Boots(?) for Grand Canyon

[Gumbo]

I am in the planning stages of a 13-day Grand Canyon backpacking trip, which we’ll be doing in the last half of April next year. We’re going Nankoweap to South Kaibab, the vast majority off-trail. I’ve never hiked in the GC before, though will be going with experienced GC backcountry hikers. Totally excited!

Most of my backcountry gear is 20 years old, and decidedly not UL, so I’m using this as an excuse to upgrade. Out with the 5 pound tent, in with a CF tarp. Out with the 2 pound Whisperlite and stainless pot, in with titanium & Sidewinder. Out with my 3½ pound sleeping bag, in with an EE quilt. Fun times!

My questions revolves around footwear. My current 4½ pound boots have virtually no tread left, so it’s time for them to go. My flash course in all ways UL tells me that boots are out, trail runners are in. I want to believe, but:
• I will be carrying 40-50 pounds at times, including 13 days of food and fuel, and water for a couple dry camps.
• We’re going to be totally off trail, which means very rough conditions.

Are trail runners really viable in these conditions? Do I need to go the heavy leather boot route, or is there a middle ground that might work?

Thanks!

[Matthew / BPL]

Let me be clear that I am not experienced in the Grand Canyon or hiking off-trail. That said, I’m confident 50#, off-trail, in trail runners is not going to be a good plan.

You mention lots of lightweight gear. What’s your planned base weight? I’m guessing something around 12–14#. Add to that 13 days of food at 1.5#/day (20#) and you are in the low/mid 30# range, and that’s only on day 1. I know you’ll need to tank up on water at some points but I doubt you’ll need to carry 8 liters and hopefully not on the first day when you are heavy with food. Or maybe my assunptions are wrong? My point is, I don’t think you’ll need to carry quite that much weight. I carried 34# on the southern half of the JMT with 10.5 days of food and that was before I lost many pounds from my pack. Granted, I didn’t have to carry more than 1.5 liters of water at any point. Trail runners worked well for me in that application, but you are talking about very different parameters.

[John G]

I found boots to be an advantage in the GC, and would recommend the Salomon Quest boots for 30-40 lb pack weights

But the reason I found the boots to be an advantage was NOT because the off trail terrain in the GC was likely to result in a sprained ankle.  Mostly the terrain is “gently rolling” compared to the rooted, rocky, pot holed and covered with leaves terrain I find in the eastern woodlands.  Mostly, the terrain is a 20 degree side slope with occasional rock slide areas to pick your way through.

The reason I found boots to be advantageous was because of the huge amounts of “downhill” hiking required. I wasn’t used to this, and it stressed my Achilles’ tendon to the point it felt sprained…  I had been wearing Merrill Moab ventilator boots – and they weren’t high or stiff enough to protect me from developing the “kaibab shuffle”.

However, the higher stiffer Solomon boots are light weight compared to leather boots – but still heavy enough that lifting my leg in rocky areas becomes noticeably more tiresome after 4-6 hours of hiking.  Also, they are a bit too stiff for day hikes. With a 30 lb pack they flex naturally. Without one, it’s a bit like walking in ski boots – they don’t flex forward very easily.

[Roger Caffin]

Are trail runners really viable in these conditions?
YES. Absolutely.
1 lb on your feet is equivalent to >5 lb on your back. Why add unneccesary load to a long trip?
Light-weight shoes allow a far more controlled foot placement than heavier boots.
Traction? Modern joggers have it!
We wear joggers even on 3 month long alpine walking trips in the European Alps. We would NOT wear boots – except on skis.

Cheers

 

[Matt Dirksen]

I remember the last time I actually wore 5 lb boots was 20 years ago in the Grand Canyon on a 4 day trip. Halfway through the trip, I got so fed up with the boots I hiked the rest of the way in my Teva’s. My feet were so grateful, not once did I ever feel the need for my heavy boots again, even along the “off trail” sections.

Nowadays, I would do whatever it took to reduce by base weight as much as possible (which it sounds like you are doing), and that would definitely include using the lightest shoe that fits very well (especially the width) and that my feet feel comfortable and confident in. This might take some trial and error, so don’t be afraid to try several.

Personally, I would also use hiking poles & small gaiters, given those conditions.

 

[James holden]

since you live in the PNW …

take a pair of trail runners and start low …. say 10-20 lbs … go hump some hills …. the cascades or coastal ranges … theres ~1000m peaks everywhere … start right now …

even if you dont go all the way you can easily go up till you hit the altitude where youll need technical gear and turn back ….

a decent amount of the PNW hills and forest can be considered to be “rough” especially if its not the most popular well maintained trails …

do it every weekend … if you live in a town blessed with local hills … romp up and down those after work a few times a week

gradually increase the load to 20-30 lbs ….

are your trail runners “sufficient” … if so then gradually bump up the weight till you hit 30 lbs+

this will tell you VERY quickly if your footwear is adequate for rough rocky conditions for the load you want

oh and buy from REI/MEC … so when yr footwear fails you … you can return it …

notice i say WHEN, not if … as itll likely take you a few tries before you find what works for you

;)

 

[Justin Baker]

There is no way that we can tell you what kind of footwear will work for you. Everybody has different needs and preferences. So far someone has suggested wearing stiff boots based on their own personal experiences, a couple people have suggested trail running shoes, and another person has suggested wearing sandals. Personally, for hiking with a heavy load on uneven terrain I would be wearing flat shoes with minimal cushion and lots of flexibility. Take a hint here. Part of become an experienced hiker is using different types of shoes in different conditions and figuring out what works best for you.

[Gumbo]

Thanks for all the advice. Plenty to think about :-)

[Greg Mihalik]

A most significant aspect of Grand Canyon cross-country has been missed –

… and lots of it.

I’ve hiked a number of 10-day off trail trips and trail runners are fine, provided you can find a route through the cactus. Depending on your footware you can walk with abandon, or will spend every moment looking at the next step.

I used a full leather trail runner [low-top approach shoe] with few issues.  I don’t remember the brand or model.  But I do remember that they worked well. Tweezers are recommended.

(Also, if you will be relying on the river for water take a bunch of Chlor-Floc  https://www.amazon.com/Chlor-Floc-Military-Purification-Powder-Packets/dp/B0002UCSEO .)

Have fun out there.  It’s a great place.

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