View Full Version : Thru hiking boot advice
Waterdog24
10-23-2012, 00:06
I'm planning my first thru hike of the AT this spring (2013) and I have been reading a lot of different opinions on footwear. I have been looking at all leather backpacking boots but feel like a lighter hiking boot would be fine. I have seen a lot of chatter about peeps wearing trail running shoes but not sure if that was for thru hiking or not. Any advice or thoughts are appreciated!
Most LD hikers wear trail runners. That being said you need to put some shoes/boots/vibrams/nothing/whatever on, grab your pack and go for a walk. That's the only way to know what will or won't work for you.
People wear trail runnings because...
They're lighter, so they reduce the amount of energy required to take each step.
They dry out faster, which requires less hassle with swapping out sweaty socks.
Shoes of any type are probably going to get soaked. Leather and goretex stay wet longer.
Feet get bigger during a long hike. It's cheaper to find out half a dozen trail running shoes don't fit well than a half dozen leather boots.
Trail running shoes promote more blood circulation, which can actually make them warmer than sealed and insulateleather boots.
They've found that boots don't provide nearly enough ankle support, and can actually increase the chances of an ankle injury by masking features in the terrain that would turn an ankle.
The advantage to leather boots is that they usually keep feet cleaner. They're also nicer for breaking big sticks. And they're mandatory for doing trail work.
garlic08
10-23-2012, 09:12
Good post above. I'll also add an advantage to leather boots is that they do last a long time. I hike only in running shoes, and it disturbs me that I can't get much more than 700-800 miles out of a pair before I have to throw them away. I keep my boots for trail work, for sure.
Mr Breeze
10-23-2012, 16:18
I completed a thru hike this year wearing hiking boots. I had no issues with ankle support. Even when i did roll my ankles, the boots kept me from spraining or injuring my ankle. I did however, hike with other hikers that did wear trail runners. Some had no issues at all, except that they went through 3 or more pairs of shoes during the duration of the trip. Most were averaging 300-400 miles a pair. I got 1100 out of my first pair of boots, and finished with the second pair. And i did have some hiker friends that did end up with some nasty ankle sprains while wearing trail runners. But i wouldn't put the blame all on the shoes. So i would agree that you need to try both and see which works best for you.
I like hiking boots. and tents. and canister stoves. Others like trail runners. and hammocks. and alcohol stoves. None of which is important or critical to completing a thru hike. pick whichever makes you most comfortable. that IS important to thru hiking.
SassyWindsor
10-23-2012, 20:57
Stick with high quality all leather boots. Your pocket book as well as your feet, ankles, knees and back will thank you.
Use the shoes for day hikes.
I love high quality all leather boots with a healthy dose of sno-seal - - - sitting on my hearth for some trail work, harsh conditions, or a snowy day - I really do - but in all honesty, my various LaSportiva trail runnners get the call for backpacking trips almost every time - certainly, as a thru-hiker, you should be considering trail runners
Waterdog24
10-23-2012, 23:29
Wow...lots of great info and I appreciate all the input! Several of you said that you just have to get out there and see what works for you...and I plan on doing that with some set up hikes (to test gear) in the near future. Thanks for the input and I look forward to tapping this wealth of knowledge on other gear choices!
I was a heavy boot wearer through the 1970s, '80s and '90s. Switched to fabric and leather boots sometime during the '90s. Tried Gore-tex (yes, it does stay wet longer, and makes my feet sweat in hot weather - ymmv). I'm currently using low top hikers or runners (hikers are heavier) and have tried hiking with sandals (satisfactory on easy terrain). Once your ankles strengthen you will never miss your boots unless you notice that you pick up more trail debris with low tops than high tops.
Best advice - buy something that FITS. Everything else is secondary. Blisters can ruin a hike.
hypnolobster
10-24-2012, 17:42
Regardless of what you get, they must absolutely fit. They REALLY shouldn't require any significant break-in period. Footwear that does need to be broken in may be fine, but there's often a different pair that will fit better.
My first real hiking boots were Asolo Fugitives, and I loved them dearly and used them for ~900 miles without issue. After those, I swapped out to trail runners. I never looked back at boots. Lightweight, completely breathable mesh topped trail runners are perfect for me. They're also significantly cheaper than boots, and for the price I can get more mileage out of trail runners.
That said, my real, full time job is trail building, and I do it in big, 9" all leather steeltoe US made Red Wing work boots, and I wouldn't take anything else. I spend more time in tall leather boots than any other footwear, and I still prefer trailrunners for hiking (especially long distances).
