What should I wear on my feet?

It took me 10 years to answer this question. Most of that time was overcoming a stubborn unwillingness to cast away all (most of?) the things I had been told about the value of waterproof boots.

I now accept that wet feet are inevitable, and managing them is what’s important.  I wear Merrell All Out Peaks and love them…bought a second pair preparing for the inevitable corporate decision to eliminate or re-design them into oblivion.

In the end the only thing that matters is what works, and fits, for you…and unfortunately no-one can answer that but you. I wish you luck on your journey, and hope you spend less money and own fewer pairs of footwear than I did :)

Go try on a bunch of trail running shoes and buy the ones that feel the best in the store. You don’t have to break anything in – if they aren’t comfy in the store they are NOT going to be comfy on the trail.

And go at the end of your day when your feet are at their biggest.

.HERE  is a link to general info that I have posted in previous threads, it contains a lot of links on lightening up and some discussions and videos including footwear, clothing ect.  it is worth looking through, and welcome to BPL

I wear trail runners and have for many years, no boots for me . Here is Andrew Skurka’s latest blog post on footwear Complete failure: I gave “waterproof” Gore-Tex shoes a second chance , it is also important to lighten your pack weight, wearing trail runners is great but not with a 50lb pack.

wearing trail runners is great but not with a 50lb pack.

Actually, the trail runners are fine (we all wear them), but the 50 lb pack is an absolute disaster! This is the core message of BackpackingLight.

Cheers

One sentence. We should make it a “stickie.”

Low cut, lightweight breathable shoes that are properly fitted.

I’d like to add that due to less support (not having your foot encased in leather) your foot and ankle need to be strengthened most likely.  If you head out in trail runners with weak foots your gonna hate BPL and everybody here.

Get your shoes bought and walk in those things up and down hills, or treadmill or something for miles… maybe even with weight in a pack.  If you have been out of the game for a while and, assuming you arent walking a  lot every day, you need to get your feet strong.  (similar to how lots of people hurt their feet with Vibram 5fingers… their feet werent up to the task.

Also dont be afraid to size up.  Somebody mentioned about getting shoes at the end of the day, that’s good.  Also know which of your feet is the bigger one and fit the shoes to that foot.  Bigger is better that smaller for fit.  Over the few days of hiking your feet will swell big time and you’ll need room for that.

Seriously though, feet in shape is big.

Buuut once your feet get strong (and they will be stronger and more flexible) you will love it and it actually ends up being more natural than boots because you can actually use your ankle, and calf muscles.

“Also dont be afraid to size up.  Somebody mentioned about getting shoes at the end of the day, that’s good.  Also know which of your feet is the bigger one and fit the shoes to that foot.  Bigger is better that smaller for fit.  Over the few days of hiking your feet will swell big time and you’ll need room for that.”

+1

Try on shoes with the single-layer socks you will use; no one uses double socks like the old days. I like Darn Tough; the Smartwool PHD’s wear out too fast, and the Injinji’s don’t work for me. Sock weight is personal, there is a range of weights and breathability.

no one uses double socks like the old days. 

I do. Light nylon liner socks and then thick wool-blend Darn Tough Vermonts.

Cheers

The video quality on this is not great but the sound is fine and you might get something out of it Footwear and Foot-care by Andrew Skurka, the actual talk doesn’t start until 5 minutes in so forward it to the actual beginning.

There are a variety of footwear types out there and many opinions on what is appropriate and not appropriate for backpacking. It is up to you to determine your preferred option. I will tell you that a majority of experienced lightweight backpackers will be happiest in a lightweight, non waterproof trail runner. There are also people out there hiking in sandals or even super stiff light duty mountaineering boots, it’s really up to you to decide based on your own experiences… but do keep in mind that a majority are going to be happiest with non waterproof trail runners. There are different types of trail runners, some are stiff and ridged, some are soft and flexible, some have minimal cushion while others have lots of cushion, these are all things that you need to form a personal preference on. Most people want a good balance between flexibility, ground feel, and protection.

It’s important to get the right fit with your shoe. Find a store with a good selection and try on lots of different brands or models. It’s unlikely you will find the perfect fit so looks for the best possible fit. You want a secure fit in the heel and midfoot with lots of room in the toes.

Standing on flat ground, you want a minimum of a thumbs width of extra length in the toes. This extra room is both for swelling and for keeping your toes from hitting the front on steep downhills.

A good outdoor shoe store should have a ramp, use it to check for excessive heel slippage going uphill. When going downhill, stomp your feet a bit and then feel for toe room while standing downhill on the ramp. You should still have plenty of buffer room in the toes with your feet shifted slightly forward. You don’t want any contact between the front on your toes and the end of the shoe, some minor contact with the top of your toes and the top of the shoe toe box is ok in my experience.

The final fit issue is the vertical volume of your foot, generally related to the height of your arch. If you have a high volume foot, many shoes will feel to snug. With a low volume fit, with many shoes you will lace them up super tight but not get a secure fit. Your arch will swell – expand and contract so you want a shoe with a highly adjustable tongue and lace system to accommodate that. This part of fitting a shoe is usually not an issue for most people.

Remember that you want a fit that is very roomy but reasonably secure.

Thanks everyone for the input!  I’ve got plenty of boots, so I think I’ll try a pair of trail runners.  If they suck, then I’ll switch back to my boots, but a 2 day 20-30 mile trip should convince me one way or the other.  Most of the trials here in Michigan are pretty flat…from what I can remember and I think that trail runners should fit the bill nice.  Thanks again!

Low cut lightweight trailrunners are fine – for trails. Anything off piste in rocky country demands something more durable and protective. I still like my full leather Scarpas for serious terrain.

Anything off piste in rocky country demands something more durable and protective. 

Funny about that. neither Sue nor I have owned or worn boots for the last 20+ years (ski boots excepted), and ‘off piste’ has been our life.

Low cut joggers have seen us over a lot of rough country – a lot more safely than boots ever could.

Cheers

Anything off piste in rocky country demands something more durable and protective.

Yeah, not sure I can agree with that either. To many variables are involved in determining the “correct” footwear…HYOH and all that rot.

Lightweight hikers or trail runners are probably best. There are mid-height versions, too, that provide the benefit of both a low-cut and higher cut shoe. Keeps the crap out, makes you feel better if you are nervous without ankle support.