[pct-l] Snow Shoes vs. Timing for snow on a thru

[Kevin Cook]

Hi Diane

My experience with Chacos has been different. Mine have a very nice Vibram
sole. They stick as well as my boots. The only advantages my boots are offer
are warmth, protection for the top part of the foot, and slightly better
support. I'm really impressed with how comfortable they are. The strap
system works very well IMHO. I have the style without the strap for the big
toe so that I can wear socks with them when it's cold in camp. I haven't
hiked for days in them, but I have carried my backpack many miles in them.
If I'm not concerned about stickers getting under the foot or warmth, then
they seem to do about as well as a hiking boot. I'm planing to bring mine
for sure. I haven't yet committed to wearing them full time, but I haven't
ruled it out. I really dislike the thought of my heavy boots hanging from
the back of my pack. ;)

On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 6:29 AM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <
diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:

>
> On Oct 25, 2010, at 9:06 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> >
> > Someone wrote about hiking in Chaco's.
>
> That was me. They don't work in the snow. The snow accumulates under
> your toes making it hard to walk. Every few steps I had to shake the
> snow out. Chacos also have piss-poor traction on snow or anything. I
> have been thinking of having them resoled at the cobbler to put a
> real sole on. Chaco USA will just put the same sole on.
>
> > I haven't tried them, but we have
> > gravitated toward simpler and lighter shoes. Our current shoe
> > preferences
> > have almost no support. They are a slab of foam with some mesh to
> > hold it
> > under the foot. They're very light, and our feet are stronger and
> > ache less.
>
> What shoes are these?
>
> I have been moving toward simpler shoes, too. First I switched from
> leather boots to light canvas boots. Then from high tops to low tops.
> The switch to low tops was miraculous for me. I have ankles like tree
> stumps and finally I could USE them! Then I made a mistake and bought
> motion control shoes on the trail and broke my feet completely and
> had to get off. So I made sure after that to get shoes that were
> flexible. Still wasn't quite enough because all the heel rise and
> especially that crater your forefoot falls into caused pain. Not to
> mention that they just don't make shoes shaped like a real foot.
> Chacos have a huge arch bump which can bother me, but otherwise are
> pretty simple. Hopefully I will be able to make something that works
> for me. It's pretty much come to that, I'm afraid.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
>