Best Shoes for 7 Days in Alaska

[jeff berkman]

I’m going to the Gates of the Arctic National Park for 7 days in mid-June. I expect to hike 15 to 17 mi/day. I need shoes that have strong sturdy soles for my sensitive toe joints. I also worry about spraining my ankle days away from civilization. Any recommendations?

[Brad Rogers]

I’m jealous.  I spent eleven days there in August 2015 and it was awesome.  You’re correct that the footing is difficult, and I doubt you’ll be able to make 17 miles a day – I ended up more like 10.  The brush, mostly willow, alder, and dwarf birch can be crazy thick, but the tussocks and muskeg are worse.  The muskeg is like walking on a foot thick sponge.  The tussocks were like walking on basketballs, where just when you think they can support your weight, they fold over.  Your ankles will get a workout for sure.  I wore my normal hiking shoes – which at the time was Salomon XA Pro 3D’s.   They did fine, but my feet were wet from the time I stepped off the float plane to the time I took my shoes off back in Bettles.  My shoes were toast after the trip even though we only did 100 miles.  I was with a guy wearing Gore Tex boots and his feet were wet too, so I’m not sure that it could be avoided.

You will have a great time!

[jeff berkman]

My shoes were toast after the trip even though we only did 100 miles.  I was with a guy wearing Gore Tex boots and his feet were wet too, so I’m not sure that it could be avoided.

I was considering the Salomon Quest 4d 3 GTX (not weatherproof) versus the Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX (goretex). I’m not sure if the goretex will help though.
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[Link .]

Both of the boots you show have GTX (GoreTex) in the title and say they are waterproof I wouldn’t bother with GTX since they will end up wet regardless

These Salomon boots are not wateproof X ULTRA MID 3 AERO .

also  Salomon XA Forces Mid .

[David Thomas]

I’ve only hiked a bit in the GotA but it was with Manfred so it was a very long day.

He and his sons proceeded west from the Haul Road through GotA for another 4 weeks.  We all used breathable trail runners because

• they’re lighter and that reduces your exertion throughout the day,
• between multiple river crossings (I did about 60 in one day), rain, wet grasses and mosses into which you sink 6-9 inches, any shoe will get completely wet inside and out,
• for a shoe to really protect your ankles, it would have be like a downhill ski boot or ankle-splint which you couldn’t walk in.  Ankle-high boots protect your ankles from talus boulders, but if it provides any meaningful stiffness, every step would be great effort.
  You just accept that your feet are wet all day, take extra care to keep any in-the-tent-only socks dry all day long, and pack some anti-fungal cream.

[David Thomas]

Manfred’s trip report: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/94676/

includes, in post #33, a link to his gear list.

[Brad Rogers]

I’d go with non GTX Jeff.  Just plan on wet feet.  Keep dry socks for camp and let your feet dry out well overnight.

[AK Granola]

Neoprene socks are nice for lots of cold stream crossings. You’ll still be wet though.

[David Thomas]

I haven’t taken the plunge on neoprene socks, but I will before the next time I take the plunge into Alaskan streams.

Wet socks have a lot of conductive loses.  Wet socks in a fast-flowing stream have even greater convective losses as cold water enters and leaves rapidly (a possible argument for Goretex shoes, or, better yet, a plastic bread bag – the bag that comes around a loaf of bread).

When I was out of those streams for 20 minutes, my wet feet, socks and shoes would noticeably warm up.  Until the next stream crossing.

I notice when I’m stomping around the Aleutians with Manfred that he’s in neoprene socks.

[Elliott Wolin]

Agree on non-GTX shoes, we were constantly fording streams in Denali but with breathable shoes our feet dried in less than 30 mins, unless there was another stream crossing before then, which happened most of the time!

We now have Rocky GTX socks but haven’t tried them yet.  They’re pretty high so they might keep your feet dry if the water isn’t too deep.  Of if they are sealed well at the top they might work even in deep water.

[Philip Tschersich]

Neoprene socks are a good option. Get ones that are perforated (e.g., Seirus Neosock) and drain or you will be sloshing around in permanent puddles. I also cut mine down to be shorter since the mid-calf height of most is simply too warm when you aren’t wading. I tried mine with silk-weight poly liners at first but slid around inside the neoprene like greased sausages. You can switch to regular socks if they get too warm. I sew a small cord loop at the top so that I can clip them to my pack via a mini carabiner. It’s way too easy to lose your socks in the brush when they are just strapped under a bungee.

Alaska with wet feet.

[AK Granola]

The good part about the constantly wet feet when hiking in Alaska in mid-June, is that your squishy wet socks will take your mind off the mosquitoes. Or maybe vice versa.

[jeff berkman]

I’m considering the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor shoes with some neoprene socks. Should I bring gaiters? For mosquitoes, I have a neck buff, a hat with partial netting (meant for sun protection), thin gloves, and a sea-to-summit head net.

