Which Sole Material Has the Best Traction?

[Just Bill]

Kev-
I grew up hiking in boots. I not so fondly recall the hourly stop for "sock check", the 10-60 minutes a day with the "lug stick" digging out mud/rocks/crud. The not so infrequent toe kicking of trees. And the eeirliy wonky on the knee- foot flick.

Framing houses, I work in a lot of mud.

Point being, the good old waffle stompers with their hard rubbers, aggressive lugs, and deep tread just hold mud and debris. Eventually you're simply walking around in your own personal mud slick that tugs not so subtly on your knees each time you pick up your foot. I found myself using the claws on my hammer to pry muck out more often than nails. If a tread can't "throw" mud, then it just becomes a hunk of trail. IMO, none of the heavy tread boots beat this issue. The only thing they do well- is stay on your feet.

You may occasionally step out of your shoe with a low top- but you won't accumulate a 3lb crust along the way. You can also get a trail runner type shoe in a high top of course.

Not much microspiking in my neck of the woods- but as they work regardless of tread type or shoe design...

So, Yar- fer hiking in damn near any realistic regular conditions I can think of encountering when backpacking- the good ol' hard rubber, deep, aggressive lug sole is the worst.

After that- you nailed it. When it's really serious out, wither for warmth or mechanical attachments- a good pair of "real" boots is often the solution. No need to mess with the stuff in the middle.

Much to your credit- most folks will not take on the scrambling you do; a specialized application that a good approach shoe solves nicely.

This is my "aggressive" tread of choice for the serious stuff-
A1453_BlackRed_xl1.jpg

[Another Kevin]

After that- you nailed it. When it's really serious out, wither for warmth or mechanical attachments- a good pair of "real" boots is often the solution. No need to mess with the stuff in the middle.

Much to your credit- most folks will not take on the scrambling you do; a specialized application that a good approach shoe solves nicely.

I think we're in "violent agreement" here. We may have subtle disagreements on where "really serious" begins, but that's about it.

I don't know about the scrambling. I'd say most of it's no worse than the tougher bits of the AT or the LT in northern New England. Typical North Country fall-line trails. Think Mansfield, Beaver Brook, the Wildcats, or Mahoosuc Arm. Although sometimes I don't have the benefit of having had a trail blazer mark the way for me, so routefinding comes into play as well.

I don't have approach shoes at the moment, because in the Cats I don't need them, and the rough sandstone would trash them pretty quickly. As I said, if I shift focus to the 'Daks with their slick granite, then I'll be wanting them. And one of these days I do want to try Mount Colden up from Avalanche Pass - and that one is tough scrambling. The waterfall is supposed to be the crux, but the approach shoes would surely also be needed on the exit from the ravine onto the smooth rock of a recent slide. Nothing but friction holds.

[Just Bill]

AK- Blah, blah, Blur!
JB- Blah, Blur, Blah!
Ak- Blah, (fancy text in obscure language), good pics
JB- Blur, native americans, crappy pic.

JB- Blar? Ak- Blar! JB&AK- Blurp Blah!
We seem to find ourselves in violent agreement often...
No complaints from me, hopefully all that hot wind blowing around helps folks along the way

[Tron-Life]

"And one of these days I do want to try Mount Colden up from Avalanche Pass"

I love that part of the ADK High Peaks! A few years ago, I submitted my first peak there on Mt Adams which is a pretty decent mountain for beginners. I had so much fun that I hiked the Calamity Brook Trail to Lake Colden, which is incredible, and attempted to summit Colden, but had to come down just before the summit because the teeth of my cheap snowshoes got flattened by steeping on a frozen log. It was kinda scary coming down, and involved alot of slipping and sliding, but it was alot of fun! Good luck on your trip.

I miss going up there but it's too expensive for me to drive and I live so close to the AT. I find that I enjoy the AT experience more but when I hike in the ADKs I feel like I've been transported to Jurassic Park or something.

As far as sole material, I did some research on Gryptonite and found that most people find it provides excellent traction when wet but wears away quickly.

It's hard to find good data on this stuff as all the info out there is advertising claims hyped up to get you to buy their shoes.

I really looking for info in the format that rocketsocks posted in the link below, but just with info on trail shoes/runners and not climbing shoes from a specific company

http://www.stealthrubber.com/

I found this on Vibrams website but I'm not sure I trust their info:

http://www.vibram.com/index.php/us/B...nology/Mescole


This information is helpful but I wish I could find a neutral information source that compares and contrasts ALL types of sole materials.

