More videos i watch and reviews i read on various models and brands of boots, i question the weight of boots.


Brand XYZ, one review says it’s lightweight, one guy says it’s ok. One guy says heavy….

What’s it for you ?

I wear steel toe boots all day at work, so any thing less than would be lightweight for me. I walk each evening in a pair of Hoka Clifton’s.

25oz a boot?

20oz?

it seems always wet when i hunt in Minnesota plus most of the time i want to control my scent too,so i wear muck boots there easy on and off too . muck boots fit good i have walked many miles with muck boots on . i have light , medium and heavy insulated muck boots depends on the temp. and if i am going on a cold deer stand or walking. i seldom wear tie boots anymore but i always wear 2 pairs of socks , i do keep the inside of my boots dry with a boot dryer always.

BigDave;
Good morning to you sir, I hope that central Mississippi is getting appropriate weather and that you weren't affected by that tornado recently.

Boots...

When it comes to the topic of boots, one of the things I think that are missed a whole lot is the size of the person, thus the size of the boot because in my experience that makes a substantial difference.

We'll all talk about terrain, pack weight, wet or dry conditions, so that's helpful, but we seldom mention boot size.

Personally, I became aware of that as a factor years back when I bumped into another local sheep hunting and saw he had the same Canadian made boots on as mine. When I asked how he liked them, he said this was his second pair, that they were warranty because the first pair had broken on the welt with only a couple uses and the current pair looked like they were doing the same thing.

He was a big dude and I'm a little dude however, so my size 8½ boots were much, much stiffer than his size 12 or 13.

Now not all boots will be that way, but many are we've found.

We see that a lot in women's boots for sure too - that they're overly stiff in smaller sizes.

Now I've gone to Zamberlan Vioz GT boots since 2019 for early season boots and they're much lighter than my usual 11" tall Meindl boots.

The one downside is I get more spear grass seeds in them which is a pain. I could wear gaiters I know, but they're much warmer too which somewhat defeats the purpose for me.

Anyways, to wrap it up, if you have larger feet then you need to make sure that the lighter boots will still give you the support you require for the terrain you hope to traverse, you know?

Things I've noticed and all that.

Hope that made sense and was useful for you or someone out there.

All the best.

Dwayne

Dwayne,

Yes, we dodged the tornadoes.

As always, thanks for sharing your knowledge.


In my original post, i should have mentioned i was talking of hiking boots.

There’s plenty of choices, but it’ll be internet shopping for me, not real gear stores around here..

Pete, i do hunt in rubber boots. Dryshod brand.

BigDave;
Good afternoon sir, thanks for the reply.

I'm glad to read you were missed by the tornadoes for sure.

Sorry I wasn't more clear in my response and you were clear it was hiking boots.

That said, the lighter weight boots which might also give less support might be a stiff boot in say a size 7, just okay in a 10 and not give nearly enough support even for hiking on rough terrain in a 12 or 13.

Now I do get that I'm not answering your question head on, but using my lighter Zamberlan Vioz GT as an example, in my size and with my weight, they're fine for even medium heavy packs and some ugly sheep country - but - they might not be in a bigger size with a bigger user.

I apologize for perhaps over complicating the issue, but that's how I currently think those factors will affect what boot works for you.

In terms of do I feel better at the end of a tough stomp with lighter boots, yes absolutely.

Again, I'm a little old man though who is in decent to above average shape for someone who is in his early '60's.

Hope that makes a bit more sense.

Dwayne

PS extra thought.

For me using a walking stick - just an aluminum trekking pole has made at least as much difference as to how tired I don't feel as the lighter boots.

It was huge for me.

When weather is mild I wear trail runners like Salamon's and bring the wal-mart croks for stream crossings. Use to be a boot fanatic but boots gather dust now adays.

For hiking outside of hunting season it's trail runners (La Sportiva Akasha's); I tried trail runners as an experiment during hunting season and hauling meat and side-hilling make them no beuno

My hunting boots, while not really light, are relatively light for hunting boots- Crispi Thor II about 20 oz/boot in side 11. They are pretty stiff as well for a "lighter" boot, which I find I need in the mountains, especially with weight.

I used trail runners for the first time on a summer backpack scouting trip last year. It was awesome. For the actual hunt, I wore what I used to think of as my lightweight hikers. Those are Lowa Renegades. I think that I could have just used the trail runners for the hunt though.

I used to wear Kennetrek mountain boots for archery and rifle season. Then started using the Renegades for archery. Now I don't even own a heavy mountain boot. I've been using the Renegades in the snow.

Less boot is working for me, but I think it's taken some time for my feet to adapt. I think wearing Croc-type flips did something weird to one of my feet. Since I ditched those cushy sandal things my foot seems a lot better.

I wore a pair of Scarpa Rios for years. Went through 3 pairs of soles. Loved them, but they were quite heavy. Don’t know what they weighed, but the Rio was an old school leather mountaineering boot.

Now I am quite content with cheap lightweight hikers or trail running shoes. If it’s very wet, or cold and snow, I’ll wear pac’s or xtratuf’s.

My biggest bitch with most newer, more mountain oriented, boots is the narrowness of the sole. My ankles are pretty schit and regardless of the stiffness of the boot, the narrow soles seem to role my ankles far more than a cheap pair of nylon Costco “hiking boots”

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>.

If I’m just out trail hiking I like lightweight trail shoes. Right now I’m using a pair of “ON” trail shoes and I really like them. Very light and comfortable. I even took them last year on my sheep hunt to use for crossing creeks and camp shoes. They’re light and seem to dry quickly.

If I’m mountain hunting I wear a leather boot. Meindl, Lowa, Kennetrek.
My favorite pair for mountain boots was Lowa Cevedale Tech Light Hunters. They were awesome. I’m a size 8 foot and not a big guy and these boots were light but with good stiffness under foot for heavy loads and good ankle mobility. They had narrower soles than other boots in the same size and with the good ankle mobility I felt very agile and comfortable in rocks. Only problem was they leaked like crazy right from new. I wore them way past their expiry date because of how good they felt. My sheep partner threatened to throw them away because my feet were soaked all the time ha ha. I really like the Kennetrek Hard Scrabble I have now, but they are heavier and wider sole so don’t feel as agile. But no wet feet anymore.

When cold weather deer hunting I wear Hoffman 14” Pac boots or a pair of Helly Hansen light weight winter boots.
The Hoffman’s are tall and very heavy but warm, good traction and good protection from getting wet.

The HH boots are extremely light and flexible like a shoe, and not as rugged as the Hoffman.

I seem to wear both depending on what I’m doing.

A lot of great info..

Thanks.


Guess i should have put in OP,

At what weight do you consider light vs heavy?

It’s subjective i know, just trying to get a reference to compare reviews with…

One guys heavy is anther guys lightweight… vice versa.


Take for example the scarpa Kalaish trek gtx,

Bills video says it’s lightweight.
Jim’s video says they are heavy…

i walk every day a mile or more and mostly outside i wear a size 13 light insulated muck boots ,2 pairs of socks and about 6 months a year we have snow i have no choice but to wear boots , so for me muck boots work great ,are really tuff and fit well too. its rare for dry weather where i live and right now we still have plenty snow will be weeks before its gone. i have wore muck boots in the wet snowy mountains all day long too. when you talk boot weight i worry more about dry and warm feet . i was a REA lineman / pole climber for 35 years in northern Minnesota so i understand boots and boots were important for me to have good boots always 7 days a week . this year i turn 70 years of age we climbed all poles in all weather conditions day or night we had no buckets my 1st 20 some years so lineman had to have real good boots . good luck with your choice,Pete53

It kind of depends on what you're using them for IMO. For my one and only sheep hunt in AK I wore a pair of Hanwag GTX's and those are right at 26 oz. each. I consider those lightweight especially for that application.

In a hunting boot anything sub 20oz is super light. I wear Crispi lapponia’s. They are 19oz. Best boot I have ever owned.

Have two pair. Stiff, but comfortable after a little break in.
Both have leaked. One badly.

Going back to Mendel perfects.

Your low tops should be almost perfect for you on a rocky side hill...

And therein lies the rub. What's best for your uses usually won't be best for mine.

smokepole;
Top of the morning to you once more sir, I hope the day's behaving down in Colorado for you all and you're well.

Indeed that is always the rub isn't it?

When we're comparing notes, it's tough to articulate all the variables.

Little canyon on the mountain behind the house for instance.



If we're hunting deer and it bails off the grassy section and drops off the cliffs into the rocks below, our day just got a tad more complicated and gear selection changed or might could do anyways.

Personally my tall Meindl boots sit behind the pickup seat complete with fresh sets of socks so at very least when I get back to it with the first load I can change it up if need be.

Oh, we hunt moose up on the grass too and if a bull did a death run over the edge, our plan is to move down to the carcass for a couple days and make jerky out of the entire thing...

Best to you all this Easter.

Dwayne

If your dumb enough to shoot anything bigger than a Cotton Tail, on the edge of that Canyon, forget the Boots, take some match's and build a fire and eat the critter down there. the hell with packing it out.I've never been that hungry or Dumb. Rio7

LOL, that's one way to look at it. The other way is to lace up your boots and get to work.


Thanks for posting Dwayne, beautiful country.

I have big feet, size 13, so I try to avoid heavy/bulky footwear as I don't need feet looking any bigger than they are and it makes driving more difficult too with jumbo boots on the pedals. In my experience, heavy footwear typically uses inferior quality components, as in outerwear, you pay a premium for lightweight. Every additional ounce on your feet compounds with every step adding to fatigue. My order of preference is fit/utility/weight as boots have to fit properly and do the job you have in mind.

Just like my hunting clothing, I prefer to eliminate weight whenever I can, going from heavy wool bids and jackets to KUIU has been a game changer to me, never going back! Same can be said for heavy, bulky boots. I've gone from wearing rubber pull-on mudders to my hiking boots with gaiters. Lighter, more comfortable, easier to walk in-cover more ground and the gaiters keep the could air from working up your pantleg and keeping your upper boots and pantlegs dry.

RIO7;
Good afternoon sir, I hope the day's been behaving for you down in your section of Texas and you're well.

Thanks for the chuckle, I appreciate it!

That little canyon is up on the mountain behind the house here. In fact the bluff in the center rear of the photo is just down the road from where I'm sitting. I can pretty much see the spot I took the photo from when I'm at the top of our driveway.

We're not as steep and rough as some of the coastal mountains or the Kootenays for that matter.

When we were mountain goat hunting up in the Stikine country which is just off the Alaska panhandle, there were a couple occasions where we just laughed at the goats we were watching because from our vantage point we absolutely could not conceive how they'd got there!

For sure I've never been the sharpest tool in the drawer and while I have been hungry on occasion, even while hunting, I'd say that mostly we hunt in those areas to test ourselves.

Honestly it felt pretty good to be working the same places I had in my 30's and being able to still keep up with one of our crew who was not even 30 yet and I'd just had my 60th birthday.

Different strokes and all that I suppose.

All the best and thanks again for the chuckle.

Dwayne

I don't really consider weight when picking boots. Usually its non-insulated vs Insulated. I used la sportiva karakorum's all last year and have Zamberlan Mountain Pro EVO GTX RR for when it gets real cold.

Bought some la sportiva aequilibrium's for this summer/early season this year.

They are. Note ankle doing it’s thang.

To me, a trail runner is light. A medium hiker for trails, like a Lowa Renegade or Salomon Quest, is mid weight. Off trail boots like Kenetrek mountain boots or Crispi Nevadas are heavy.

I consider anything above a medium hiker "heavy" but that wouldn't stop me from using them if needed. And I don't feel like there is a huge weight penalty going from a trail runner to a Renegade or Quest. Sure, there is a measurable difference but I don't really notice it.

I do know what you mean though. The Nevada seems noticeably heavier than a comparable Kenetrek but neither are light. Maybe that is just getting too picky.

I’d just say folks should try a pair of the modern light hikers/trail runners. Just try them. I’ve been backpacking for almost 50 years; I have a closet full of boots. I’m not saying this based on a trend or a whim, it’s based on experience. I’ve backpacked well over 500 miles in VERY rugged terrain in the last few years in those Solomons. And in mere days I leave for an 800 mile backpacking trip in very rugged terrain, and that’s what I’ll be wearing. Think some about what I said about the biomechanics of the leg. Don’t take the ankle out of the equation. Your knees, hips, and body in general will thank you. And you’ll feel like a kid out there without the clunky boots.

Just try ‘em.

First of all, nothing has to be heavy if there is a lightweight version that works. Then must get trekking poles to help. I hunt and hike in some of the steepest terrain and prefer low tops trail shoe over boot. Boot if strong in the right places can save your ankles but you are more prone to fall on your knees or hit your head falling without giving in the ankle first. Boot can be useful for snow. The determination for me is usually heavy snow. Gators can help but not so much on low top. Your ankles should be strong. If your ankles are strong and free moving range you will be more sure footed.

x2

Don't listen to this guy. If he was any good at backpacking, he'd have gotten there by now.

