Minimal running shoes used for backpacking

I wear Merrell Barefoot's everyday, but like a bit of drop and cushion for backpacking. La Sportiva Anakonda's are my current favorite with about a 4mm drop.

My current shoe is the Merrell Mix Master jam 2. There is a 4mm drop, and most importantly, there is a rock plate. The upper is basically a minimalist shoe (like my trail gloves) for best breathability.

I wore my trail gloves on a 3 day hike in the mountains of Idaho…and the bottoms of my feet were abused b/c I could feel every jagged rock …and the trail was basically walking on rock.

My everyday shoe continues to be a road glove, but I've been really impressed with my mix master jam on the trail.

Perhaps you should define what you consider as minimal footwear because a lot of shoes with even up to 9 mm of cushioning are sold as minimal ?

About mesh uppers: yes, you could go for pure leather or so uppers, but those can have also negative properties e.g. draining capacity.

I only wear minimalist shoes.

Some responses to your points.

1) I find that I do heel strike, but it's not nearly as significant as with a stiff shoe. It's more of a mid foot strike. First contact is with the heel but it's light. Even so if you are only running in those shoes and never heel striking while walking you won't build up strength in your heels.
When walking uphill and downhill I exclusively forefoot strike. It's only on flat ground that I do a heel strike.
2) Find some shoes without mesh. Look at the vivobarefoot neo trails, solid fabric. Or the new balance minimus in leather.
4) See #2

I have done a 20 mile day in vivobarefoot shoes, I've hiked off trail on scree, no problems here at all. But I have been minimalist shoes in one form or the another for like 7 years. So yes it's possible, but for many people it can be difficult. I think you should stick to it and push yourself. Minimalist shoes require conditioning. You beat the crap out of them on sharp rocks until you stop feeling it. (but don't hurt yourself!)

I also find walking in minimal shoes quite challenging. Even in my vivobarefoot shoes (I forgot the model name) that I wear on a daily basis, I tend to have an unhealthy way of walking, e.g. too long strides, too much landing on the heel. Only with huaraches (Bedrocksandals earthquake) I get the necessary feedback to adopt a "good" way of walking w/o having to concentrate on that.
While hiking, it is even more difficult due to the backpack and the fact that I really want to cover some distance. This increases my tendency to make too large steps.
I guess in order to use minimal shoes for hiking successfully, one has to go through a pretty long phase where you actively concentrate on a "good" way of walking. Also, I think it takes quite some time until the body is prepared to endure the strain of nearly barefoot walking w/ luggage in nontrivial terrain for all day (and maybe even on consecutive days).

Again, define mimimal first as e.g. I have hiked and backpacked without a problem in shoes that had/have 6 to 9 mm cushioning and were advertised as 'minimal' ?

The OP mentions a 0 drop shoe so I think his definition is on the far end of the spectrum of minimal, where 9mm drops are consider entry level. I've done plenty of hikes with 9mm and think it's suitable. I also have 3 mm drop shoe that I love.

If anything I think (as I just posted in another thread) that a rock plate is the single best addition to a minimal shoe for backpacking. The stiff midlayer helps dissipate point force from uneven surfaces and that is incredibly useful for long mile foot comfort.

Zero drop and minimal are totally different things.

Minimal, means minimal cushioning, weight, and tread. Not just minimum drop.

There really aren't that many minimal shoes. NB has some of the minimus line that clearly are not, marketed because buyers want the pastiche, not the real minimal shoes.

Typically, I'd say a minimal shoe would weigh under 8 oz though in normal 10 to 12 men's

Or, maybe I'm wrong.

Thank you all for the answers.

I should be more specific on definition of minimal in my POV. So, minimal is minimal. Innov-8 Trailroc 235 is on the "heavy" end of my minimal. Generally I run with Saucony Hattory which is more like a sock with thin sole. All of my footwear is 0 drop. But I don't mind a good pair with 4 mm of drop.
Regarding my background, I run in minimal shoes 4 years or so and barefoot on a beach. It took me a year to adopt the technique of barefoot running and this year I have successfully (for me :p) run marathon with my Sauconies.

I think my next shoe for backpacking will be Innov-8 TR 245 or something similar with rockplate and a bit of cushioning. I think it makes more sense for backpacking. Running is completely different story.

I do forefoot strike when walking uphill/downhill. And heal-strike on a flat surface. Don't you feel more stress on foot/knee when taking 15-20 lb backpack on flat surface?

I was hiking with my younger daughter in a baby carrier and she + some water + some gear reached 30-35lb. I would describe my walking as unpleasant with my Innov-8s. Every step I tried to strike forefoot, because heal-strike would be too much stress on knee/foot.

Maybe I'm taking it to extremities. For moderate weight minimal shoes should be fine.

Maybe it is your walking technique? I had a similar experience to Justin where I had to practice to develop a softer, mid-foot strike. Right now I use (the now discontinued) Inov8 XTalon 240. I added a cushier insole but it has no rockplate. Not sure of the drop but it's their performance last so probably 4 mm.

Too, I think terrain makes a huge difference. Doing training hikes of 7-10 miles with 25-40 lbs is no problem if underfoot is mostly forest, snow, or bog. Rock, highly compacted trail, or surfaced roads are another matter, however. I expect that in time my feet will become stronger, but I don't push it.

"Not sure of the drop but it's their performance last so probably 4 mm."
The Xtalon 240 has a 9 mm drop (which last used does not matter).

Thank you, I was unable to find the specs with a quick search. Maybe my experience is irrelevant then to someone used to zero drop.

How are the new balance minimus shoes not minimal? The have plenty of flexibility and ground feel. They are more substantial than something like viovbarefoot but still fairly minimal. Unless new balance changed their minimus line – I'm using one of the original styles in leather as an every day shoe.

Maybe it's your baby carrier! How much does it weigh?

Tangent here, but I'll take any chance to extol the virtues of woven wrap carriers. Mine favorite one is 1.5lbs and it's as versatile as a flat tarp.

I have been hiking in minimalist shoes for years — by minimalist I mean sub 5 ounce cross country racing flats. No problem in Rocky terrain to include lava fields. Two downsides to these shoes (1) they don’t last long and I go through a few pairs per year and (2) cactus thorns can go through the sole and jumping cholla are a hazard.

One thing that is really important, you should not try to change your stride or foot strike. Just run, hike, or walk and let your body and subconscious mind direct foot traffic — otherwise you are going to injure yourself.

More thoughts on the minimalist shoe craze.

"You beat the crap out of them on sharp rocks until you stop feeling it. (but don't hurt yourself!)"

I'd just be careful with this idea of beating the crap out of any part of your body (especially feet) in hopes of strengthening or numbing out pain. There's OK pain and there's not OK pain, and I've learned that clobbering your feet on sharp rocks (even just on the occasional mistep on rocky terrain) is not OK pain, because it can lead to a stress fracture. It did for me, and I had to bail part way through a trip, and eventually took some time off. My friend did permenant damage to his feet trail running in minimal shoes on rocky terrain, and now he can't run much or crack climb at all. Totally not worth it. My feet are now more vulnerable to repeat injury. I wish I hadn't so fully bought into the minimal craze ideology. I swear the internet was an echo chamber of (groomed single track) trail runners acting like a couple years in minimal shoes will make your feet invincible. The mountains are rough on feet. Be careful.