take back the original pair and work with you to find something that's right for you.

The above it addressing mainly boots. If you're considering going with low cut trail shoes you may be able to get away with mail-order and the break-in with that type of footwear is slight to non-existent.

Happy Trails ...

'Slogger
AT 2003

[SalParadise]

I got new boots fitted by the outfitters outside of Unicoi Gap. He spent an hour with me and eventually recommended a pair of Montrail boots. The soles turned to concrete, but they were wonderful against the water. I haven't been through the PA rocks yet, but I've heard that's the section where all shoes eventually die. If my memory serves me, Christopher Whalen's planning workbook said this about the durability of footwear on average:
tennis shoes: 300 miles
trail runners: 500 miles
mid/lightweight boots: 1600 miles
heavyweight boots: 2000 miles or so

[saimyoji]

I'm a relatively inexperienced hiker compared to many on this site, but I have a suggestion that may work for you: LLBean. If you find a boot that you like, and that likes you, you can wear them out and get them replaced for your entire life. They don't require any reasons for the exchange, they have faith that their customers are honestly exchanging items. I have exchanged parkas and boots with them for nearly 8 years now.

If you sense that your boot is in need of replacement soon, you can order a new pair (charge to your credit card) sent ahead of you on the trail, when you get the new pair send back the old one and they credit your account.

As a testimonial, I returned a parka that had been reduced in price over the years by nearly $100!! They accepted the parka back and refunded me the ORIGINAL COST of the jacket. Top service from Bean in my experience. Of course they are a little expensive, but you can replace your equip. for LIFE. :clap

[Footslogger]

for nearly 8 years now.

If you sense that your boot is in need of replacement soon, you can order a new pair (charge to your credit card) sent ahead of you on the trail, when you get the new pair send back the old one and they credit your account.

:clap==============================
Only flaw with that approach that I can see is the replacement pair will need to be broken in ...and I wouldn't want to do that in the midst of a thru-hike unless there was no other choice.

You're feet get pretty tender at times and stepping into a stiff pair of boots would be pretty painfull.

Anyhew ...just a thought.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[saimyoji]

I use the Gortex DayHikers, and find that they fit my foot so well that I don't have any trouble hiking in a pair of brand new boots. Got a new pair this summer, hiked 10 miles around Del.Water Gap, no problems. I could just be lucky in this. I do tape my feet when I go on longer (3 miles or more) hikes.

[Peaks]

==============================
Only flaw with that approach that I can see is the replacement pair will need to be broken in ...and I wouldn't want to do that in the midst of a thru-hike unless there was no other choice.

You're feet get pretty tender at times and stepping into a stiff pair of boots would be pretty painfull.

Anyhew ...just a thought.

'Slogger
AT 2003

I'll disagree a little with your post. IMHO, boots don't break in. What happens is that your feet get conditioned. In my story, I got a new pair of boots in Gorham. I put them on and continued north to Katahdin. No problems with them, right out of the box. Then, I put them in the closet, and didn't wear them again until I went to Springer the next spring. That time, I got blisters. What I learned is that even though the boots had 300 miles on them, my feet were no longer conditioned.

[Peaks]

I got new boots fitted by the outfitters outside of Unicoi Gap. He spent an hour with me and eventually recommended a pair of Montrail boots. The soles turned to concrete, but they were wonderful against the water. I haven't been through the PA rocks yet, but I've heard that's the section where all shoes eventually die. If my memory serves me, Christopher Whalen's planning workbook said this about the durability of footwear on average:
tennis shoes: 300 miles
trail runners: 500 miles
mid/lightweight boots: 1600 miles
heavyweight boots: 2000 miles or so

That's kinda the advice that my local outfitter gave me. You can either buy one pair of really good boots, or several pairs of something else. In the end, you will wind up spending about the same amount of money.

[Footslogger]

I'll disagree a little with your post. IMHO, boots don't break in. What happens is that your feet get conditioned. In my story, I got a new pair of boots in Gorham. I put them on and continued north to Katahdin. No problems with them, right out of the box. Then, I put them in the closet, and didn't wear them again until I went to Springer the next spring. That time, I got blisters. What I learned is that even though the boots had 300 miles on them, my feet were no longer conditioned.======================
Good point, and one I omitted in my post. Guess what I was trying to stress was that a stiff new boot takes a bit of getting used to. But the process involves both the flexing/softening of the boot and the toughening of the feet. Feet definitely undergo a "break-in" during a distance hike. I have first hand experience ...or should I say "first foot" experience. That said though, I still would not have wanted to slip a stiff new pair of boots on at some point up the trail.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Moose2001]

One other thing to keep in mind is many hikers feet "grow" while on the trail. Not unusual for your feet to increase in size a 1/2 or even a full size. If you've bought and broken in a spare pair of boots, they may not fit after you've been hiking a while.