[Venchka]

All of the data in the world and online reading will not prevent an incorrect step and subsequent face plant. Or worse.
Since this thread began, I have paid attention to my own footwear and found a few online reviews of approach shoes. Vibram is the overall leader. European footwear companies lead in approach shoes.
How well they are used is still operator dependent.
For the record, my family has been scrambling around NC for the past two weeks. Vibram soles dominate: Merrell and Chaco followed by Teva and Keen water sandals. A lot of wet, slimy, slippery rocky terrain. No falls. No injuries. No worries.

Wayne

[Tron-Life]

All of the data in the world and online reading will not prevent an incorrect step and subsequent face plant. Or worse.
Since this thread began, I have paid attention to my own footwear and found a few online reviews of approach shoes. Vibram is the overall leader. European footwear companies lead in approach shoes.
How well they are used is still operator dependent.
For the record, my family has been scrambling around NC for the past two weeks. Vibram soles dominate: Merrell and Chaco followed by Teva and Keen water sandals. A lot of wet, slimy, slippery rocky terrain. No falls. No injuries. No worries.

Wayne

Yeah, initially I thought Vibram was a type of rubber and not a brand that makes different types of sole materials. I was also mistaken about the Badrocks as they are made with Gryptonite. As experience is a very wide variable, I rather focus on materials - footing/technique can be discussed elsewhere.

[Tron-Life]

Venchka,

Did you see what type of Vibram soles your shoes had? I was looking at the VIBRAM® Megagrip which looks likewhat I need.

[Dogwood]

I hear you about the deeply lugged waffle stompers clogging up in some types of conditions - mud such as clayey soils, wet snow/ice common back east, or catching debris like small sticks, rocks, nails, etc. Those types of shoes are basically designed for walking though not running or in some people's situations walking around muddy, wet, possibly icy job sites. However, the OP asked specifically about trail runners - hence the name, shoes designed to umm run trails and their sole composition. The lugs and tread on trail runners is very different! Different activity. Different design -walking verses trail running. Tread designs and lugs on trail runners designed for running in mixed conditions, as the OP stated he would be hiking -wet, mud, ice, snow and possibly all while negotiating slabs, faces, light bouldering, some shifting scree, roots, etc(common in the White Mountains on AT type tread) - although varying to degree how well they do it, are generally designed to "throw" mud, snow, ice and debris. What trail runner wants to carry around unnecessary wt and compromise traction with clogged up tread? Now, how one assimilates a trail runner designed for running in those mixed conditions into a backpacking paradigm isn't going to be solely addressed by sole composition.

Although I myself backpack in trail runners most often too, PERHAPS, in the OP's described trail conditions, and while taking into consideration the specifics of HIS hikes(which we don't entirely know), he might give greater consideration to not hiking in a trail runner?

[rocketsocks]

AK- Blah, blah, Blur!
JB- Blah, Blur, Blah!
Ak- Blah, (fancy text in obscure language), good pics
JB- Blur, native americans, crappy pic.

JB- Blar? Ak- Blar! JB&AK- Blurp Blah!
We seem to find ourselves in violent agreement often...
No complaints from me, hopefully all that hot wind blowing around helps folks along the way

Where's a balloon when ya need one?

up up and away!

[Venchka]

Venchka,

Did you see what type of Vibram soles your shoes had? I was looking at the VIBRAM Megagrip which looks likewhat I need.

No clue which Vibram sole make up we have on the Merrell Moabs (male & female) or on the female Chaco sandals. What I saw were my grand kids in sandals scampering up and down an obstacle course trail like mountain goats.
My oldest boots have VIBRAM Roccia BlockTM soles. The kind that have been around since forever. Not JB's favorite.
My newest boots, Asolo 520 GTX, have some kind of new fangled Vibram sole. Maybe you can find a description of the sole online.
If I were going to New Hampshire in October I would be looking long and hard at Lowa, Salewa or Scarpa shoes that I could try in person. Or a pair of ready made Limmer boots fitted in person.
Nothing important is ever easy.

Wayne

[Kerosene]

For my Maine section hike starting in late September: Inov-8 RocLite 295 with "sticky rubber outsole compound has been specially developed using climbing rubber technology. This rubber optimizes grip in wet conditions." 5-star rating with 96 reviews, 11 oz. per shoe, $80 at Zappos.

[Deacon]

For my Maine section hike starting in late September: Inov-8 RocLite 295 with "sticky rubber outsole compound has been specially developed using climbing rubber technology. This rubber optimizes grip in wet conditions." 5-star rating with 96 reviews, 11 oz. per shoe, $80 at Zappos.

I love the innovate 295's too, but I can't wear 'em long term 'cause they're to stinking narrow.