[pct-l] Asolo boots

[Karen Somers]

I'll weigh in on the minority side, the side of hiking in boots.  I wore Asolo 520 GTX boots (midweight leather) on both the entire AT and both PCT hikes (one incomplete, the other thru).  I love those boots.  I did try to wear trail runners on the PCT both in '00 (after reading Jardine's sales pitch) and in '04 (because that's what everyone was doing by then).  Both attempts to switch to runners ended up in very sore feet that ached so badly I could not sleep, so I went back to my Asolos and was content and had no other issues, other than the caveats I'll warn you about below.  I am definitely in the minority.  And later I did successfully wear trail runners on several hundred miles of the CDT, where I found the trail to be much less rocky than the AT and PCT.  

I did not carry a light pack on the AT or PCT '00, but in '04 I was down to a 15-lb base weight.  I found I still needed the boots.  Everyone made fun of me until the High Sierra, when snow and fording made them all envy my waterproof boots.  By Oregon, they were all too tired to envy them during 11 days of straight rain, but I sure was glad I had them.

One quick story - I stepped on a baby rattler near Deep Creek Hot Springs in '04, which reached up and bit my ankle high boot. Another time I was glad to be wearing my archaic boots and knee-high gaiters.

Tips for Boot Wearers on the PCT:

- You must air out your feet in the hot sections several times a day (most of the first third of the PCT)
        - Every 2 hours, take a break, take off your boots, switch to a dry pair of socks, hang your damp sweaty socks off your pack to dry.  Do this sock switcheroo every 2 - 3 hours throughout the day.

- Get good insoles.  This really applies to both boot wearers and trail runners.  Do not rely on the ones that come with the shoes; they're junk and can damage your feet.

- If you have recurring blisters or foot pain, try another type or brand of shoes.

- Try to figure out which type of shoe - runner or boot - works best for you before the PCT, if you can.  It really is the pits to have foot trouble while trying to thru-hike, and in extreme cases, can take you off the trail.

Nocona


On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 6:59 AM, CRYSTAL NEZGODA <littlevixsin at gmail.com>wrote:

> Ok so I have gone back and forth on this question in my head boots or no
> boots.
>
> Now let me tell you about me, 30 not an everyday hiker but like to hike
> maybe twice a week, will being carrying at the most 45lb that is when I am
> walking the desert portion.
>
> I wanted to try hiking shoes but I am a little afraid of the no anckle
> support so I bought some boots...but since I brought them from rei I can
> take them back at anytime, so did I make a bad shoe choice?
>
> Help