Running Shoes vs Boots

[mak1277]

I've not yet been in a situation where I have wished I had boots on instead of trail runners. That being said, I have never needed to wear crampons, and I do 98% of my hiking on trail. I know there are situations where boots are the proper choice, but I haven't been in those situations yet. I've hiked through knee-deep snow in trail runners (gore-tex socks are your awesome)...I've forded numerous streams with them (it's great not to have to stop and change shoes at a crossing) and they really do dry out quickly, even in the humid mid-east, and I love not having to pack camp shoes.

 

[pstm13]

I liked this article on shoe choices.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Sorry to revive an old thread but I wanted to follow-up with some insight on the Hoka One One's in case anyone is thinking of getting a pair.

I went through 3 pair and thought they were a great shoe, albeit a bit fragile. However, if anyone doesn't have a neutral gait and either pronates or supinates, you should steer clear from the Hokas. My left foot supinates slightly (I walk more on the outside of the foot). on a recent backpacking trip, my supination felt as if it was getting noticeably worse. Long story short, the soft, thick sole on the Hoka's compresses unevenly over time exacerbating your pronation or supination if your gait isn't neutral. So while the outside outsole of my right Hoka was still about an inch thick, the outside outsole of my left Hoka compressed down to less than a half an inch. REI told me that this is common with Hokas and that you shouldn't use them if you pronate/supinate. I switched to the La Sportiva Wildcats and love them. Not a single blister in the first 40 miles or so, they seem to be much more durable than the Hokas, and they feel much less bulky on my feet.

I hope my rant ends up helping somebody

 

[slc_dan]

La Sportiva Wildcats

Best Hiker's I've ever had.

 

[River]

I've had great luck with the La Sportiva Raptors. Wear them for everything.

 

[LarryBoy]

I've had great luck with the La Sportiva Raptors. Wear them for everything.

Ditto on the Raptors. Tend to go through about two pairs a year, but it's a small price to pay for footwear that actually works

 

[River]

I loaded up on them at Sierra Trading Post when they had them. Wish I'd bought more!

 

[swmalone]

I use the Women's version of the Salamon Speedcross III.
They run big, so I bought mine half a size smaller than usual and they fit perfect.

I just picked up a pair of the men's version for myself and a women's version for my wife. These have been great. We have started to trail run/hike in them with very light packs. They are awesome. It was amazing how much grip they have. I have been posting some of my trail runs on here just to keep myself motivated to do it. I am pretty sure I will stick with my boots for any backpacking trips, but these lightweight shoes have already had a big impact on how we get out and explore areas close to us.

 

[Christian]

I hate all hiking footwear, as I never don't get a new blister in a new place due to some design oversight in the shoe. Do the people who design these things ever put them to use?