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Is there any similar work on hiking boots?

by yodon 3y ago

pharmakom 3y ago
Thru hikers have been moving to low stack trail running shoes for a while. They dry faster and are more stable. I haven’t seen any hard data on the pros / cons, however.
- ghaff 3y ago
  I have a pair of custom-made heavy-duty (and heavy) hiking boots I use for backpacking and other strenuous hiking. But I wear "trail shoes" a lot these days. I'm not sure how convinced I am for a lot of weekend-to-weekend stuff that high top lighter-weight boots are a major improvement given equivalent soles.
  - fellowniusmonk 3y ago
    The problem with a lot of hiking shoes is that they are still rather tall like tennis shoes, when hiking I'm not "pounding the pavement", I want something puncture resistant with a low center of balance and grip or tread around the edges for gravel and loose rock and decent tox box protection (since I have the bad habit of shuffling at the end of a long day and don't want to stub my toe.)
  - bjtitus 3y ago
    The higher the top, the less debris ends up falling into the shoe, though. Of course, you could just strap on a gaiter instead as most thru-hikers do.
DiffEq 3y ago
If one has a trail then minimalist hiking shoes or shoes in general are fine. If no trail…boots are my preference. Plus a good set are good for winter hiking to where you can add crampons if you need.
- ghaff 3y ago
  Winter foot gear has changed a lot. When I started it was double layer end of story/end of discussion so you basically has either Sorels or plastics (or mouse boots for really old school). These days I mostly use fairly cheap single layer insulated boots with some variant of microspikes. Still have plastics with step-ins. Have never bought into the newer generation of high-end single layer which seem to be the non-expedition norm these days.
Kaibeezy 3y ago
Heavily corroborated in this Wirecutter hiking boot review (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots/ https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots...), but NOT in the article... in the comments. One of the clearest readings I have ever seen on marketing versus experience. Truly eye-opening. Regular people do it. Journalists do it. And AI does it up the wazoo. We are all doomed. Example: This article is like a guide for choosing the best flip phone with a full keyboard. The entire category is obsolete. The authors are simply parroting marketing myths from twenty years ago. Like an AI chatbot, the writing appears thorough, but they did NOT do their research by talking to human hikers. They looked at catalogs of products instead of examining a task and finding the best tool for it. Here's the real story: No experienced hikers use waterproof boots except in deep snow where insulation and a high top is necessary. They use trail runners. Why? Because gore tex membranes lead to sweaty feet, which causes blisters and damp boots the next day ('waterproof' boots do get wet but take forever to dry out). Boots are heavy and clunky, encouraging a stompy, imprecise style that results in more slips, twists and jerks in each stride. Boots are sold because uninformed consumers demand them. Boots match the aesthetic of hiking. Ankle support is a complete myth. When you roll your ankle, an inch of extra fabric is not going to resist the full leverage of your body and protect your foot. What helps is a more sensitive shoe that avoids the ankle roll in the first place, and allows a nimble correction if it starts rolling. In 2023, ALL experienced hikers wear trail runners unless the snow is deep.
- shepardrtc 3y ago
  I've used all three hiking and I absolutely prefer trail runners. I only use waterproof shoes if I'm going in the snow and even then I still don't like it.
- apelapan 3y ago
  Someone on the internet says that. While I, also a person on the internet, prefer boots for hiking and find that most people I meet on hikes are also wearing boots of various kinds. I do bring a pair of "trail sneakers" to change into whenever I put down the heavy backpack. They are much better for walking, but I don't like them when carrying.
pelagic_sky 3y ago
Few years ago I moved to approach shoes for all hiking/backpacking. I prefer using ultralight approach shoes for everything (short, long, steep, multi-day), unless there is snow and then I use GTX versions with trail running gaiters to keep the show out.

Is there any similar work on hiking boots?

by yodon 3y ago

Is there any similar work on hiking boots?

Thru hikers have been moving to low stack trail running shoes for a while. They dry faster and are more stable. I haven’t seen any hard data on the pros / cons, however.

ghaff 3y ago
I have a pair of custom-made heavy-duty (and heavy) hiking boots I use for backpacking and other strenuous hiking. But I wear "trail shoes" a lot these days. I'm not sure how convinced I am for a lot of weekend-to-weekend stuff that high top lighter-weight boots are a major improvement given equivalent soles.
- fellowniusmonk 3y ago
  The problem with a lot of hiking shoes is that they are still rather tall like tennis shoes, when hiking I'm not "pounding the pavement", I want something puncture resistant with a low center of balance and grip or tread around the edges for gravel and loose rock and decent tox box protection (since I have the bad habit of shuffling at the end of a long day and don't want to stub my toe.)
- bjtitus 3y ago
  The higher the top, the less debris ends up falling into the shoe, though. Of course, you could just strap on a gaiter instead as most thru-hikers do.

DiffEq 3y ago

If one has a trail then minimalist hiking shoes or shoes in general are fine. If no trail…boots are my preference. Plus a good set are good for winter hiking to where you can add crampons if you need.

ghaff 3y ago
Winter foot gear has changed a lot. When I started it was double layer end of story/end of discussion so you basically has either Sorels or plastics (or mouse boots for really old school). These days I mostly use fairly cheap single layer insulated boots with some variant of microspikes. Still have plastics with step-ins. Have never bought into the newer generation of high-end single layer which seem to be the non-expedition norm these days.

Kaibeezy 3y ago

Heavily corroborated in this Wirecutter hiking boot review (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots/ https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots...), but NOT in the article... in the comments. One of the clearest readings I have ever seen on marketing versus experience. Truly eye-opening. Regular people do it. Journalists do it. And AI does it up the wazoo. We are all doomed. Example: This article is like a guide for choosing the best flip phone with a full keyboard. The entire category is obsolete. The authors are simply parroting marketing myths from twenty years ago. Like an AI chatbot, the writing appears thorough, but they did NOT do their research by talking to human hikers. They looked at catalogs of products instead of examining a task and finding the best tool for it. Here's the real story: No experienced hikers use waterproof boots except in deep snow where insulation and a high top is necessary. They use trail runners. Why? Because gore tex membranes lead to sweaty feet, which causes blisters and damp boots the next day ('waterproof' boots do get wet but take forever to dry out). Boots are heavy and clunky, encouraging a stompy, imprecise style that results in more slips, twists and jerks in each stride. Boots are sold because uninformed consumers demand them. Boots match the aesthetic of hiking. Ankle support is a complete myth. When you roll your ankle, an inch of extra fabric is not going to resist the full leverage of your body and protect your foot. What helps is a more sensitive shoe that avoids the ankle roll in the first place, and allows a nimble correction if it starts rolling. In 2023, ALL experienced hikers wear trail runners unless the snow is deep.

shepardrtc 3y ago
I've used all three hiking and I absolutely prefer trail runners. I only use waterproof shoes if I'm going in the snow and even then I still don't like it.
apelapan 3y ago
Someone on the internet says that. While I, also a person on the internet, prefer boots for hiking and find that most people I meet on hikes are also wearing boots of various kinds. I do bring a pair of "trail sneakers" to change into whenever I put down the heavy backpack. They are much better for walking, but I don't like them when carrying.

pelagic_sky 3y ago

Few years ago I moved to approach shoes for all hiking/backpacking. I prefer using ultralight approach shoes for everything (short, long, steep, multi-day), unless there is snow and then I use GTX versions with trail running gaiters to keep the show out.