[pct-l] Brooks Cascadias

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, Cathy,

Of the several hundred thru-hike aspirants every year my best guess is 75%
wear low-cut running shoes or similar trail running shoes.  Maybe 10% wear
ankle-height, fabric, sneaker-cousin “boots”.  10% may wear hiking sandals
such as Chaco or Teva; and the remaining 5% would be traditional leather
boots – either ankle height or full-on 10"-12” boots.

The PCT is walking on a substantially flat trail tread rather than
cross-country over rocks on steep ground.  I wear sneakers
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=263804  which are stable,
lightweight, readily available, and relatively inexpensive.  They ventilate
well – except for the ones made of “waterproof” fabric – and they dry
rapidly after an inevitable dunking.

Sometimes a pair of high-quality, sturdy, leather boots will last longer
than several pairs of sneakers, but it is very common for a long-distance
hiker’s feet to become several sizes longer and wider during a PCT hike;
meaning those expensive boots are in good shape but they are no longer
comfortable.  That’s no problem for a hiker that changes sneakers every
500-750 miles, provided he/she didn’t buy all of them ahead of time in the
same size.

Wet feet are a fact of life on the PCT, particularly during the early
season in the Sierra.  Boots will not likely dry out for a 2-3 week passage.
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/2012-May/059609.html

A pair of sneakers will weigh about 2 lbs. while traditional leather boots
weigh upwards of 5 lbs. per pair.  Other types of “boots” fall somewhere
between those.  A pound or two of additional weight on each foot is
significant:  Think of the approximate 7,000,000 steps necessary for a
thru-hike.

Hikers wearing Chaco sandals like the freedom, but they weigh about the
same as a pair of sneakers.  I really like to hike in sandals but I worry
about stubbing my toes; it’s hard to keep arch inserts in place; and I find
that if I wear socks I can’t keep the trash out.  Some devoted sandal
hikers wear them the whole way, including across the Sierra snowpack, but
they also say it’s a bit chilly at times.  Chaco sandals won’t save much –
or any – weight compared to a sneaker.

Outfitter stores have a chant to the effect:  Lightweight sneakers are
maybe OK for day hikes; ankle boots are OK for a long weekend; but for a
week or more with a pack it’s necessary to have the sturdy – read “heavy
and expensive” -- boots.  That’s just backwards.  On a day-hike one can
tolerate heavy boots for a while – I wear them for a day doing trail
maintenance work because it’s required – but the longer the hike the
lighter the shoe the better.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=263803

Enjoy your planning,

Steel-eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 4:57 PM, Catherine Ford <ceford.nhighlands at gmail.com
> wrote:

> Greetings Everyone!
>
> I'm a newbie hiker and am working my way up to being a backpacker. When I
> realized that Mango's question about Brooks Cascadias was regarding a shoe
> rather than a boot I was a bit confused. For hiking, don't you "need"
> hiking boots? When are shoes appropriate? I appreciate any clarification
> you can provide.
>
> Have a Great Day!
>
> Cathy!
>
> Catherine Ford
> Something to think about: "Millions saw an apple fall. Only Newton asked
> why."
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