I’m hopelessly lost, but making good time!

Was just talking with my dad last night about our first actual backpacking trips. He’s thinking it was ‘77. The dude carried a half-gallon of milk the very first time, I kid you not. Lord only knows what else we were carrying. Hey, I was a kid. I blame him, haha. I remember my pack was some janky old thing checked out from the outdoor program at the college he taught at, same with the greasy stinky old flat sleeping bag, etc….. And I remember it was really hard, it hurt, got blisters, froze my ass off that night, and whatever I had for a sleeping pad, wasn’t.

Within a few years we had our gear much more together (for the era anyway) and my younger brother got old enough to start coming along. That was when we’d get up into the Pecos, the San Juans, I don’t remember where else. Put me in the wilderness with a creek and my rod and a few Panther Martins and I was in heaven.

I sure hope kids these days are getting these experiences, but I fear they aren’t.

I’ll have a pack on in just a few days. 7 weeks, 800+ miles. Maybe this time I’ll finally “get there”. Jeez, I hope not. Then what?!

You've got it all wrong. It's not "then what?"

It's "what then?"

Ha! Perfect! Love it!

I like lightweight boots for hiking. My heavy boots are pacs and swampers that are for other purposes.

For general hiking I like trail runners. I want something sturdy enough that my feet are well protected but I’ve never found myself needing the ankle support of a boot even back when I wore hiking boots. The freedom of movement and nimbleness in a shoe height hiker along with not having sweaty ankles is more than worth it to me.

That's me pretty much word for word.

Moreover, starting about 25, maybe 30 years ago, I began developing heel spurs. They've been surgically repaired so they are no longer ripping my achilles tendons open from the bottom (Haglund's Deformity) but I still have very protruding heel knobs. I cannot wear high top boots with the standard fairly vertical back anymore. I'm good for a couple hundred yards then my feet are disabled, trashed, for a period of days. Mediums are marginally better, I can go a couple miles a day or 3-4 miles then sit for a couple days to recover. With low tops I'm good for .. well, my heels aren't a hindrance anyway. I've done 20+ a number of times without problems .. or without heel problems. 20+ kicks my geezerly arse. Among low tops, weight does have an impact so far as fatigue. Lighter is mostly better but not taken to extremes. A shoe with good cushion will be heavier than one with none. There are good ounces and bad ounces.

The shoes I hike (and hunt, and fish, and explore, and whatever else) are mostly around a pound a pair. I've got some down around 6-7 ounces for the pair but they have no padding at all. They have a place but it isn't every place.

For general purpose, wear around town, wear on the trails, wear off in the woods, for me Merrell MOAB Ventillator low tops get the nod most of the time. If things are wet, I will switch to the waterproof version. I have a couple pair of mid height that I wear about 2 hours a year. For wet grass 'n' stuff I go with the waterproof low tops and gaiters. The only time I really NEED boots anymore are with snow shoes.

i prefer to protect my ankles and also get some ankle support too so short tennis shoes or real short boots for myself i never buy anymore . i have experienced a damage ankle and cuts from rocks , a broken ankle when i was young so give me a high top something for better protection.

Should be perfect in 6 inches of snow. Or when it’s not supposed to snow, but…..

Tried something similar once when I left for a winter day hunt and left my boots at home. Didn’t last long till my feet, socks and low riders were all soaking wet in 15-20F.

battue;
Top of the morning to you sir and Happy Easter, it's been a long time since we've chatted here and I trust time has been good to you overall in the interim.

You bring up a good point regarding "Or when it's not supposed to snow, but..."

We've got the luxury of looking up at the mountain behind the house most times and if it's got a fresh dusting of white, we'll dress and also drive accordingly.

Over the years we've seen the weirdest weather swings, even in the heat of summer when a hail storm dropped the temps from shirt sleeve to what felt like freezing with almost a half inch of hail on the ground.

Last fall we had no fall to speak of either, it went from full on summer with temps in the 30°C range in mid September to -10°C and snow up to my knees on the moose opener which is Nov. 01st. Now that much snow there isn't unusual, but it's typically not that depth until Christmas.

While we did see that it had snowed, we didn't understand just how very much it had snowed until we attempted to get into where we'd planned to look for a legal spike bull, only to find we were pushing snow with the front bumper.

It's been a good discussion here and I hope one and all find comfortable footwear and have a great season in the backcountry, wherever it is they find it.

Happy Easter to you all too.

Dwayne

Try a set of gaiters.

Low tops are no fun in deep snow- conceded.

“Boots” have their place. Just not on my feet in 99% of the circumstances I’m hiking.

Just put a brand new pair of Solomon X-Ultras in the resupply box that’ll be waiting for us at around the 500 mile mark. The pair I start out with- and will do the first 500 in- are gonna be wet for weeks. We cross a river over 200 times in one stretch of about a week’s hiking. Not kidding. No point in getting jiggy with it, changing shoes every 10 minutes….. Wet shoes it shall be. I’m not worried about the shoes per se but we need to average about 15 miles/day so I am worried what my feet are gonna do, banging big miles while wet. At that point we’ll be at least 3 weeks/ 300 miles in, so hopefully they’ll be hardened up… although it’s the hard spots (callouses) I’m worried about being wet for that long….

Of COURSE I tweaked my knee yesterday doing spring yard work trying to get the place in order to leave for so long. Greeeaaat.

Dwayne,

And Easter wishes to you and yours also. May Spring be springing in you area....It is trying hard here.

My only point would be the old saying "One size doesn't fit all". Some have weak ankles, some have had damage, some may have diabetic neuropathy where the ankles, shins and even calves can use some extra assistance. Some may hunt in low land slush or push cattails for Pheasants on a regular basis. Some may hunt the snow often. Others may even prefer some of the excellent supportive rubber options that are more common today. All situations where low hikers may not be the best choice..

Agree, shoe fit and preference is the very definition of personal and to your point, situational.

To my point if I described the things I’ve done in the last few years in detail the vast majority of guys would say oh you need big supportive boots for that! Just sort of by rote, they’d say it… “everyone knows…”, they’d say. And they’d be wrong.

I think the demographic here skews “older’n dirt” and might in essence medically require certain things from a shoe. But for the younger, fitter guys reading this… if I can save you a decade or two of unnecessary suffering and encumbrance then I will have done good work here today.

It’s for the children, battue. The children. 😎

There are LW boots with ankle support and LW Low cuts. You always seeming to relish playing the role of the contrarian, I'm not surprised what you choose. However, both boots in your pics would definitely be classified as hikers and not a Mountain hunting boot. At least not by the majority of those who go into the mountains during hunting season, and you would be old in the tooth compared to those who make a living at it, when the weather may be fickle. Anyway, in your pic was there a trail close by or were you constantly climbing the rocks you chose for you BA pic? The children would like to know. Since your activity....verified by pics and timing.... seems to be more along the lines of summer trekking rather than actual mountain hunting.

As this is the backpacking subforum on a hunting forum….

I think I’m the realm of hunting big game, with the possibility of packing meat- lightweight trail runners aren’t going to cut it. I’ve bagged a ton of peaks in Montana in trail runners, ditto racking up tons of 20-30 mile days backpacking. The weight on my back ranging from 5-30 lbs, it’s basically the only footwear I use in those endeavors.

Now with hunting big game, I’ve found that very lightweight boots and trail runners simply don’t cut it for hauling 70# loads. Simply isn’t enough stiffness and your footwear will roll over itself, especially side hilling.

I do look for the very lightest boots to accomplish that, but I don’t think I’d classify these boots as “lightweight”; lightweight among mountain boots, but not “lightweight” in the realm of hiking shoes/boots.

If there are folks capable of packing meat (in rough terrain) in very light hikers and trail runners- I tip my hat

battue- yes, I’m a contrarian among contrarians. That should just be an auto-.sig on the Campfire.

That pic is from the JMT in the high Sierra Nevada. If I get a chance I’ll post a few more pics that show the trail; but it’s over 220 miles long so, y’know…. 90% of your footfalls are on granite up there. It’s not a trail in the common sense. To your point, neither is it OFF-trail, although I’ve done tons of that in general in low top hikers. To my point, on the JMT your footfalls can be at any angle. Speaking for myself and I believe anyone with reasonably functional ankles…. Let them dogs RUN! Let the ankle flex and do its thing. It’s why it’s THERE. Millions of years of evolution are not wrong.

Mike- if weather allowed (I’m not wearing low tops into snow) I’d pack in in the Solomons, hunt in them, and pack the first load out in them. And have my stiffer, high top Solomon’s at the truck if I felt I needed to swap.

Y’all know I’m jinxing the effin’ F out of myself here and now I’m gonna sprain an ankle on my upcoming hike. 😂

100%...

Our steep rocky desert mountains even with little to
no weight on your back literally eat lite hikers. I've tried multiple pair of top shelf light hikers and they don't come close to cutting it...

Well if you'd stay out of the sotol and yucca, you might get more mileage......


JK, I like light hikers for day hikes on trails but anything else I use a boot. Never know what you might come across when you go cross-country.

That's where I'm at too.

I wear the lightweight trail hikers for kicking around the yard, and light duty trail hiking in dry weather. Problem is they don't hold up well at all if the going gets tough and wet conditions. The Gore-tex Salomon stuff that I wear, usually leak right out of the box. All that said, they are comfortable and I do like them for easy duty hiking.

What brand / model do you use?

Thanks for all the replies.. good info here.

I realize that what works for one person may not work for another. So I'm curious what you guys define as "light hikers". Some examples of shoes would be appreciated, for reference.

ETA - From what I have read in the thread, light hikers are not suitable for hunting. So what shoes or shoe class is enough for "hunting" off trail?

I'm looking forward to the replies as my opinion has definitely changed over the years. And I don't pretend to have all the answers.

I’ve settled into Crispi Thors, they fit me like they were made for me. Good stiffness, good outsoles, but relatively light.

When it comes to boots, fit is king. That is the top priority.

Boots are unique to the individual. I've not tried them all but I've tried a bunch. Kenetreks are my favorite fit, but they don't last me a year unfortunately.

I'm almost at 2 years with these. To me these are a sturdy boot, with a lightweight "feel" and have held up pretty dang well. They are Scarpa SL Actives..

GregW;
Happy Easter and good morning to you sir, I hope all is well with you and yours.

Thanks for the photos and the boot reports as well.

The slice marks on your boots speak volumes about where you're going and the type of rocks too. They're not all the same somehow or at least our BC rock slides don't seem to be.

We used to have a shop that stocked Kennetrek an hour north of us, but they don't apparently anymore and for us to order boots by mail just becomes problematic. I've actually heard similar reports about them not lasting from some of the folks up here who wander off the beaten path.

As I'd mentioned, the Zamberlan Vioz GT I got feel great, but I can't help but think they're not going to last super long without a rand, which is too bad but that's life.

The last thing I'll throw out as a bit of a broad statement or perhaps a question is that the German made boots always fit me just a wee bit different than the Italian made ones.

Our eldest daughter is my usual hunting partner and my wife and I offered to get her some new good quality hunting boots for a birthday present. As an aside, I find it really tough to get presents for our adult girls now, so we'll often do something akin to that - have them pick what they want/need.

Anyways she ended up with Scarpa boots I want to say and I thought they were really well made.

Thanks again for sharing your experience with us, I enjoy learning about conditions in parts of the planet I've never seen personally.

Happy Easter and all the best.

Dwayne

Have *multiple* choices when choosing your loadout:


Firearms/ammunition.

Apparel.

Tents.

Packs.

Boots.

Fuels/stoves.

Knives/tools/hydration/navigation, etc. etc.

Transport.

Back up

Plan B and C.


Never be confused again.

have you tried altra trail runners?

Looks like AZ eats up boots fairly quick.

I like midweights. I need as much ankle support as i can get with soft ground. Lowa Tibets for me. I do my daily 3 mile walk in them and hunt in them. In my area, everything gets wet and saturated. Keeping water out of them is the key to keeping things light.

Hey folks. Hope this finds you well. We are 3 weeks/ about 350 miles into our hike; so far so good. Averaging a bit over 15 miles/day per our plan. Did over 180 river crossings (Gila) some waist deep and fast… was very glad to have easy ankle articulation. The next section, north to Grants, has lots of sharp lava and I’m thinking I’ll have my house sitter send my next pair of Solomons in that resupply box. That’ll be around 450 miles on this first pair. They won’t be “done”, but the resupply after that is kind of sketchy as far as delivery. I already did a comical pad rodeo trying to get replacement sent ahead after my BA failed catastrophically in the desert south of Lordsburg… you can’t always count on deliveries to some of the remote places that accept hiker boxes etc.

I’m in cahoots with scores of other CDT hikers, some doing huge miles a day (25+)…. this is freaking NM on the geological continental divide; it’s rugged as hell. Every single one is wearing low tops. Every single one. Just sayin.

