hannahhiking people. I keep reading that trail runners are taking over and no one is wearing boots anymore. My question is do you get the same ankle support from the sneaker style hiking shoes? I occasionally will do a short hike in normal shoes, but I basically won’t do anything that requires crossing a stream or climbing a bit without boots. It just seems too wobbly (or am I weak???)
Curt Olson@h_thoreson I have thoughts. I went hiking with my boss a while back (who is a trail whisperer or hiking druid or something at that level) and noticed he was wearing just normal running shoes. (Also, his steady hiking pace == my steady jogging pace.) Since then I have been doing the same for footwear. Running shoes give good cushion for walking longer distances. I never fully lace up my boots because that chaffs my ankles, so I don't notice any difference with respect to ankle support. The one place boots are nice is if I'm hiking in snow and want the water-proof features. Except often if it's deeper snow I'll end up taking on snow at the top and getting my feet wet anyway ... but I'm not winter camping so I can put up with an hour or two of wet feet for a nice hike. I'm weird though, often I lean into the discomfort of hiking with simple gear in adverse conditions as part of the challenge/adventure. One place where running shoes weren't as nice was when I was hiking an especially rocky section of the superior hiking trail. Rough rocks with hard ridges can push through the cushion of a running shoe and impact a lot of force on a small area of the foot (compared to shoe with a harder sole.) So there are trade-offs, but for me, the running shoe is my go to hiking apparel unless something really specific about the conditions steer me in a different direction. One time I did a 6-day 428 mile biking adventure in the colorado rockies and discovered diluted orange juice and my mom's home made monster cookies worked just as well has fancy/expensive sports drinks and goo packs. But I suppose each area of the country and time of year can bring it's own specific challenges and gear requirements. My advice is to do a thing a few times and figure out what works for you ... and that may or may not be fancy expensive stuff ... maybe sometimes, but doesn't always have to be. And advice for anyone out there, if I invite you on a hike, probably wise to decline. :-)
Emily Velasco@h_thoreson Maybe I'm the weirdo here, but I just wear water socks ( the $7 ones from walmart) for hiking because I like that they're flexible and it doesn't matter if they get wet. I've never twisted an ankle in my life though, so I could be a bad example.
@MLE_online I actually have those exact shoes but have never ever used them. I bought them for a trip to Maine a long time ago and then they had high winds and it was super cold when I actually went so you couldn’t really be in the water.
This may be different then I sprained and dislocated both ankles a long time ago (not hiking)
Also I moved (agaaaAain) hopefully into a like… final stable place here (bought condo) once I am more settled I should try to stop by sometime?
@h_thoreson It seems like literally everyone I know has stepped off a curb wrong or stepped into a gopher hole and then their ankle is swollen and messed up for a week, so you're probably the normal one. If I do that, my ankle goes sideways and then it's just ... fine.
Congrats on the condo! Yea, let me know when you are settled and we can do something.
My mom had so many problems from those kind of injuries. I was in a car wreck and it was a long time ago but stuff like that can just warp your thinking indefinitely
I also just think?? Maybe I just like wearing boots in general. I was rocking the black Chelsea boots for a few years. Lately it seems like Ugg or hiking boots depending on activity or lack thereof. I wear sneakers more than I used to for non-fitness stuff but maybe I’m just a boot person.
@h_thoreson I have a pair of Justin boots that I really like, but I mostly wear them around town. They're a little too constricting and stiff for me to want to do serious walking or hiking in them.
Trager@h_thoreson i have very strong opinions on this so take this with a grain of salt — no, you don’t get the same ankle support, but that’s a feature not a bug. Trail runners provide many of the advantages usually associated with hiking boots (grip, a good platform, some level of cushioning) but with more focus on your stride and how you naturally move. The first time I tried them (in place of a long an well used pair of boots), they felt so natural that I felt like I could do twice the distance.
Brady Dale ✅@h_thoreson I completely converted to hiking in sneakers but also have the ankles of a bear
I think the sneaker hiking thing has pretty much taken over, tho
Weight on feet is apparently effectively 4X weight on your back or hips.