Footwear for NOBOs starting in early March

[Engine]

I've been hiking in trail runners for a few years and really enjoy it, but I haven't had to wear them in snow and slush. I could see where that might be miserable if not downright dangerous. We are thinking about starting out with lightweight boots and wearing them until they're worn out or Pearisburg, whichever comes first. Then we could switch to trail runners for the remainder of the trail.

What do you think?

[peakbagger]

I run trail runners until snow season and then switch to new balance winter boot. They don't offer them every year but generally I am quite happy with them and use them for winter hiking in the whites. Here is a link to their latest version http://www.newbalance.com/pd/fresh-f...lack_with_Grey. I have used the prior version 1000 series and they held up pretty well. One major caveat is New Balance has lousy inserts supplied with their boots. I use heat moldable Montrails but other folks use superfeet.

[jeffmeh]

I run trail runners until snow season and then switch to new balance winter boot. They don't offer them every year but generally I am quite happy with them and use them for winter hiking in the whites. Here is a link to their latest version http://www.newbalance.com/pd/fresh-f...lack_with_Grey. I have used the prior version 1000 series and they held up pretty well. One major caveat is New Balance has lousy inserts supplied with their boots. I use heat moldable Montrails but other folks use superfeet.

Interesting. Mostly day trips in the Whites in winter, or do you have a good technique for dealing with moisture/freezing without a removable inner?

[peakbagger]

VBL socks.

[ScottTrip]

I started my thru on March 7th. I had plenty of snow on the trail but continued to wear my Salmon Trail Runners the entire time. Some hikers did the grocery bags in shoes trick, I just changed my socks several times a day. Never really any problem.

[jeffmeh]

VBL socks.

Ah, an inner by another name, lol. Any particular brand that you recommend?

[QiWiz]

I have used Rocky goretex socks over sock liners or hiking socks with my mesh trail runners in rain or slush during shoulder season and they have been a godsend.

[josh_ATL]

I started in Altra Lone Peaks Polartec Neoshell and got a fair amount of snow in NC/TN especially the Smokies. My trail runners were not waterPROOF, but did the job keeping a good amount of water out, especially when paired with Darn Tough merino socks. My feet never got cold until I stopped hiking. Even when I stepped into water that was deeper than my shoes, my feet would only feel wet for a few minutes. Merino socks will keep your feet warm and feeling dry, even when saturated. The one main saving grace to having wet mesh trail runners is that they would usually dry over night, where leather boots tend to freeze and retain ice until the heat coming off your feet melts it the next day. I learned a very useful trick for any wet shoes. I would find small rocks and put them in my cook pot and either cook them on my stove on in a fire and pour them in my shoes. I'd repeat until my shoes were dry and one last time before I put them on so I'd step into warm dry shoes first thing in the morning. Anyway...trail runners are the way to go if you are not dealing with weeks of below freezing temperatures, and you don't need the support a full boot gives.

[egilbe]

You can do the same thing by putting hot water in your water bottles and putting your bottles in your boots or shoes.

[jjozgrunt]

I've only had to walk in snow and slush twice but both times I used my trail runners, with a pair of injinji liner socks inside Seal Skin WP socks. Worked well for me and I continued to use them in the wet marshy areas of the alpine region I was walking in.

[JPritch]

I look for drainage ability over waterproofing. Water's gonna get in, so might as well get a shoe that will get rid of it faster. Pair that with Drymax socks and you're g2g.

[Longboysfan]

You can do the same thing by putting hot water in your water bottles and putting your bottles in your boots or shoes.

Or maybe fill your sawyer squeeze pouches with the warm water and put those in the shoes to help dry them out.

[coyote9]

If they are lightweight boots like Solomon mids GTX then I love them going through snow and slush. We are starting around the same time and I picked up a pair of the lightweight La Sportiva mids. Ill trade them out for my (almost the same weight) Brooks Cascadias when my gf meets me in Damascus.

[bamboo bob]

Boots get wet and stay wet. Trail runners get wet and dry out.