GFY

I agree with other posters - fit, so it does not rub feet / squeeze toes or slip and cause heel blisters.

But if walking over steep and uneven ground, plus carrying load, support is important.

Due to living in a wet country, I would add waterproof boot performance too. Wet feet quickly get cold, plus blisters / infections.

I can comfortably pack in a week's worth of hunting gear up a trail wearing lightweight merrell trail runners. I also use those for getting quickly up a trail or up a hill in the morning as they're easier on everything than boots. But I put real boots on at the top, and wear boots period for packing meat.

I'm not too sure that boot weight is super relevant used in this way. The old norwegian welt type is very heavy to hump up a hill, but a real godsend for packing meat down. Newer ultralight Charmoz or La Sportiva types are fine but they don't keep you upright like the old leather, having used both. The UL sportivas almost have a hinge at the ankle which gets annoying on a sidehill, no matter how tightly tied.

We are approaching 600 miles in, and I just ran the numbers, we are averaging 15.3 miles/day for the last 36 days with (1) zero day in Grants for Cyn to rest an injury. Very tan, very skinny, trail legs are rockin’. The very sharp young lava south of Grants in Malpais (sp) monument tore the top mesh my right shoe pretty good- I’ll post a pic later. I repaired it with 120-lb braided fishing line from my halibut reel that I carry for just this reason, and first a fishhook, then in Grants a heavy duty curved needle, so now it’s Frankenboot. It’s been holding for, hmmm, about 150 miles across all manner of terrain so I’m hoping it can do the last stretch here w/o drama. REI won’t fast-ship to general delivery so I couldn’t get new ones sent ahead in time, then I had no signal for a week+….

Great community of folks here on the CDT. Some really impressive hikers- people doing way more miles/day than we are.

(sensitive types, read no further)

In a hotel room in north NM, gonna go hit up the weed shop. In a world where personal freedoms rarely win the day, by God this one DID, and since I spent my misspent youth avoiding getting popped here in NM with weed, buying some legally, here, is gonna be pretty sweet.

Got home yesterday. The summary is 600+ miles hiked, 15 miles/day average with one zero day, started 4/11 and finished a couple days ago. We went from the border at Crazy Cook monument to Ghost Ranch in northern NM. We weren’t able to do the last section to the CO border, roughly 100 trail miles, due to the massive snow load in the southern Rockies. We did get a good taste of it going from Cuba up and over San Pedro Parks Wilderness. Unbelievably wet up there. Postholing thigh deep. Got caught in a storm. Very cold, very wet. There’s a reason folks stay out of the high country during big melts- it’s miserable up there. Not much fun; we felt better about the decision not to proceed into the mountains north of Ghost Ranch.

As pertains to this thread and as promised, my shoe. I ended up using the same pair for the whole hike. I would’ve switched out after this damage but it wasn’t feasible. The logistics of gear problems on the trail are formidable. Will explain if anyone cares. So, this happened on very sharp lava and falls under the operator error category- with the obvious caveat that a more stoutly-constructed (heavier) shoe would’ve likely fared better. When it first happened I naively tried to reinforce it with Tenacious Tape, which is remarkable stuff, but not THAT remarkable.



When we got to the ranger station at Malpais we sat at a picnic table and I was able to use a #8 fishhook as a needle and reinforce that very important rubber “finger” with a single loop of heavy braided fishing line. This was really difficult. It held until Grants, about 40-50 miles if memory serves.



In Grants we did our zero day so my wife could try to get her injured toe to calm down (it did not) and I bought a heavy curved repair needle at Walmart and did this. The mesh isn’t really structural per se, but it still seemed wise to back up the loops I put in the rubber “finger”.



When we got home yesterday the grass was thigh-high so I mowed in them. The repairs are still holding. In total the repairs held for almost 200 miles over all manner of terrain and many water and snow crossings.



FWIW, nobody and I mean nobody was using anything other than low tops. Mostly Altras. One guy used them with an ankle brace because he “has had a bad ankle since he was a kid”…… make of this intel what you will.

I lost 20 pounds on this hike. Hit the scale at 186 yesterday. I never thought I’d see 180-anything again in this life! Got seriously tan. Pics upon request. It was an incredible adventure.

Happy trails everyone.

Congrats to you and your wife- sounds like a fun, but tough adventure .

Thanks! The hiking itself wasn’t as relentlessly steep and rocky as say the high Sierra Nevada’s. But on balance, we felt it lived up to its reputation as a difficult hike. Parts of it were certainly really hard. Not the least of which was over 180 crossings of the Gila which was in flood. Waste-high fast cold water with strainers downstream will get your attention… especially when it’s x180. That’s where Cyn hurt her toe (rock fall) and it’s a bit miraculous I never hurt or tweaked anything. It was hard to leave the trail after all those miles and all that time. You get addicted; it’s pulling you north..… We met a bunch of great folks, of all stripes and some as old as us, and are rooting hard for them to make it to Canada. Statistically, most will not.

On the flipside… our bed at home feels goooood, lol, and eating real food is da bomb.

I had major sleeping pad issues combined with major logistical issues resolving said problems and ended up with some informed opinions about several different setups. I’m gonna dig up the post I made several years ago about older guys/backpacking pads and update it with what I learned.

Gorilla tape.

I carry a few turns around a water bottle.

Never low tops on boulders, scree and talus.

Nice repair job.

I carry waxed floss for sutures (loose), repairs etc.

Thanks. No tape was gonna hold that, not for almost 200 miles…. I also carry some Gorilla clear repair tape around a trekking pole. Had to use it on my Frogg Toggs ultralight* before San Pedro. Also, if you’ve never tried Tenacious Tape, it’s pretty amazing stuff for gear repair.

Cyn carries floss for that same reason. I carry heavy braided fishing line from one of my halibut reels. The problem here was that the needle she carries wasn’t touching the hard rubber of the Salomon’s. I now have a kit of much heavier needles- including curved- which I’ll winnow down to just a couple before the next big trip. Got it at Walmart in Grants.

We did a lot of boulders, scree, and talus. And everything else. The geological diversity of NM is off the charts. I do realize, I have awesome ankles, knock on wood, and not everyone does. I still believe everything I typed about these low light shoes for most guys for most backpacking.

*Frogg Toggs ultralight jackets are an amazing value and are very very light, and after 35+ years in a very wet climate i have an experience-based skepticism about the latest greatest waterproof/breathable wünderfabrics, and am loathe to spend the big bucks on them. However, they (Frogg Toggs ultralight) are very fragile.

Just gotta show this. We are on top of a big mesa here; I’m on the edge of a cliff. This is about 500 miles in. Now that’s a tan! My body knew just what to do in that sun- from growing up in NM I suppose. However it really trashed my skin on for example the backs of my hands. I have some pics that would make my dermatologist puke.

That REI sun shirt was awesome.

Yeah, used tenacious on a rainfly damaged in a windstorm.

Still Tenacious.

No mention by me that it would last the claimed """" 200 miles"""".

If you thought those crap shoes would last you 200 miles in that terrain...get some training.

Nice work, Jeff! Sounds like a fun trip.

They lasted 600+ miles total, and other than me catching the mesh on a sharp lava “gut hook” did fine even in the lava. And even THEN, they were structurally intact enough w/o any repairs to have gotten me to Grants where if I’d been willing to pay exorbitant shipping, or spend another day or two in a motel, I could’ve had a new pair waiting. They are excellent shoes and I highly recommend them, if they fit a guy. Full stop. I’ve been using them for several years now, both the regular and goretex versions. Over 1k miles of backpacking, from Hell’s Canyon to the Sierra Nevada to NM. I also have a closet full of “boots” and backpacking experience with them going back to the 70’s.

Put bluntly, in my experience what you describe as “training” is flat wrong for most actual backpackers. I do agree that there are *some* hunting conditions that warrant a more heavily-constructed shoe.

Horse/water and all that. Do as you see fit.

Hey Jordan! Been too long. Thanks! It was a remarkable experience. Still processing it.

Really nice trip Jeff, thanks for sharing. I've been using Salomon X-Ultras for the last ten+ years, and will NEVER go back to boots for backpacking. I think I have four pairs currently but I'm quitting them this year to try a pair of Hoka's (yeah I know, fuggly!). I'm curious to see if any of the hype is real - we'll see. There have been a lot of negative reports about the durability of the current X-Ultra you used, but I'd say yours did just fine, despite needing repair. Also, the idea that any tape would have fixed that shoe gave me a chuckle. Yours was the right solution, and is why I carry a super heavy needle/thread for just such a problem. Dental floss works too. I've also been carrying Tenacious tape for years. As you say, the stuff really works.

Any experience with 7-strand paracord?

TFF!

Brad, the Salomon’s (I also have some heavier mid-height boots from them) fit me like they were made for me… that, plus as you say it’s not like Altra’s or Hoka’s are going to get any traction (no pun) around here due to cosmetics, whereas at least the Salomon’s look “tuff enuff” that your basic ‘Fire denizen might at least consider them. So that’s why I’ve been pimping the Salomon’s in particular. Because truth is, the folks actually banging huge miles are using Hoka, Altra, and a couple others pretty much exclusively. Goofy-looking shoes, for sure. We had multiple conversations on gear with other CDT hikers as you can imagine… the single, overriding consideration is “does it WORK?”. It’s a reality-based endeavor. People backpacking huge miles every single day for months are not hung up on cosmetics.

On that note, I had to chuckle at SJ’s comment that I should get some training. Talk about being stuck in a mental rut and not even having a glimmer…. Training from WHOM? Why the heck would I listen to some “trainer” regurgitating decades-old pap? I’m in my late 50’s and just hiked over 600 miles with one day off in almost 7 weeks while averaging 15 miles a day. I’m all ears when it comes to intel from other experienced folks but, I mean, I are one.

A few more pics. Look at my hand. Zoom in. That spot on my index finger would re-split every day. That’s a trekking pole callous on my inner thumb. My skin is a disaster. There wasn’t much to be done about it other than, maybe, even MORE sunscreen and lotion. I don’t know. It was so dry and the sun was so intense…



Water was a major “thing”. It was over 120 trail miles from the Mexican border before we hit the first actual creek. Prior to that, it was water caches in the desert maintained by the CDT association and other “trail angels”, and cow water. Lots and lots of cow water. Here’s Cyn getting some. We- and everyone else- used a Sawyer filter. There’s a hint. Also, Smart Water bottles. There’s another.



There’s a lot of old stuff in NM. This was at the TLC Ranch; they maintain a water cache and let hikers camp on their land.



Water was NOT a problem in the Gila canyon, other than crossing the river over 180 times. Stunningly gorgeous. The tree is an Arizona Sycamore and is huge beyond the photo’s ability to communicate.







Yours truly, so that Mike can make fun of my “classic” old capilene leggings! Actually he’s off doing huge things of his own right now.

More shoe stuff. This is at the Toaster House in the tiny non-town of Pie Town. That’s the Wall of Shoes. Sorry for the bad pic. We ate major pie in Pie Town. It’s what you do. If you google Toaster House there's a lot there. Very cool story & place. If you dig around (early May) you’ll find a pic of Cyn and I in front of a really old truck.



These are my shoes/socks day 3 in the Gila canyon. It froze hard that night. My shoes and socks are stiff as boards. Had to put them on… and wade back into the icy river. This brings up another comment. Shoes/socks used on a hike of this type need to be able to a) function wet and b) dry quickly. Gore-Tex or leather would be a disaster.



And another comment. My Salomon’s were incredibly durable- everywhere except that top mesh. Many was the time I’d scrape them hard against something really sharp and look down expecting damage and there was nary a mark. In other words, absolutely zero “chunking”. My wife’s Altra’s were a different story. They are made of much softer rubber and kind of “eroded” as the trip went on. I’ll find them and take a pic.

Our filtration system. Dirty bag, Sawyer, clean bag. Requires a cheap adaptor- details on request. You can also use a Smart Water bottle to squeeze through to another one. You will not wear out the very light, incredibly durable Smart Water bottle. Big hint. . Geez, I sound like Larry. First pic is the Chama, where that water came from… I was carrying a Tenkara rod and planned on catching some trout there- which I used to do in the 70’s there as a kid- but obviously that wasn’t happening. You can see Cyn getting water if you look closely.



The Sawyer is awesome. Look at that. That’s after 6+ weeks of filtering god only knows what. Same filter… Never so much as funny-smelling farts from bad water.

Jeff, looks like you're using a cnoc bag for your dirty? In over 25 years of backpacking here in Montana, I've never treated water. One of the benefits of living here. Even on a 3 mos long Appalachian Trail trip in 1977 I think I treated water only twice (back then it was Halazone). But much of the CDT is another story, and there's no way I'd be drinking in cattle country without a Sawyer, BeFree, et al.