SassyWindsor
10-24-2012, 19:31
Regardless of what you get, they must absolutely fit. They REALLY shouldn't require any significant break-in period. Footwear that does need to be broken in may be fine, but there's often a different pair that will fit better.
My first real hiking boots were Asolo Fugitives, and I loved them dearly and used them for ~900 miles without issue. After those, I swapped out to trail runners. I never looked back at boots. Lightweight, completely breathable mesh topped trail runners are perfect for me. They're also significantly cheaper than boots, and for the price I can get more mileage out of trail runners.
That said, my real, full time job is trail building, and I do it in big, 9" all leather steeltoe US made Red Wing work boots, and I wouldn't take anything else. I spend more time in tall leather boots than any other footwear, and I still prefer trailrunners for hiking (especially long distances).
So, are you saying it's cheaper to hike in runners than boots, you do know boots can be resoled. My experience as well as friends (and many here on WB), that hike in runners, say you'll spend much more over a 2000 mile hike than wearing/resoling boots.
Drybones
10-24-2012, 19:58
I started hiking with leather boots (4 lb- 2 oz) and switched to a lightweight mid boot and found the hills that killed me with the leather boots didn't make me sweat with the lightweights...definitely made a difference. I tried trail runners last week on the Art Loeb Trail and don't know if trail runners are the way to go for me. The Treksta mid boots (2 lb-6 oz) I used this spring were much more comfortable to me than the Asic trail runners. Only problem I had with the Treksta boots this spring is that they were Goretex and did not dry easily. For ME, I'm thinking a lightweight non-Goretex mid will work best.
swjohnsey
10-24-2012, 20:46
So, are you saying it's cheaper to hike in runners than boots, you do know boots can be resoled. My experience as well as friends (and many here on WB), that hike in runners, say you'll spend much more over a 2000 mile hike than wearing/resoling boots.
Where doya think you are gonna find a place to resole boots along the trail and how long do you figure it will take?
Blissful
10-24-2012, 21:10
Used trail runners, loved them! But be sure to be fitted correctly by a professional who knows shoes and foot types.
Where doya think you are gonna find a place to resole boots along the trail and how long do you figure it will take?
Not to mention that a boot shapes itself continually, including as the midsole goes flat. That's why some resoled boots don't fit nicely after being resoled. This problem is especially worse if an exact match for the midsole isn't available. Also, the resole reports I've seen place the cost at $150-200.
Most importantly, not all boots can be resoled. In fact, very few modern hiking boots can be resoled if only because aftermarket outsoles aren't available. That type of outsole has a unique midsole too, so that must also be available. With very rare exception at best, boots with glued outsoles cannot be resoled. If you don't see stitches in the outsole, then you can bet it's glued on.
Another thing most people don't realize is why a hiking boot may last longer than a shoe. It's not because the tread and leather upper are more durable. It's because some boots have a polyurethane midsole that doesn't break down as quickly. Usually only high end boots have a polyurethane midsole. If you're looking at $150 boots, it probably has an EVA midsole just like trail running shoes, and it should be replaced about as often as trail running shoes.
Because of the high expense of boots, it's that much more important to get the perfect boot the first time because replacing it with another high quality boot is very expensive, and ends up costing more than using trail running shoes would have. I certainly can't claim to have done it right. That's why I have a shelf of high end boots I don't use. If I was smarter back then, I would have saved my money and bought a motorcycle.
hypnolobster
10-25-2012, 05:59
So, are you saying it's cheaper to hike in runners than boots, you do know boots can be resoled. My experience as well as friends (and many here on WB), that hike in runners, say you'll spend much more over a 2000 mile hike than wearing/resoling boots.
Not many boots these days can be resoled (at least, none that I've ever encountered), unless you somehow find a shoemaker on the trail willing to try and slap an off the shelf sole blank onto a hiking boot. It's easier to just buy another pair of boots with an original sole.
With my red wing work boots, I've gotten them resoled and will continue to do so every 2-3 years until I kill the uppers, but they're certainly not hiking boots. I fail to see how the vast majority of hiking boots with molded soles can be resoled at all.
SassyWindsor
10-25-2012, 19:41
Where doya think you are gonna find a place to resole boots along the trail and how long do you figure it will take?
