[pct-l] footwear and trainers

Thu Sep 13 15:58:59 CDT 2012

Good afternoon, Linda,

The average fitter in the outdoor shoe store would probably have apoplexy
to learn what experienced long-distance hikers wear, and how they fit.  “You
just can’t DO that…”.

The typical chant is that trail runners and low boots might be OK for
day-hikes.  For a long weekend with gear it’s necessary to have ankle-high
hikers, and for a week or more with a pack we have to get the nice, sturdy
– read expensive – premium hikers or good leather boots.  That’s great
advice – great for them – because as the hiker increases their training
miles they will have to return to the store about every 2-3 months for the
obligatory upgrade.

In my opinion that method is bass-ackwords.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=263804  I may wear any of several
different pairs of big, heavy, stiff, leather boots with lots of “support”
for day hikes, particularly when on trail maintenance projects where boots
are required.  I don’t care that they are heavy; I’m just training
anyway.  Finally,
the longer the hike the lighter I want the shoes to be.  It’s the same with
packs:  I carry a heavier base-load training than I do on the trail.

“Support” is something the shoe-peddlers chirp a lot about, but how does
the strong majority of thru-hikers get by wearing road or trail running
shoes, or possibly worse, Chaco sandals?  Those certainly don’t have any
ankle support.

Here’s what happens:  With an above-the-ankle shoe or boot the edge of the
sole steps on a rock and the shoe twists one way or the other.  Since the
foot is fairly tightly confined in the shoe, the shoe top must resist that
twisting by applying force to the side of the lower leg.  Without that good
“support” the ankle may twist.

Conversely, wearers of running shoes typically have them sized to be quite
loose, both in length and width.  My feet slop-around quite a bit in the
sizes I wear.  So what then happens when the running shoe steps on the same
trail irregularity?  The shoe still twists to the side, but the foot isn’t
tight in the shoe; the heel of the shoe just pivots on the foot heel while
the ankle stays straight.  Occasionally I almost step out of the shoe when
it twists, so I just grumble and kick-scuff it back in place and hike on.  I’m
somewhat prone to ankle turning, but it is never more frequent, or worse,
when I’m wearing running shoes.

Running shoe tops are substantially breathable synthetic fabric and
mesh.  After
wading they let the water run out, and they are mostly dry just in time to
get dunked at the next crossing.  Leather boots and the more expensive
breathable, waterproof models do an excellent job of keeping all that water
inside, and the leather will be wet for a month.

A related issue is boot life vs. running shoe life.  The shoes may last
500-700 miles, but by then the long-distance hiker’s feet will have
increased in size anyway.  Boots will probably still be in good shape by
then, but what does the wearer do with expensive, long-wearing boots then
they no longer fit?  I wouldn’t want to be at Kennedy Meadows -- 700 miles
–– with a brand new pair of leather boots and have to break them in on the
trail.  Running shoes require little, or no, break-in.

You’ll probably hear just the opposite story from several heavy-boot
wearers on PCT-L, but it’s significant they also carry 2-3 times more pack
weight compared to the vast majority of thru-hikers – an equally bad idea
in my opinion.

I too, am a North-westerner, and probably a good bit older than you, but
the “wiser” part may be questionable.

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 Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 10:14 PM, Linda Sheehan <lwshee at gmail.com> wrote:

> What about ankle support and those rocky trail surfaces? My ankles aren't
> what they used to be. I've always worn boots that support the ankle, but
> then I'm a Northwesterner and snow is always present. My friend and I are
> doing sections of the PCT and have done almost all of WA. I realize in
> SoCal especially the boots will be little saunas in the heat, but I'm
> afraid for my ankle.
> An older and only a little wiser hiker with no trail name yet, Linda
>
> On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 10:06 PM, Lindsey Sommer <lgsommer at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I hike pretty much exclusively in Brooks Cascadias these days. I LOVE
> > them. I find I actually get less blisters than I used to get with my
> Asolo
> > boots and I feel a bit less weighed down.
> >
> > Lindsey
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Sep 11, 2012, at 8:59 PM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <
> > diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I completed the last two sections of the trail in street running
> > > shoes. They were great! I don't see why they wouldn't work for the
> > > whole trail.
> > >
> > > Diane
> > > On Sep 11, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> > >
> > >> From: patrick griffith <patrickjgriffith at hotmail.com>
> > >> Subject: [pct-l] footwear and trainers
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Dear all,
> > >>
> > >> to what extent is it possible to wear trainers instead of trail
> > >> shoes or hiking boots? I imagine they would need changing more
> > >> frequently that tougher hiking boots but conversely they would a
> > >> great deal lighter and considerably cooler in the hotter sections
> > >> of the pct. any thoughts/opinions would be welcome!
> > >>
> > >> cheers
> > >>
> > >> Patrick
> > >
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