[Hiking] Shoe recommendations?

running shoes are not good because when hiking you are walking on uneven ground and sharp rocks. this will tear your running shoes up. same with sneakers, etc. also you will possibly be bushwacking and you dont want your ankles exposed to shit. you will get a ton of dirt and small rocks in shoes that dont go above your ankles and i could go on and on about why you should not try to "hike" in running shoes but i think you get the idea.

this does not even consider the fact that when you are hiking you may be doing class 3-4 scrambling and need a half shank or full shank boot.
 
Eggi said:
if you can 'hike' in running shoes you arent hiking.
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I don't associate hiking and boots.
I do associate boots with fat slow people who have 65 lb packs on. I see these boyscouts on the trail with so much useless gear its insane. With all the weight and clumbys boots injury is more common.
If you want to travel 20+ miles a day; then good luck with boots. Even the "light" ones.
 
Eggi said:
running shoes are not good because when hiking you are walking on uneven ground and sharp rocks. this will tear your running shoes up. same with sneakers, etc. also you will possibly be bushwacking and you dont want your ankles exposed to shit. you will get a ton of dirt and small rocks in shoes that dont go above your ankles and i could go on and on about why you should not try to "hike" in running shoes but i think you get the idea.

this does not even consider the fact that when you are hiking you may be doing class 3-4 scrambling and need a half shank or full shank boot.
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I hiked mt borah in running shoes. I am SOOOO glad I didn't use hiking boots.
 
-OptimusPrime- said:
I don't associate hiking and boots.
I do associate boots with fat slow people who have 65 lb packs on. I see these boyscouts on the trail with so much useless gear its insane. With all the weight and clumbys boots injury is more common.
If you want to travel 20+ miles a day; then good luck with boots. Even the "light" ones.
Click to expand...

if you want to do real hiking, good luck with running shoes.
have fun slipping out of your shoes when you start up a class 3 scramble
have fun picking rocks and shit out of your shoes every 1/2 mile
have fun rolling your ankle on uneven rocks/grounds
have fun yada yada yada

i associate people who think they are hiking when they go out in jeans and running shoes as douche bags who have never dont a real hike their entire lives.
 
caspian said:
I hiked mt borah in running shoes. I am SOOOO glad I didn't use hiking boots.
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gj. if you are doing anything approaching mountaineering (which that is not unless there was snow on the ground...then maybe) you will want real boots. if you are doing a multiday hike over varied terrain and conditions, you want real boots. you obviously can do it in running shoes but you will b ruining your running shoes and possibly making your life very uncomfortable. running shoes also have no insulation, so if you are in snow or cold weather, you will not have fun.
 
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Eggi said:
if you want to do real hiking, good luck with running shoes.
have fun slipping out of your shoes when you start up a class 3 scramble (Tie your shoes tight)
have fun picking rocks and shit out of your shoes every 1/2 mile (wear long pants, and tie your shoes tight).
have fun rolling your ankle on uneven rocks/grounds(learn how to walk.)
have fun yada yada yada

i associate people who think they are hiking when they go out in jeans and running shoes as douche bags who have never dont a real hike their entire lives.
Click to expand...
 
Eggi said:
running shoes are not good because when hiking you are walking on uneven ground and sharp rocks. this will tear your running shoes up. same with sneakers, etc. also you will possibly be bushwacking and you dont want your ankles exposed to shit. you will get a ton of dirt and small rocks in shoes that dont go above your ankles and i could go on and on about why you should not try to "hike" in running shoes but i think you get the idea.

this does not even consider the fact that when you are hiking you may be doing class 3-4 scrambling and need a half shank or full shank boot.
Click to expand...

Running shoes with gators are what you need. Boots will tire/wear out your feet faster than "shap rocks."

Lets check a source:
So back in the day evey one wore boots. Then this guy named ray jardine (retired engineer) wrote a book about lightweight backpacking. It changed the seen.
199802-backpacker-1.jpg


See if you can find anyone wearing boots here:
www.pcta.org
www.pcthiker.com
www.pct2005.com
http://www.bearcant.org/
 
I wear shoes for multiday hikes.
for day hikes:
shoes for normal stuff
boots when I go places where I might hurt my ankles.
combat boots when going in mud/rivers.
 
-OptimusPrime- said:
Running shoes with gators are what you need. Boots will tire/wear out your feet faster than "shap rocks."

Lets check a source:
So back in the day evey one wore boots. Then this guy named ray jardine (retired engineer) wrote a book about lightweight backpacking. It changed the seen.[/IMG]

See if you can find anyone wearing boots here:
www.pcta.org
www.pcthiker.com
www.pct2005.com
http://www.bearcant.org/
Click to expand...

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/photogallery/socal/socal05.html
http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/photogallery/socal/socal06.html
http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/photogallery/socal/socal14.html

thats enough i guess. look, if you go hiking in the summer on the PCT then running shoes will prolly be fine. if your hiking involves inclement weather, possibly cold conditions, rough terrain, possible scrambling, you will want to take real boots. something that dries out fast. something that gives you ankle support. and not something that weighs 5lbs either. there are light boots out there.

i have these, sportiva trangos. they are mountaineering boots with a 1/2 length steel shank and can take snap on crampons, so thats past "hiking" but they are light (2lb10oz), comfortable, provide insulation for 3 seasons, and i wear them when i do anything that resembles what i described above.
508879.jpg


if i went on the PCT during the summer and i didnt own mountaineering boots, id prolly wear running shoes too. but only because a lot of the PCT is walking on a dirt trail with little major elevation change and no bushwacking or anything like i described in my reasons for wanting boots.

-OptimusPrime- said:
people rock climb in boots? This is news to me. Shoes > boots when climbing, fording rivers, walking.
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um your opinion is now void.
 
i cannot beleive people ya'll are actually recomending running shoes over boots. Running shoes are great -- for running. They're light, and everything, but they have absolutely no ankle support. A couple years ago, with my Boy Scout troop, mind you, we did some AT, and somehow we started on the same day as 40+ JROTC cadets. They wore tennis shoes and had regular tents for camping (10 lbs each, at least). Air mattresses. I would not have been surprised if they brought propane canisters and camping stoves. they were 2 weeks on the trail, we were only there for one, but by the time we left they had lost about 1/4 of their people due to rolled out ankles, and one person's new just dislocated for no apparent reason (other than the goddamn weight he was carrying!). Noisy assholes, serves them right.

A good pair of mid cut boots will work wonders on your ability to get along. And they tend to last a while, if you invest in a good pair.
 
I'd say it depends on your conditions. I've hiked in both boots and running shoes. If you are doing off trail hiking I'd recommend boots w/ gators simply because there is no trail to follow and you might encounter some thick brush in which you cannot see the ground very well. Running shoes have a much thinner sole obviously and will be more vunerable to a sharp object poking through.

If you are going to stay on a trail go with running shoes (w/ gators) 100%. They are lighter and at the end of the day your feet will feel much better.

For walking around the camp site I've heard crocs are great. They are light weight, dry quickly, and cover the feet.
 
-OptimusPrime- said:
Running shoes with gators are what you need. Boots will tire/wear out your feet faster than "shap rocks."

Lets check a source:
So back in the day evey one wore boots. Then this guy named ray jardine (retired engineer) wrote a book about lightweight backpacking. It changed the seen.
199802-backpacker-1.jpg


See if you can find anyone wearing boots here:
www.pcta.org
www.pcthiker.com
www.pct2005.com
http://www.bearcant.org/
Click to expand...

I hike a ton, I have to wear boots because I need the ankle support.

I hear what you are saying and believe me I would love to get away with just sneakers but I can’t.
 
i just went and tried on a ton of trail shoes and boots.

i really liked the pair of merrell chameleon 2 stretches i tried on and for the dollar they weren't bad. biggest beef is they didn't feel all that wide (not in terms of fitment, but in stability).
 
-OptimusPrime- said:
safe to say i'm the hiking expert on this fourm.
use regular running shoes. One lb on your foot is 10 on your back.
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are you the guy who hiked up and down the west coast without a tent?
 
ahh, the modern consumer...just cracks me up that I'd be considered a douche bag for hiking in running shoes :rofl: Not everyone has weak ankles and are babies about getting a pepple in their shoes.
 
Christ, people are stupid.

Get trail running shoes. They often make them with Goretex outters that are completely water proof when submerged, and are very breathable.

Don't listen to anyone who says street running shoes, they're idiots.

Trail running shoes are exactly what the OP asked for.
 
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yeah i didn't plan on using street running shoes because i know i need more support.

i read an interview with that jardine guy and even he recommended boots for people who didn't train to do 4 month hikes.
 
If you are doing day hikes, or even short multi-day hikes on trails, get trail running shoes.

If you are doing urban hiking (laugh) get street shoes.

If you are doing mountaineering, anything involving rope, crampons, ice fall, rock fall, or an axe, get the boots Eggi posted.
 
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