Hiking boots are an item from the past, providing more hurt than help to lightweight hiking. We used to wear these heavy footwear, justifying their clunkiness as "ankle support". However, when a pack is lightened overall, there is no longer a need to support the ankles from extremely heavy loads. Certainly pack loads  under 35 pounds do not require hiking boots for ankle support. We choose running shoes because of their light weight and durability. Ray Jardine estimates that for every 1.75 pounds removed from a single shoe or boot "can add about a mile to the hiker's daily progress", without any additional effort. I'm not sure if I agree with his numbers completely, but the concept is definitely true to a significant extent. Consider hiking a mile with concrete blocks strapped to each foot, and then hiking for the same amount of time in normal street shoes. It's similar to baseball players warming-up with a weighted "doughnut" on the bat, allowing the unweighted swing to deliver more of a punch from the same effort. Additionally, running shoes offer the hiker more agility than boots which often caused delayed responses to stumbles.Another benefit of running shoes is the breathability. While many boots are waterproof, they'll eventually get wet inside from creek crossing, a bad seal, or from normal sweat while hiking. When boots get wet, they don't dry quickly. Meanwhile, your feet are more likely to develop blisters. Running shoes are designed to get wet because they can quickly dry while you hike in them. We both prefer Salomon or New Balance running shoes. Although they tend to be pricier, they are reliable and comfortable on the trail. |
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