Trail Runners vs. Boots for the Appalachian Trail

Trail Runners VS Boots debate 🥾🌲 What shoe did you wear on your thru-hike?

[@jeffstone28]

Top 2 reasons why hikers prefer boots over trail runners. 1. More structure and stability, making it easier to carry heavy loads over long distances. 2. Ankle protection. A hiker is far less likely to sprain or roll their ankle if they wear mid-height hiking boots. The boot collar catches and protects your ankle before any damage is done.

[@Rhaspun]

Yes, I noticed that the structure of a trail runner has too much flex. It's almost as if the uppers are trying to rotate around the sole.

[@jeffstone28]

@@Rhaspun That's a great way to put it. My experience with Altra Lone Peak 5s was that they were like very well made slippers. After 5 mi, I was experiencing arch pain that would have developed into plantar fasciitis if I hadn't been able to switch back to my boots. I returned them!

[@duskyman1]

Nah. Fit hikers with packs under 40 lb or so do not need anything but trail runners. Hikers in trail runners do way more miles per day than people in Boots. Requires carrying less food and water. Fat people.... May need heavier shoes. People carrying very heavy weights may need heavier shoes. There is somewhat of a weight limit for trail runner type shoes... Ankle support is a complete utter myth. You're a victim of marketing from the 1970s. High top boots could support your ankles if they were laced up...tight... Like a figure skater, but they're not. What they give you is a cozy feeling and something called proprio receptor feedback.... Meaning that when your ankle touches the side of the boot you know that you're leaning a little.... But there is no actual support. Ive hiked a couple thousand miles in trail running shoes..... I would not even consider using anything else unless I was carrying 50 lbs. But I'm normally carrying under 23 lb, and im not overweight . Your feet do get accustomed. You are more nimble and balanced when you can feel the rocks under your feet. You can actually walk faster. And you can also walk faster and farther because your footwear is much lighter. You will also have happy your feet cooler feet and less feet issues.

[@jeffstone28]

@@duskyman1 Hikers in trail runners may do more miles than hikers and boots, but otherwise you are 100% full of horse feathers. I acknowledge the trail runners are great for some people. You don't acknowledge that boots are great for other people and you are absolutely wrong.

[@duskyman1]

@@jeffstone28 Not wrong. Boots have uses. Some people need a more solid platform under foot... Because of other issues. Too fat, carrying too much weight. Defective feet.....But after that...nope... For average hikers in 3 season conditions... On establishing trails.... Trail running shoes are the optimal footwear. You want to walk naturally...not clomp along with cinder blocks on your feet. When you walk abnormally you will develop all kind of overuse injuries rapidly. Putting several pounds of weight on your feet... Makes you walk abnormally. I use expensive hard orthotics in my footwear.... Inside my trail runners... I worn the same type orthotic everyday for 30 yrs.... Walked and run many thousands of miles with them. Basically my feet are molded to them. The orthotics... Cured my plantar fasciitis from heavy weight lifting 30 yrs ago..... With proper support and putting an arch back in my foot. You can use orthotics with trail running shoes............. And correct foot problems.... In fact many hikers do use an hard otc brand called superfeet in their shoes...... Here's one benefit ... When your feet get used to a arch support.... All your shoes fit exactly the same. When you wear out a pair of shoes... You get another one and there's no break-in or adaptation. Hikers go through shoes every couple of hundred miles.... The rough rock's wear down the lugs edges so grip is lost, and the foam midsole loses its cushioning. I put 750 mi on a single pr once.... But 300 to 400 mi is more average. I will say this though, your footwear is your single most important gear item!. It is not an afterthought. You should spend a lot of time finding the best shoes for your feet..... And spare no expense. This means mail ordering lots of shoes.... In various sizes each... Trying them out in your own home..... Lacing them different ways..... Walking around your house with a pack on your back for 30 min...... And deciding which work best for you.

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

Traditional Mountaineering Boots for me. I'd never hit a long trail in unbroken in boots. They offer more support, make it less likely to suffer a mechanical injury and can put up with more abuse (heat, cold, snake bites, etc...).

[@davidappell3105]

It used to be that if your boots wore out on AT thru-hike you could call the manufacturer and they would send you a new pair for free.

[@kris1103]

Been hiking up mountains since i was a child in trainers and trail shoes. The few times I've tried hiling boots I've just been confused by the reason I would want a heavy uncomfortable hard boot when walking very long distances.

[@rosemoreno2817]

Its funny when she shows half the shoe falling apart uhh i think ill stick to boots!!!😂✌

[@Sprotard]

You probably do 3 mile nature walk hikes 😂✌️

[@rosemoreno2817]

@@Sprotard 😂😂 I do thru hiking buddy no less than 12 miles a trip each time 3 miles ppffftt that's just a marm up!!!🤦‍♂️

[@fluffbigrollingmarshmallow]

I used to hike with boots, but never again. I recently decided to start the process of finding the right trail runners for me. I expected to try several different brands/models before I found one that was good for me. But it was quick - I absolutely love my Altra Olympus and will never go back to boots again. The big toe box saves my toes on the steep downhills in the Whites. The zero drop is also amazing for the downhills. The light weight is wonderful on the uphills in the Whites. And the best part is I quickly found that just trekking through steams is honestly no big deal, because they dry so fast. No more trying to keep my boots dry.

