Trail runners for long distance

“Reading some AT trail journals, I'm struck by how many people end up with significant foot problems that end or at least temporarily derail their trip. This seems to be the case more on the AT than the PCT, maybe because the trail surface is on average harder on the AT. News of Trekkngirl having to end her thru hike brought this up again for me.

It started me re-thinking footwear. I switched to New Balance trail runners years ago for 3 season backpacking and hiking. Yet, I've never done more than 300 miles. I'm wondering how much the hard surface of boot bottoms protects the foot bones from injury. Or would a good trail runner offer as much cushioning and protection as a boot?Is it the impact, the vibration, the bending or what that is the problem.

For my trips - the longest being the Long Trail + the access routes (around 280 total) I'd always thought of the value of boots being ankle support.

I'm sure people here know a lot more than I do about this and have thought about it more. I also wonder, on a trip like an AT thru-hike is the stress on the foot cummulative or is it worst for the first portion (say 1/4) and the foot usually adjusts to the impact and wear and tear?

I've got a shot at getting enough time to go maybe 400 or more miles this summer - so I'm rethinking my footwear choice.
last edited: 5/08/09 9:30:11 AM”

“I wore both on the AT and had equal success with each...or lack thereof. I feel more secure in boots, but faster in trail runners. I tend to lean toward boots just for the feeling of safety. Purely subjective.”

“Pedxing.. its a combination of everything...

First of all it is obviously the amount of miles hiked etc..

But it is also the surface of the hike and the terrain..

The C&O canal hike was over a hard surface and also it was all flat...

The motion of the foot was constant over the entire hike.. The same part of the foot was getting pressure for the endurance of the hike.. Since we were used to a variation of elavation gains and lossed. our feet weren't used to this type of hiking...

HM and I had just done 25 miles in one day two weeks earlier going up and down 3 ridges with no problems... On the C&O canal, she developed major blisters after only 10 miles.. I made it until about 27(?) We both had on the exact same footwear that we had worn 2 weeks earlier..

In addition the hard ground didn't help...

I have hiked 25+miles two times on the C&O canal, once wearing trail runners and once wearing boots.. I incurred blisters both times... The only other time that I have ever developed worse blisters was when my boots were a bad fit..

I also believe speed plays a small part.. For instance during the C&O canal hike, we were cranking out 4 miles an hour non stop for 4-5 hours (breaks included)... This is faster then the 2.8-3.4 that I usually do (including breaks).. Again, the motion of the foot, the striking impact and the point of impact were all different then I was accustomed to...

I have also heard different views on inserts.. SOme say the gells make our foot sweat too much thereby causing more blisters.. I don't use them..

Also liners.. some swear by them.. I don't use them..

Just my 32cents..

PS.. as far as trail runners, I am becoming more impressed with them.. I even had them on for the 16 miles march into Fonatana Dam in the snow, and I had no problems...
'32oz
last edited: 5/08/09 10:13:25 AM”

“It also depends a lot on how much weight is carried either in the pack or on the body...

When I lost 16 pounds I kept thinking to myself as I hiked that the extra weight that I had been carrying was the equivalent of 2 gallons of water...

This also affects the stress on the knees..

'32oz”

“Thanks for the feedback.

What worries me most are the connective tissue and joint inflamations, the stress fractures - things that might not show up after 200 or even 300 miles. I've been really lucky in avoiding blisters, both in boots and trail runners - it didn't take too much for me to figure out how to avoid the blisters (ecxcept in my winter boots) - but I haven't though much about the inner mechanics and integrity of the feet.”

“Yeah sorry, I got a little derailed, I had that blister thread on my mind..

there was a discission on white blaze about the 4 state challenge and there was some thought over there that stress fractures are caused by sudden exhertion above what your body is used to...

I will admit, after the 62 miles and then the 40 its taken me a lot longer to recuperate.. I have some joints that are sore... That's why were only doing 20 on Saturday..

If I were to bet though, I would bet that the footwear would be the least of the causes of injuries..

Also, I get better tration with the trail runners, so the chances of slipping are reduced..

'32oz”

“32Oz: Your comments about Whiteblaze make a good point, body conditioning is at least as important as footwear. I found supporting info for that pooint of view just now: "The most common stress fracture that occurs in the foot is in the metatarsal bones. These fractures are also referred to as march fractures. The name came about as the result of forcing young, sedentary army recruits to march 20 miles with a full backpack. Their transition from civilian to soldier was too abrupt resulting in a load that was greater than what the metatarsal bone could tolerate."

What trail runners do you use 32oz? I've been wearing New Balance, because they come in my width and have had variable success in terms of traction. Some have done great on wet surfaces, some have really been a beech.

