Trail runners noob here

[Chad M]

I just bought a pair of trail runners for the first time. I bought em to hike in (I don’t actually run).  I have ankle issues and will always use boots if I have any weight on my back.  But wanted a lighter shoe for day hiking.

It can be pretty cold where I live for 5 or more months.

I wore these trail runners around town today for maybe 2 miles or so. They are very comfortable but i noticed immediately that my feet were getting cold just from the wind due to the lightweight top fabric on the shoes.  I would imagine that after getting wet on the trail, the cold could possibly be to much to deal with on a windy day. What am I missing?  Just need to move faster?  I suppose that’s why they call them trail “runners”.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.

[Justin Baker]

How cold was it? Where do you live?

[Chad M]

In the North East US. Was very mild here today. Only maybe uper 50sF. But that is just kicking around town. Out for a good days hiking in higher elevations it will be much colder and wet and windy.

[Justin Baker]

Interesting that your feet got cold. I have been ok with soaking wet feet, super thin socks, mesh shoes, in temps near freezing if I was moving and exerting myself. When I start to encounter snow or I am constantly stepping in freezing puddles, then my feet get very cold. If I stop moving, my wet feet get cold quickly. If my core body is cold at all, my hands and feet get really cold even if the air temps are not that low.

In the upper 50’s my feet are warm, if not slightly too warm in midweight socks and mesh shoes while standing around not moving.

Maybe your feet just get colder than most people? There are lightweight high top waterproof shoes that would feel like trail runners but be warmer. Some other things you can use are neoprene socks (warm when wet), waterproof socks, or thick wool socks. There is a huge difference between thin wet socks and thick wet socks, wool does a decent job of insulating when wet but you need the socks nice and thick (fluffy wool socks work better than dense socks).

[James holden]

Thats the disadvantage of thin mesh shoes ….

cold wet liquids can come through em easily … As can wind and thorns …

in moderate conditions its not an issue as you can dry em out

in constant cold wet conditions it can be extremely unpleasant for some folks … And even dangerous …

rocky goretex socks solves the issue if they fit yr feet

 

;)

[Brad Rogers]

That is very interesting and unusual that your feet were cold at 50*F.  I have worn trail runners for all of my hiking and backpacking since 2007 and that includes trips where I am post holing through a foot of snow for miles and miles (done that on 3 different trips), in daytime temps down to 20*F at least.   I wore mesh trail runners in Alaska in 2015 when temps were in the 40’s a couple of days (and I had wet feet).

I tend to have cold feet too, but if I am moving I am fine.  On trails with a pack I average 3mph, but quite a bit of my backpacking is off trail, so its slower, and was only 1mph (or a bit less) in the Alaskan brush, so I wasn’t generating tons of heat.

[Ken Thompson]

What socks?

Realize that other than plastic ski boots, boots do nothing for your ankles.

[Chad M]

Yes I get cold feet. More than the average person I suppose. It wasn’t the temp however (50s I agree is not cold at all for me) that made me realize the potential for having some real problems on the trail. It was just gusting wind. The areas I do most day hiking close to home are rocks rocks rocks, have a lot of stream crossing and a lot of snow. I just figure that combined with a windy day it could all make for a pretty unpleasant experience.

I definitely feel that laced up boots give me less a chance of rolling my ankle.  I feel that is almost a fact

Ill just wait till it gets warmer out to switch to the trail runners. They are so super comfortable.

I will check out the gore tex socks. Thanks!

I currently just wear yout basic darn tough type wool socks.

[Jeffs Eleven]

Chad there is a LOT of info on here about switching to runners and going from boots to shoes in general.  I suggest use the search function and spend a few hours reading the threads.

Its more than just putting on shoes instead of boots to the avg hiker.  Any post here will undoubtedly be beating a dead horse (which is sorta the BPL way due to not having ‘stickies’ or Noob Korner.

[Chad M]

Ty Jeffs. Done. It is a good point. Though often searches lead to 2009 or some such time. Constant innovation in gear makes some older info irrelevant. Search went well this time though. Thank u buddy.

[Jeffs Eleven]

To me, though more than the gear, is getting your foot in shape, getting your ankle in shape.  Also, sock technique (which upon typing sounds so ridiculous)

There is a lot of good stuff about how to take care of your feet, so that the shoe selection is less important because your foot can handle more trauma.  If you go directly from boot to shoe and bust out a 15 mile day you are gonna be limping, no matter what shoe you are wearing.  Meanwhile people who go barefoot can go barefoot all day… because of their feet.  (that Cody Lundin guy doesn’t just take off his shoes for TV shows…)  And I know barefoot is the extreme but Im just sayin… his feet are so in shape he doesnt need shoes at all.

All sorts of people wrecked their feet switching to VFFs abruplty

[Colin M]

Chad, hold up before jumping to conclusions: temp is all about how much exertion you were putting in.

If I was just milling around town on a windy 50 degree day in my typical hiking kit I would be freezing even though that same kit is totally fine in the high 30’s and torrential rain and hail when I’m hiking. It’s all about how much exertion I’m putting out as that keeps me warm.

Try actually hiking at your normal speed and see how it goes then adjust accordingly.

[Nick Gatel]

This is one of those things you have to work on for yourself to see what works.

As far as “innovations” in shoes — there aren’t any — just marketing hype.

