boots of trail runners for 11 year old.

I took my 11-year-old son and my 7-year-old daughter up Half Dome (with my MD wife along) and they were in low-cut "running" shoes. That's what we do all our trail hiking in – that, or low-cut "hikers" which I distinguish as having a stiffer sole than a trail running shoe.

I find the salesperson's concerns about developing feet very questionable. I'd be much more concerned about the shoes they spend 14 x 7 x 52 = 5,096 hours in each year, than the shoes they will wear on a 10-hour hike.

I've had good luck with Sportiva trail runners having good traction on both granite and snow.

Do you have your permit? If not, Cloud's Rest makes a great trip, too and no permit is required. You look down on Half Dome from there.

If doing Half Dome, my 5 biggest tips are:

1) Leave Early!
2) Like before 7 am. 6 am is even better.
3) Get to bed early the night be you LEAVE EARLY.
4) 5 am is not too early.
5) Learn where the spring is and you only need a liter of water per person at most. IF YOU LEAVE EARLY.

If you leave early, you stay cool, all during the ascent, as you gain elevation. If you start (too late) in the warmth, it will only get warmer and sunnier all day long. You also avoid most of the crowds by leaving early. And you avoid any chance of afternoon thunderstorms which is the where most of the hazards are (lightning strikes, slipping on wet rocks, etc).

Developing feet is nonsense.
I think the biggest danger to your kids feet would be wearing something heavy, stiff, and more likely to make them trip. Not to mention more likely to cause blisters.
I'd go with trail runners; my kids have never had boots.

Thanks Dave,

I done Half Dome a couple of times. We are planning on hiking down from Tuolomne Meadows or Tenaya lake, which has an automatic permit available.
I prefer, also to do all my hiking before noon.

I agree with you whole heartedly on all your advice.

I can't speak to Yosemite, being here in New Zealand. My kids, 12 year daughter and 9 year son use only trail runners for tramping here on all sorts of rough and ready unformed muddy and slippery tracks while carrying an appropriately sized pack.

So far I've haven't noticed no issues with sore feet, blisters or lack of traction. Look at a couple of trip reports on BPL showing trips I've done with my miss wearing trail runners.

Trail shoes all the way. My little brothers tagged along on some pretty rugged hikes in them. Just make sure they are sized right with enough toe room. Many kids get away with poor fitting shoes at home but the trail is a lot less forgiving

I'll second and third the trail runners for developing feet – professionally I'd actually say the heavy boots could theoretically do more "damage" to a 12-year-old's foot than gym shoes.

at that age the growth plates aren't closed, the child is developing motor patterns and proprioceptive feedback. this is exactly the time you would NOT want a child wearing clod-hopper clunky heavy stiff boots…it completely messes with all that very important motor development.

There is literally just no reason to put people in boots at this point for simple tramping about – honestly, I'd be hard-pressed to think of a situation where a stiff boot WOULD be better……………

I'll just echo the sentiments here.

I think it's easy to forget how resilient you are at a young age. I used to spend hours out and about in the outdoors (and running track) in nothing but Chucks. The very thought of that now makes me cringe. If anything, I need more support now compared to what I did when I was young.

But my experience is purely anecdotal, so grain of salt, and all that.

> the sales person was pushing boots over trail runners due to some thoughts about
> the development of the youth's feet.

Which shows you the abyssal state of his knowledge of physiology.
And the commercial pressure to sell the most expensive item instead of a cheaper more suitable one.

I would say NEVER put young developing feet in boots: too much risk of harm.

Cheers

When I was a kid my parents bought me boots for a hiking trip and my feet were never more chewed up. It was excruciating. If they had let me hike in my Keds I would have been perfectly happy. I'd go with some kind of shoe that doesn't hurt. That above anything else. If he fits some lightweight hiker or trail running shoe, that would be great.