OT - Hiking shoes

[Likes2ridefar]

Lacing techniques can significantly change the fit and feel of the shoe.

Using a heel lock lacing pattern makes the shoe really lock onto the foot and makes it feel like an extension of the foot for me.

[Dadoflam]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

I currently have altra Olympus 5 and am really liking their firm but dampened feel with excellent vibram sole.

Love my Olympus 5’s - done both The Camino (800km) and Larapinta Trail (250km) in them - the latter is considered to be one of the most brutal trails on footwear anywhere because of the constant sharp rock and stone.

Altras do still suffer from durability limitations- about 500 miles on rugged tracks seems to be the rule.

[jadmt]

Originally Posted by metalheart

Do th Topo's have a wider toe box than other shoes you have tried?

Yes they have a wide toe box

[nbl78s]

I haven't read the whole thread so if these have been mentioned I apologize... Altra trail running shoes are amazing! My daughter and I do a good 100 mile plus back packing trip every year and a guy at REI turned us on to these a few years ago. They felt funny when we tried them on but several customers at the store at the time vouched for them. We took a chance and have never looked back. Paired with a smart wool sock they are super comfortable, light on your feet, durable and grippy. I would not use anything else again.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by nbl78s

I haven't read the whole thread so if these have been mentioned I apologize... Altra trail running shoes are amazing! My daughter and I do a good 100 mile plus back packing trip every year and a guy at REI turned us on to these a few years ago. They felt funny when we tried them on but several customers at the store at the time vouched for them. We took a chance and have never looked back. Paired with a smart wool sock they are super comfortable, light on your feet, durable and grippy. I would not use anything else again.

The lone peak has been in my closet ever since the first version. It’s not always my first choice but it’s a good choice for almost anything.

[benb]

I want to like hiking shoes even as daily walk around shoes because they promise to last a lot longer than most athletic shoes. I pretty regularly hit 7500-10000 steps and I wear out soles on a lot of modern shoes frighteningly fast. The uppers will look brand new and the soles will be shot.

But I have had nothing but bad luck. The two most recent pairs I've tried have been the Merrell Moab 3 (low) and the Oboz Sawtooth X. Both seem comfortable at first but seem to cause issues over time. Something about the Merrell's hurts my back. The Oboz give me a ton of ankle pain, orthotics or no orthotics. The Sawtooth X ankle pain is frightening it is so bad.

I think it's something about them artificially stiffening the shoes to try and make them behave like boots even though they don't have the higher upper.

One of the things that makes me think this.. I have a bare of Merrell Moab 2 Boots and a pair of Oboz Bridger Insulated boots. Both have been excellent for me for years and years and cause none of the issues. At some point I probably need to try getting some non-insulated/non-waterproof ones like the Merrells in a boot length and try wearing that day to day. Both the pairs I have right now are just too hot almost all the time.

[YesNdeed]

Scarpa Ribelle HD. Late last year, I found myself trying on 3 pairs from the REI 30% off rack, ranging from least expensive to most. Oboz, La Sportiva, then the Scarpas. Wow, WOW! Everything about them is amazing. My hiking is on pause from all the snow and now mud, so they're still in the break-in phase. But they blow my mind every time I use them.They're pretty rigid boots, but for hiking "shoes", Scarpa would be on the top of my list.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by bikinchris

I like my Oboz boots. The real bottom line is you need to go to a good outdoor store and have them fit you.

I've got three pair of the Oboz...low walkers, midheight and winter. The winter boots have amazing grip, as do my Mizuno goretex winter trail shoes. They must use a different tread compound to provide decent grip on ice!

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

I’m asking specifically why. ‘Ankle support’ or ‘stability’ from footwear is largely not real. You can still roll your ankle in a boot. Ankle protection from a boot in specific environments however is real. I.e. protecting your ankle from scrapes and cuts.

The most effective way to support an ankle is to strengthen or rehabilitate the ankle in the case of a specific injury. If full rehabilitation is not possible something like a figure of 8 ankle brace is going to be far more effective than a shoe ever would be. And that can be worn in a trail runner. There’s a reason 95% of people long distance hiking are wearing low top trail runners.

I disagree with this. I've rolled my ankle and boots with ankle support definately help. Having bowed legs, I'm more prone to rolling an ankle than others.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by MikeD

I disagree with this. I've rolled my ankle and boots with ankle support definately help. Having bowed legs, I'm more prone to rolling an ankle than others.

Hiking poles and trail runners will serve you far better. High cut boots protect from impacts and will provide very minimal actual ankle support.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

Hiking poles and trail runners will serve you far better. High cut boots protect from impacts and will provide very minimal actual ankle support.

No, they won't. Medium cut boots work best for me. I don't like hiking poles but do use them for sketchy terrain.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by MikeD

No, they won't. Medium cut boots work best for me. I don't like hiking poles but do use them for sketchy terrain.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3943374/

Results

No significant differences were observed between the various types of shoes in the maximum ankle inversion angle, the ankle inversion range of motion, and the maximum ankle inversion angular velocity after foot contact for all conditions.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3943374/

Results

No significant differences were observed between the various types of shoes in the maximum ankle inversion angle, the ankle inversion range of motion, and the maximum ankle inversion angular velocity after foot contact for all conditions.

That article is hardly conclusive. In my situation, my ankle is part rolled anyways. If you've got perfect bone structure, that's a different case. How is using a low cut shoe going to help anyway? I see all sorts of stupidity out there with people wearing crappy tennis shoes with no grip, no support so the toes hit the end of the sneaker, flexy soles that hurt the foot, etc. I'm not talking about hiking on easy terrain either.

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3943374/

Results

No significant differences were observed between the various types of shoes in the maximum ankle inversion angle, the ankle inversion range of motion, and the maximum ankle inversion angular velocity after foot contact for all conditions.

You tried.

[quattro]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

The lone peak has been in my closet ever since the first version. It’s not always my first choice but it’s a good choice for almost anything.

If you like the Altra lone peak, give the Topo Athletic Pursuit a try, much better made shoe, my opinion and the opinion in this attached YouTube video.
https://youtu.be/fUUYw05wPWo?si=QHUfisum3sheJwP9