THru Shoe Question

[aficion]

How many miles should I expect to get from a good trail shoe. I have found a pair that are a great fit and need to know how many to stockpile for a thru attempt. They are Garmont Momentum without gtx and I'd like to buy enough for a thru before they change models or go off sale. They seem pretty sturdy with a vibram sole and I'm guessing I need 3 pair. Should I get 3 or 4? Thanks.

[fiddlehead]

I wouldn't.
Your feet will most likely grow during your hike.
Then you will have too many expensive shoes that don't fit.

In the last decade, when you could still buy a good quality running shoe, I would get 1,000 miles on a pair.
Now? Probably 500-800. They've cheapened the materials on most all the good brands now.

Remember Montrail Vitesse's anyone?
I've already hiked 1500 miles on a pair of those babies. (now discontinued)

[aficion]

I wouldn't.
Your feet will most likely grow during your hike.
Then you will have too many expensive shoes that don't fit.

In the last decade, when you could still buy a good quality running shoe, I would get 1,000 miles on a pair.
Now? Probably 500-800. They've cheapened the materials on most all the good brands now.

Remember Montrail Vitesse's anyone?
I've already hiked 1500 miles on a pair of those babies. (now discontinued)

My feet grew a size section hiking. They may swell up I suppose but I doubt they will grow more. I've reached the age where I'm shrinking.

[VTATHiker]

I went 600 miles in a pair of La Sportiva C-Lite 2.0, and then 1500 with a pair of La Sportiva Wildcats. When I switched to the Wildcats it was for two reasons - my foot had swollen so much that I needed a full size bigger, and the uppers on the C-lites had completely blown out. The Wildcats were much more durable, but after 1500 miles I had blow outs on both sides of both shoes.

I agree with Fiddlehead that it's a good idea to get new shoes after you figure the extent of your foot swelling. If you're going to buy the shoes in advance anyway, you can definitely do with only 3 pair.

[Starchild]

Another don't buy them till you need them, my feet also grew a size and I got about 500 miles per pair + abandoned really old winter pair (part of the plan) + 1 early failure + one early exchange as I was hiking by my house and figured to get a new pair and leave my old one behind.

Some hikers switched to the $20 Walmart sneaker while they stated held very well on rocks, wore out a bit sooner, but for $20 it was more then worth it.

[Malto]

I went 600 miles in a pair of La Sportiva C-Lite 2.0, and then 1500 with a pair of La Sportiva Wildcats. When I switched to the Wildcats it was for two reasons - my foot had swollen so much that I needed a full size bigger, and the uppers on the C-lites had completely blown out. The Wildcats were much more durable, but after 1500 miles I had blow outs on both sides of both shoes.

I agree with Fiddlehead that it's a good idea to get new shoes after you figure the extent of your foot swelling. If you're going to buy the shoes in advance anyway, you can definitely do with only 3 pair.

Wildcats are shot well before 1500 miles. I switched them out every 500-600 miles even though there was nothing visibly wrong. The EVA midsole breaks down and many (not all) will see foot (or knee) problems with continued wear. I would use four pairs for the AT. I did buy all of my shoes up front though I generally agree with fiddlehead about not doing it. I also had many miles on my feet so there was little change in my feet during the hike.

[4shot]

How many miles should I expect to get from a good trail shoe. I have found a pair that are a great fit and need to know how many to stockpile for a thru attempt. They are Garmont Momentum without gtx and I'd like to buy enough for a thru before they change models or go off sale. They seem pretty sturdy with a vibram sole and I'm guessing I need 3 pair. Should I get 3 or 4? Thanks.

not a trail runner guy myself (prefer boots) but I went through 4 pairs on the trail. Best went 900 miles. worst lasted only 300 miles. I also suggest getting your shoes along the way as others here have indicated.