Yeah, goretex in hiking shoes is a zero. I quit buying them with it a few years back. I still use my goretex ones for spring snowshoeing, but that's about it. Same here on the Ultra's, they fit me great and I love the lace system! I'm just wanting to try something with more cushion, and the Hoka seems like the ticket. We'll see. Both the Altra's I've seen on trail, and those of friends, have left me unimpressed durability-wise. I'd like to see your wife's.

Yeah, CNOC for dirty and EverNew for clean and then the blue adaptor you see. Hang it, set up the Duplex or whatever, gravity does the work and there’s 2 liters clean water.

We tried a BeFree and it was the BEST…. Until it stops working. The Sawyer is field-maintainable but the BeFree really isn’t.

FWIW, the goretex X-Ultra’s are really good shoes. I toggle between those and the regular ones depending on the season; we have very wet winters here and they do a good job of keeping my socks dry on day hikes and around the property in the wet grass and weeds and so on. But for through-hiking type stuff, no way. They’d never dry out. They’d get really stinky.

I’ll track down her Altra’s and snap a pic—

The erosion I was talking about. These were new at the beginning so this wear is after the same 600+ miles as my Salomons.

As folks are looking at this, and judging the brand, please contemplate what 600 miles really means in this context. 600 miles is considered solid mileage to get from shoes in a through-hiking context.



The treads:



Turns out, one can buy a decent set of heavy repair needles for just a few bucks at WalMart:



And this is my dog, lol. My new phone keeps spitting these slideshows at me from my pics and I went “awwww!” and screen-shot this as it went by. She was pretty happy to see us when we got back.

El toro poo poo.

600 miles (in your pack).

Maybe you're thinking of the Maypop brand tires you bought for you rice-powered truck.

LOL, sheriff Joe, the hiking pice.

Jeff, lets see the sole wear on the bottom of the Salomon's if you don't mind...

Train so that your manboobs no longer bounce when you go down a flight of stairs.

Bring your ponytail out here. We can exfil you back to your couch after your second mile.

"Exfil" LOL. How are you gonna stay current when your subscription to "Soldier of Fortune" expires?

Just because you were a girl scout and I wasn't and you avoided service, doesn't mean youi need to bring your adoptive mother into your argument.

Fix your manbun, missy. You're not funny OR clever, either. A flamin' pus c, though! Ask the native Americans living in your vicinity that are aware of your short height. Go on, pus c!

Get back to your Target display merchandising, little dried up old rainbow man.

There were plenty of things in my pack for the 600+ miles I carried it. But my wife’s shoes weren’t one of them, lol. You should just stop digging. Your cute frilly lil’ pink insecurities are showing with every shovel-stroke.

10-ply BFG AT’s, FWIW.

Brad, I’ll snap a pic of the sole of the X-Utras here in a bit. I’ll put them next to brand-new pair I had here at home that I opted not to have sent in the Grants resupply box because the first pair still had so much life left in them… of course it was in the miles before Grants where the lava got ‘em, so I regretted that call.

We keep about an acre mowed here, and the grass was thigh-high when we got back, and I’ve been attacking it, so you’ll have to forgive them being a bit “green” now.

Yeah, 600 miles mowing your lawn. Got it.

Thanks, Grampy!

Are you calling me a liar?

Here you go Brad.

FWIW, if I was starting over again at the Mexican border, I’d be wearing Salomon X-Ultra 4’s. Very satisfied with their overall performance. Note the utter lack of “chunking”…. and I love the unique lacing system; very quick and easy to adjust tension on the fly and that’s really useful when doing long miles in varied terrain. And, in the years I’ve been pretty much wearing X-Ultra’s exclusively, I’ve found their “Contra-Grip” tread pattern to be the bar-none best overall sole pattern for traction in all conditions, that I’ve used in my life.

We should talk SOCKS. And blister management, lol.

Couple more pics of the Gila canyon. Most CDT hikers took the “High Route” alternate because the river was flowing at much higher CFM’s than what the forest service says is safe. There was (1) set of footprints ahead of us, at the time we went through. It was tough sledding; the plan going in was to slow down to 8-10 miles a day and enjoy it because it’s one of the prettiest places anywhere on this planet. Ha! We busted our ASSES to make 8-10 miles a day! In many areas the “trail” was completely washed out by the flooding. It was a hot mess in that canyon.

Luxury items I carried:

Glock 43 9mm with (1) magazine for 7 rounds total. CYA carbon holster. 23 oz. It was a PITA flying with this.

A high-end Tenkara rod my dad gave me prior to the trip, with a very small tackle kit comprised of several Panther Martin spinners and some flies;

$5 el-cheapo (but very light because they are crapola, haha) camp sandals patterned after the original Teva’s. I’m wearing them in the pic up above, somewhere, where I’m sitting down.

A cork ball about the size of a tennis ball, for rolling knots out of tissues. This thing saved my butt on the JMT a few years ago when I was still battling plantar fasciitis in one foot and a fibular plateau injury in my calf that was horking my knee. However I never used it on this trip because frankly, my “grandpa” body felt great! We mailed some stuff home from I think Silver City. This was among that.

My sleeping pad system. This is a whole story in itself, a tale of woe and despair and futility and redemption, haha. I’m going to resurrect an old thread I started years ago to talk about this. Anyway, started out with a Big Agnes inflatable that definitely qualified as a luxury item.

A thin beanie cap I wore at night while sleeping. It froze many times on this trip. I was glad for the beanie.

A few joints and a tiny plastic bottle of highly concentrated tincture I made.

I think that’s about it unless one counts a spare pair of underwear as a luxury item. My clothes in general were very limited. I had hiking shorts, the blue capilene leggings, and Kuhl running pants for my lower half. That’s it. I figured I lived my first 22 years in NM without rain pants so why change now. Up top I had the sun shirt, a very thin black fleece, the REI down puffy in the pic above somewhere, and a Frogg Toggs ultralight jacket. And a canvas Carhartt hat. In the storm and snow at 10k+ feet going over San Pedro Parks I was wishing I had a) my trusty old midweight capilene shirt and b) a more sturdy (and thus dependable) jacket. I think I’m going to go with an Anti-Gravity Gear jacket, which is NOT breathable but IS waterproof and much tougher.

We got really stinky at times but we’ve been together since 1988 so, y’know.

LOL sheriff Bloe of the backpacking police.

You crack me up!!!!

And by the way, you can spell out "pussy."

Thanks Ma'am.

After you dress his man bun, would you please roll your husband to the keyboard?

Your obsession with men’s buns is a bit unseemly on a family forum, SJ. The children!

Then again I’d be deflecting too if I’d said the dumb shït you said.

Brad, since you’re a X-Ultra guy. This is a bit confusing because the filthy one in the pics is the NEW X-Ultra 04, the one I just used on the CDT, and the newer looking one is the version from a couple years ago. Thought you might be interested in the differences.

Note that the cutout for the Achilles in now a tab (!). I thought this would be an issue, it was not. The tab is actually very soft and flexible. Never noticed it. It does make putting the shoe on even easier.



Note the significant beefing up of the upper lacing point on the new version (again, the dirty shoe). Also note that the shape of the cutout for the ankle knob is different. On my right ankle only, the new version rubbed the knob a bit more than I’d have preferred. I put a piece of Luko tape on the knob for the first week or whatever then never thought of it again. Just an FYI.



Other than those differences… meh… it’s an X-Ultra, and that’s a good thing. I was very pleased with the shoe.

Your obsession for being deliberately stupid tops everything, but then again you are well advanced in age and deteriorating health is mirroring your President and your boyfriend smokespoles.



Try again, wimp.

Lol… lookit you, tripping over your feet to prove you got nuthin’… Laffin!

You should be so lucky as to possess my mental and physical abilities when (if) you reach my age. I don’t like your odds.

Your and smokespoles female perspective is appreciated.

Good that you can identify and accept your anatomy in your earlier post.

Try waking up earlier before hobbling to your Altair 8800 to spew.

Your parade mates are waiting to see your outfit on your float this weekend.

As trolls go, you suck. Just FYI.

Whannnn...(sniff sniff).

Buh bye.

Sorry I hurt your feelers, but someone had to clue you in.

Jeff, I think your soles have another 200 miles in them. All-in-all I think the Xultra's did very well for you. My Hoka's arrived today (Anacapa Breeze). Talk about ugly, old man shoes, but my gosh they are comfortable! I seriously doubt they will be as durable as my Xultra's though.

Aside, you married well! My wife only likes 2-3 day trips anymore, but aside from being 62, she does have real knee issues.

The soles might’ve gone another 200, though I was feeling the sharp rocks through them by the end there... But they’ve been relegated to the honorable final job of “yard shoes” now.

I talk a big game about these lighter shoes, haha, but I have not actually tried Hokas or Altras or the like myself yet. The Salomon’s fit me so well, and my plantar fasciitis issue has not flared up since I pretty much exclusively started wearing them, so I’m sticking with what I know works for the moment. As you know, older bodies are a bit of a Rube Goldberg device and when you have the various pieces and parts workin’…… don’t change a thing.

Thank you, really, thanks. I’m not worthy. Cyn is a very tough human being and is living for the moment, at least until she gets clear from some pretty scary shït we dealt with last year. I’m biased, but I find her very inspiring. With that being said she’s already agitating for starting another big one- ideally getting back on the CDT and trying for it in this calendar year- but I gotta knuckle down and make some $$. You know how self employment goes. No worky, no money.

When I need boots - I wear boots.

Not some kinda tennisbootsthing.

These are Belleville's, and have the lightweight MeraMax polyurethane soles.



Comfortable, good support and protection, and wear like iron.

Boots.




GR

That's just friggin awesome, on so many levels.

Especially the carpet.

Right, sure. But the question is…. when do you need boots? I ain’t putting my feets into big heavy restrictive shoes like those unless there’s a really compelling reason. That’s just begging for a foot/leg injury.

Boots - as soon as it's no longer concrete/asphalt/mowed grass.

And those boots are not big/heavy/restrictive.

The pictures are from when they were new.

As mentioned, the soles are polyurethane - about half the weight of vibram, and more flexible.

The leather has softened up like a good leather tennis shoe, and is about ready for a sno-seal treatment, and they are soft-toe.

Lace them tight at the bottom, and either loose or not at all on the top.

Good traction/support/protection.

And by adding a thick wool sock, they make fine moderate winter boots.

I hunt and hike them year round.

Also got them for $35 on a MidwayUSA clearance sale. 8>)




GR

Well…….. they actually are big, heavy, and restrictive within the context of this thread. Obviously, if you’ve been following it, I utterly disagree that a person “needs” anything of the sort to leave asphalt or mowed grass. In my experience, the modern tennisboothings are the far better mousetrap and I encourage you to try some.

I think- heck, I know from experience- that there’s both a lot of ritual associated with a guy “putting on his boots”, as well as a very real security-blanket aspect. It’s a girding of the loins, so to speak. It’s fear-based; it’s going on the assumption that we humans are somehow separate from the world, weak, unsuited to the task… which is emphatically not true. Everyone reading this exists on this world because their ancestors were BADASS. Think about that. We belong here; we earned it, and the proof is that we exist. Our ancestors didn’t turn an ankle on un-mowed grass and then fail to procreate. Our bodies are amazing. My message is completely positive; just trying to share the word (hey brother, have you heard the word?) because I’ve done this hiking/backpacking thing a LOT, and done it both ways, for a very long time….. and I’m speaking some *truth* here, don’t know how else to put it.

There’s a lot of joy in the discovery that one’s legs work as intended, and actually do better and are healthier wearing much more minimal footwear.

Just a few recent examples from the trail. Trail name “Stagecoach” is retired JAG (Army) and late 50’s like us. Trail name Bradventure is retired military, then a cop, also late 50’s. Trail name CatDog is a woman in her 60’s. Trail name The Forester is, you guessed it, an east-coast forester in his 50’s. On and on. These are real humans I just spent almost 2 months on a difficult trail with, and with the exception of CatDog, they were averaging MORE than the 15 miles a day that we were doing, with full packs, a weeks food, however many liters of water the situation required, etc. Not a “boot” amongst them. Then of course there were many more younger folks. Hell… we hiked one day with a young woman, trail name Huck, who had already done 7 miles when we connected about 7 am. We hiked 20 miles with her before we flamed out for the day. 20 miles- think on that. Last I saw Huck she was still trucking that day; my guess is she topped 30 for the day, given she was at 27 at the time. She was wearing SANDALS fer chrissakes. Sandals!

You don’t “need” boots. Or at least, the vast majority do not the vast majority of the time.

That being said- glad you are getting out there and have something that’s working well for you. 👍

Dang, that's what I've been doing wrong. All these years I just thought I was lacing up my boots!!!

Who knew?

Right?! But now you have Heard the Word. You belong. Fear no more!






Well…….. I mean, not you specifically. You need to wear BOOTS. 😂

I like light hikers for hiking in the summertime when loins don't need to be girded. During hunting season, I like to keep my feet dry and boots work better for that. And loins don't get girded, they get grilled on the campfire.

