[pct-l] Boots

[dude at fastmail.ca (dude)]

The gist of Eric's email is exactly right: HYOH.

However, people have been wearing running shoes on the PCT for over a 
decade now and people have been cutting the handle off and drilling 
holes in toothbrushes and spoons for 30 years.  ...even when they were 
wearing full-grain leather heavy boots with a steel shank in the sole.  
The main think that has changed is that 30 years ago, people drilled 
holes in their toothbrushes in order to get their weight down to 45 
lbs.  Today, with all the new materials and technology, people can get 
their pack weight down to 10lbs and THAT is what allows people to wear 
running shoes.  If your pack is only 10-20 lbs, then you do not need to 
support of a heavy boot.  But if you still prefer boots, that's cool 
too.  The main thing is that YOU do what makes YOU happy.


> I just had to chime in to the "shoes vs. boots" debate. I have a very
> nice set of runnings shoes that I wear when I go running. I also own a
> set of Vasque Zephyrs (goretex model), which I wear as my "normal
> shoes". I wear them to school, to work, doing yard work, on the
> weekends, and pretty much any other time that another set of shoes is
> a requirement.
> 
> In May of 2005 my friend and I will start on the PCT for a full hike,
> and I plan on wearing the exact same shoes that I have worn for two
> years now. I'll probably buy a new pair a couple months before the
> hike to break them in, but why in the world would I switch out a pair
> of shoes that I know to be of great quality and fits me fine? I'll
> give the shoes a little bit of time to get used to my feet, and just
> like the current pair, I wont have any problems.
> 
> Someone made a comment about why they couldn't understand why anyone
> would wear anything but running shoes. I think that's a little much.
> It wasn't that many years ago that full grain heavy leather hiking
> boots were the "norm" for things like the PCT, and now the pendellum
> has swung the other way towards shaving holes in your toothbrush
> handle to save weight.
> 
> I mean the goal of me hiking the PCT (and I would think the goal that
> everyone has when they go out into the wilderness) is to have fun and
> stay safe. There are some different methods out there to accomplish
> those ends, but the point to going is to have fun. I'm pretty sure I
> can do that with my boots on, and as such I think I'll be a-okay.
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