Boot or shoe?...that is the question

[gizzy bear]

i like the ankle support a boot offers...and this day and age, they are VERY light...my merrills are SUPER light and very comfy...

[hikerboy57]

I found my keen targhees didnt prevent me from sparaing my ankle in maine this past august.ive since switched to la sportiva mountain runners
much lighter,better grip,and they dry
Once my keens got wet they stayed wet,had to add a pound to the weight.

[fredmugs]

I don't buy into the argument that boots will protect your ankles or knees any better.

[hikerboy57]

I don't buy into the argument that boots will protect your ankles or knees any better.

I agree I think any support is completely psychological I think my boots actually contributed to my injury rather than prevented it

[FlyPaper]

I don't buy into the argument that boots will protect your ankles or knees any better.

Who knows for sure? Possibly they'll protect ankles, but I don't see how they could help knees at all. I'm loving hiking in Trail Runners, though. It is great to have less weight on your feet and be able to utilize the full range of ankle motion while hiking over rocks. I can hike faster, further, and am more agile. The ball of my right foot was sore at the beginning of my last hike, but actually felt BETTER after hiking a few days.

[snifur]

everyones foot needs are different. otherwise we all would want and wear the same type shoe. spend the time and discover what your needs are. go to the outfitters and try as many on as you can and take notes then field test what your needs and comforts are. i spent years in boots (military) and then after alot of searching and testing discovered Keen trail shoes and their toe cup. Changed my entire perspective on hiking. dont buy a pair of shoes because they are popular here in WB. too many WB'ers try to push their ideas. find out what works and makes your piggys happy. plan well ahead of your planned hike and get to know your feet.

[gizzy bear]

i agree sinfur and i just post my thoughts/experience and what works for me...and as for boots providing knee protection...maybe...if they were thigh highs

[Odd Man Out]

I seem to recall reading (from Skurka's gear book perhaps) an argument that that ankles are able to move in multiple directions whereas knees are not. By locking up you ankle in a boot you transfer too much lateral motion to the knee. At least that was the claim for why shoes can help the knee.

[mamamiapdx]

I use a Nike trail blazer, but haven't used any hiking boots so not sure if they really help

[MuddyWaters]

Trail runners, but I seldom go over 25 lbs.

If I carried 50 lbs, it would likely be boots.
If I hiked in the snow, it would likely be boots.
If I was constantly bushwacking, it would likely be boots

I dont buy the ankle support argument. Its a fallacy, a buzzword marketing term that people throw around. Almost nobody laces their boots up tight enough to "support" their ankles. It will rub them raw if they did, in addition to making them clumsy by taking away the foots natural motion!.

I especially like the folks that compromise on a "mid" claiming they still want "some" ankle support. When its impossible from a low boot! Truth is, they think a high top boot is too heavy and bulky (and they are right), but they are too SCARED to go to a low shoe. Its against everything they ever saw in a magazine. The stereotype of needing "boots" to walk on dirt is so firmly engrained in them, they cannot help themselves.

[SassyWindsor]

1 to 3 days out with light pack, runners. All other times I wear full all leather boots w/o goretex.

[quilteresq]

I bought some trail runners last year, and the bottoms of my feet were mush after hiking in the Whites. I can see using them in not very rocky sections, but for me they're the wrong gear up here in New England. OTOH, I saw someone hiking in Vibram Five Fingers on the same hike that tore my feet to pieces, and she loved them. So it's very much hike your own hike. If you can wear them, I'd say go for it. I'm hoping to be hiking in "lightweight" Limmers for at least part of the trail, including the Whites, which really is not the choice of most.

[trapper]

It really is an individual thing, dependent on your feet, your weight, your pack weight and where and when you are hiking.
I like trail runners, except when hiking in snow or in really rocky country. Then I wear light boots. My husband can't wear trail runners at all, except on very flat dirt roads. His feet really hurt if he doesn't have more protection. We did a weekend trip just before heading out to the PCT and after two days, he threw the lighter shoes away. I've known people who were happy in sandals and even barefoot - and others who got off the trail after they had to walk a few miles in their tevas.

Best thing is to try trail shoes now on long day hikes, carrying weight on your back. See how your body feels and how your feet feel. You have time to test out various options and then decide what works best. If they don't work for backpacking, they'll still do for around town.

Pros of runners vs. boots - light, easy on the knees, few if any blisters, easy to walk in once you learn how to avoid sharp rocks, fairly easy to find, dry quickly when wet (as happens often on the AT)
Cons - may make you more prone to stress fractures, may cause foot pain especially in rocky trails, don't last as long (400-600 miles vs. 1000-1200), feet get dirtier (which may lead to blisters later).

well said
"this is now long enough to post"

[Montana]

I personally prefer a trail runner style of shoe over a boot for almost all conditions (boots work much better in snow, obviously). The key to selecting a proper pair of shoes for hiking is to a) make sure they fit and feel good on your feet (use the ramp that every good shoe store has to test how they feel while on a slope too), and b) make sure that the shoe has a stiff sole to avoid feeling the rocks under your feet (put the toe box of the shoe in one hand and the heal in the other, you should get very little flex when you squeeze your hands together).

Good luck, and enjoy your hike!

[MuddyWaters]

I have had sore feet after high miles on rocks in trail runners. Not so sore that they were sore the next day or anything, just tired. But I hike too fast most of the time anyway.
I have also had that walking in boots all day, with much less mileage.

Hard to compare unless hike the exact same sections in both.
Stiffer sole with a strong shank in a boot, is better underfoot in rocks . However, you definitely are less nimble, possibly more likely to stumble and hurt yourself adifferent way.

Pick your poison.

["Atlas"]

I sectioned the southern part of the A.T. this year in a pair of boots. I am a big guy, about 270 lbs, and carry a heavy pack. At the end of my hike my boots were shredded but I neither had a blister or a sprained ankle. I think, for me, that the extra weight of the boots was well compensated for by the increased support. I was however in a minority on the trail, most hikers used shoes and I too am considering some light weight sandals/shoes.

[turtle fast]

I can see the benefits of both boots and shoes. I have to admit that I am a boots guy as they have saved my ankles and feet a ton of times. I have had larger tumbling scree rocks nail my front boot and not suffering a smashed toe where if i were wearing a shoe it would of been a doctors visit for me. I too have seen the worn tread of shoes not assist a hiker as they slid due to lack of traction where my Vibram soles were just fine. I do like the idea of having less weight on my feet and trail runners do not require an extensive break in period...great pluses. But I still stick to my trusty boots. HYOH I guess...as what really matters is what FEELS best for you...just remember whether boots or shoes to look at your inside insoles to see what it is made of and if durable/comfortable if not you may benefit from a Spenco or Superfeet insoles.

[Schooley]

We just finished a section hike of NC and GA and a majority of the people we meet wore light to mid boots. Canvas type boots - not - big ol' leather boots. I recommend boots for ankle support and cushioning for the rocks.