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Heavily corroborated in this Wirecutter hiking boot review (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots/ https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/rev

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 The entire category is obsolete.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.
- Kaibeezy 3y ago
  I supplied one example of what was a steady drumbeat through many comments, many of which provided meaningful facts and analysis. Yes, of course, internet people say whatever. But you can probably sense when the reliability goes up and down, and I sensed this info seemed good enough to mention. Have a look, maybe.
_0w8t 3y ago
Anecdotally the worst leg injury during hiking I heard off was from a guy in a very expensive hiking boots. Basically he slipped and his foot stuck between two stones while the body continued to move resulting in a broken bone. If he would wear a low ankle in the worst case he would twisted the ankle, but most likely he would get just a bruise from the ankle impacting the stones.
gumby 3y ago
The feature of the high top (non-snow) boots I like is the sole/footbed rigidity. I don't want a flexible sole in the backcountry, and especially not when scrambling. Unfortunately the weight is a (literal) drag in a long through hike. I'd be willing to use a "hiking shoe" if it had a rigid foot. Ironically my beloved chacos have a very stiff sole; with the toe strap they give me the same traction on irregular terrain and same small-rock sole protection that I get with my clunky boots. I did a five day trip with them in the Desolation Wilderness and it was pretty good, except of course as a sandal I got sharp crud over the sole. Also they are pretty heavy for sandals. It seems like the high top winter boots have less stiff soles. If it's not too cold and I want to make distance I have used my leather summer boots with the snowshoes. It's hard to do a lot of A/B testing in these cases as you can't do a five day through hike every weekend.
- klooney 3y ago
  I think the trail runner feature you want is called a "rock plate"
HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
> Ankle support is a complete myth I remember being told this (in 2000?) by one of the sales people in the shoe department at REI so it was being said at least for the last 23 years. A rigid sole is what he said was most important for stability.
alistairSH 3y ago
Sounds about right. Short hikes, I do in trail runners. Medium hikes, I do in approach shoes. I only wear boots if I’m backpacking (and that’s mostly habit) or working with trail tools (Macleod, ax, etc)
carlmr 3y ago
I agree with you mostly for the blisters and comfort part. But I've found that in alpine hiking i need at least mid-high shoes. Usually with some amount of flexibility so it's really not about ankle support, but all the small stones hitting my ankles hurt. I could have that with trail runners but then I'd need an extra ankle protection sleeve.

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.

Kaibeezy 3y ago
I supplied one example of what was a steady drumbeat through many comments, many of which provided meaningful facts and analysis. Yes, of course, internet people say whatever. But you can probably sense when the reliability goes up and down, and I sensed this info seemed good enough to mention. Have a look, maybe.

_0w8t 3y ago

Anecdotally the worst leg injury during hiking I heard off was from a guy in a very expensive hiking boots. Basically he slipped and his foot stuck between two stones while the body continued to move resulting in a broken bone. If he would wear a low ankle in the worst case he would twisted the ankle, but most likely he would get just a bruise from the ankle impacting the stones.

gumby 3y ago

The feature of the high top (non-snow) boots I like is the sole/footbed rigidity. I don't want a flexible sole in the backcountry, and especially not when scrambling. Unfortunately the weight is a (literal) drag in a long through hike. I'd be willing to use a "hiking shoe" if it had a rigid foot. Ironically my beloved chacos have a very stiff sole; with the toe strap they give me the same traction on irregular terrain and same small-rock sole protection that I get with my clunky boots. I did a five day trip with them in the Desolation Wilderness and it was pretty good, except of course as a sandal I got sharp crud over the sole. Also they are pretty heavy for sandals. It seems like the high top winter boots have less stiff soles. If it's not too cold and I want to make distance I have used my leather summer boots with the snowshoes. It's hard to do a lot of A/B testing in these cases as you can't do a five day through hike every weekend.

klooney 3y ago
I think the trail runner feature you want is called a "rock plate"

HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago

> Ankle support is a complete myth I remember being told this (in 2000?) by one of the sales people in the shoe department at REI so it was being said at least for the last 23 years. A rigid sole is what he said was most important for stability.

alistairSH 3y ago

Sounds about right. Short hikes, I do in trail runners. Medium hikes, I do in approach shoes. I only wear boots if I’m backpacking (and that’s mostly habit) or working with trail tools (Macleod, ax, etc)

carlmr 3y ago

I agree with you mostly for the blisters and comfort part. But I've found that in alpine hiking i need at least mid-high shoes. Usually with some amount of flexibility so it's really not about ankle support, but all the small stones hitting my ankles hurt. I could have that with trail runners but then I'd need an extra ankle protection sleeve.