Shoe selection

[Scott Peterson]

I am finally going to get out of California for a backpacking trip next year. I currently have great success with NON-waterproof trail shoes in the relatively dry Sierra’s (Summer). Traveling to Glacier National Park in July seems to lead me to believe that substantial precip. could be on the menu. Would I be better off with an eVent shoe? I am not sure what benefit would come from having a waterproof barrier, besides keeping the feet warm should the precip. be cold? It won’t help the shoes dry out any faster at the end of the day. Any suggestions from the Montana folk?

[Russell Swanson]

Scott,

If you didn’t already know it, you’re going to find that there are more opinions about this than almost anything in the hiking world. Footwear is an intensely personal decision.

Having used boots and trail runners, both with and without waterproof layers, I have come to the conclusion that the best system for anything that doesn’t require lots of technical work on ice or snow are 100% synthetic trail runners, sans Goretex or any other waterproofing element. I’ve never been able to keep water from getting in my waterproof shoes and when the do get wet they stay that way, sometimes for days. Ditto for leather. The soles of my feet take a bit more of a pounding but I’ll trade that for shoes that breathe and dry very quickly. I currently use Salomon XA Pro 3D’s. Salomon shoes seems to fit my feet better than any other manufacturers. I don’t need to worry about getting them wet because they’ll dry within a half-hour or so under most conditions. I don’t even take them off for stream crossings and the like. Since I’ve been wearing footwear like these, I have yet to get a blister. I use ankle braces to shore up my trick ankle, an injury that occured while wearing traditional hiking boots.

I’d say probably 75% of the veteran hikers I talk to have arrived at a similar conclusion. I’m out here on the east coast so most of the hiking we due is of the ‘green tunnel’ variety as opposed to mountaineering. Almost everyone thru-hiking the A/T is using trail runners or tennis shoes of some sort. The big trade-off is durability. You’ll go through more pairs of trail runners than boots.

All that being said, I still think the most important factor is fit. But I’d go with something like you currently use, unless you’re going to be doing expedition-style hiking with a 60 lb. pack.

[Scott Peterson]

I thought as much, but it is always good to hear anything I may not have considered. I too have tried a lot of different footwear over the years. Salomon’s have fit well. Vasque fit me well…as do Keen’s. I will be going light, and only 50 or 60 miles…so I will be probably stick with what works in my (homebase) drier climate.

That said, I am interested to try out the socks with sewn in toes. I have also had good luck with Sportslick keeping the toes nice and happy during sweaty hikes…so the learning curve is flattening out for me with the feet…and the blisters seem to be a thing of the past.

[Russell Swanson]

This is the ‘toe-sock’ that I’ve read about the most:

http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/outdoor.htm

I use Smartwool Adrenaline LT minicrews. They dry quickly and don’t give me blisters. If you haven’t tried them give em a shot.

[larry savage]

Read that little article “notes from the field” by Don Wilson. He writes about shoe choices and tetra socks in it.

[Scott Peterson]

That “little article” from Don was the best bit of content I have pulled off the site in a good while. I love to hear about personal experiences on the trail and learnings that come fourth! I may not have a chance to do a really long distance outing for many years, but I admire those that do and definitely like to learn from their (collective) hightened awareness.

[Anitra Kass]

Just to throw in my sentiments about the topic…I hiked thru Glacier this summer starting on June 15th. I hit some pretty good rain at the lower elevations and snow on the North slopes at the higher elevations…I wore trail runners as well as wearing regular old running shoes for hiking PCT thru Washington state in late September and early October. It can work but I also saw those with heavier boots on and they were having a ball too…I would recommend doing some research, see what’s out there and then going with what feels good to you. Happy Trails!

[Johnny Gish]

I wear Montrail Masai’s with either the smartwool adrenaline or injinji.

[Scott Peterson]

JT is showing off with that eagle view! Are you wearing those things my third grade teacher wore? Knee-high hose? That is a strange look, what with the skin-toned textile, and the toes!

[Roger Caffin]

> Traveling to Glacier National Park in July seems to lead me to believe that substantial precip. could be on the menu.

OK, so it’s raining and the water is running down your trousers to your shoes. Now what?
Open mesh shoes: the water runs through and out, and the shoes dry out when it stops raining.
Waterproof shoes: the water collects inside and can’t get out.

As others have pointed out, the more experience the walker has, the lighter the non-waterproof shoes they wear.

Me, I wear boots when I wear crampons or skis. … At least, I think I should have some boots still which will take crampons … somewhere …

[Russell Swanson]

I agree with Roger 100%. I just don’t see how anyone who is hiking for more than 1 day anywhere except in dry weather or arid climes can keep their feet dry, Goretex or no, gaiters or no, waterproof socks or no. I’ve used all of that and by day 2 or 3 I’ve got wet feet, either from precip, dew, water crossings, or my own presipration. Maybe I’ve just had bad luck but this seems like an absolute.

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