[cyclocrosser]

So I am going to need multiple pairs of whatever I decide to hike in. I had thought about trail runners, but do they make a reasonable priced goretex trail runner?

[Footslogger]

So I am going to need multiple pairs of whatever I decide to hike in. I had thought about trail runners, but do they make a reasonable priced goretex trail runner?====================
Depends on what you call "reasonable". Find a brand/style you like and know that fits and scour the internet. You can sometimes get a really good deal. Case in point ...I like hiking in a Montrail goretex shoe called the "Java". The list price on the Java is $125. I just ordered a pair from Campmor for $49.99.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[A-Train]

So I am going to need multiple pairs of whatever I decide to hike in. I had thought about trail runners, but do they make a reasonable priced goretex trail runner?


If I can offer you one piece of valuable advice it would be to NEVER buy "gore-tex" trail runners. What better way to save money than to not buy gore-tex. GTX runners are generally 20-50 bucks more than regulars. Everyone who bought trail runners (myself included) deduced that they don't work. Eventually water will enter the shoe and besides that most gore-tex covers either wore out or didn't work from the start (like my EMS Ascutney GTX's). Plus Gore-tex is likely to make your feet sweat more.

Nothing better than a light breathable pair of runners, even on the AT. My mantra is that your shoes are gonna end up wet at the end of the day most times on the AT, so why not get somethign that dries quickly, instead of a sponge-like shoe.

I bought a pair of Vasque Velocity (what an amazing shoe!) at the NOC and was very skeptical about using them in the Smokies in mid-march when freezing temps and cold rain/snow is very possible. They were great. They got wet every day, but they also dried by morning. As long as you have xtra dry camp socks, no worrries. Just go in with the attitude that your feet may get wet and no worries. I really like having a light but sturdy pair of runners. I will NEVER go back to boots again.

And some folks here have suggested you will only get 200-500 miles out of trail runners. That completely depends on the quality of the shoe. My Velocity's lasted from the NOC until Port Clinton PA, some 1100 miles, and frankly I coulda squeezed more life out of them, just didn't know when I'd have an opportunity to get new ones. Stupidly I ended up getting a different pair and was really disapointed. Switched to the Ascutney's which I also disliked. 2 pairs of Velocitys would have easily made the trip from GA to ME. You can find these on sale for 60 bucks but retail for around 80-85 normally.

But, you need to find the shoe that works for you. It's different for everyone.

[minnesotasmith]

Two aspects of that I have yet to see discussion on:

1) If you have been doing a lot of hiking before your through-hike, to what extent is that avoided or happens prior to the through-hike?

2) Do people with flat feet experience the same degree of foot expansion? I would suspect not, but do not know. I have flat feet, but they never bothered me during track and cross-country running in high school, nor during hikes shorter than through-hikes later. My foot size is about the same as it was in my mid-20s almost 20 years ago, when my bone ends all hardened and I finally stopped growing.

[The Solemates]

2) Do people with flat feet experience the same degree of foot expansion? I would suspect not, but do not know. I have flat feet, but they never bothered me during track and cross-country running in high school, nor during hikes shorter than through-hikes later. My foot size is about the same as it was in my mid-20s almost 20 years ago, when my bone ends all hardened and I finally stopped growing.

I have what would be classified as "normal to slightly high arched" feet, and my foot size did not grow any on my entire thru hike. Went from a 13 to a 13. I do not know if this can be attributed to the fact that I played basketball 3-5x a week before the trail as well as lifted heavy weights (ie, squats, leg press, etc.) 2x a week or not, but I suspect it did.

As a side note, my wife's feet didnt grow any either. From a 7.5 to a 7.5. And she doesnt lift. She swims.

[Footslogger]

I have what would be classified as "normal to slightly high arched" feet, and my foot size did not grow any on my entire thru hike. Went from a 13 to a 13. I do not know if this can be attributed to the fact that I played basketball 3-5x a week before the trail as well as lifted heavy weights (ie, squats, leg press, etc.) 2x a week or not, but I suspect it did.