[Dogwood]

How many miles should I expect to get from a good trail shoe. I have found a pair that are a great fit and need to know how many to stockpile for a thru attempt. They are Garmont Momentum without gtx and I'd like to buy enough for a thru before they change models or go off sale. They seem pretty sturdy with a vibram sole and I'm guessing I need 3 pair. Should I get 3 or 4? Thanks.

They come in a few versions. Low cuts or mid cuts? Where are you contemplating your purchases? Can you return an unused pr say 6 months down the road? BIG difference IMO in amt of reliable performance between the mid/high cuts and low cuts. The mids/highs are beefier overall. I suspect you are talking about the low cuts. Two pr of mid/high cuts w/ a change out of orthotics at some pt would prolly suffice.

IMHO, people wear hiking shoes too often well past their optimal performance window. I try not doing that.

I tried the Garmont Momentum non GTX low cuts and somewhat likened their style, design, construction, and materials to the Merrel Low cut non GTX Moab Ventilators. Garmont makes some quite durable shoes IMHO. I think this is true w/ the Garmont Momentum non GTX low cuts. It's my guess, like yours too, you would go through 3 prs minimum though for an AT thru-hike, but, possibly 4 prs. Seriously consider switching to new inner sole inserts/orthotics before and during the thru. They can add some performance and IMO certainly so in slightly worn low cuts IF done wisely. If you don't regularly long distance hike I would opt for at least 1 pr out of three or four purchased to be 1/2 size larger. In the last 5-6 yrs of long distance hiking as an adult, who had not experienced any foot growth in the 10 previous yrs to that, I went from size 12 EE to now 14EEE. Always demo hiking shoes at night or later in the day after you've been on your feet all day(you're feet will be larger). Demo hiking shoes wearing the socks you expect to be wearing with those shoes(for me I use a pr of my thicker socks). I want shoes that fit but IMO it's easier to remedy a slightly larger than needed shoe size than vice versa which might cause great pain or even be unusable. I have also ceased buying shoes, especially hiking shoes, cold on line without ever having demoed them in person. Even then, shoes can have defects, so I want to be able to exchange them in a prompt easy manner.

In my experience too people don't get 1500 miles from LaSportiva Wildcats on thru-hikes(at least not without serious performace degradation). I notice the same as Malto about the Wildcats - the EVA midsole cushioning breaks down). But while they are new/newish they can provide a soft cushiony ride! Wish they made them in 1 size larger in wide widths. I'd currently have a few prs.

[jdc5294]

I had a pair of keen mid highs and they lasted until new hampshire, and keen sent me a replacement pair including the super expedited shipping for free

[m_factor]

The number of miles you get to a trail shoe will vary wildly depending on the shoe, the terrain, how you hike (do you kick rocks, drag your feet, stomp, etc.), how long the shoe is, how light or heavy you are, and more. On average, a pair of well-built trail shoes are likely to get 600 miles or so.

That said, other than the shoes you start out with, do not buy reserves in advance. Long distance hiking does to your feet in a few months what age would normally do in decades. As we age, our feet lengthen, flatten, and get wider. For some people this can start happening in weeks on the trail. As we wear a shoe on the trail, it will stretch with our feet. The same size shoe, however, when new, may be too small when you're ready for your next pair of shoes.

My feet grew two full sizes while on the trail. I know of others' that didn't change at all.

As it's impossible to know in advance, I highly recommend you wait until you're nearly ready for your next pair of shoes to buy them.

Here are a few pages I have on my web site devoted to footwear. Look around and you'll find more, too.

Foot size changes: http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor/footchange.html
Trail shoes versus boots: http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor/footwear.html
Footwear fitting: http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor/footfit.html

I hope these help.

[Just Jack]

Would definitely reccommend that you DO NOT buy extra shoes in advance. My shoe size went from a 9
to a 11 1/2 on my thru.

[The Solemates]

i just dont understand the growing feet comments. i've heard this for years from so many people. its just really odd to me. my shoe size stayed the same throughout our hike, as did my wife's. but it would certainly be a reason not to go out and buy a bunch of shoes!