Count me in the movement towards light, low-top hiking shoes. I’ve done a lot of miles (500+) in low-top Solomon X-Ultra’s.
In my opinion and experience, this general type of shoe is the far better mousetrap.
I know the standard refrain in service of big tall clunky boots is ankle protection. But consider this. Your ankle is a critical part of the biomechanics of your leg as it articulates and flexes moment by moment to adjust to vagaries in the terrain. That’s a GOOD thing. It’s why evolution put the dang thing there. Reducing your ankle’s ability to flex doesn’t reduce the forces acting on your leg as it’s dealing with terrain; it just requires OTHER parts of your leg and body to compensate; knee, hip, foot, back, etc. That ain’t ideal.
If you’re still wearing big boots, the 70’s called, they want them back <g>.
