Footwear: What do you wear?

Share your advice and personal experiences, post a gear review or ask any questions you may have pertaining to outdoor gear and equipment.
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oldranger
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by oldranger »

Rockchucker's

There is already a thread for this topic. I'm sure maverick or rlown will post the link. Personally I go for light, flexible, 5" height. Lowa zephyrs fill the bill for me. I have 3 pairs. One relegated to short local hikes and yard work, one pair was my primary boot last year but I mistakenly grabbed my old pair for a 9 day Eagle cap wilderness trip last august so last years boot should be good to go for at least another 10 days of serious bc travel. My 3rd pair is still in the box in my closet. I have found that I can extend the life of these lightweight "disposable" boots by putting a bead of shoe goo over all the stitching in the toe area when the boots are new. Looks a little tacky but so do I.

Mike
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RoguePhotonic
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by RoguePhotonic »

I'm the only long distance backpacker I have met that wears heavy boots. I wear Zamberlan Vioz GT boots and they have been treating me well for years now so no reason for me to use anything else.
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rlown
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by rlown »

As if to fulfill OR's dream, here's the other shoe list: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9473" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mav, or someone smarter :\ merge it.. (please)
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oldranger
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by oldranger »

But Rogue you are doing completely different terrain. If I were doing the kind of stuff you do all summer I would go through 2 pairs of my boots, at least!

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sparky
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by sparky »

I use merril ventilators. I can make a pair last a season....barely. sometimes i buy two pairs in a season. They fit my feet very well and are extremely breathable, and the rubber is quite sticky. Those are my three requirements. I never bought the same pair of boots or shoes twice before i found these.
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Rockchucker
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Re: Shoes, what do you wear?

Post by Rockchucker »

sparky wrote:I use merril ventilators. I can make a pair last a season....barely. sometimes i buy two pairs in a season. They fit my feet very well and are extremely breathable, and the rubber is quite sticky. Those are my three requirements. I never bought the same pair of boots or shoes twice before i found these.
That's the same shoe I've been wearing for several years. My problem is I shred them pretty quick, like I said usually 3 pairs a year. I hike all year so I really don't have a season. Very comfortable shoes just not made to last.
I'm no suture for my future.
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maverick
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Re: Footwear: What do you wear?

Post by maverick »

And your wish is my, yeah right Russ. ;)
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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RoguePhotonic
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Re: Footwear: What do you wear?

Post by RoguePhotonic »

True the terrain is a major factor. I don't know how long they would last until I had to replace them. When I went 111 days in 2011 that was the longest I have ever used one of them.
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wanderin.jack
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Footwear: What do you wear?

Post by wanderin.jack »

We hike 200-300 miles a summer in the Sierra and I've went through a number of shoes last summer. I used to use new balance trail runners and they totally failed me last summer. My wife loves the older style new balance barefoot trail runners but after about 200 they are trash. On one 100 miler I went with the Salomon trail runner used by many pct hikers. Lots of things I loved about them but after a few days or so my metatarsal arch was killing me.

Image

I have since gone to the LaSportiva trail runner and they have been a dream come true.

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Wife is trying the Altra Lone Pines used by Anish.

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Good luck


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sparky
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Re: Footwear: What do you wear?

Post by sparky »

Well it certainly is no beauty contest out there....but why do they have to make shoes look so silly??
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