Footwear

[Charley]

I trail run and hike and backpack in New Balance 810's, the classic trail runners. I highly recommend them. They're very light weight, no pebbles come in (though there is plenty of dust), and they dry very quickly (to touch) after walking through streams. Of course, if you're carrying a 45 lb pack, get some heavier shoes!

I think the key with trail runners is to bite the bullet and just replace them after 500 miles. It's worth it- because you can make more money in life, but you can't make more feet (or knees). Take care of them with new, springy shoes.

[Billc]

No matter what is on your feet you need to take them off at rest stops and let it all dry out. I learned this the hard way on the Thames path in the rain. We walked 17 miles in the rain without the usual rest stops because who wants sit in the rain. My feet blistered that day even though I had many miles in those boots with no problems. Wet feet are soft and blister easily. Most of the moisture comes from sweat and has to be delt with. My boots were Gortex and did keep my feet "dry" from the rain but not from sweat.

Bill

[rdp14theroad]

I am an inexperienced hiker. I enjoy the outdoors and walk around a lot ending up in great hiking places. All that to say the best hiking boots I have found so far were my "cheapos" from walmart.(PLEASE DONT HATE ME, I BOUGHT THEM BEFORE THE BOYCOTT) They aren't even hiking boots, they are work boots and waterproof. On my hike up Mt Hood, while the other two (men my size)were slipping on the loose volcanic rock and sand, my "13EE" had not one bit of traction problem. In the past my much narrower Hiking boots have dug in well only to give way on the thrust move just as my friends were.
Has anyone else found a wide boot to be a benefit on loose rock and sand? I am curious what others experience has been on this. I did slip and fall on the way down, but fatigue could have been as issue, although, like I said, these boots do not dig into the ground. These boots are almost an inch wider than my friends "12D" and my own hiking boots, and have room for comfort in layering of my socks.
I will lace up tight next time before I head down hill for an extended time. I walked for eight hours (3 1/2 up 4 1/2 down) and no blisters.

[retired jerry]

This is a non-political site.

We're not supposed to talk about how Walmart is exploitive of their employees and has led the move to imports from foreign countries that has produced a huge imbalance of trade that has contributed to the current difficult economic situation : )

[Grannyhiker]

Where are you getting the blisters? Heels? Different shoes with better fitting heels are indicated. Toes? maybe socks without toe seams are indicated. I got a couple pair of Keen "Mt. Airy" socks as liners which have no toe seams and are designed for left and right feet (I have severe hammertoes, so the toe seam in most socks does horrible things to my feet). With the Keen socks as liners and Body Glide, I hiked two weeks without blisters.

I found that Goretex lined footwear, once they get wet inside, take days to dry out. On the other hand, with the Keen socks as liners, my feet felt dry even though the insides of the boots were wet. I have also found that Smartwool socks dry a lot faster than all-synthetic socks like Thorlo. I haven't yet decided which is the preferred alternative.

I'm working on the transition from heavy boots to either trail runners or possibly Keen "mids" . I just got a pair of Montrail Hardrocks, which do have the narrow heel, wide toe (although I'd like it just a trifle wider) and high toe box I've been looking for. I am trying out the Hardrocks. (haven't been in the Gorge with a full pack yet). Later I will try either the Keen Targhee (with a liner similar to Goretex) or the Keen Voyageur (no waterproof membrane but more breathable). Either of these Keen models weighs about the same as the Montrail Hardrocks (about 29 oz./pair in my size [10 1/2], far lighter than my current hiking boots). I wish I'd been on the ball to get one or the other with the REI 20% off coupon that just expired. Oh, well, there will be another coupon later, probably in the after-Christmas sales.

Everyone's feet are different, and fit is really important. You can try lots of shoes in the store (hopefully the store has a ramp or a slanted board so you can try uphill and downhill slopes). You should spend at least an hour in each of the most comfortable pair(s) you find there. Visit a lot of different stores. Once at home with the shoes you deem the best, you can hike around the house with a fully loaded pack for serveral hours (extremely boring, but a good test of both footwear and pack). If you have a treadmill or belong to an athletic club, several hours on the treadmill at various angles (again, with full pack) will help you decide if you have the perfect footwear. Ultimately, though, you'll have to do many hours on up-and-down trails with a full pack to be sure that the footwear works for you instead of removing the skin from your feet!

One of the online through-hiker journals I've followed this year has been the journal of "Boston" and "Cubby" who successfully hiked the Continental Divide trail from Mexico to Canada this year. They have just posted a post-hike analysis of their gear at [url]http://www.trailjournals.com/gear.cfm?t ... e=7212[url]. This update is really valuable, because most through-hikers are too busy getting adjusted to the "real" world after 5-6 months of hiking to bother to analyze their gear. Go down to the footwear, and you'll see that both of these ladies started with low shoes and ended up with "mids"--the opposite of what many people do these days. Start now on your quest for the perfect shoe. This quest may cost you some $$$, but it will be lots cheaper than hospital bills!