Hello Ladies and Gents,
I’m a short time reader and a first time poster on BPL. I really appreciate the information and knowledge everyone brings to this site. I’ve learned a lot of information in the few months I’ve been around and am thinking I’m going to enjoy turning into a gear head.
And now for the point of my post… Let me start out by saying that I do know how to use the search function, but I don’t know a whole lot about footwear and I’m getting frustrated with all the options. It’s time to start narrowing down my choices.
I bought a pair of Vasque Breeze Boots last year and have gotten to the point where I need to try something different. The boots were okay, but best used for dayhikes, not the 4-5 day backpacking trips I went on. The stitching on both outer sides have come undone. The boot itself has seemed to acquire some permanent “lumps” towards the bottom of the toe box. I’ve tried to replace the insoles with no luck.
I think I’m going to make the switch to trail runners, based on what has been said on this site, and the typical over-kill that comes along with boots. Here are my requirements:
-Comfortable (I’ve been looking at a few models from New Balance because of the comfort reputation). I have a slight arch and my feet require some sort of a ‘wide’.
-Waterproof / Quick Drying(One of my concerns about switching to a shoe is that I’m worried about stepping in a deep mud or water puddle only to find the mud / water coming over the shoe and in).
– Decent traction (I live and mostly hike the Colorado Rockies, so skipping wet boulders and rocks will come up eventually)
My pack never weighs more than 25 pounds, and the most extreme climbing I do is mild scrambling. Price doesn’t matter, comfort and performance is the biggest thing.
Thanks for reading!