[@duskyman1]

Exactly. Wet feet are not a problem.... Not if your shoes drain and dry quickly. You can't take your shoes off every time you crosswater when you cross water frequntly. I hiked trail that crossed water 38 times one day... It just followed a river and kept zigzagging from side-to-side...... Try taking your boots off every 15 minutes all day long

[@fluffbigrollingmarshmallow]

@@duskyman1 The Gila River?!?! LOL I honestly can't believe it took me so long to switch. I think it was thinking about how awful it is getting your boots wet, and transferring that (wrongly so) to trail runners. It is SO wonderful to just trek through the water instead of worrying about keeping boots dry, or taking them off, etc. Not only that, my last hike, post-holing half of the time, and walking through a water drenched trail the other half, it was amazing to hit a stream and feel the wonderfully cold water on your feet, even though they were wet most of the hike anyway. I actually just stood in the last stream before leaving the trail to head to my truck. It just felt so good! I've also learned how much more nimble (for my age LOL) I am hiking with trail runners instead of heavy, clunky boots that restrict your ankle range of motion.

[@duskyman1]

@@fluffbigrollingmarshmallow your feet are very vascular on a really hot day..... Standing in cold flowing water that's flowing through your shoes is a treat. Just let your feet dry at night... And they can be wet all day.

[@fluffbigrollingmarshmallow]

@@duskyman1 Ha ha - yup - this wasn't a hot day - still 2' of snowpack on the trails from 2000' up, but man, that cold water feels SO good - and I never would have realized I can enjoy that without having to take boots on/off repeatedly through out the day if I hadn't switched to trail runners. Like I said, I'll never go back to boots.

[@duskyman1]

@@fluffbigrollingmarshmallow unfortunately you just can't convince some people they can't go off pavement without boots. I was scoutmaster, took boy scouts out hiking. You could tell their parents till you are blue in the face.... Just buy them sneakers a size larger, they can wear them next yr..... Nope, they show up with the cheapest boots from Walmart. One even showed up in his dad's steel-toed work boots. He had horrible blisters and tore up feet. People have been brainwashed, and there's no reasoning with many of them.

[@NickEDowning]

Why did the last point get cut off? What was the last point?

[@barba-blue]

there are boots lighter than the runners with all the boot feature but they get easily damaged

[@drivingmissmolly]

Maybe one day I’ll be able to do trial runners but when I was a teen I tore/snapped the majority of ligaments and tendons in both ankles from jumping off a log and landing with one foot in a gopher hole; I was in a wheelchair for prom. My ankles are still pretty weak but I wonder if ankle braces would help with the stability while wearing trail runners.

[@youreworthyourweightinavoc7189]

These are all true but my number 1 reason is the preserved ankle range of motion that saves my knees

[@elizabethmaxey3874]

Lowa Renegade GTX

[@DaMetalBeast]

Trying to make a point for trail runners by showing me your obliterated runners mid hike seems counterintuitive……

[@sludgehammerz]

right??

[@WestShoreMan]

I swear by my Altras but I just lost the nail on my big toe on a really long hike day. Never happened before.

[@drivingmissmolly]

That means they were too small. If your toe hits the front of the shoe even a little bit when going downhill or hitting the toe box of your shoe on the ground then you need to size up otherwise you’ll lose toenails.

[@DanchetripleSeven]

Light weight baby!

[@ZSmith-yy4lv]

I am not too big into hiking, but I do walk about 20 miles of the AT near where I live every year. Every time I meet a through hiker, they are wearing trail runners. I can’t recall a single exception. That being said, I will continue to wear my boots as they are the most comfortable shoe I own in general.

[@TravelingGaby]

Do high top trail runners exist???

[@allen.9]

yes, new balance hierro v7 mid

[@erickn]

"A pound on your feet is equivalent to five pounds on your back" is an unsubstantiated claim, repeated ad nauseam in many videos about the subject. Gear Skeptic has debunked this myth in his video "Backpacker Fact-Checker, #1: Shoe Weight"

[@jeh966]

If u leave the track u what real boots

[@10thmountainvet]

Belleville 320s, best

[@Jegernorsk6315]

Lightweight hiking boots are superior

[@ramsfan709]

Boots everyday

[@FirstNameLastName-oy2ji]

chaco's or no go

[@haleemasadya3216]

Nah bro got the Du du du du du one day I was born Du du du du du at the age of four Du du du du du my mama asked me a question Du du du du du what the fuck are those Du du du du du wtf are those

[@morganboutwell8231]

And trails are littered with torn pieces from them. They are not sustainable or trail friendly imo. #leavenotrace

[@anthonyfoutch3152]

toughen your feet and don't wear boots. go barefoot or wear sandals