Zero Drop Shoes and Backpacking

Hi Dan,

My loads are heavier than yours (20 to 30 lbs) and I've only used my Altra Lone Peaks on one trip (17 days long), but I love them. Around town I wear Altra Instincts and also do a bit of jogging in them, so I'm used to zero drop shoes now too.

The Lone Peaks have a lot of beef compared to the Adams so YMMV.

I wear zero drop shoes (merrills) exclusively in daily life, trail running, and backpacking. If your feet are well conditioned, there is no reason you can't.

Plenty of people around here do–and in quite challenging conditions. Do a forum search (I know, the software is terrible), and you'll find plenty. For me, I'm transitioning and hope to be rather minimal in the coming year.

Thanks for the info guys.

Clayton,
I'm really liking the new balance minimus zero (trail version). They have no rise from forefoot to heel (zero drop) and they are very comfortable on rough terrain. I think they would be a nice transitional shoe and at 5.5oz a shoe, they are very minimal too. I snagged a pair of 10.5 – 4E width (I'm an 11 in the standard width but they were very constricting) on ebay for $47.99 shipped. My feet are really wide in the forefoot, hence the 4E width (which is only available in this model from new balance).

I have been wearing my vivobarefoot aquas without the insoles. They are about as barefoot as you are going to get while still being durable. I would say that they are very similar to hiking in traditional moccasins. Minimal shoes are just something I need to have, I can't hike with anything else. I feel like I am brutalizing my feet whenever I hike, but they always turn out fine. It takes conditioning to avoid getting sore feet.

I have done lots of off trail hiking on crazy steep and loose slopes with them. My toes actually push through the thin sole and help to dig in to the dirt. Having that super natural movement of my feet really helps for challenging terrain.

The more minimal I go, the more stable I feel with a heavy pack. Actually, walking barefoot feels the most stable for me.

I've switched to hiking in Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport this year and its been great. I had been using merrell goretex ankle high hiking shoes. I wear Five Fingers daily now aswell. My pack usually weighs about 25-35 pounds (i carry all the food and garcia bear keg for me and my girlfriend). I did the high divide loop in the olympic national park with a 37# pack, including a liter of beer and soju in my five fingers, also to the enchantments, rampart lakes, etc. I really like being able to dig my toes in and spreading my toes to spread my weight out when going downhill. I'm a forefoot thunder and hiker, so this works great for me.

I want to get the Spyridon or the new kangaroo leather, trek sole tread versions for next time, as the komodo is road tread and I trend to slip a little in loose dirt, small scree/gravel. The new kangaroo ones would be great for colder/wetter seasons since you can sno seal them (older versions had fabric between the toes, new ones are all leather, so can be sno sealed like any other leather boot)

The best part of minimal shoes is the ground feel. You know exactly what/where you're stepping on.