Can we talk shoes?

[Libertyguy]

I have no experience buying long distance shoes for a thru. Everywhere I read trail runners are the way to go. I have been looking at the salomon xa pro and xa comp. I also like the crossmaxes and the vasque Juxt, which is actually a cross training/multisport shoe. I like the idea of these types of shoes over trail runners for the durability and suposed high milage. Can anyone give any other specific recomendations. Money is not an issue but I do not plan on buying 4 shoes as I make my way to maine. Also very curiouis about the vaswue juxt if anyone knows anything about them.

Thanks!

[hikerboy57]

please use the search function regarding shoes, its a subject that has no rules.you really need to get a few ideas already posted here and then get to an outfitter who can fit you properly. everyones foot is different and there is no one shoe that suits everone. personally id like to recommend my own boot of choice, Keen TargheeIIs(size 11.5)

[swjohnsey]

You likely ain't gonna make it on one pair no matter what you use.

[johnnybgood]

Money is not an issue but I do not plan on buying 4 shoes as I make my way to maine.

Thanks! One pair certainly won't hold up from GA-ME . The daily pounding of rocks and inclement weather will take it's toll on your shoes. Also, the size of your feet will certainly swell due to fluid retention so sizing up may be necessary as you make your way up the trail.

I too like the Keen Targhees,but some on this board hate them and therefore I suggest trying different shoes until you find what feels good to you.

[BobTheBuilder]

I've come to the conclusion that everybody's feet and shoe needs are different, but since you asked, this is my opinion. Your Mileage Will Definitely Vary.

Stiff soles reduce bruising from miles and miles of rocks and roots. The type of super-light trail runners you can get from Nike don't feel to me like the sole is stiff enough hiking, more like for jogging on well-graded park trails. I never found that I needed the high ankle support, so I just wear well-fitting trail runners / lightweight hikers from Merrell or something similar.

[ChinMusic]

Shoes is journey of trial and error.

[swjohnsey]

I was wearin' New Balance 883s, not even a trail runner, just a running shoe. Never had any problems with bruising. They don't last long. I only got 500 - 600 miles out of a pair, upper shot and soles pretty bad, too. Interstingly, my feet didn't grow/expand.

[MuddyWaters]

you need to go to an outfitter and try on lots and lots. The ones that you really are comfortable in will talk to you. Even then you may change your mind.

I got some Innov-8s I liked, fit foot really good, , but I just cant get over the feeling that my heel is about to slip out. Its not, but the back of the shoe is just a tad lower than most others, and it FEELs that way. I cant handle that naked achiles feeling, so I dont wear em.

psychological, yep.

[ChinMusic]

I found that getting shoes/boots at an outfitter to be quite hit and miss.......mostly miss. I just never could judge how my feet would react to a shoe/boot by walking around a store. I have bought footwear at an outfitter only to sell it on eBay after giving up on it.

What finally worked for me was to buy the same make of shoe I wear all the time. I was comfortable with the New Balance 609/621 for daily use and decided to try the 806. My search was over. If you have a shoe that you are comfortable with, maybe try a model of the same brand? YMMV

[aaronthebugbuffet]

Shoes is journey of trial and error.Quoted for truthiness

[Sensei]

As others have said, everyone's feet are different. I hiked the entire AT in two pairs of Brooks Cascadia trail runners. I didn't see a more durable shoe on the AT, for what it's worth.

[bflorac]

Research how shoes/boots are constructed and measured. Fit is the ONLY real important issue. Your feet WILL get wet so don't worry about waterproof boots (they may just take longer to dry). I have very wide feet with high arches and it has taken 4 years and too many tries to finally find the right pair. Find somewhere you can take them home and wear them for a week and still return them. Don't get suckered into buying what your outfitter may stock. If you educate yourself and find that you know more about shoes than your outfitter, then you may need to find a new outfitter. There are lots of different styles and shapes for different feet. Even in the same brand, given the same size, the shoes can be made from different "last" and will fit differently. Remember you feet will flatten and grow as you hike. A good rule of thumb is to get a shoe 1/2 too big.

[seasparrow]

Keen are known for their large toe box,end of shoe.

[Pony]

Keen are known for their large toe box,end of shoe.

I liked that about keens, but the sole started to peel away from the shoes in a matter of days. 4 or more pairs of shoes in a thru hike isn't uncommon. chances are you'll go through at least 3.