YMMV.

Boots have their place, and I far and away prefer a mid or tall in late October/November elk hunting when the snow flies. Apart from that, this old dog learned a new trick a decade ago, and I'll never wear anything but light hikers from Spring through early Fall.

Hallelujah brutha! Preach it, lol.

I’m hoping to penetrate the good ol’ boy disinformation network regarding “boots”, well-intentioned as it may be, in order to save some YOUNG dogs decades of suffering for no good reason.

It will take more than a pagan religion to separate men from their boots.

Good boots - are.

tennisbootsthings... aren't.

No offense.




GR

Don't know about "pagan religions" other than Marxism or global warming.

An assortment of different boots for different tasks separate wearers who trudge on soft trails, mow their lawns or adventure between their bed, couch, toilet and pickup truck from those that are able to travel in the mountains, safely and comfortably (for more than a few hours).

This reminds me of an old saying; "you don't know what you don't know."

why do some people bitch how other people do stuff , this was a good thread tell the know it alls started bitching about foot were , shut the [bleep] up

Ended up with some Scarpa Kailash gtx.

They come in wide version.

Now to try them out.

Mountain trails, rock falls, river marshes, swamps, thickets, timber woods, oak flats, etc.

Just a good, light weight boot, like the Bellevilles.

No decimal point tennisbootsthings required.

Would be surprised if they lasted a month.




GR

So, while I've used and use both boots and low hikers you've only used boots. In other words, you're guessing. I'm not.

Aside, this is the BACKPACK hunting forum, not the hunters campfire where all the closed minded old duffers participate in a never ending circle jerk. You may want to hang out there. I think it would be a better fit.

True. The guys with an assortment of different boots do pretty much just trudge on soft trails for a few hours and so on.

The folks actually DOING big backpacking miles in mountains, and everything else, in 2023, are wearing tennisboothings. Like me. Why? Because it’s the better choice. And, to your chagrin, I just spent this spring proving it, while you were busy transiting between couch and toilet and pickup truck.

At least you didn’t turn an ankle.

I usually get ~ 700 miles out of my trail runners, about 3 pairs/year- that's on varied single track trails with usually some 20-30 mile trips to bag various peaks. The tread still looks fairly decent, but the midsole components eventually start to breakdown. When you really notice it is when you switch to a new pair and you're like ahhhhh

Trail runners aren't the answer for every trip, but they are the answer for a lot of trips.

A recent 32 mile day through heavy rain, light wet snow, rock, mud, snow, a [bleep] ton of fords and wrestling with a lot of blowdown. This would not be the trip you'd want heavy leather boots, they'd be soaked within minutes, would then weigh even more and not be dry for days.



If you haven't tried them, pretty tough to speculate how they are going to work for you. You just might be in for a surprise

I just backpacked through and over ALL THESE THINGS, and more. Maybe you missed that? 600 miles, averaging 15 miles/day, with one rest day the entire trip. Our packs were, generally, not light either because of all the water you gotta carry down there.

You know who didn’t last a week, much less a month out there in the real world crucible that is the southern CDT? Guys wearing “boots”. I saw this with my own two eyes.

Do this simple math for me, please. Both you and SherrifJoe.
I just got 600+ miles out of a pair of Salomon X-Ultra 4’s. I have proof of this. How long is YOUR average backpacking trip? 25 miles, total? How many times a year do you do this, on average? Let’s say (4), but I doubt that, both you and SJ. But let’s be generous here. That’s 100 miles a year. So that means a) it’ll take you 6 years to do what I just did in 6 weeks, and b) it’d take you 6 years to mostly wear out a pair of these supposedly fragile tennisboothings.

No offense, truly, but you know not of which you speak. That goes double for SJ. At least you are polite about it- which I respect and appreciate FWIW.

Kiss your mom with that mouth, ya self-involved prick?

And, yes, backpack hunting is one of my regular field events.

Just haven't bothered to make a religion out of it.


And routinely get well over a 1,000 miles out of my boots.

Sno-sealing the leather, once it's broken in, is the trick.




GR

lol

Garand- consider trying a pair of tennishoeboots for your conditioning hikes. Just consider it. Why not? It was the single best change I made to my “gear” when I started getting back into this stuff. I promise you, this is, in fact, what the vast, vast majority of the “power users” who are actually out banking big miles, are wearing. And it’s not for vanity, or to be part of the herd. It’s because it’s the better mousetrap. Just…. try it. I was resistant. I bet Brad and Mike were too. We all used to wear “boots” and justified it the same way you are. Then we tried this newfangled stuff and went…. huh!

One aspect of it I love is just the joyful feeling of having full freedom for my legs to do what evolution, or if you prefer God, intended them to do. It made me feel way younger. Lighter. More free. More of a capable, all-terrain vehicle. And we can delve into the biomechanics of it as much as you want, but here’s a simple truth: if your ankles aren’t doing what they are meant to do, then something else in your leg is taking up those loads, and that something else wasn’t designed for it. Your ankles are there for a reason. Set them free!

Brad & Mike… Cyn is going to get back on the trail and attempt a calendar-year CDT; I’m going to hold down the fort here (ugh). Anyway she just got the shoes she’s going to try for the next leg- Topos (spelling?). I’ll let you know how they work out. They look just like Altra’s and are zero-drop. At least these companies are backing away from the “clown shoe” look a little bit, cosmetically.

Those tennisbootsthings are like specialty, competition footwear, like track or wrestling shoes, or ballerina slippers.

My boots take a lot of abuse in the field.

Try a pair of these polyurethane soled field boots, if they are still available.

Then hike five miles a day in them, over varied terrain, running a couple of those miles.

That will get you in shape.


To me, "ultra-light" is a marketing cult.

Wouldn't choose logger's boots, but a light weight field boot works fine.

Ankles don't grow back, so protecting them is important, especially miles from nowhere.




GR

One more time. I just hiked not five, but FIFTEEN miles a day, every day, for 6.5 weeks, over a variety of terrain, with a full backpack (not a daypack). And I’m a big human bean, started the trip over 200 lbs.

They are specialty footwear; their specialty is…. uh…. hiking?

Truth is, in most cases these days… “boots” are for posers. They have a time and place but generally speaking, “hiking” ain’t it, and real hikers aren’t using them.

Garandimal showed his wealth of knowledge with “unscoped is the only way to be marksman” thread awhile back…

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️


he most be from NY state…

Says the beer-belly at the concrete bench, with sand bags and a bi-pod.

Marksmanship is a skill.




GR

Not interested in your religion.

Good boots - are.

Light weight field boots are even better.

If you need specialty footwear just to hike?

What does that say about you?

Think you are the only one who hikes 15 mi./day?

5 mi./day, including a run, is just an off-season routine.

Hate to break this to ya... but field boots have been doin' hikes and hunts for a long time.


So buy what you want.

Just understand that it is you that makes them special.




GR

Your religion is being an idiot

Whether boots, shooting, etc....your way is not only antiquated it's azz backwards

Gone and hurt your li'l feelings.

Poor... Thing.


Field boots... are.

Light weight field boots are even better.


And, Marksmanship is a Skill.

You may find that out some day, little one.




GR

Ah yes field boots and leather slings lol. Your idea of marksmanship is hitting the broadside of a barn at 100yds......


I bet you're hell on wheels at the local army surplus rathole...

I like shooting Garands…. and M1a’s… and Mini14’s…. and AR15’s…. with the aperture sights. Not dogpiling here.

Here we are a few years ago… this is at over 14k feet, on Whitney, towards the top. Anyone who’s climbed it will recognize the features. I was wearing Salomon X-Ultras, not sure what Cyn has on there, probably Altras. We’d done about 220 miles and 10+ passes in the Sierra to get there, most recently Forester Pass at 13k+ feet the day before. The vast majority of the footfalls on that whole trail (the JMT) are on granite.

I was wearing exactly the right shoe IMHO. As you can see, every step was an adventure; I wanted full use of my legs! Get those ankles flexing, taking up all the various foot-strike angles. In some spots along the JMT/PCT we ran into weekenders coming up trailheads to backpack to a lake or whatever, invariably in “boots” and suffering. The through-hikers all had low top light hikers on- aka exactly the right shoe.

Hey fatso...girlieman...

The ONLY trails you've been up are soft, gentle trails for your feminine capacities. You act like Whitney is K2 or something, typical of urban braggarts.

You couldn't get up the approach to any peaks of the Picket Range so, get back to your pizza and shut your trap.

Or try...at your weight, fill out your toe tag so that we can ID your bag of feathers.

Interesting discussion despite the unnecessary sniping. It confirms that boots are a personal choice and what works for you may not work for others. Like many realize, you can put up with a lot of subpar equipment on a hunt, but "bad" boots could end a hunt. While I'd like to wear a low cut trail shoe, I wear Meindl Light Hikers for some training and Meindl Extremes for real world ankle support. Buy what fits, consider your terrain and train hard.

Or just "take-a-knee."

Or just require you to take a day or two off or cut down your mileage. Not so with through-hikers, bad shoes will end a through hike, period.

I don't get the sniping either. This ain't a contest.

Not too off topic, but I just bought another trail runner for myself. I liked the first pair so much that I wanted another. And got trail runners for my two kids instead of boots. We went with Topo, Altra, and Hoka. A lot of money for what amounts to sneakers! But total cost was less than a decent pair of hunting boots.

My only complaint with my first trail runner was that it allowed fine dust through the mesh. Our new shoes should be much better at that. I did get some debris through the top but didn't have gaiters on. I may look into the lightweight gaiters.

Are you making any footwear or sock changes for these crossings or just wear the same shoes and socks for everything for the day?

smokepole;
Good Sunday morning to you my cyber friend, I hope the upcoming week looks to be lined out and headed out properly for you.

It has been an interesting discussion for sure, for me at least and I'll extend thanks to all who've added their personal take on the subject.

Way and I do mean WAY back in the mid '80's my wife and I along with some friends did some backpacking runs up onto the Kokanee Glacier which is straight north of the Washington and Idaho border in the Kootenay range as well as up to the Cathedrals which is about half way between the Chopaka and Skagit. The Kootenays were tougher or better said steeper, with the Cathedral run still more rounded in most spots than it is over towards the Skagit country - which is northish of the Picket Range mentioned here.

Anyways we had on whatever heavy boots we used to buy back then and looking back we might have been much better served with lighter footwear as we were on trails for the most part other than the wet areas.

Whenever I've tried on lighter weight footwear such as Jeff was showing, it's felt like they'd be fine under some conditions alright, but so far I've resisted.

Now I am cognizant that Brad packs out elk and having not done that but have packed/dragged a moose out solo, I do have at least a distant understanding of what the feet might be facing.

When we were younger, full of vim, vinegar and a tad crazy, we backpacked mulie bucks from some truly ugly places. On a couple of those runs I found the necessity of having boots that laced way down on the toes for me, as I beat up said toes pretty thoroughly before we reached the pickup.

Last fall when my good friend pulled the LEH ram tag - think the odds were 350:1 for me this year, but yes I did put in since I think I can still do it if drawn - we beat the mountain behind the house flat, putting in more rough country time than either of us had in the previous 20 years. I must admit that I did feel extremely blessed to be able to be in the same spots on the day I turned 60 that I'd travelled decades previously.

He ended up killing a ram 31 years and 2 days after I'd taken one off the same mountain, as close as I could figure within less than a kilometer from where mine came out in two trips on my back. His died further down into the canyons and not up on edge of the big timber, so it was silly steep with a lot of loose dry areas which made footing less than great.

We'd split up when we'd gone in so his young nephew and I might see the rams from the opposite side of the canyon and direct them from the other side. When he shot, we of course had to gumboot back up to the head of the canyon where we'd split up and then go down to find him. As we're heading down, his nephew - think he's in his late 20's, said to me something like, "For the love of God Dwayne, you've got to find a better way out of here than this!".

As it turned out smokepole, we came down the best/easiest way.

Anyways in that sort of a mess I was happy to have boots which I could really tighten up extra well before we headed back up and out.

It's those sort of scenarios - that and the shin tangle blowdown jungle where the whitetail, moose and elk seem to love to hang out - that always affect my decision making when it comes to footwear.

Thanks again for the discussion to one and all. All the best in the upcoming week.

Dwayne

No changes- just charging through, the number of fords crossing the Bob in May is staggering and the trails are very often running water in them as well. No possible way to keep footwear dry.

I do insure that at a midday break (and usually supper along the trail) I take my wet shoes/socks off and let them air for the 30 minutes or so we're stopping. Also at night I make sure my feet are bone dry, apply a foot balm (Hydropel) and put on dry socks for sleep.

The majority of the trails look similar to this

Your butt-hurt is monumental, little one.

And cotton slings are a better choice.

Lighter weight, faster drying, and infinitely adjustable.


If you ever grow up and become interested in Marksmanship, you may find that useful.




