HELP with new trail shoe choice.

Look into the La Sportiva Ultra Raptors, outstanding shoe. Nice cushioning and great traction. When it rains for a prolonged period, feet get wet no matter what shoe your wearing. But a non-waterproof trail shoe will dry faster and be lighter then it's GTX counterpart. Feet can be dried out at night in camp best to have a dry pair of socks to sleep in.

Yes,i forgot to add the Ultra Raptors.Great shoe also,and almost at price of XT wings.Dont know which to pick.

I love the Ultra Raptor & it is now my go-to shoe for backpacking, particularly because my trips usually involve some scrambling/rock hopping. But, for your purposes I'd be a little concerned about the durability. I more or less wore out a pair just on the Sierra High Route, which is 200 miles. I did a couple other things with them, so maybe they lasted 350 (rough) miles.

How worn out are they?
350 miles is unacceptable.This is an ultramarathon shoe.

I would want at least 2000 miles of them.

For mega mile hikes, several pairs of trail shoes are normally required as most trail shoes will not last a full 2000 mile hike.

Worn out. The outsole wore smooth on the forefoot and the midsole split. I agree that you aren't likely to find a trail running shoe that will reliably last 2000 miles.

del

My advice would be to cut your base weight by 10lbs, then just wear whatever running shoes you already own that are comfortable for you (assuming you have a pair, which most people around here do).

If not, go to the nearest running shoe store and get a pair that fits you well. Avoid goretex shoes like the plague. You'll want something fairly breathable, and goretex shoes are not that. They also become bathtubs once wet, and take far, far longer to dry than unlined shoes. Trust me on this one. There is nothing wrong with your feet getting wet, they can take it. Breathable running shoes can go from totally soaked (as in, submerged in a river) to almost totally dry in about 4 hours of dry hiking. It's really no big deal.

There are many great trail running shoes out there, but buying trail running specific shoes is not necessary at all. Fit and breathability, and adequate underfoot protection will be the most important attributes. Certainly don't go with a minimalist shoe, you'll need more cushioning than that.

Thx Rick and Derek.
Yeah i wont go GTX,it seems.
I dont want a boot,too heavy and hot.

So low trail running/hiking shoe it is.I am just dissapointed with their durability.

Are you saying someone that does 30 miles a day needs to change shoes every 15 days?
Are you saying no-shopping AT-thru hikes have to carry 5 pair of shoes??
This cant be right.

So only boots last at least 1500 miles?

You don't carry 5 pairs of shoes ,you have them mailed to you or buy them as you need them while on the trail. Where are you going to be hiking?

I've been wearing Salomon 3D Ultra 2's for ~3 years now. (Those of us with wide feet don't get to be choosy!) I've carried as much as 55 lbs in them. Most of the shoe is still going strong at 500 miles. But the sole is about halfway smooth at that point and they've lost a lot of grip so I swap them out. With a heavy pack I'd like to have a bit more cushioning than they provide. And of course they are not light (30oz/.85Kg per pair for size 11.5 wide).

I went through 4 pair of trail runners on the AT and probably should have used 5 pair. Keep in mind that even if the shoe still has tread, the cushioning may have broken down.

Will you be hiking somewhere that you can't have shoes mailed to you via general delivery?

@Link
I am in Greece,and i will probably go north.

>"i am trying to be light as much as possible…"

>"My base is probably going to be around 26 lbs."

For any normal sort of wilderness backpacking, these two statements cannot simultaneously be true.

Brooks Cascadia used to be an exceptionally durable & all around great trail shoe. I haven't tried them since about version 5, and they're up to 9 now. I did see a ranger with them on deep in the backcountry in the Grand Canyon last week, so that's a bit of an endorsement.

">"i am trying to be light as much as possible…"

>"My base is probably going to be around 26 lbs."

For any normal sort of wilderness backpacking, these two statements cannot simultaneously be true."

Yes,i am trying hard to get sub 20 lbs baseweight.I will post a list later.

Will take a look into Cascadia.

Sorry to say, but no running shoe will last you 2000 miles. That's just how it is these days. Most people using running shoes are not hikers, they are city people who like to change their style often.

"And about the GTX issue,do you think i will have a problem in serious downpour with wet feet?Obviously i wont walk and pitch my tarp,but i will be boxed in for quite some time,in bad weather.
Maybe i should skip my waterprouf trousers too,if i go that route??"

It's not an issue, I have had wet feet for long periods of time and it's fine. For days and days you could get blisters, but sometimes the lack of breathability in goretex shoes is worse for your feet than walking through puddles and streams. The important thing is to change into dry warm socks every night. Most people on here don't carry waterproof pants and just let their legs get wet, also not an issue unless it's cold rain. Often I use shorts when hiking in the rain. Make sure to have some dry long underwear for when you set up camp.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=90368

Just made a list thread.

http://lighterpack.com/r/892443

What the sh!t…I've had two different pairs of Brooks Cascadia's go thousands of miles…Two, meaning the first pair wasn't a fluke…both Cascadia 5's…I'm wearing a pair right now.

Not sure about the latest model. End of rant.

From what I can tell the only footwear that has the ability to go 2000 miles on a single pair is going to be some of the more durable/heavy high end boots and even then the soles will be worn out. Yes, most thru hikers burn through several pairs of shoes. From what I can tell even the most durable trail runners are going to get in the 700 range before being pretty shot.

Other factors to consider are total weight being put on the shoe and the kind of terrain you'll be traversing. Sharp rock will obviously wear out a shoe a whole lot faster than a nice dirt trail. The heavier the user and his/her gear is the quicker the shoe will wear out.