Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Lightweight Boots

I've recently been wondering about my next pair of boots, and thinking I'd like to find something lighter in weight, on the theory that you can save a lot of energy by lightening up the weight on your feet. My last pair of boots were Cabela's Mendl Perfeckts, which have worked fine...but weigh over 4 pounds. In searching for lighter boots, I got tangled up in this thread on Backpackinglight.com about using trail running shoes instead of boots:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...hread_display.html?forum_thread_id=43927

It's an interesting idea, and I can see some definite utility and energy savings when packing lighter loads...but I can't imaging packing out 80 pounds of muley on a steep mountain slope with trail running shoes.

Has anyone on here tried the trail running shoes idea?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for a good, lightweight boot?

Trail runners work great for me...on trails, carrying 30 or so pounds, YMMV. A lot of experienced AT hikers use them, even in the winter, with Rocky GTX socks.

June-September I use trail runners almost exclusively now for backpacking or hiking of any kind. I don't mind having wet feet as long as its not too cold--they quickly and make up for a lot by being so nimble. I've done training hikes with up to 90# on trails and 145# on stairs; can't say how they'd do off trail with that much. Last summer I backpacked extensively on and off trail for a govt. agency with Inov-8 Roclite 310's and 315's. Loads ranged from 25-60 lbs.
My partner has hunted extensively in Inov-8's with good success. The 390 and 370 (which I believe is no longer made) are a decent weight/agility compromise in my view. They aren't made as well as they used to be though, which has me considering a switch to La Sportiva.
Inov-8
The LS shoe I like

Like Snowy, I use trail runners extensively and also am a big Inov-8 fan. I have recently been using the Inov-8 Rocklite 400 which is the lightest leather boot made. It is an awesome boot, but I would prefer if it wern't Gore-Tex.
http://www.inov-8.com/Products-Detail.asp?PG=PG1&P=5050973129&L=27

I use trail runners exclusively except long scree talus stuff where I use 5.10 camp four (really solid sole better than most boots). I use mountainnering boots for.lots of snow. Never touch boots anymore except for cutting wood farmwork style stuff

I have not found the perfect footwear yet.

Last year I moose hunted in gore tex trail runners and kenetrek gaiters and it worked great. No heavy packing though. Also this winter I have been snowshoeing in gore tex trail runners and gaiters.

Gore tex and gaiters make for a good waterproof combination when the weather is cold. I do not want wet feet when moose hunting in october.

Very interesting.

What do you wear for socks? Do you wear gaiters?

(I wrote that last sentence before reading the previous reply)

Im really warming up to my Merrel Moabs. I ran them over lava ridges this weekend and was pleasantly suprised. I though they would not be stiff enough and allow to much flex in the sole but they held up fine. Just cleaned them up and got the mud off and no suprises were found. Same terrain eats most "hunting boots" and lead me to going heavier for hikers in the past few years. I think I will be ordering a couple more pairs.

i've long been a proponent of lt. wt. footwear

I've hanwags and danners that have never been on a sheep hunt

i find boots one of the hardest pieces o kit to reco, cause fit is everything ime

my faves are Nike ACG that I don't believe are made any more

Ed to the rescue again gonna have to see if I can lay hands on his reco, so far he's never given me a bum steer on gear advice

really kinda amazes me

I use trail runners as well (Salomon 3D PROs I believe is the model) I like snowymountaineer don't mind wet feet and prefer shoes/boots that do not have it as you will get wet eventually if you go to enough creek crossings and the ability for non-GTX models to dry out is much better than GTX IMO once wet. If your shoes/boots fit well blisters shouldn't be problem if wet or dry.

When sheep and goat hunt I have been using lunker boots of the Lowa Sheephunters but I really like the added support.

However for most of my hunting for anything but sheep or mountain goat I will be trying the Montrail Jawbones as they have a LOT more support than the Salomon shoes that I am currently running do, are taller, and weigh the same. We'll see how I like them after a few trips.

You've got to know your own feet. Some (perhaps most) can get away with light running shoes for BPing... my wife definitely can't. BTDT, she NEEDS a boot. Her girlfriend is the opposite. These two gals are my summer BP buddies so I get to study what works and doesn't for them.

Me, I prefer boots but I'm likely a bit old-school in that regard. I have no issue with a light boot though. Light makes sense on the feet...

Ray Jardine started the whole trail runner thing. His wife still wears boots.

There's a lot of fads in the BP world... some of it is good, some is just a re-hash of things tried and found wanting 30+ years ago.

What I can't stand are the gram weenies that make declarative, absolutist statements like the idiot moderator on the BP Light thread linked above...

So, Patrick Smith is a big lightweight hiker (heavy tennis shoe?) fan. He was describing one elk hunt where he started out in his customary footwear, but got into snow (I think rough off trail travel was part of the equation too) and had to change foot gear. I asked what he changed to, and I think he said it was Hanwags. The actual brand doesn't matter -- the point is that an experienced backcountry traveler who prefers the lightweights still finds a time and a place for boots.

Ed_T

I like the Inov-8 stuff as well, although I found the mountain trail runner wore out quickly.

I stick to Montrail a lot, really not the biggest fan but I say hey I've done 50 miles in day without a blister, so I'll take it.

Wet feet, depends on conditions, if it's a stream crossing and I'm going to have the shoes a while I might take them off and wade across.

Not a big fan of the goretex, I get wet from the inside and it takes forever to dry. I use wool socks, even carried neoprene canyoneering socks on a hunt last fall and ended up using them. Yes my feet were wet, but not cold.

I was just going to say the same thing Brad.

I spend a lot of time in trail running shoes.... while running on trails. There is a big difference in how they are constructed one shoe to another. Some are pretty protective of the sole and some are waterproof and some have better traction than others. When you add that to the difference in where a backpacker would use them in place of a boot and the physical demands of different backpackers it would give you wildly different outcomes.

If I had to tote a heavy load I might swing to more of an ascent shoe or a trail hiker as opposed to a true trail running shoe. Merrill, Zamberlan and a whole bunch of others make stuff that would fit the bill nicely.

Will

The 5.10 camp four shoes are really nice. Traction as good as anything and really supportive, more supportive than almost all boots I've had. They would be my choice for heavy loads and rough terrain.

Interesting discussion... this post leads me to ask.... On a 7-10 day trip, do you bring a spare pair of boots in case you run into conditions where you need them?

I get that weight on your feet can make a bigger difference than weight in your pack, but this strikes me as somewhat self-defeating.

With any weight on my back I need a boot. I've got the Inov8 boots for my light trips and Sportiva or Lowa's for heavier. If I don't wear the proper boot, I might as well save myself the walking and just bang my ankle with a hammer.

I have a pair of Kennetrec light weight hikers that I really like.
Great support and fit great.