GR

Have 0.0 complaints RE: light weight field boots.



Hike and hunt hundreds of miles a year in them.

Mountains to swamps.

The OP is: Lightweight vs heavy boots?

A more accurate title would be: "Tennisbootsthings Cult and Grooming"

So ya know.




GR

That was the Gila in a nutshell, then once we got further north, into the snow, that was the 3 days crossing San Pedro Parks Wilderness.

The Gila was over 180 crossings in about 4 days. The deepest fast crossing was bellybutton deep (on me) and frankly scared the F outta me- there was a rapids with a strainer just below. After I got across Cyn said, yeah that’s not gonna work for me! so we figured out a way for her to do some minor cliff scrambling to get to a better spot (which obviously I could’ve done too).

San Pedro was so wet I don’t think I can describe it in a way folks other than MT will believe or understand. A massive spring snowmelt is bonkers to be in the middle of. There would be running water… UNDER the snow that you’d posthole into. Every wrinkle was a creek, every depression a swamp, every meadow an adventure of icy water and freezing muck, every creek a small river, and if there’s been any actual rivers they would’ve likely stopped us. Plus we crossed during a storm cycle and got hailed, rained, sleeted,, and snowed on all with fierce winds and lightning.

As pertains to this thread in both cases anything leather (or goretex) would be a disaster.

It’s great that you tried them. Your experience is pretty much universal IME. If you try they, you will switch.

My Salomons let lots of fine NM grit through the top mesh. While Cyn’s Altra’s were better in that regard, her socks and feet were still pretty much equally filthy by the end of each day.

Lol… you don’t like losing, do you? And yet you do so much of it.

But you got me with “fatso”. I’m packing at least 3-4 lbs of extra me around.

Let’s see a pic of YOU! Or would that get into more, y’know, losing?

Couple pics of me as a young buck. If you still want to tell me about approaches I can’t do, I’m all ears.

Garandanimal is gay and all but didn't you get powned by a ladder?

Your boyfriend told you to say that.

Good for you.

Hike in ballerina slippers if you want to.


Good boots... are.

Light weight boots are even better.




GR

Sure thing happy camper.

Light weight field boots.

That's why they were recommended.

Sure your ballerina slippers suit you just fine.

Enjoy them.




GR

Haha.

Connect the dots…

Markmanship…. HC’s story of shooting the 10 shots in a bullseye, open sight, as a kid.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

What type of socks are you guys using? I use merino wool but maybe a synthetic material would be better for drying out.

When I’m sheep hunting I will wear my trail shoes for crossing creeks with no socks and then change back into boots. But if I have a lot of crossings to do I will just leave the trail shoes on.
My starting pack weight for a sheep hunt is 65-70 lbs and I’m comfortable using my shoes on a decent trail, but I think I’d be uncomfortable in rough terrain carrying a heavy pack, but I’m definitely open to trying them more in different situations.

What they call that...Kodacolor, Kodachrome?

Show us the pictures of you squatting...peeing.

My sock game was not great and could use improvement. Started with Wright 2-layer socks to hopefully mitigate blisters, and thin REI socks. I was still using the Wright socks in the Gila canyon and beyond (so at about 350 miles) but they were pretty used up by then. They are a consumable…. The REI brand light socks, don’t remember the exact description, are good socks, but I’m sure there’s better. And then I had a pair of slightly heavier REI socks I was using for sleep socks, until I had to press them into regular duty as other things wore out. Had 3 fresh pairs in the Grants resupply box, which was nice. If I was doing the trip over I’d have had more fresh socks in my various resupply boxes, don’t know why I was being miserly as they are mission critical. One thing about NM- no water. So no washing socks in the creek, because there’s no creek. At some times our socks were flat filthy, for days on end. There was nothing to be done about it.

As to wet feet my takeaway was that I had no idea that it was possible to do big miles day after day after in wet shoes…. but you can. I would’ve thought it would make “bad things” happen to my feet, but it didn’t. You get used to squelching along.

Is it just me, or has the quality of troll really gone to [bleep] around here?

@mod7rem Darn Tough socks, probably 15 years now of using them exclusively- shorter ones for trail runners, longer ones with boots.

I'll be doing the same thing on my upcoming sheep hunt, light trail runners for fording streams/camp shoes, boots for everything else. With a 60# pack and lots of steep rocky stuff, boots are the only way to go- add in lots of sidehilling and then it becomes a no brainer. I'm in trail runners ~ 9 months out of the year, but the three months that coincide with big game hunting, it's boots

mtwarden;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope that this Monday finds you and yours well.

With apologies to the OP - but I suppose still within if not the direct realm of discussion the periphery - what kind of sheep and more or less where?

No secret spots are requested obviously sir.

As a former and still hopeful sheep chaser and sheep observer/counter in the meantime, I do love to hear about sheep.

Thanks in advance for considering the request.

Dwayne

I dunno Dwayne. It seems to me that if mtwarden wants to go sheep hunting, he needs to get off the couch and do some training hikes in the mtns, don't you think??

Dwane- good morning. After 30+ years of unsuccessfully applying for a Bighorn license here, I told my wife just once in my lifetime I'd like to hunt sheep. Well God bless her, she said just do it- so I booked a Dall hunt in the Brooks range (2.5 years ago)



yeah I guess you're right, I better get to going

Awesome!! Good luck, Mt, one thing your guide won't have to worry about is your ability to keep up!!!

Do you worry or otherwise deal with over-training, MT? I have a knee that the older I get, simultaneously responds well to “the trail” but also seems a bit degraded after every adventure.

Not sure what tags I’ll get this year, find out soon. About the only way I’m in “boots” if if it snows up where we hunt elk. The good tag I have the best shot at is the backpack mule deer hunt I’ve done several times now on that big remote high-desert mountain range which shall go unnamed… very, very rugged, very steep, no trail. Perfect for my X-Ultra's.

My buddy’s wife got him a pair of them (he’s one of these millionaires who’s too cheap to buy himself nice stuff) except they were the high-top version. I’d be curious to try them; at least I know the lower part of the shoe fits my foot. I have a pair of their more substantial “boots” and while they nominally fit great, they put my foot in a position that leads to Achilles pain as the days go on. Like my shin is cocked forward slightly and that’s the direction they don’t flex much.

My youngest has emerged from her college ultra-liberal daze and said she wants to kill a deer with me, so there’s that, too. Blacktail are my bread and butter and I know how to kill ‘em. So I might end up playing guide with her much of the season; however I have a feeling she’s being unrealistic about having much time off from her FS job at that time. She’s in a supervisory role this year, which is cool for her, but maybe not as easy to escape from in the fall. We shall see. Much depends on the tag lottery, and it’s coming soon. In the meantime I’m seeing calm ocean later this week and they just upped the limit on halibut to (2)…….

mtwarden;
Thanks for the reply sir.

That is simply wonderful!

I've never been to the Brooks but have been up in the Yukon as far as Dawson City.

My goodness you'll be way, WAY up there. Super cool.

I hope you have a grand hunt in all ways.

Dwayne

Not really; 90% of my training is Zone 2 stuff, fairly easy hiking. I do get a little Zone 3-4 stuff every week, any steep climbs or a sometimes a dedicated hill day. Probably every month or so I get one hard trip in- those can raise injury demons, but knock on wood- nothing too serious.

With the Brooks trip coming up shortly I'm going to be pretty picky on any trips from now until August- keep the risk of injury low






Thank you Sirs!

Speaking of the brooks trip, are you going to document it here? AAR?

Yeah I can certainly do that

This is your OP, little one.

Here is your answer, if you ever grow up.

Light Weight Field Boots.




They won't help you with Marksmanship, though.

You will need to acquire that skill.




GR

Straight outta the box!

You must be closely related to MIKE WERNER?

You must be a starving comedian.


What's funny is, how terrified all y'all are of light weight field boots.




GR

Nobody is terrified. They just know they are dog schiet.

Why in the world, other than someone too poor or dumb to know better, would they wear dog schiet boots? Keep the G.I. special (ie lowest bidder), pass the La sportiva, asolo, lowa, hell even Salomon...


News flash, guys that can wear what they want in the service don't wear garbage bates boots..

Boot snob.

Disciple of the Cult of the Tennisbootsthings.

Ha!

These light weight field boots are comfortable and durable.

And you hate that.




GR

Actually I usually wear something more in the line of mountaineering boots, which are way more lightweight and durable than your g.i. special.

Grand Retard is wrong yet again......(it's a trend)

Awww... your feeling are hurt.

Have the high priest of the Cult of Tennisbootsthings console your sadness and disillusionment.

Hiking and hunting in light weight field boots is so... secular.

Ha!




GR

I think I hurt your feelers by insinuating you are a brokedick shopping at the army surplus......😭😭😭 "boot snob!" 😭😭😭


Hey man, if that's all your social security budget allows, that's cool, just don't hate on those than can afford decent boots.

It's a really good boot, at $35 it was a great boot.

What else does a boot have to do, little one?


And if your footwear defines you, and your li'l feelings get hurt by what other people wear hiking and hunting?

You should probably be wearing high heels.

Because you're a pussy.

So ya know.




GR

Not much from the recliner I suppose.....

Up on your high heels again?

Ha!

Good night, princess.




GR

Don't take your metamucil before bed time, you might schiet the bed gramps.

At least he’ll be doing it in his Light Weight Field Boots.

Kids say the darnedest things.

Dream you'll grow up to be a man.

Might could happen.




GR

If that means shopping at goodwill for hunting gear, no thanks. I will leave that schiet for the people that need it.

But back to boots, I've been impressed with the la sportiva aequilibrium's so far.

They're for hiking and hunting.

Doesn't your Cult of the Tennisbootsthings Bible explain that heresy?




GR

MidwayUSA, on clearance.

Got three pair.

When your mom no longer buys your clothes for you, you might understand.


The soles are polyurethane, about half the weight of Vibram.






GR

Do you wear a bicycle helmet with your "lightweight field boots" to really accentuate the "I'm a retard" look while you shop at dollar general?

What do you hunt while wearing those and where (state) do you hunt?


Let me guess, rabbits in Georgia...

Aren't you the retards that hike around with ski poles?

Couldn't figure out how to walk, or do you still need training wheels?

You should have a Cult meeting with the rest of the kids in your clubhouse, to console each other about the horrors of light weight field boots.

Ha!




GR

Here's a question for all y'all "experts" in high-tech field footwear.

This is just one of the places hunted.



How are your mesh ultra-lite Tennisbootsthings goin' to hold up?




GR

Don’t see anything there that would hurt them? Looks like wet feet no matter what if I’m understanding the pic. Where is that?

LOL, all I wear any more are lightweight boots. But WTF are "field boots" anyway?

As opposed to house boots?

Troll boots

JellO's latest book and video: 600 Miles REST STOP Waddling

So, if they aren't "Special" Cult of the Tennisbootsthings ordained...

... your feelings get hurt?

Precious.


Light weight field boots - terrorize you.




GR

You wear boots in the house?

Grow up and get a house that doesn't have dirt floors.




GR

Mmmm. Shoulda used Light Weight Field Boots. Dang it all.

Funny…. I’m actually wearing tall, full-grain leather boots this very second. Horses for courses.

You and Garand would know that……… if you ever did any actual courses. 😂

No, I don't. Hence the comment, no need to designate boots as "field."

Should I draw a picture for you?

Soooo rabbits in Louisiana.....

…. in Light Weight Field Boots.

That last part is important.

How could I forget!?

They have Urethane Soles. The mind boggles.





Would it be weird to be a bit turned-on by them? All that knobby urethane… the smooth fabric…. the long, sinewy laces… and can be had for such a slutty, slutty price!

Asking for a friend—

Soooo... Priests of the Cult of the Tennisbootsthings - are like Catholic Priests.

Fascinating.


MeraMax Polyurethane soles - are half the weight of Vibram, and more flexible, so they are quieter hunting in the woods.



And that upsets you, somehow, and drives you to sexual fantasies about light weight field boots.


Have you told this to your mental health provider?

Billable hours.




GR

It makes me…. errr, my friend…. want to stick a bare foot into them and just wriggle it around until it stops feeling good. Dayum. Those are some fine, fine pieces of footwear.

Happy camper,

No one’s buying the idea of your chit box army boots…

Same as your bull chit marksmanship threads.

You’ve brought zero to this thread…

On the contrary, benchrest beer-gut, as this is your OP.


Outed a bunch of self-inovlved perverts and marksmanship retards, like yourself.

You Cultists are a tight-knit group.

Butt-to-balls.


Marksmanship is a Skill, and light weight field boots work just fine.

Now go be upset, little one.




GR

We aren't cultists. And we're definitely not dumb enough to wear cheap ass dog schiet boots.

If you want to, go ahead.

How was swamp rabbit season down on the bayou?

As kids, we hunted a lot in Converse canvas high-tops, because they were quiet in the woods, inexpensive, and protected the ankles.

Bet that sends all y'all Cultists into a frenzy.




GR

I’m not upset. Just calling your bull chit.

I started this thread looking for info….

And many have given advice based on their real world use.

You post the same thing over and over.

The same drivel.
The same pic. ( likely snagged off the internet. Like the waterstones pic Ren50 busted you on).

I appreciate the advice from the guys that actually get afield and use their gear.

You aren’t one of those.

If i ever new a recommendation for a TV remote, you’ll be the one i ask…

Did you here that...?

Sounded almost like a baby... farting.




GR

Light weight field boots... don't come with a hand job, princess.

You got what you asked for... not what you wanted.

So go be upset and pout.




GR

That was you schieting your depends gramps.


How was nutria season?

I have many, many, many, miles in "lightweight field boots" but when other manufacturers got into the GI boot game, and we could wear something else, I switched in a heart beat to "tennis-shoe boot things" for all the ruck marches we did. Fast forward to being retired from the Army, and I'm not wearing anything I wore in the Army. Of course, I'm not wearing lightweight boots either, something about a reconstructed ankle that needs maximum support while I have a pack on my back, but I wont hate on anyone able to rock the lightest weight stuff possible!

Gear discussions are always interesting. Boots are about the most individualized gear there is, with respect to the concept that "what works for one won't necessarily work for others." Especially with accumulated miles and injuries that change the feet, and the differences in what each individual needs out of their boots. There are lots of great boots that just don't work for me, both lightweight and standard.

Arguing about which is "best" is hilarious.

smokepole;
Good Thursday morning to you my cyber friend, I hope it's staying cool enough down in your portion of Colorado to suit you and you're well.

You are, in my opinion, on the mark about all gear but especially footwear being individualized and variable in how it'll work for others.

It's interesting too when we throw in a variety of terrain which might as it did in this thread cause 'Fire Folk from other geographic locations to question our cognitive reasoning ability or how bright we're not if we hunt in a certain place.

We're blessed here in that the seasons are still pretty long too, to regulate kill numbers they've put in antler point restrictions, which means we can go from nearly 31°C at the beginning of season to -28°C in snow up to one's knees towards the end.

Typically my taller Meindl boots and the socks for them stay in the pickup all that time, so if whatever has happened to get shot hasn't died in a convenient location, the footwear can be adjusted accordingly on the next few trips.

Usually I can get a deer out in two trips, but I want to say the bull moose was at least 4 and might have been 5 trips actually. Funny how you think you'll never forget some details but somehow this morning that one's been misplaced.

Anyways it's been educational for me for sure and I have appreciated the replies, especially from those who hunt different landscape than I do.

Best to you once more sir.

Dwayne

Always enjoy your posts, Dwayne. Good on ye. 👍

I think that while it’s true footwear is highly personal, and that it’s a multi-variable equation with different terrain, body issues, seasons, geography, and so on, all factoring in, it’s still true that the evolution of hiking footwear has moved forward considerably in recent years and gifted us with some pretty cool options.

I’m in my late 50’s and in some ways, “my issues have issues”, so I’m certainly empathetic towards the idea that for some folks protecting weak areas of the body is key. I do think though that we all got it drummed into our heads since we were wee lads that you have to have “boots” to protect your ankles. With the disclaimer that my ankles are a strong and historically problem-free part of my legs, I disagree AND I think if the goal is protect one’s ankles, at the very least, guys should train in light hikers to strengthen the various pieces and parts that comprise lower leg functionality- which does go far beyond ankles. The goal should be to not need to protect them, it should be to have fully functional legs.

Again though, I’m not dogmatic here; I’m currently a bit hobbled because I just pulled a quad hopping into the bed of my truck to access the top of the roof to wash off pollen. WTF?! I couldn’t even tell you the last time I pulled a quad. Maybe never! So guys gotta do what they gotta do, but it’s my sincere hope that they don’t let the high cost of admission (these newfangled shoes are amazing, but they ain’t cheap) and the aspersions cast by certain folks still stuck in a past era, keep them from giving them a try.

Trekking poles are another issue of this type. Any older person who hasn’t tried them for “political” reasons is making a huge mistake. I truly doubt I could’ve done the big hikes I’ve done in the last few years without them. I’ll save further thoughts on them for a dedicated thread if there ever is one here.

Happy trails to everyone and I truly hope folks find ways to keep on truckin’.

Does anyone remember the lightweight Rocky's that didn't last even one hunting season?

They were like slippers......but the roll on a mountain-side was horrendous.

Comfortable, if you weren't hunting.

Altamas would be good choice for that slough:

https://originalfootwear.com/collections/altama/products/altama-maritime-assault-relv-moab

Or 8" versions.

Your 4-wheel drive truck would be useless there, does that mean you don't need one?

Jeff;
Good morning to you sir, it's been a long time since we've chatted here, I hope you've all been well more than less in the interim.

My goodness do I hear you about ailments having ailments.

I'm a wee bit older than you and definitely some mornings feel all the horse and motorcycle wrecks that a younger me perhaps rashly put myself through.

You'd mentioned watching how hard one trains and that's been a bit of a fine line for sure, as last summer I somehow needed to wrap my knee to just do our daily 2 mile walk in the morning and so help me I don't recall what brought it on - but there it was.

I'll admit to not delving into anything newer/lighter than the Zamberlan Vioz that I picked up a couple years back. It's tough to say if I'll wear them out or I'll wear out first, but I'm certainly not opposed to looking at something different for sure.

That all said Jeff, as MIKEWERNER mentioned, it's the downhill that cripples me when the pack is too full. One of the "must have" items on any boots that are going hunting for me is the ability to lace to the toe or at least over the arch enough that I don't bash my toes up any worse than necessary.

On the adjustable trekking poles subject, I picked up a couple maybe 5 seasons back and can't say enough about them, though I usually only carry/use one at a time to be honest.

What brought them on was me coming out solo from a fairly rough spot in the snow and having both feet come out from under me.

As I was laying there in the snow - hoping to catch the wind that had been knocked well out of me, whilst watching the puffy clouds float past - it occurred to me there had to be a better way to not do that quite so often. Again Jeff that not getting any younger certainly plays into this.

I had a very similar situation with horses a few years prior and had a moment of epiphany after being unceremoniously unhorsed and having some unscheduled meditation on life afterwards. Funny how that happens or seems to in my case for sure.

Best to you all down there in Oregon Jeff.

Dwayne

Boots aside..... I would be honored to buy you a beer (or even two!) if you have time in town. It's a crazy time of the year, and I am an idiot on a good day, but I would love to hear that story firsthand.

I have a question if you don't mind...the fabric at the top is frayed, yet the boots are almost perfectly clean.

I just slop around in crappy cheap work boots and they are a flaming mess, even in town. They get worse when out in the paddock.

The below boots have (both pair) three months of use on them (alternate days), so six weeks of constant use each.






The big question I have...how the hell do you keep your boots so clean?

And I should add...I have owned issue Belleville's, Altama, as well as Danner and Rocky with cordura fabric. And not a single pair of them came new with frayed tops

Those are surplus (Grade 1) new, Belleville, they came that way out of the box from MidwayUSA on Clearance.


Those now have several hundred miles of field use on them, and look considerably different.

But they hose off nice and dry pretty quick.


Anything else on your mind, besides your hurt feelings?

Like, maybe, how they work in the field?




GR

Generally US manufactured boots have a narrow last...and when you purchase the wide boot the heel is also wide which allows your heel to move about.

So no...you have nothing I wish to hear.

Go ahead and post some current pics, I'm curious as to how they look after several hundred miles.

These light weight field boots fit my feet very well, and hold up very well, too.

Got them a half size smaller than my regular shoes, and fit allows for both single boot socks when it's hot, and the addition of a Kirkland wool outer sock when it's cold.

The treads are great for hard surface, hard pack, rock, sand, and mud.

Not the best in steep, loose rock conditions.

Probably why they were surplus to the heavier Vibram waffle sole for Afghanistan.




GR

Get used to disappointment, little one.

Took the pictures when they were new.

Pleasing you, is your boyfriend's job.




GR

LOL, I knew it. You can post pics of the boots from a few years ago when they were new, but not now.

You haven't hiked several hundred miles in your life, much less with one pair of boots.

Are you insinuating the Light Weight Trail Boots are great for NOT hiking?!

That would break my heart. I’ve become a bit…. attached… to the sexy beasts.

No, I'm insinuating that nobody here believes "garandimal" is anything but a sock puppet.

And he's not even a very good one.

Well, like I said… the troll quality has really gone to poop around here.

FWIW- I agree. If I thought the dude was for real, I’d show him some old-school Campfire troll quality. Make his head asplode.

Wow, I learned something new - get your boots smaller than your regular shoes so you can wear heavy socks in cold weather. And here I always bought mine a 1/2 size larger...

These ran large.

Half size smaller was perfect.

Single boot sock in the heat, second wool sock in the cold.

No complaints.




GR

Look, understand why all y'all hate these light weight field boots.

- They have MeraMax Polyurethane soles that are half the weight of Vibram.

- The uppers are cordura nylon and silicone impregnated suede leather.

- They don't come with matching purses.

- They don't come in colors that match your yoga pants.


News Flash, ladies... you don't have to wear them, either.

Regular Men like them, especially at $35/pop.


Psychotic Cultists.

Ha!




GR

Be that as it may, real people going real big hikes are not using Light Weight Field Boots.

It's obvious in these threads who's done what... as the saying goes, "you can bullchit the fans, but not the players."

BTW Jeff, got my Hoka's. Frigging comfortable. They look like something you'd see in the rest home - fuggly! They're 4oz's lighter than my Salomon X Ultra's (they run larger than the Salomon's, so ordered 1/2 size smaller). Definitely more comfortable. We'll see how they do backpacking. Good thing I use a cane rather than trekking poles - I'll look right at home in the geriatric center I turn 62 this month...

For hunting in mountainous country where I am going up and down rocky slopes a lot, mostly on game trails, I prefer a more substantial leather boot with Vibram type soles. I've been using Asolo's for a while. They work well for backpacking too.

I make no bones about it...I am definitely not a distance backpacker in any stretch of the imagination. I wear boots for work and hunting, I use Toyota for distance.

That said, what you fellows use and the gear available is something I find very interesting.

I also think Jeff is a nut for traipsing about over steep country a black fella wouldn't go near...but an interesting nut worth listening to.

Brad, which Hoka model did you get?

Thanks.

Lonny, I got the Anacapa Breeze Low model (the non-goretex version of the Anacapa).

I’ll be curious how you like ‘em. I’ll be in X-Ultras for a while yet as I have a half-used-up pair from a couple years ago (did the Tahoe to Yosemite trail in them, around 160 miles, plus lots of hiking around here) that I’ll use the rest of this summer, stuck here at home*, plus a brand-new pair I got for this last trip and didn’t use. I’m ok with that; they work great for me. But of course I’m curious about the zero-drop stuff.

The zero drop angle is an interesting one and one we haven’t said a word about. I don’t have experience with it- or whether there are acclimation pains or whatever- so I’m not going to talk about it. But I’d love to hear from those who do.

From what I’ve seen on the crucible of the long trails, it’s a one-way street. Once you start wearing these things, there’s no going back.

*Cyn is getting back on the trail to attempt to complete the CDT! I’m staying here to hold down the fort to make that possible. With all she’s been through, she deserves every chance to maximize this window she’s in. 👍 But it kinda “sux to be me” right now.

Folks may push it one way or another, but the zero-drop vs some heel will most likely be good/bad depending on the individual and terrain.

I've been using raised heel olympic lifting shoes when doing lifts that require knees being forward and zero-drop lifting shoes for lifts that require vertical shins/hips back for a couple of decades now. Each can change the mechanics of movement...to help or to hinder, some of which will be related to the individuals body proportions and joint range of motion.

I'm guessing some hikers will love them and some not so much.

It might depend on how we define “hikers”.

The folks on the PCT… AT… CDT almost universally love them (and use them). They might best be defined as “power users”, plus, given they are on 5-6 month hikes, their body can get used to the zero-drop shoe and then just stay in that mode. More casual hikers might or might not love them, and might or might not have issues switching back and forth between zero-drop and regular daily shoes… . I don’t know.

I’m a little put-off by the fact that as you say they will change a person’s mechanics of movement. What I’m doing (non zero-drop Salomons) is working for me and that counts for a lot.

lol

I'm becoming a bigger fan of zero drop shoes like altras. , prefer over Solomons. that's mostly in drier conditions staying on trails. They have helped ankle calf strength

I'll be flying in/out of Fairbanks, BUT next year my wife and I are hoping to do a three-ish week tour of Alaska; I'm sure I'll be in Anchorage on that trip- just had a buddy move there a year ago

did few 6 to 10 miles back pack in tenkara fly fishing fishing trips in Montana Wyoming and Montana using light weight zero drop altra trail running shoes. Only carrying around 40 lbs. I Ilike them for early season archery elk, deer too. we had a a number of river crossing and just switched to beach shoes

worked well, held up, no foot ankle issues

mtwarden;
Good afternoon to you sir, I hope the day in your part of Montana is giving you decent weather and in all ways behaving.

