I’ve had much the opposite experience. I don’t hike in full height oldschool full grain leather hiking boots, but I do hike in either low top hiking shoes (Moabs), or mid tops. (Except in the snow, where I have some full height Thinsulate boots that fit nicely into my show shoes.) I tried trail runners when the hype around them was first exploding, several times, and every time went back to a traditional hiking shoe or boot.
I found the notion that a ventilated hiking shoe will “dry out” when it gets wet whereas a hiking shoe or boot to be a total myth. Trail runners won’t dry out while you’re wearing them. I’ve tried it, it simply doesn’t happen. Your socks and feet stay wet all day, either way. What the trail runner does offer is zero protection against rock kicks, stick pokes, and thorns; they won’t keep out moisture from walking through wet grass or undergrowth or mud, so your feet get wet instantly as opposed to eventually; and you can watch them disintegrate as you walk along. For me, they simply don’t last long enough to be worth it. The only marginal benefit is slightly reduced weight over a considerably more durable low top hiking shoe, with tons of drawbacks.
I can get a “good” pair of trail runners for the price of an “okay” pair of hiking shoes or boots that will last me several seasons, whereas the pair of trail runners won’t even make it through one. Even taking everything else into account I find that to be a silly proposition.
If you can make trail runners work for you and your conditions, great. Do it. But please don’t go around recommending them as a panacea for everyone, because they aren’t.
Interesting hearing your experience! What area do you do your hiking, and what sort of baseweight and mileage are you doing?
My base weight is between 17-20 pounds, depending on what I’m bringing for the season. Maybe not as ultralight as some, but usually significantly lighter than the average bear. I usually cover around 10 or 12 miles a day, but I prefer to actually enjoy the hike, the views I find, and have time to hang around at camp rather than try to crush more miles than the next guy for internet cred, or whatever.
My usual stomping grounds are the Northeast and Mid Atlantic, where we have: jagged Tuscarora quartzite sticking up out of all the trails, fallen sticks and branches, lots and lots of thorns, acorns with needle sharp points on the bottoms, and pits of mud that never dry because they’re under so much shade the sunlight never touches the ground.
Those pictures of idylic mountains with well groomed trails and wide open skies, like the one that was on the box your tent came in? Yeah, that doesn’t happen around here.
Makes sense, I’ve been using running and trail shoes for long hikes when the conditions allowed it - AKA not freezing : spring… I’ve used them extensively on 40km hikes in a day and they held me two years. I want boots for extreme conditions -
This is pretty interesting! I’ve always appreciated the ankle support from boots, but losing weight on the feet would be nice too
Having hiked in boots a long time I was skeptical at first, but if you lighten your load trail runners are far more comfortable!
I have recently gone to a pair of La Sportiva approach shoes and I am very happy with them. More supportive than Altras but excellent grip (far better than Altras on steep dirt and gravel and better for mid and large rocks and boulders), quite lightweight and naturally water resistant.
I have heard good things about La Sportiva approach shoes, what sort of terrain are you using them on?
This is pretty interesting! I’ve always appreciated the ankle support from boots, but losing weight on the feet would be nice too
Removed by mod
