Preferred hiking footwear

“How many of you out there are wearing trail running shoes when you hike. I started noticing people wearing them this spring out on the trail. Then in the 2004 Gear Guide, they mentioned the trend of hikers going to a more lighter comfortable shoe on the trail like trail runners. I actually like wearing my nikes on the trail. What do you guys think...”

“so far I am wearing boots when I backpack. I may try trail runners in summer though. A lot of people tell me they do.”

“If they work for you, go for it.

I prefer boots; mainly for the extra protection they give my feet.”

“i switched to sneakers and will never go back.

so light and comfortable...”

“I also found wearing gortex when you really get wet sucks! It is like walking in bowls of soup”

“i think the goretex is what gave me blisters during the warmer days...feet sweat too much...”

“I don't like Gore-Tex either. I need to by new boots this spring. Hopefully I can find some full leathers without it.”

“I like them both for different reasons.”

“I haven't used boots in about 3 years.”

“I know what you mean. I think it is harder to get them dried out at nite also. So you wake up and put on heavy, wet shoes. Not a nice way to start your day. The trail shoes I wear tend to not feel so heavy even if they are wet.”

“I always wear boots, I'd have broken my ankles about 15 times by now if I wore shoes on the trail.”

“I have worn my New Balance sneakers on some of the lighter hikes. They worked fine for me. Depends on the terrain. If it's real rocky or grueling, I would opt for my Vasques.”

“I use trail shoes for day hikes, boots for backpacking (unless I forget to take them, lol)”

“I do like the lightweight of trail runners, but I've never found sneakers to be very comfortable even when the only terrain I negotiate are curbs and sidewalks. Not for me, but other people love them.”

“New Balance must have really improved their product. Back in the 70's their running shoes weren't worth crap. The quality of the rubber on the soles was right up there with that of the erasers on pencils. Lasted maybe 200-300 miles. If you guys are using them they must be alright.”

“Depends on the terrain, weight and weather. For light trips in fair weather around here (IL), I wear trail runners. For rocky ground or winter trips, I lace up full leather boots. The trailrunners are Goretex XCR and the boots are traditional Goretex. I haven't had problems with GTX, but I know others have.”

“NF, I developed plantar faciitis in my right heel in 2002. It had me down for over a year (what an exquisite little inconvenience it was) and I could barely pull off a day hike for all that time. I was getting PT treatments for it and wearing rubber heel cushions that were approved by the orthopedist. I started wearing the NB 609's. I believe they are considered a walking shoe, not a runner. I am still wearing them, as my feet are, as a result, a little more tender than they used to be when subject to the punishment of grueling hikes. The way they are constructed is really the best I have ever worn in that type of shoe...
last edited: 12/16/04 8:42:33 AM”

“I've worn shoes for the past two years. They always seemed comfortable however, I have had alot of foot trauma that I never realized and never would've known about had I not had MRIs and xrays galore recently for some crazy foot problems. I'm going boot shopping as soon as my feet are all healed up. I'll be looking for the lightest weight ones I can find, non-goretex too, but when the Dr asks you how many times you've sprained your ankles in the past year and what you did to traumatize your heel so badly something needs to change! (I never thought I sprained my ankles at all! And my ankles aren't weak, promise)”

“Almost exclusively running shoes.

So so comfortable, and they dry super fast.”

“I don't wear shoes, to heavy.”

“I wear boots, Sissy's think boots are too heavy.”

“Ha Ha!”

“As it stands unless the hike is extreme I will stick with my trail runners.”

“Unless the weather is really cold and wet I wear trail runners or old running shoes. I will wear my Danner mtn lites or Danner Pusruit 200's in cold wet weather grudgingly.”

“I have a gortex pair of boots for sloppy travel and a lightweight pair of boots when I know the going will be favorable.

I may try a pair of trail runners next year.”

“OK, this is a newbie question--

What is the biggest difference between a "trail runner" and a regular "running or walking shoe"? are they specially created to fit the foot differently?”

“For the most part trail runners tend to have alittle less cushion than road shoes and a more aggressive tread. Regular running shoes are fine, but often have alot more mesh (which means more dirt in your socks but cooler feet) and a shallower tread.”

“If you look at a trail runner, they are a bit beefier on the treads and may have some more toe protection in the way of extra material on the shoe, but for the most part they may be just a little more rugged than a regular running shoe. Do a search on trail running shoes like at Dick's Sporting Goods, and you can see what they look like compared to the regular runners”

“The first time we went day hiking, we had bought some boots that were more like athletic shoes than hiking boots. They worked okay, but we opted to go for the hiking boots afterwards because of the harder sole...

I noticed that the "trail runner" shoes in the stores seem to have a lot of mesh and that the tread runs up thte toe more... Are these the trail runners you are talking about? Do they look like "running" athletic shoes? the once I saw looked like they were for the water because of the "airiness" of the mesh?”

“They come in all kinds of materials Pink, including goretex and also some that claim to be able to go in and out of water and are almost all mesh, like the Saloman ones. You wouldn't want to spend a day on your feet, running or hiking, in those though. It's nice that they drain so well but there's really not much support. Birch has tried them for adventure racing and his feet suffered. I have tried a NB shoe that's very simular and there wasn't enough support there either.”

“On Dick's web site www.dickssportinggoods.com check out their trail running section and you'll get an idea of what's out there. I agree with sass that you want to avoid the "water" shoes.”

“Unless you are standing still Goretex on clothes or boots is useless for backpackers. I go the other route and gets lightweight boots that have lots of mesh for quick ventilation. My current pair is a pair of Timberlands. I need new ones soon, though.

I would go with shoes if I could, but can't. Have too many problems with rolled ankles - if it weren't for my hiking poles I would have a sprained ankle every single trip out.”

“Amen Tech, I think gortex is one of those things that sounds so cool to buy until you on the trail soaked and have no way of drying out cause the gortex holds more in that is keeps out! It is a waste of money in most cases”

“I love my boots, but I used to have a pair of addidas trail runners that were nice for summer dayhikes and short trips.

Do the trailrunners out there now have the vibram soles and arch support?”

“All leather upper non goretex boots with as few seams as possible.

I'll use runners or sneaks in Florida but nowhere else.”

“LLBean all leather crestas, with goretex.
love 'em!

Goretex in boots allows klutzes like me to cross low streams without getting wet. I can't imagine wearing anything other than a full boots on trails in Maine, it's very rooty and rocky here.

I've never had a sweaty foot problem in them, and I wear heavy smartwool socks (no liner) year round. My feet do sweat in leather shoes at work though, so it may be my sock choice that makes the difference.”

“I wear boots for kicking horses & dogs on trails”

“Twig, what do you do when you cross the steam, fall in, and have to finish the trip a totally soaked, heavey pair of gortex boots that won't dry for year? I have soaked my feet wearing gortex and have hated the results...”

“The best way I've found to dry any pair of boots is to hike them dry. And trust me I'm use to hiking with wet feet.”

“applesauce.... don't fall in!”

“How much pack weight is realistic when wearing sneakers when hiking?”

“I buy the lightest trail runners possible in the spring because my feet sweat so much. A solid sole and a mesh upper is all i need. I even hiked a summer in Teva Wraptors. The shoes are usually blown by the time cold weather comes around, and I go back to a waterproof boot in the winter.”

“I don't!!! I was just trying to make him feel good!!! I have those cat-like reflexes that give me perfect balance. Joker, I hiked this fall in the smokies with about 35-40lbs and had no real problems with my trail runners. We did 40 miles.”

“applesauce, what part of Ohio you from?”

“Beavercreek”

“ditto what IJ said...

and what lumberzac said...

I used to wade streams with my boots on - the only time it ever affected a trip was once in October when my boots froze and I had to wait for them to thaw out so I could put them on. It was fine though, as I wanted to stay in my sleeping bag where it was warm anyway.”

“just curious, I'm about two hours from Cincinnati...”

“I am prolly the only one who has switched to boots from wearing sneakers and trail runners. I still wear my light shoes on small dayhikes, but I love the support that my boots give me while backpacking.”

“I used to wear sneakers, but they were silly little canvas nothing things...I wore out a new pair on my first hike up Katahdin. I finally switched to a trail sneaker thing (cheap Bass things not really meant for hiking) after the rocks on North Traveller beat my feet up. Then I moved to LLB fabric and leather crestas, then all leather, and that's what I've been wearing since.”

“that's what I am planning on doing...on the easier dayhikes I'll try trail runners. I do twist my ankles a lot...not good without boots.”