If for whatever reason you're wandering up or back down on Highway 97 and you're so inclined coffee on the back deck or some decent ice cream at the always busy place down on the highway is on me.

We drove up and back to Dawson City last year with one of the goals being to not travel any more of the roads more than once if possible so up the Cassiar and back down the Alaska Highway and then down along the BC/Alberta border until we hit the north Thompson.

All the best on your hunt and the rest of the summer.

Dwayne

Holy cow….if those are issue Bellevilles please tell me this is sarcasm. I generally can be comfortable in boots that don’t fit me quite right but those things are terrible.

It isn’t the weight. I prefer a light boot but the quality of those things are bad. The only thing worse than those were the McRaes.

Finis Mitchell got by with K Mart bibs and their lace up hunting/work boots.

I used some Underarmor boots for 2 seasons when I hunted the SD. Most of it was pretty steep, some rugged, none further than 3.5 miles one way.

The boots were fantastic, water proof, comfortable, decent ankle support, and felt like wearing tennis shoes. They lasted 1/2 a season. Last time I hunted out west I wore my insulated Redwing work boots, non-steel toe. I'm almost positive they're close to indestructible. They have 1000's of hours on them, albiet, kinda heavy.

I'd like a pair of non-steel toes and just use them for hunting.

These are wearin' like iron, and fit great.

A half-size big allows for foot swell in the heat, and an extra sock in the cold.

Outstanding lightweight field boot.

$35/pop.

Ha!




GR

How many miles of Boulder fields have you covered in these "field boots"?

They are just that.....boots for fields, not mountains.

Just to touch base on this, my wife decided to attempt to complete a calendar-year CDT since we had NM in the bag and this is her jam these days. A calendar-year CDT is a borderline legendary accomplishment for anybody; for a late-50’s recent severe cancer survivor it’s pretty freaking incredible. She’s wearing low-top Topoz. She started at the Canadian border (Glacier NP in Montana) about a month ago and has now completed Glacier, and the Bob, and will be through MT/ID and into Wyoming soon. She’s averaging ~20 miles a day with a high so far of 27 miles. Extremely rugged, difficult hiking with of course a full backpack.

I’m not trying to start shït back up here but it does bear repeating that she’s doing things the vast majority of folks here would basically say was impossible, and she’s doing it in lightweight trail runner type shoes. I encourage folks to reconsider their notions of what’s possible, and of course, what constitutes proper footwear for banging huge miles day after day after week after month in all manner of terrain. A reminder: it ain’t “boots”.

I’m holding down the fort back home to enable this to happen and yes it kinda sux to be me. I bought a dirt bike (CRF450 for those who know/care) in revenge and have been enjoying reconnecting with my youthful motorcycle stupidity.

I drew my favorite high-desert (up to 10k or so) mule deer tag this year, which I will be backpack-hunting in extremely rugged, steep, rocky, off-trail terrain. I’ll be wearing my low Solomon’s.

Less than piney woods and swamps.

But still quite a bit.

The only thing noticeable is shale.

Vibram sole is better, and heavier.


But they do fine.




GR

I am a big fan of Hokas, mentioned previously in this thread. Have multiple sets of runners, pretty much live in their flip flops when at home, and generally look to them first anymore.

But ...

Bought a pair of Hoka Kaha (first gen) hikers maybe 18 mos ago that just never delivered on the Hoka comfort/cushion promise.

Currently looking at the Hoka hiker offerings and hope to find a better LW Hoka hiker candidate.

Glad I kept my Salomons (and Asolos) around, though.

As a reference point, my wife has now hiked from the Canadian border through Glacier and the Bob and southern Idaho and into Wyoming, and just switched to her next pair of Topoz. I don’t know how many miles- guessing between 600-700.

She’s averaging right around 20 miles/day and her high is 27.

Jeff, I ditched the Hoka's (not for me) and went with a pair of Topo Ultraventure Pro's... 1/2 lb lighter than my Salomon XUltra's, and a far more cushioned rear sole. They seem like they'll be equally durable. We'll see with more miles on them. I definitely like the toe box.

Good on your wife!

Yeah, she’s killin’ it. She’s also very tired. She’s cold-soaking her meals, not even carrying a stove. She’s hardcore.

I sent her a new pack. She finally wore out her Osorey Exos! That pack has way over 2000 miles on it. I guess the elastic was failing, the fabric was getting powdery/gummy in places if you know what I mean… cumulative UV being the main culprit, I’d think.

Sent her an ultralight Osprey we got straight from the company on clearance last year for $100… looks like a really nice pack. LIGHT. Sprung very similarly to the Exos. Hope it works out.

It’s on my list to start trying on the various Hokas and Topos and Altras and so on, if for no other reason than it would be good to know which, if any, fit me well. The Solomon’s sure do. I swear they took a cast of my feet while I was sleeping and made the last for the X-Ultra’s, and I get good service from them. I’m currently riding on the if it ain’t broke don’t fix it train.

Tag. Good information here! Thanks to all of you for sharing!

I really like the Lowa Renegade leather lined boots for most hunting and lite hiking (Texas, not mountains). I don't think it's even remotely possible for me to get a blister wearing them. I just wore them in Africa last month, 16 mile days and my feet were the least of my concerns.

Edit: I'll add that due to turkey pear and prickly pear here in TX, I want a full leather outer to resist quills. Any of the fabric sided boots are awful with cactus. The leather lined, do not have goretex, so they never feel clammy either.

How are they on hip/knee/ankle joint stress, especial w/ a pack?

Nice thing about the light weight polyurethane-soled field boot is the shock-absorbing heel.




GR

What you were taught - is that these boots run ~ a full size bigger than street shoes.

What you learned - is that your reading for content skills are as deficient as your comedy.

So ya know.




GR

The consensus among the power-user set is that the modern era of zero-drop light hikers are in general far and away superior to traditional “boots” when it comes to minimizing hip/knee/ankle joint stress. You want to find out if a shoe works- wear them hiking every single day for 5-6 months for ~20 miles/day with a backpack. That’ll bring out the problems, if there are any.

I’d say there’s two groups of folks who will be good canaries in the coal mine as far as their bodies providing this type of feedback. Forget what the healthy 20-something’s are doing (more below); they can get away with things the following two groups cannot. The groups are a) power users, like through-hikers on one of the main trails, and b) older hikers such as myself (late 50’s) on up. Older bodies are less resilient and tend to have accumulated injuries. There are plenty of folks who are both- I was, for 6 weeks this spring. My wife is this very minute. In NM, we met a number of folks roughly our age on the CDT. Cyn has reconnected with several of the trail. One- retired military and cop. Another, recently retired JAG. Another- a woman older than us from Bend. Another- a guy from France who barely speaks English. Another- a forester taking a work hiatus. And so on. Point being there’s plenty of late 50’s/early 60’s folks in both the power-user AND aging-body category.

The power-user consensus’s couldn’t be more clear. They are to a man wearing one of the zero drop light hikers in low-top. I think I mentioned one guy- younger, actually- with a congenitally weak ankle. He was still wearing them, with an ankle brace. On the CDT, the older bodies were also wearing them. I was a rare exception in my Solomons. I could be faulted for rigid thinking for that, but as I’ve said, they really work for me and I knew this based on, jeez, probably around 1k miles hiked in them prior to this last trip.

What I hope is that this knowledge will filter out to the “old bodies” crowd writ large. There’s obviously a lot of resistance. I predict that when the folks who are young NOW, become old someday, their legs will be in better shape than us geezers are because they won’t have spent decades suffering in janky boots.

As to the 20-somethings. My wife just crossed paths with the young woman I mentioned earlier, who we hiked with one day, the one who did who knows how many miles that day- at least 27- and was still trucking as she left us in her wake. Her trail name is Huck, and she’s pure badass. You’d never in a million years know it from looking at her. Anyway Cyn is now southbound, but Huck kept going northbound, and they just crossed paths in Wyoming. Huck is on the leading edge of ALL northbound CDT hikers at this moment. She’s amazing. She’s 24. The little shït is wearing SANDALS.

Thanks for the reasoned and intelligent response.

My field work is generally < 10 mi./day, and up to a coupla weeks.


After about the first 20 mi. or so, when these boots broke in and all the sharp edges were knocked off, the Polyurethane heel, and weight, were a noticeable improvement over Vibram, as far as both compression shock and agility were concerned.


Also noticed that the heel caused a little bit of a forward lean, which, in turn, resulted in a hip-forward posture correction.

Not a bad thing, maybe even a good thing, but produced some initial back muscle strain/conditioning that is not necessary with sneakers.


So the zero-drop light hikers are interesting in that regard, especially for still-hunting in the woods.

Don't know if the hard surface and loose rock mountain hikes, or motorcycles, are ready to lose the heel, though.

Interesting - from an aggressive but regular sportsman perspective.




GR

Cyn is back home after completing the CDT! Those who understand what that means… understand what that means. Under 200 folks will complete it this year. I’ll have to ask her the total mileage. Over 2400 I believe.

She went through 4.5 pairs of shoes, first Altra’s then Topos. I guess the word on the trail is that Altra switched from being made in Vietnam to China and this years shoes suuuuck. Also supposedly this years Solomon’s suck. The top mesh on mine was notably less durable than previous years but other than that, I liked them, so I’m not sure I agree. But, there’s some trail shoe intel, hot off the presses.

I have a cool pic that’ll illustrate what she did. I’ll edit it back into this post—

Edit. So this is a compilation of InReach “pins” that she sent generated by the InReach company software. She sent me this when she still had part of Colorado to go. Colorado kicked her BUTT, the monsoons came late, she was caught in many a storm at very high altitudes. The CDT and Colorado Trail are the same for a while there for anyone familiar with the CT.

Anyway this is the route. We did the NM portion together, then she did the rest southbound (SOBO) from the Canadian border by herself, or with friends she met on the trail.

She is SKINNY. It was profoundly hard on her body. She literally hiked her butt right off. I’m not pleased about that, haha.

Cyn is a stud. Congrats to her!

CDT is 3,100 miles

My wife and I both switched to Topo Ultraventure Pro's. We won't be using anything else from here on out, and if they're discontinued, I'll be buying a dozen.

I've done some hiking but I am in awe! GD

Maybe she said 2800… I’ll ask. “A lot”.

FYI… Nobody does the full “red line” CDT… there are numerous alternates that folks take that either lengthen or, usually, shorten it. Often for very good reasons. For example, we did the “Gila Alternate”, which is the one that takes you for about, hmmm, 35 miles of the Middle Fork Gila canyon, which is sublime. I think I posted pics from it way earlier in the thread… ? Edit: added one. That one was less miles than the Gila High Route, again if memory serves, but we were busting HUMP to achieve 8-10 miles a day in that canyon! In the realm of 180 river crossings in 3.5 days. Deepest one was fast, got my belly button wet, and there was a strainer downstream to make it extra fun. We found a different place for Cyn to cross that required some minor cliff-scrambling to get to but was well worth it. That one was sketchy.

I’ll cop to this. Turns out the 600 miles in NM I was braggin’ on here? She says that was the easiest part of the CDT, on balance. 😂

Yes, she’s a badass. She did the freaking CDT! And after what she’s been through the last couple years… incredible.

I’m leaving tomorrow morning to go here. I’ll be wearing some half-used-up Solomon X-ultra low tops. I have a brand new pair left from the NM hike buying frenzy, grin, but I’ve been hikin’ day hikes in these old ones all summer…. dance with who bring ya. Mule deer hunt. I’m stoked. Last did it 7-8 years ago and I clearly remember thinking, “damn, I’m gonna be like 58 years old next time I get this tag! Hope I can still do it!”

Well guess what, past self. 58 year old me can out-hike your punk ass into the GROUND! 😎. Plus I got my 25 year old pack mule daughter who carries heavy packs in the wilderness for the gubmint coming along to experience it. Gonna put her to WORK! Now I just need to not hork a shot and ruin hunting for her… heh heh… no pressure.

Child's play terrain...

Keep trying hard bud, glad you found yourself at almost 60...

More likely wearing crocs or open-toed sandals to go with his stick legs and liberal belly girth.

Don't make any mistakes, straggler.

Hope you have a fun trip with your daughter Jeff! That's great she's going with you.

Jeff you bailed right away on your super hunt again. What a weak loser. Your daughter must admire a patriot like you. lol

Bump for an old thread..

After trying scarpa kailash and hanwag tatra.. both wide…

Found the LaSportiva Raptor 2 mid gtx on clearance..

They dont fit as comfy as my hokas, but pretty darn close…


Put 13 miles on them today trying to make mt leconte..

Is the ultraventure pro discontinued? I see it available in several places but not listed on the topo site unless I’m just overlooking them.