How low have you taken your trail runners?

I made an old pair with the sole coming off into screw shoes which I've taken to 0 but that is just running on icy roads.

Hi Andy, would you share the details on your 'improvements'?

I've worn my Montrail Hurricane Ridge XCR trail shoes down to 9F with mid weight wool socks. My toes were cold but no damage. I've also worn the TNF Hedgehog gore-tex shoes down into the low teens for several weeks straight hiking on snow. This worked out well except early in the morning. My feet would start off cold and take hours of hard hiking to warm up. Jamming my swollen feet into my frozen shoes was always an unpleasant experience.

I just (today) got in a pair of the Inov8 288 GTX boots which are very lightweight. For comparison the Montrail shoes weighed 1041g (36.7oz) and the Inov8 boots are 760g (26.8oz) both in size 12. I'm hoping to use the Inov8's in single digit conditions this winter.

-2F and had no cold feet. Wore standard mid-weight hiking socks.

Brian,

The major improvement is adding Rocky Gore-Tex socks. My trail runners are not waterproof. A single pair of heavy wool (Thorlo Trekker) socks allows my toes to get uncomfortably cold once wet from snow. Of course, below 20F, I probably won't have this moisture problem from snow. I also plan to get a larger size so that I can wear two pairs of socks without constriction, and will experiment with vapor barrier socks (silnylon MYOG) below 20F to manage moisture from sweat.

Needed no insulation other than VBL, wool socks, xstatic liner. Inov-8 roclite 315's. Thats while im hiking. When in camp, i need alot more foot insulation in those temps.

Temp said windchill was 8 degrees. Dayhike – I wore oversized GTX Salomons with smartwool expedition weight socks to try this setup out. Warm the whole time. I wasn't in snow though… there isn't any yet.

I'm trekking to Gokyo Ri in Nepal in February. The top elevation is about the same as Everest base camp. I want to do this in running shoes. Any thoughts or accounts of Treking in Nepal in February?

Zero degree wind chill, lots of snow, old goretex trail runners that were no longer WP. Feet were a bit cold and wet but as long as I kept moving it was fine.

-25f is the coldest ive been out hikeing this season, did a 12k loop, warm feet with trail runners and a thick pair of woolsocks.

now if i stop or stay out over night i would need some down booties or something to keep my toes from freezing.

I run in Salomon Speedcross II's down in about -30C I wear smartwool lightweight quarter socks. I also have Inov 212's for this winter too. I don't use anything to add warmth like gaiters or extra socks or GTX liners.

after long runs I have lung problems not feet problems…

Have to find something to do up here when its -30C for 3 months a year

"Have to find something to do up here when its -30C for 3 months a year"

Time for a young man's fancy to tuen to "other things". :-)

I've taken my standard non-WP trail runners into the low single digits with a vapor barrier sock and medium wool sock and been just fine. Having plenty of room too wiggle the toes is what you need.

Having plenty of room too wiggle the toes is what you need.

+1. This is key. For cold weather, I go up a full size in length and width to fit my fat ragg wool socks. Also, beware of too-tight snowshoe bindings or traction devices or anything else that can restrict circulation in your feet.