[Philip Tschersich]

I like to sew button holes into the cuff of my pants and run a piece of bungee cord under the sole of the shoe/boot. It keeps crap out of the shoes (twigs, rocks, snow) and also keeps your pant leg from getting wound around your leg like a twisted up dishrag when you slog through brush. If it’s a rocky trip, bring spare pieces of bungee because they do wear out after a while.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I highly recommend that instead of normal wool socks you wear 3 mm thick closed cell neoprene divers socks over thin polyester or polypropylene liner socks.

US Divers brand socks are the best B/C they come in a Right and Left foot (marked on the socks) and are factory seam sealed. The 3 mm thickness does not require wider shoes as the heavier 5 mm socks would. If they make for a tight fit in your shoes (doubtful) get very thin aftermarket insoles.

Carry one pair of thin poly socks for each day or at least 3 pair so one or two can be rinsed out and dry on your pack. – IF it is not raining. Stinky liner socks must be segregated in a Ziplock freezer bag. Don’t ask…

Anyway, I’ve use this VBL setup with my Merrill Moab low cut shoes for constant stream hiking to keep my feet warm. Yeah, yer feet will be a bit wet with sweat but they will be warm.

And in cold weather these VBLs will keep your boot insulation dry and keep your feet much warmer.

HAVE FUN and file a photo trip report when you get back.

[Michael Sirofchuck]

I have completed two Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classics in Gates of the Arctic. My routes included many stream crossings and packrafting.  I wore running shoes and SmartWool socks the first year and changed to neoprene socks and running shoes the second year because my feet were warmer in neoprene socks.  Running shoes are light and dry quickly. Some racers used trail runners. I had a pair of dry socks for when I camped in the evening.  Your feet will be wet…that’s a given in that part of Alaska.  Dirty Girlz or Simblissity gaiters help keep stuff out of your shoes.

[Hanz B]

I did Denali in Gtx Salomons. My feet were soaked by day three even if I was careful. My buddy wore trail runners no gortex and his feet were as warm and dryer.

I brought hydroskin I agree that those are a great option.

Every day I used hikers goo and I wore injini toe socks – no blisters using this method when wet all day.

In Alaska the glacier steam crossing introduce a cold I haven’t really felt with before and the hydroskins were vital.

If I were to do it again I would bring two injini wool-coolmax toe sock sets, sleeping socks, hydroskins or above us diver socks, real gaiters (not ultralight gaiter), non waterproof trail runners or mids and hikers goo with a small towel devoted to keeping your toes and feet clean (dirt + cold + nonbreathable gortex makes blisters).

[AK Granola]

I haven’t hiked in Gates, but I’ve hiked on a lot of wet tundra. When I know I’ll be off trail, in the tussocks, streams, thick spongy tundra, over scree, through alder thickets, etc. I wear Salomon mids. The ones I have are Goretex, but they seem to dry quickly, even after a total soaking. They don’t ever fully dry unless the sun shines, but nothing else does either, but they’re not squishy after an overnight breather. I like the protection from rocks, branches, and gravel that the mids provide. I probably would have said ankle support too, but when I’m on trails only I do wear trail runners, so I don’t think that’s really what I need. But my feet seem to get less beat up wearing mids when bushwhacking. Whatever works for you!

[Link .]

I thought you had to have boots? So you can go with trail runners with your foot issues? I would wear trail runners but my suggestion was based on you have to have boots.

[jeff berkman]

I have prescribed shoe orthotics for my toes – they have bone spurs in the large toes and when I bend them too much for too long, they really get painful. The La Sportiva Ultra Raptor shoes seem to be pretty stiff, so I was thinking it might be good enough for my toes. I’ll try them out and if they don’t work, I wonder if the Salomon boots have stiffer soles. I haven’t had a chance to try them on yet.

[David Thomas]

When I look at the wall of trail shoes at REI, I grab any that I’m considering and bend it under the ball of the foot (some flex is okay) and twist it along its long axis (less twist is always better for my feet).  Different shoes, marketed for the same purpose, differ markedly in sole stiffness.

[jeff berkman]

When I look at the wall of trail shoes at REI, I grab any that I’m considering and bend it under the ball of the foot (some flex is okay) and twist it along its long axis (less twist is always better for my feet).  Different shoes, marketed for the same purpose, differ markedly in sole stiffness.

David, which trail runners have the best sole stiffness in your view?

[David Thomas]

Jeff,

I’m mostly been using a pair for low-cut Merrells that are kind of flexible under the ball of the foot, but are pretty stiff from the behind the ball to the heel – it’s the arch of my foot that really doesn’t like getting poked and torqued.  At least for my feet, Merrells give my toes more room.  Lots of trail runners are pointier in the toes which looks very aerodynamic but I want the top, front of my toes (where you trim your toenails) to touch absolutely nothing even when going downhill.  These aren’t trail runners – they’re low-cut, breathable hiking shoes

I can’t match them to anything on their current website.  Seems closet to the Moab ventilator.

[Author]

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