Actually, your talk of blisters and liners brought back one memory. When I did the LT in '05 I was really worried about my skin integrity since I had thin grafted skin on much of my feet. I used liners, sometimes double and I wore boots. The double liners liners f--d up my circulation bad after a while at about 200 miles I was in agony - I changed things up when I figured out the problem, but I was in a lot of pain for the last 60 miles or so.
last edited: 5/08/09 12:28:03 PM”

“I use montrails.. I picked them up on Steep and CHeap.. I figured that if I didn't like them, I would just use them as sneakers...

http://www.backcountry.com/store/MON0075/Montrail-Streak-Trail-Running-Shoe-Mens.html

Probably have 350-400 miles on them already

HM uses NB and loves them... What's nice about them is that you can pick them up on sale at Dicks....

I have seen/heard of a lot of people using NB..

'32oz”

“New balance also has a factory outlet near me. I tend not to start a big backtrip with a pair that has more than 500 miles on it.

By the way... I added in some stuff on the prior agreeeing with your observation on the Whitebalze discussion.
last edited: 5/08/09 12:30:10 PM”

“dang - a new wrinkle - discussing a _Whiteblaze_ thread over here on TT

wrt use of trail runners - I am happy with my ASICS trailrunners with Superfeet inserts - the only real problem I have is that I used a shoe too narrow for a while and now have a low grade problem with Morton's neuroma which fortunately is much reduced after seeing the foot dr. and realizing that I now need the next step up in width.”

“I've finally worn out my Lowas so I am moving to my running shoes that have done my feet right. For blisters there is a stick (looks like small deodorant stick) that you can just rub on where the blisters are most apt to show up. Worked wonders for me. Body Glide or something similar. It may help.
last edited: 5/08/09 3:02:48 PM”

“yeah - I second the use of Body Glide - I used it the first week or so on my feet and it worked for me - no blisters - also worked for "other" chaffing problems”

“i have now switched from "trail runners" to just using my retired-from-the-road running shoes. the fit is perfect. i pounded out some 50 miles of the Knobstone trail a few months ago... in two days... no blisters, no problem. best of all they were basically free 'cause I ran in them for months and months... and I have closet full of replacements. doubt i'll ever buy shoes for the trail again.”

“I've been using trail runners exclusively now for about two years. As long as I am walking on trails I am sold, even with pack weights in the 45lb range.

I've hiked in both NB and Montrail. Montrails have a full length plastic "shank" that provide transverse stiffness and good protection from pointy rocks. I am sold on the continental divides which unfortunately are discontinued. Will likely go with the new Hardrocks when it is time to replace them.”

“I have pretty much switched to my retired from the road running shoes. They are super light and comfy ... and free. I have a closet full of them. I think most "trail shoes" are overrated.”

“I had pretty much sworn be trail runners, however agter this weekend, I'm not so sure..

I'm beginning to believe that depending on terrain, mileage, etc different types of footwear should be worn at different times...

I used the same pair of trail runners that I had run a 50k in to walk 33 miles...

I had no problem with them when it came to running 34 miles on a trail, yet I had majot problems with them when walking on the C&O canal and a high school track... My Merrell boots felt better on the track then the trail runners did..

/32oz”

“Please report to the 'Drunk' thread. ;-)”

“Acsis Trail Eagles”

“i now hike in my retired from the road running shoes. they are the best "trail runners" i have ever owned and the bonus is they are re-cycled from my running so they are basically free. one less type of shoe to own.”

“ped - my first response would be if you have thru-hiked the LT in trail shoes, you'll do fine with trail shoes on just about any trail out there. Everything I have hiked of any distance has been in trail shoes, and the LT is still the toughest trail on shoes that I have hiked. Personally, I think a lot of the ankle/feet/knee problems you read about on trail journals result from going downhill too fast. I had chin splints to contend with in Harpers Ferry for just that reason.

It took me three pairs of trail shoes on the AT . . . Salamon's (with about 200 miles to begin with on them) to Damascus, where I switched to Montrail Hardrocks + superfeet . . . and got another pair of Montrail Hardrocks in Delaware Water Gap, which lasted the remainder of the trip.

The best advice I can give is pay someone who knows what they are doing to help find the correct size and style of shoe for your feet. I thought that I did a pretty good job of sizing shoes myself until I got help and found out I was wearing shoes that were about a size too small while in Damascus. They also showed me how the superfeet insoles help hold your foot in place inside the shoe and keep it from sliding forward and back. This allowed me to eliminate the liner socks that I had been wearing until that time. Granted, superfeet insoles are not very comfortable, but they do add some rigidity to your trail shoe and help provide some protection from the rocks.

I had the same experience as 32oz when I hiked 46 miles in a day, and I attribute the blisters I got to hiking on relatively flat terrain for a such a long distance. On flat terrain your shoes are pretty much going to rub any spot on your foot in the same place with every step you take. When hiking on uneven terrain there is variation in how your shoes will make contact with your feet.”

“see, i'll put down a few hundo miles in my running shoes before i retire them... all on flat terrain. i didn't get so much as a hot spot hiking the knobstone trail in two days (far from level) with meangreen. lol!”

“Thanks for that info gforce.”