Shoe question

[LeeMan]

Starting my SOBO in a week. Many thru-hike vets have recommended the Saloman trail runner... light, sturdy, comfortable, breaks in easily. Question is, should I get the fast drying mesh shoe ($120) or the water-proof model ($140)? There seems to be pros and cons for both.

Wondering what everyone thinks? Thanks.

[Pages]

i just bought a pair of xa comp gtx. i don't like the mesh. it may dry faster, but dirt gets in your socks as well.

i wear a size 9 1/2 shoe so i got 10s so there would be room for a pair of superfeet and good socks. there wasn't. i should have gotten 10 1/2. also they run narrow, no wides unless you get the ultra mesh.

very well made shoe though. live and learn.

TV

[Pages]

also with 6 miles on them, they are not broken in yet in my opinion.

[Deadeye]

It really boils down to personal preference - my choice is the gore-tex model. I just find the immediate soaking that you get with the mesh is too much. One wrong step crossing a 4-foot wide stream, and even on a sunny day, you start with a wet foot and soaked sock. With the gore-tex (or even just a leather shoe), you can have a few mis-steps and still be dry. If you're starting the day walking through dewy grass, pop on some gaiters and you can stay dry - not so with the mesh. Your feet may sweat more, but the shoes and your feet will still dry quickly, and your feet and socks will stay cleaner (mesh shoes allow a lot of dust & dirt to get in).

[LeeMan]

TV and Deadeye, thank you very much for your input. TV, I hadn't even considered the dirt part of the equation, and Deadeye, you make a great argument the goretex mode. I'm off to civilization to put a hurtin' on my credit card. The mesh-less, waterproof version it is!

[Storm]

It is just me or is there something wrong here. Buying new untried shoes a week before leaving on a thru hike. Sure hope they fit well.

[Chuch]

I rock the solomon's about 4-5 days a week at work....and I hike in them. I have a SUPER wide 9.5, so I am limited in the XA pro' but I LOVE these shoes. Honestly, I'd prefer the mesh either way since my feet sweat horribly. Didnt have a problem with dirt getting in at all on my section earlier this year though. The mesh dries super quick too if you do get them wet. To me its pretty useless to have the GTX in such a low shoe anyway. My normal set up is the XA's in the wide non GTX, with a pair of Darn Touch Crew's with cushion on the bottom only.

[Deadeye]

It is just me or is there something wrong here. Buying new untried shoes a week before leaving on a thru hike. Sure hope they fit well.

That's a big difference between shoes and boots. No break in. I just bought a pair of Salomons, and used them the next day on a 20+ day hike. No problems. No guarantees, either, but trail runners generally are good to go right out of the box. YMMV

[map man]

If you are embarking on a through hike, which I assume you are, get the mesh ones. Your shoes (either style) will get soaking wet over and over again over the course of weeks, and the mesh ones dry out much more quickly. Mesh styles also tend to be a little lighter, and that's good.

[sbhikes]

In my opinion, shoes are the worst place to apply goretex. Your feet need to breathe. Mesh shoes will dry fast and let the sweat escape. So what if your feet get a little dusty. Wet feet get blisters more than dusty ones.

[bigcranky]

Mesh. I own both, and use the goretex only in the winter. I prefer the softer XA Comp, but plenty of people like the XA Pro.

[LeeMan]

Got to the store at 5:00... CLOSED. Now another night of weighing the advice of many. So far, about 1/2 say mesh, and the other 1/2 say water-proof. Any more votes either way? It's still a toss up.

One attractive thing about these shoes is they feel like 10 or 15 miles in them will break them in easily.

[skinewmexico]

Goretex is way too hot for me in the summer. Your feet dry fast with mesh; doesn't leave any scars. Lots of ways to manage water without Goretex.

[sbhikes]

I started my PCT hike with goretex shoes. Egads my feet got so sweaty. They really stunk, too. I was so miserable I bought new shoes as soon as I could get to an outlet mall.

[ironman y2k]

Gortex in shoes keep too much perspiration in, and persperation and heat from friction equals "hot spots" leading to blisters. I vote for mesh since shoes will always get wet but mesh will dry and keep feet cooler as you walk.