Choice Between Hiking Boots or Trail Runners

[2sweed]

Each of us whenever we head for the woods or the trails need to make a choice on what equipment we will bring and what is best to leave at home. One of the most important choices is the clothing we wear and the shoes on our feet. There can be many reasons why one might pick boots over trail runners or the other way around, but the choice must be made depending on comfort and also type of land you will be walking on or the place your setting up your camp. The following video talks about pro's and con's of each type of shoe and provides good information concerning the do's and don'ts on conditions.
Please share your thoughts on this subject as many of us make choices that might be great or might be a big blistering mistake.

 

[rz3300]

I have a great pair of boots that I have had for quite some time, so I would have a hard time going against those. I am not sure I have ever had any trail runners though, and so maybe I need to branch out a bit.

 

[Alexandoy]

I would still go for tge hiking boots anytime. Aside from the protection it provides, the elevation of the rear sole has the proper angle so the feet are comfortable in walking. Flat shoes are not recommended for walking distances for it strains the feet.

 

[killeroy154]

Yeh I like the ankle support from hiking shoes and the sole is usually thicker so it can absorb more impacts with sharp objects.

 

[Bibsoutdoors]

I'm with Killeroy, I'll take ankle support over comfort any day. Besides camp shoes weigh almost nothing anymore, I wear Crocks, nothing but foam for weight. I find carrying packs at 45 - 65 lbs require the additional support and durability needed for the constant pounding, and if you're carrying that kind of weight 6 ounces for shoes is nothing. So in a sense we can have our cake and eat it to. The video talked about heavy hiking boots...yes 40 years ago, not anymore. Sure they are heavier then trail runners but come on what have we become a bunch of softies not able to pick up our feet. Toughen up! Besides this isn't a race and for those of you who think covering 20+ miles a day is what it's all about, good for you, enjoy. The rest of us are going to enjoy the trip to our destination which doesn't require high speed, wing foiled, wind resistant shoes. Sometimes manufactures get really carried away with trying to make money by launching new gear every other month, and in order to do that they HAVE to sell us on the latest and greatest. I've never heard anyone say, "That was the greatest experience of my life." "It only happened because of my ultra light super fast Converse All-Stars that made me walk faster, jump higher and sleep better." Manufactures...talk about a two edge sword!

 

[killeroy154]

I have to admit. I have never carried a 50 plus pound pack while hiking. I done day hikes only, and dream of doing long distance over night trips, but reality is I might never do it.
My wife and I hiked alot about 9 years ago, I was in my early forties, we done several round trip hikes over 8 miles and they were mostly parts of the Appalachian trail here in the smokey mtns. The trail heads normally would start out at 1000 to 1500 foot elevation, and destinations around 3500 to 5000 feet. We would traverse root, rocks, mud, gullies, ledges and small streams. I would carry maybe a 15 pound pack with water, sandwiches, rope and a first aid kit.

We didn't give much thought to hiking shoes. It didn't take long to figure out that if you twist or break an ankle, mess up your knee, or even bang your ankle bone on the side of a rock, it's a long way out of those hills especially when you are in pain or have to hobble. I couldn't imagine how some one could carry a person out of some of the areas we went. There were foot bridges that were nothing more than a tree cut down and the top side cut flat to walk on. 2 foot wide ledges on the side of cliffs or rock faces that had a cable anchored to hang on to.
If your like most people, your ankles are smaller then the rest of your leg.

 

[killeroy154]

Found a few pics on line of some of the trails where you do not want to get hurt. Ramsey cascades

this was a 4 mile hike. 8 miles round trip. I had to throw my cheap hiking shoes away after this one. This was the first hike I worn these fairly new shoes on. My heel punched through sole of the shoe.

Mt leconte trail

These are day hike trails, but they can turn deadly of you get hurt. The hiking shoes I wore on this one, busted the seams out about 2 miles from the end.

 

[Bibsoutdoors]

I've never had any desire to go west. Every time I see pictures of the Appalachian area (trail or otherwise) I get a very distinct hunger to be there. I've been over the mountains in a plane, never actually in them and yet I feel a strong pull. Hard to explain. The pictures you show us are beautiful. I understand what you are saying about it being a bad place to get caught with your pants down. I watched a video on U-Tube from a guys channel name "Shug" (Sean Emery) he backpacks out there with a buddy of his. Not long ago he videoed an incident of a guy falling over a ledge and got hurt bad. His buddy was a volunteer fireman and EMT. He went down the slope to give first aide. Someone got a cell signal or used a satellite phone (I don't remember) called for air lift out. Helicopter came in and some fella with good training dropped down on a rope. They secured and treated him then gave him the ride of his life when they lifted that stokes stretcher up in the air, spinning around, yikee shniky! It took a good deal of time but he did get out and was treated at a hospital. Updated on his condition months later and he was going to be ok. I guess what I'm saying (by way of Russia) is you do have some excellent services available to you should things go sour. But it does seem like things are normally between such drastic measures, meaning a painful hobble out as you said! I do wish I could indulge my desires to be in those mountains though!!

 

[killeroy154]

It is a beautiful place. I hear that all the way through Maine it's gorgeous. I only know this area.

I spend maybe 100 dollars on hiking shoes less if I get them on sale. I won't spend more than that unless I was going to carry a 50 pound pack and spend more than a couple of days out hiking, and I don't see that in my future. I used to have lots more pictures.