I always, and so do a lot of hikers I know, keep a spare pair or more that can be shipped from home, aka mail drop. Those boots, as well as the majority of good boots, can be resoled at many places. Dave Page Cobbler in Seattle, WA USA does mine. If you choose footwear made in China, you may have a problem. If some here on WB don't believe many boots can be resoled, just Google it or check the company website. Experienced hikers already know all this, regardless if they use boots or runners.
I'm pretty sure my Asolo 520's were made in Italy, unlike the more recent 520's that are now made in China. Seeing as how Asolo didn't provide resole materials when they were made in Italy, and still don't, I don't see how the country of manufacture matters.
If anyone still wants to try it, there are cobblers that will replace the sole on Asolo boots even though they're molded, but they will be replaced with a standard Vibram sole and not the sole that originally came with the boot.
A boot that's actually made to last a lifetime will have a sewn welt like a Goodyear or Norwegian welt. These will be much easier to resole multiple times, and there's no worries about trying to lego a standard molded outsole to a specific boot.
This is the type of boot you should be looking for if you want one that will last an entire thru hike and more.
17882
to the OP - you cannot possibly expect to complete a thru hike if your choice of footwear does not meet with unanimous approval of other hikers or internet posters. FWIW, this is also true concerning your brand of pack, choice of shelter, or type of stove.or if you travel at the wrong pace or slackpack.
SassyWindsor
10-26-2012, 22:17
to add to 4shot's post......
I'm still not sure if someone here on WB isn't in the business of selling hammocks, trail shoes and homemade alcohol stoves. No, I do not sell handguns or ammo, but I do recommend not packing any weapon if one is not completely experienced with said weapon, this includes a squeeze bottle of alcohol and a lighter.
swjohnsey
10-27-2012, 07:55
to add to 4shot's post......
I'm still not sure if someone here on WB isn't in the business of selling hammocks, trail shoes and homemade alcohol stoves. No, I do not sell handguns or ammo, but I do recommend not packing any weapon if one is not completely experienced with said weapon, this includes a squeeze bottle of alcohol and a lighter.
I bet you could make a MacGyver flame thrower out of a Bic lighter and a squeeze bottle of alcohol.
PJWetzel
10-31-2012, 08:04
I think there's no set answer. Your feet will evolve. I just hiked an AT double (4368.4 miles) in ten months. I hiked the vast majority of the hike in trail runners (first pair was Asics Gel Trail Sensor 5 - 2000 miles, then Brooks Cascadias - they won't last you more than 5-700 miles but are very comfortable, with brief stint in a pair of UA 'trail runners' bought at Cabellas in a hurry (bad decision). But eventually my feet got so beat up that I wanted more stiff soles, so I hiked a while in a pair of 5 year-old low-top Vasque's that had climbed and trekked with me in South America. And another option not mentioned yet - a number of thru-hikers I met on the trail, during really wet spells, were hiking in their Crocs. This is a viable alternative. When My feet were really beat-up at the end, all shoes felt like straight-jackets, and the Crocs felt liberating. They grip rocks amazingly well, are super-light, and obviously dry out quickly. I hiked the entire last 100 miles in my Crocs.
Most important: Start out with a pair of shoes ONE FULL SIZE bigger than your street shoes. This allows for the inevitable foot swelling, but far more importantly they keep your toes from jamming into the front of the shoe on the down-hills.
swjohnsey
10-31-2012, 09:40
Yep, lotsa "correct" answers. Shaffer and Espey hiked in what amounts to work boots. I hiked in running shoes. I saw a couple of guys who were movin' really fast who hiked almost the whole way in Crocs. What ever you get, get 'em big. I lost a couple of toenails early on because my toes were hittin' the end of my shoes going downhill.
Interestingly, I measured my feet before and after my hike . . . same size.
Just thought I'd chime in as I thru-hiked this year (2012). Started in brooks cascadias, they were fine and lasted me about 500 miles. Switched gears just a bit, and grabbed a pair of montrail mountain massochists. ended up getting 2 more pairs of that, and summitted Katahdin in them. All total, 4 pairs of trail runners at 100 bucks a pair. I saw multiple, multiple, almost daily, people who had either switched from boots to trail runners or were planning on doing it asap. I feel like many people commenting on the merits of heavy leather boots have not walked for 5-6 months at a time. The truth is that although there is no "right" shoe for everyone, the light weight, comfortability, availability, and fast drying features of a trail runner make it the way to go if you're going to thru hike the AT in 2013...