[TOMP]

You said you read that trail runners are the way to go, but more importantly what do you usually hike in. What if you find out you hate trail runners as some do? Buy something try it out before you commit to anything on your thru-hike. Make sure you go on one long hike (plus 50 miles) in your life before doing a thru if you havent already, I think it will give you a good idea of how you and the footwear will do on long distance without much effort. Or since your in GA, and might be close to the trail, just give yourself a bailout point if the footwear you choose isnt working for you.

[Badspeller]

I have always hiked in Merrells, I currently own no less than 8 pair. I use the 49.99 Dr. Schulz orthotics that I get at Walmart.... FOR ME... its like hiking in slippers..maybe not for you, but I swear by Merrells.

[Badspeller]

. Also very curiouis about the vaswue juxt if anyone knows anything about them. [sic]

Thanks!
I own 2 pair of Vasque, I got them because their parent company is Red Wing Boots and I own some of those too... But, the Vasque is not a terrible shoe and you can usually find them on closeout because many people kinda shy away from them. I still prefer my Merrells, but I have a pair of Vasques that I have about 700 miles in ...I have beat the hell out of them and they still hold up and perform as well as any New Balance or other 80-110 dollar priced, comparable shoe.

[Rocket]

I've got Saloman Exit Aeros, Saloman XA Pro 3D, and Keen Siskiyou. They're all comfortable, break in easy, never had a blister. You really just have to try them...like everyone says it's hit or miss! As far as waterproof goes...they all seem to hold as much water as they can!

[MJW155]

I have always hiked in Merrells, I currently own no less than 8 pair. I use the 49.99 Dr. Schulz orthotics that I get at Walmart.... FOR ME... its like hiking in slippers..maybe not for you, but I swear by Merrells.

Just bought a pair today. Was only $80. Good support around ankles and roomy enough near toes. I like them so far. Will be hiking tomorrow to start breaking them in.

[GrassyNoel]

I've been doing a lot of hiking in the Merrell Thermo 6 boot (http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/10414M/16747/Mens/Thermo-6-Waterproof) and they're great. Always comfortable, always warm, fantastic. I also wear them around the city and have never encountered a sore spot. I walk about 2.5 miles to and from work every day and often another 2 during the day. The trail tends to be softer than the city street! They may be too hot to wear when the weather gets warm(er?) but for "winter" hiking in NY they're good. Everything else may be sore at the end of a hike, but my feet are never the culprit.

[Sensei]

Five years ago I was a die-hard Merrell fan, but I have recently noticed some serious issues with quality control that I find disconcerting especially when it comes to thru-hiking. One pair will be totally awesome and the next will fall apart in (literally) less than a week.

[Sensei]

Also, keep in mind that your choice of socks/sock liners will also be very important to the health of your feet.

[bigcranky]

The Salomon XA Pro and XA Comp are really very different shoes. I've owned both, and much prefer the XA Comp. They are softer, more flexible, and seem to fit me better. I have mesh XA Comps for most of the year, and Goretex for winter hiking in snow. If they fit you well, they'll hold up for maybe 1/3 of the trail, maybe less -- meaning that if you choose trail runners, you'll need to replace them along the way.

Given that your feet will change, I'd rather buy new shoes at an outfitter than buy several pairs in advance of a long hike.

[Papa D]

my shoe:

www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/hikingbackpacking/fc-eco-2.0-gtx

[Smooth & Wasabi]

I think the best advice so far was to find the shoe company whose last seems to fit you best and go from there, there is no replacement for familiarity with the fit and performance of footwear. For me it is New Balance or Vasque. I just check out discount sites like sierra trading post and Joe's NB before I need them and stock up if I can afford to, I haven't paid more than 60% of retail in over a decade. For me shoes are unfortunately a disposable item and my size is a little tougher on them than many. Even when I wore boots to hike it seemed like there is always a point where the shoes/boots become uncomfortable and progress to painful if you don't replace them even if they look ok and are not falling apart. I could not imagine planning to hike a thru on less than 3 pairs of trail shoes and would budget for more. I have certainly heard of folks finishing with 1 pair of burly boots maybe having replaced the insoles a couple of times. For me this would greatly diminish the enjoyment of hiking as they are way overkill. You can easily find trail shoes/runners/light hikers for around 50$. Four of those is less than a pair of bomber boots which most long distance hikers would end up replacing with runners or light hikers anyway. I don't like the unsustainable nature of using many pairs of shoes in a season, if you have the bucks you can find suitable shoes made of recycled material.

[rusty bumper]

I went through 3 pair of Merrell Moabs (low cut version) on my hike. I have wide feet and the Merrells are available in wide sizes. They were very comfortable, drained well after stream fordings, and dried fast. I tossed the insoles that came with them and substituted Dr. Scholls Gel Sport Insoles (about $15) that were available at any drug store and many grocery stores along the way. I replaced the insoles about every 200-300 miles.

[Libertyguy]

For anyone Interested I ended up going with the Synapse(the basic model) from Salomon. initial impressions were lots of cushion, breath pretty good, and super thick tread that moves very well. I've broken them in at this point wearing them around for 2 weeks at work and now I've put them up.

I went with this shoe for various reasons but mostly the fact that I represent this brand where I work so I already knew a good deal about them and after reading about Jennifer Pharr Davis world record AT thru at 46 days on a single pair of synapse I figured I could hardly go wrong. After wearing them around I am satisfied with my decision.

[Winds]

Five years ago I was a die-hard Merrell fan, but I have recently noticed some serious issues with quality control that I find disconcerting especially when it comes to thru-hiking. One pair will be totally awesome and the next will fall apart in (literally) less than a week.

My thoughts precisely. Merrell shoes were my "go to" shoe for comfort and reliability from the late 90's. Today, it's entirely hit and miss because of quality.

Here's some additional thoughts on shoe purchases which has helped me a great deal:

I NEVER buy "latest and greatest" anymore. Besides being unnecessarily expensive, it can be utterly frustrating when they don't perform as you would like.

I ALWAYS buy ONLY from a retailer with an exceptionally easy return policy. WHEN something does go wrong, I don't want any hassles on the return at all.

I research shoes I'm going to buy. If you do this enough, you'll get mighty skilled with what to look for. For instance as stated above, I am usually buying last year's model or older - hence there are a LOT of YOU out there who have something to say about them. I cross-reference different seller's customer reviews to ensure I am getting the "straight dope" (this is important as certain sellers can hide specific negative problems by omitting the reviewers who stated, "they separate at the toe" or the like). A key to this research is to find those hearty individuals who use and abuse the shoe in the same or more intense manner you wish to. I never even see the reviews such as, "I bought these for my boyfriend 2 weeks ago and he just loves them! 5 stars, you are the best!"

And last, because of the quality issue today, you can't trust a single manufacturer, you WANT to do your homework on each model as much as you can because if you window shop you're going to get what you get.

~ Cheers

[JAK]

It is pointless to talk about brand names and models because by the time you wear a pair out, or even try a pair out long enough to determine you want another pair, the models have changed. You have to develop and eye and some knowledge for what you are looking for. What materials will work better, and what materials and construction will last longer. Avoid logos that are ill-placed where they will wear through the material and into your foot. Avoid padding that will absorb and hold water. Shoes are designed to wear out. Look for something that won't, or is cheap enough to replace and still be functional and comfortable. You might be surprised what will last and what will wear out. Lighter and cheaper is often better, as long as it fits. A lot of extra weight is fluff designed to sell at a higher price and is often counter productive to fit and function.

Be your own outfitter.

[G-FOURce]

i agree that you should go with something you know if that's a possibility. i also agree that going to an outfitter or running store to get fitted is a sensible idea.

i was fitted at a local running store in 2005. at the end of the exercise the owner of the store recommended saucony shoes. i bought a pair of their trail shoes and i still have them today. i am obviously not a serious runner, and they're not my only pair of shoes, but i have gone through several other pairs of shoes in that same time and nothing has held up quite like my saucony shoes. the only other pair of shoes i have that have lasted that long were some old solomons that i have been using on weekend hikes and paintballing for the last 12 years.

if saucony shoes fit you, or if you try them and find that you like them, check out their ProGrid Outlaw hiking shoes. i have a pair and i love them.

http://www.amazon.com/Saucony-Progrid-Outlaw-Trail-Running/dp/B004O8UJV4

good luck...

(ps - i like keens, too, but every pair i have the soles have peeled off well before the shoe wore out so i quit buying their shoes)

[RCBear]

I would go with whatever Zola Bud hikes in.

[Lyle]

Whatever provides:

In order of importance,

Good fit
Good Comfort
Good arch support (can be corrected with new insoles)
Good sole protection from rocks/stone bruising
Good durability
Good looks

If you want waterproof, add that wherever you want, some where toward the bottom of the list.