I have lived in the low desert for 40 years and can work outside all day in 115F – 120F heat. On the flip side, I now do poorly in cold weather. When people can hike all day in colder weather in a thin Merino shirt, I need to wear a R1 fleece. But I can hike in cold rainy weather in trail runners and thickish merino socks and my feet are fine… not warm, but not cold either. A few months ago I did a two day trip with pretty much 24/7 rain and daytime temps in the 35F – 42F range, the worst kind of weather. Lots of creek crossings and wet trails from cold snow melt-off. My shoes were 4 oz cross-country flats that are more porous than trail runners and these fairly thick wool socks. For me, the thicker socks and constant walking work out okay.

You will have to figure out what works for you. Each of us is different.

[Chad M]

I agree with both of ya. Yea. Thanks. My real question was just about how people deal with their wet feet being supper cold on a cold windy day after they stop to eat, take in a view or maybe set up camp. These are all situations where I may throw on some long pants and a jacket. I just dont know what i would do with my wet, cold feet having no insulated shoes in my pack to throw on over a freah pair of dry socks. Im getting “deal with it”. Ok. Thanks.  I suppose that since I only want them for day hiking I can just deal with it without a problem. Thanks again.

[Paul S.]

At camp I change socks and use plastic bags over my socks if my shoes are still wet.

[Alex Wallace]

Which trail runners did you buy? There are plenty of different options some with more mesh than others.

[Chad M]

Great idea Paul.

Hoka one one Alex.

[James holden]

again rocky goretex socks IF they fit your foot …

your feet will get a bit damp from sweat, but if used properly they will never be wet or soaked … and it all dries out very easily

out here the ground is basically a river, mudpit or 7-11 slurpee this time of the year

i really dont get why folks want soaking wet feet going squish squish with every step at close to freezing temps …

;)

the water is the trail (when its dry)

 

[Chad M]

Ty Eric, yes I’m looking at the gore Tex socks. They are very expensive but if they work I can see where they would be a smart idea. Maybe I’ll they em out. Thanks!

[Nick Gatel]

I find the Rocky Gore-Tex socks to be hot unless I am doing a lot of walking in slushy snow and a lot of snow melt. It is rare for me to be out in daytime temps below 25F.

Here is my winter footwear for snow set up. I got most of the ideas from a 3-part article Will R wrote years ago.

[James holden]

2 things with gore socks

1. only wear up when its cold and wet … namely between 30-50F and WET
2. only wear thin liner socks under em  … thicker socks are much too hot unless u are in camp or its much colder

basically if you arent in an environment where its raining and cold all the time, and the ground is slush, mud and puddles … its useless

however in those environments nothing else will actually keep your feet fairly dry …

on other thing is that theres not too much point in worrying about a few extra oz on yr feet if your thick wool socks are constantly soaked … and you can save weight on short gaiters as well (socks come up past ankle and have a snug top)

;)

 

[Colin M]

I really don’t understand the goretex socks thing for day hikes. Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t get day hiking in the cold/wet in trail runners!  If it’s that cold and wet, AND I’m only day hiking then I just wear a lightweight goretex boot like the Salomon 4d which are only mildly heavier than a trail runner + goretex sock but add a lot of protection and warmth. Trail runners make sense on multiday hikes as the cumulative effort is reduced but on a day hike, who cares if it takes you 5 minutes longer to cover the distance on a day hike?

[James holden]

many folks want to wear more minimalist shoes for anything short of (and some including) full blown winter conditions …

the problem with goretex shoes/boots is that they need to go above the ankle at minimum to keep yr feet “dry” in the conditions here … and one wrong step in the wrong mud pit , deep puddle, or creek and your waterproof boot just because a soaked wet boot

if you step too deep in something in gore socks … just stop take off the sock, turn it inside out and dry it quickly, then change the thin liner sock (you can dry it out with body heat when moving against yr chest) … and yr feet will be mostly dry

most waterproof boots have quite a lot of material that soakes up water on the inside if you screw up … and it doesnt dry (nor do mesh trail runners) under constant cold wet conditions

besides why would i want a 200$+ boot just for dayhikes when i can buy a 70$ gore sock and use my normal runners with it …

one doesnt NEED to use the gore sock .. for example you can keep it in yr pack/car and only put it on if conditions get nasty

;)

[Colin M]

These kinds of arguments are funny as people have a tendency to like what they like then try to apply their preferred item for all situations for all people.
I have found that, as usual, the right tool for the job is the way to go if you have the option. On a thu hike, we get one choice. As a day hiker, the OP can take whatever he wants. OP should consider that trail runners are generally better for long distance hiking because they are lighter and usually more comfortable with the secondary benefit of drying faster than boots. However, drying is a relative term as anyone who live in a truly wet climate will tell you.  Yes, they dry real fast when you walk through a creek on a warm summer day but there’s no drying out when it’s 38 and very humid from raining all day. OP said he lives where it’s cold for 5 months, as do I, so it’s quite possible that going with a very tall boot like the 4D I mentioned might make more sense than a trail runner.  I’d further argue that as trail runners wear out super fast compared to boots and doubly so when wet, that a $100 trail runner and a $70 sock isn’t as good a value at all compared to a $200 boot. But to each their own.

[James holden]

yeah but whut happens when you get water inside that 200$+ goretex boot ….

in a really wet climate sooner or later itll happen …

and no wet trail runner dont wear out any faster … at least my inovs dont, they are wet half the time anyways

;)

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