[pct-l] Footwear - help!

[Jeffrey Olson]

If you can find an edition of Ray Jardines opus on lightweight hiking 
you'll find what he says enlightening.  My books are in boxes - ready to 
be put back on shelves in a new home.  However, what I remember, is he 
argues the lighter the better, as long as lightweight footware is part 
of a lightweight system.  It's having a "SYSTEM" that's important, not 
what gear you have.  Make sure you know what your system is...

If your base packweight sans food and water is less than 12 pounds or 
so, then you can wear cheap, walmart running shoes.  It won't matter 
once you get going and in shape.  I repeat - IT WON'T MATTER WHAT BRAND 
OR MODEL OF SHOE YOU WEAR!!!

I met a woman on the trail this year wearing Teva sandals.  She was 
pretty blase.  I wonder if she made it...

I have a friend who is loathe to use a NB 814 or equivalent.  He thinks 
the sole isn't "firm" enough.  He wears 24 oz shoes that have a very 
stiff sole and sidewall.

I pointed out to him that you can replace the insoles of your cheap 
running shoes with high quality insoles and achieve the same goal. The 
running shoes will wear out (pricey or cheap) before the insoles do.

I've always bought three or four pair of NB 800 series shoes at the same 
time when they're on sale because they have wide toe boxes, fairly 
"stiff" soles and last six or seven hundred miles.  It's not the sole 
that wears out.  For most people I think, it's the heel that gives way 
first.  So put a strip of high quality duct tape on the inside of the 
shoe before you ever wear it.  You won'T need to replace it ever.   
You'll get a couple hundred extra miles from your shoes.

Make sure the shoe is a couple sizes larger than what you think you 
need.  Tie a knot midway up the shoe.  There should be "NO" tightness 
over the forefoot at all.  If your shoes don't feel too big and too 
floppy in the forefoot, they're not big enough.  You should be able to 
tighten the laces  on the upper (ankle side) half so when going downhill 
your toes don't jam into the front of the shoe.

My opinion - based on talking with only a couple people, is that most 
people don't have this knot, and try to adjust laces for the whole 
foot.  THIS DOESN'T WORK.  Try it yourself.  You need a double knot 
halfway.  The toe box side is loose as a goose.  The ankle/forefoot side 
can be as tight or loose as you want.

This kind of discussion is fun.  It's not brands or models or anything 
gearwise that will help your trip be a success.  It will be experience 
and practice wisdom.  The above is one person's practice wisdom...

Jeffrey Olson
Rapid City, SD