As a side note, my wife's feet didnt grow any either. From a 7.5 to a 7.5. And she doesnt lift. She swims.==================================
From a foot biomechanics/physiology standpoint, the change in "size" that hiker experience is the result of 2 factors: Swelling and Elongation.

The swelling comes from day after day hiking with the foot confined in a tightly fitting boot. It's actually a combination of excess fluid retention in the ankle/foot area (edema) and venous congestion, which is a complicated way of saying that the blood gets a bit trapped and doesn't flow as efficiently as it should back north toward the heart. Taking your boots off a couple times a day while you're hiking and putting your feet up above the level of the heart will help a lot to reduce this effect.

Elongation is a function of the natural longitudinal arch muscles, tendons and ligaments losing some of their "tone" and being stretched. This occurs both as we age (natural) and as a result of wearing footwear that does not provide adequate arch support (man made). It's funny but true that as we age our overall height tends to decrease (due to disc space shrinkage in the spine) and our shoe size tends to increase (due to elongation).

Folks with "flat feet" to start with (relative lack of a longitudinal arch) are unlikely to experience elongation. So, any increase in boot size would most likely be due to swelling, which will subside after a while on a distance hike. In fact, someone with flat feet generally does worse with footwear that contain a moderate to high arch support.

Hike on ...

'Slogger
AT 2003

[The Solemates]

==================================
So, any increase in boot size would most likely be due to swelling, which will subside after a while on a distance hike.

Hike on ...

'Slogger
AT 2003

I have met many hikers whose feet did in fact grow upwards of a size or more, and even after several years off the trail, their feet are still "longer" than before the trail. I remember in particular that the outfitter in Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro, VA, mentioned that his foot went from size 12 to a 14. And he had been off the trail 3 years and it was still a 14. Thats quite a jump.

[SiuWonfung]

yes, i think that your concerns for your boots are legitimit and heart felt.

..in times like these, i can always turn to our heavenly Father above, He will surely help you find the answer you are seeking.
Follow your heart.

[Percival]

yes, i think that your concerns for your boots are legitimit and heart felt.

..in times like thses, i can always turn to our heavenly Father above, He will surely help you find the answer you are seeking.
Follow your heart.
Yup, at least a good magnum of Spanish red is powering these posts. :rolleyes:

[Mags]

[QUOTE=A-Train
And some folks here have suggested you will only get 200-500 miles out of trail runners. That completely depends on the quality of the shoe.
[/QUOTE]
As mentioned, I hike in sneakers. Find I can get about 700-800 miles out of my Nikes. That was true on the PCT, and pretty much true on the CT as well. [1] When I did the PCT, the last shoes I wore (Merrel Ventilators) were picked up in Ashland,OR . They were OK (still liked my Nikes better ..but needed a new pair of shoes bad!), but I pushed them a bit too much. They had about 900-1000 miles by the end of the trail. A mere 90 miles before the end of the trail the sides blew out! Stehekin, WA is in the middle of BFN! (you figure it out. ;)

Anyway, had to use a "figure 8" bandage made of duct tape to hold them together. Every day had to reapply the duct tape. Sent a pic of the shoes to Merrel when I finished. Never heard back from them.

Shoes with 1000 miles on them (and much duct tape!):
http://gallery.backcountry.net/pmagspct02/anc

My shoe of choice with ~700 miles on them:
http://gallery.backcountry.net/pmagspct02/agg

[1] I also run in my Nikes now. Have three pairs most times, one for running, one for hiking, one for back up. When the running pair is starting to get 300 miles on it, shift it to hiking. The backup pair becomes a running pair. Anyway, the pair I did the CT with had about 300 miles on it or so, the CT itself is 470 miles or so. The sneakers were N/G at the end of the hike. Past two years, have bought my Nikes at closeout for $50 a pair.Lucked out every time!

[Auntie Mame]

I hiked a couple of hundred miles in those Onesport boots back in mid nineties, and LOVE them. They are totally form fitted now. Problem is, the soles are separating under the heel and arch. This cannot be from useage, but could be from sitting in a closet, say, 8 years or so. Are these now by a different comapany? Any leads on getting repairs done? For rocky areas these were the best, would like to revive them if possible. Thanks

[Shroomism]

Yes.. repair.. get some Goop - http://eclecticproducts.com/goop/ad_sportsmans.asp

Slather it on, connect the pieces.. and call it a day. let it sit for 48 hours... repaired.