Choosing Your Hiking Shoes

Low-Range for my Feet

Shoes Background

I’m pretty sure I’ve thrown away more boots and hiking shoes than I’ve worn out. It seems that no matter how hard I try to make sure the shoe fits at the store, after a week or two of painful acquaintance, most get relegated to the trash heap. There are really two topics here. The first is getting a shoe that fits you very well and that you can use to failure; the second is selecting the right shoe for the job. We will take those in reverse order here.

Recently

As we were coming off the mountain, picking our way through a mixture of rock scree and loose soil, interspersed with tripping hazards that some folks would describe as shrubs, I happened to notice for the first time that my 70 year old mom was wearing moccasins! I was shocked, as I was wearing a stiff mountaineering boot that I felt was well-suited to the task at hand, and I was struggling. There is no doubt those shoes weren’t the optimal choice for her, but her feet ended up not hurting her at the end of the day, and she made it safely off the mountain, which pretty much is the bigger picture.

I think the point here is to be thoughtful about what you are asking of your shoes

So, were my shoes the better choice, or were hers? Strictly speaking, mine were; however, as I said, that pair of moccasins worked for her on that day, so who am I to judge? This is a very personal decision, and as long as your legs and back do not suffer from your selection, you have considerable latitude in your choice of mountain footwear.

I have a friend who likes to go on fairly difficult hikes in steep mountains who definitely prefers trail runners to boots. I have hiked 10-mile days in Merrell barefoot trail shoes without a problem.

My Approach

Here are some guidelines that may keep you safer and certainly will give you a better chance of coming home without blisters or undue soreness:

• First, consider the terrain. Is it steep and rough, flat or rolling, with trails or without? Trails make a huge difference in the degree of difficulty on any hike or walk, especially for knees, ankles, and feet.
• Second, what is the weather? Hot or cold, wet or dry, I will choose shoes with maximum ventilation, completely waterproof, insulated or uninsulated based on the climate. Hot feet are sweaty feet are feet with blisters, blood, and swelling if you keep on keepin’ on. Dry feet are happy feet. Sweat, rain, puddles, or streams…all are wet.
• Finally, I consider whether I will be packing much weight. For me, more weight on my hips and back equals a stiffer boot required with a very well-engineered footbed.
• Weight for me is generally not a real consideration, as I tend to learn to live with the result provided from the three key decision points above; however, there are times when you can get the shoe you require at a bit of a weight savings if you choose your materials wisely.

For day-hikes on good trails I absolutely love trail running shoes. They are light and stay cool, and I rarely get a blister from them. On the flip side, if I have to go off-trail, my miles will be limited if I’m in trail-runners as I over-stress my ankles and the foot itself.

What Hiking Shoes Work for Me

I have had great luck with Merrell barefoot trail shoes along with my trusty New Balance trail runners, but anything that fits and feels good in that category will work. I will not overnight with these shoes when I’m backpacking, as they just don’t give me the support needed to add that weight and keep my feet and ankles in good condition for a long time. These are also my choice for fishing shoes, as they both dry fast when I get them wet.

When it comes to overnights or longer day-hikes, I will usually gravitate towards my Keen or Merrell lightweight boots, with or without a waterproof membrane, depending on the terrain and weather. I prefer to leave the membrane version at home unless there will be fairly cold or very wet conditions where I’m headed. The retained moisture, despite the claims to the contrary, adds to the potential for blisters and a painful walk home. These boots also work pretty well for light packs, for me in the 20 to 30 pound range or below. The extra thickness of the sole along with the high-top ankle support provide an excellent intermediate hiking boot for more strenuous day-hikes and overnighters. They also make for good warm-weather upland or even big-game hunting boots.

My Struggles

I’m a pretty simple fellow, but I absolutely adore good footwear. I’m not about style, rather all about function. For so many years I suffered in pain as the core of my foot would give out on rigorous hikes before my knees, ankles, or muscle fatigue became a concern. Up until recently, the closest I could get was from a pair of Danner leather boots that fit my feet well. On long days, I still had problems with my feet, but at least no blisters and they provided plenty of support. I’ve literally thrown away more boots than I’ve used up, and two of my last four pairs of Danners finally made it to the trash heap.

One night, everything changed for me. I was at my local Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation dinner and I elected to put all of my bonus tickets into the raffle to get a new Eberlestock backpack and a pair of Kenetrek boots. Winner, winner, chicken dinner, they drew my name! Now, mind you, I would NEVER pay $400 for a pair of boots, but I was excited to win them nonetheless.

A Brand New Day!

I took them out on my maiden voyage, and I did about 6 hard mountain miles in them with nary a blister or even a hot spot. No break-in, no oil, no nothing! Just laced them up and went hard. Subsequently, I did buy an uninsulated pair for me and another pair for my wife, because I was so very impressed. These relatively heavy and stiff boots, with very stiff mountaineering soles are like granny gear for your feet.

I have taken my Kenetreks on a 5,000-vertical-foot ascent over a steep, rocky, boulder-strewn summit. I’ve had them on long mountain treks and dozens and dozens of deer, elk, sheep, pronghorn, and chukar hunts. They are absolutely the best mountain boot I’ve ever owned, and the only ones that allow me to finish the day without the core of my feet being sore. They are a bargain at any price, really.

Wrapping it Up

I think the point here is to be thoughtful about what you are asking of your shoes. Some may be blessed with strong and enduring feet. I know the flip-side of that story and put great care into my footwear selection. Plenty of room in the toebox is always needed, but otherwise it is not always easy to discern in the shoe store whether the boot will ultimately work for me. I even had one salesperson let me take the boots home to wear them around the house and yard for a day and as long as there were no scratches or dings I could bring them back no questions asked. I bought that pair of boots and after my second trail hike in them, they now sit on a shelf waiting for their turn at the local landfill or charity.

I strongly recommend that you take the time to at least walk around the store when you buy a good pair of boots, and if you buy them online, make sure there is a no-cost return policy. Now I’m going to let you in on one of the best secrets in boot and shoe selection…REI. If you are an REI member and purchase your boots from REI, in the store or online, you can wear them in the field for up to a year and still return them if they are not working out for you. I first came across this concept in Cheryl Strayed’s book “Wild” whereby she recounts here blister-fest and the loss of her toenails one-by-one in a pair of boots she bought from REI (Reese Witherspoon is in the movie version…very good read!). The REI folks replaced her ill-fitting boots for free!

REI has a crazy returns policy. It used to be for the life of the product, but so many people abused it they had to take it back to one year. You won’t see the shoes and boots as deeply discounted at REI as most places, but being able to return them when they don’t work out is worth a lot, so I don’t mind paying full price up front. Generally, their prices are competitive with amazon.com and other normal retail outlets, it is just that the sales are only on overstock material usually.

Take the time to get your footwear to fit, and be mindful of what constitutes quality footwear for yourself in all occasions. Most importantly, unless you are made of money, take the time in the store or your living room to make sure they fit! Finally, if you want extra insurance on your purchase, then consider buying your boots and shoes, and any other fit-critical gear you might need, from REI. One final thought…check out John Vonhof’s book Fixing Your Feet: Injury Prevention and Treatments for Athletes, for those times you are on a long hike and need emergency “saves” for your hike.

Your feet are your connection with the earth. They will get you there and back. They will bring you home safely. They can ruin an outing or make it happen. If you are anything like me, you will learn to take very good care of your feet, and give them the chance to make your life better. Help them help you.