High Sierra Topix

Thanks everyone for contributing. I have learned a lot. Keep it coming. In the backcountry of the High Sierra, and around the world, the rate of death is proportional to the rate of preparedness.

La Sportiva Glacier:
A big beefy boot for a guy who carries a heavy pack off trail. They fit like a glove.

-Russ

Fail to prepare...Prepare to fail!

Zamberlan Cristallos. (I'm female.) Leather above-ankle boots. I love them! I have roley ankles. Some people start in heavy boots then lighten up. I went the other way. I carry about 35lbs with them. LIghter loads I like Oboz trail shoes. Day hikes I like my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards (trail runners). I have trouble getting shoes wide enough - these mentioned all work. Have fun! Don't we love our shoes, when they get put down thousands of times a day, with our weight and pack weight on them.

Vaca Russ wrote:La Sportiva Glacier:

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A big beefy boot for a guy who carries a heavy pack off trail. They fit like a glove.

not just for guys with heavy packs - my daughter loved these in 2009 - only boot we could find in her size up for the distance and turned out to be fantastic.

I wore Merrell trail runners on my first backpacking trip last week. They were great but what were really great were the Smartfeet insoles. I have had a Morton's neuroma for ten years. I'd have shooting burning pain after walking any distance, even after I stopped walking and was driving home. The pain was terrible.

I wore the Smartfeet insoles for the first time on the trails in Yosemite and it was like a miracle!! 26 miles of pain-free feet carrying a 25 pound pack over rocks and cobblestones. I highly recommend them.

not just for guys with heavy packs - my daughter loved these in 2009 - only boot we could find in her size up for the distance and turned out to be fantastic.
Fishmonger, this is my favorite picture on HST. The determination in her eyes says it all. It is particularly impressive when you know the route she was hiking!

Guitar Lake!!

-Russ

+1 on good insoles. I used to get heel blisters in my Asolos (very comfortable with some preemptive mole skin) but on a whim tried using my skiboot superfeet insoles...no rubbing or chafing at all. Definitely makes a difference.

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Just finished the JMT in Soloman trail runners. I don't think I will ever go back to boots. 200 miles with no blisters!

These days:

Lowa Mountain Experts (In snow when it is cold out)
Kayland MXT ( In snow)
Five Ten Guide Tennies (when there is some scrambling on the trip)
Five Ten Insights (when there is some scrambling on the trip - I haven't been wearing these much lately)
Brooks Cascadia (When I stay on the trail and there isn't any snow)

Bought Vasque Bitterroots spring 2012. Heavy beasts that can brutalize terrain. Here coming down steep granite talus below the north side of Silver Fox Pass August 2012 carrying about 65 pounds: