One of the big reasons I wear fairly heavy boots is that the sole of the boot prevents the rocks from beating the snot out of the soles of your feet. I've never regretted wearing a 'too heavy' boot like I have wearing a 'too light' boot and ending up with horribly aching feet after pounding rocky terrain doing a lot of miles.
I hear ya. Only reason I'm a big fan of lighter weight footwear though is for more breathability. Which in the desert where I am keeps my feet drier and less prone to blisters.
This depends quite a bit, or is related to the weight you are putting on your feet. Someone who weighs 110, 120, or 130 is going to experience this sort of problem much less than someone who is 180, 200, 220+. Lighter footwear is fine for me (130 lbs) even in rocky conditions. It probably also depends to some extent on your walking style.
The Hiking Boot has been seeing some backlash/ridicule from the ultra crowd in recent years - pitched as an overkill item. I completely disagree - high cut boots, both lightweight as in those used by Military ( ATAC 511's ) and more heavy duty waterproof versions for snow and wet weather - are absolutely perfect for their given circumstance and or environment. I've got a pair of 7 Hole, mid calf high, 511's that feel as light and roomy on my foot as any trail runners. They offer max support but also suit the terrain and environment I live in ... tall grass and bush with spikes, burrs and stinging nettles as well as Snakes. The mid calf Hiking Boot negates the requirement for Gaters and offers snake protection ( Australia ) and support without the weight penalty suggested. Shop around folks ... boots doesn't have to mean mean clunky.
I've hiked hundreds of miles in Merrel sandals. They required some restitching on both sandals. They were super comfortable. The problem is that long twigs can jam your toes badly. I broke my big toe's nail off under the skin where the nail grows and it won't seem to grow back on its own. Off to the foot doctor I guess, to have my nail yanked off.
I love sandals when hiking BUT REALLY hate debris getting inside, but over crossing is fun and relaxing on your feet and just let your feet breath but yeah you have to be really careful or you can really injure your foot
Altra Lone Peak Mid have much more durable Duratrac Outsole instead of Maxtrac of the Low-Cut Lone Peaks. For Backpacking you can go for Low-Stack like Altra Superior or higher stack with comfort and adjustable support like adidas Folgian Hiker. Something Special for Backpacking is the La Sportiva Akyra with an STB-Concept for Ultra-Trail-Running which Supports Backpacker as well. Against Sharp Rocks or roots you should wear e.g. Superfeet Carbon as the Akyra has no Rockplate underneath the midfoot like the prefered La Sportiva for Hikers the Bushido/Bushido II. E.g. the Topo Trailventure has a Rockplate from heel over the midfoot towards forefoot to protect against sharp rocks and roots. The Outsole is the brand-new Vibram XS Trek EVO. Better wet grip, which is most Important as the Former XS Trek has critical low wet rock grip performance. There is an Mid-Cut-Modell of the La Sportiva Ultra-Raptor announced for 2021. La Sportiva FriXion White-Outsole is defined as the nearest to adidas Continental Outsole-Rubber regarding grip on wet rocks and roots. The Ultra Raptor is the model with FriXion White Rubber. The La Sportiva Wildcat 2.0 is also an Thru-Hiker model. Same concept Like the Ultra Raptor but different upper - extremly breathable - and the Outsole is FriXion Blue, which means awesome durability. FriXion Red of Akyra means FriXion Blue and FriXion White in a Dual-Runber-Composite Outsole. The Bushido/Bushido II is also a FriXion Red-Model but has plenty of FriXion White as Core of the Outsole, while on the edges there is FriXion Blue-Rubber. Akyra is Blue for the Core and the Front- and Rear-Rocker is FriXion White. Traversing with the Wildcat 2.0 and Ultra Raptor is perfect. Nearest to that get the unknown Haix Eagle Adventure and Athletic-Models. The Dual-TPU-foam-midsole compensates uneven ground. Traversing is smoother compared to other shoes. Most agile and undestructable the Voelkl Delta/Safari. Also available as Low-, Mid- and High-Cut labeled as Gaston J. Glock, www.gastonglockstyle.eu/footwear.html Sympatex HIGH²Out Climate System is very interesting. Works even at heat and your socks kept drier than in any other shoes as the linning is hydrophile. The Safari High here like the Delta High for the Austrian Army are without Sympatex but the 3D-linning keeps the socks also drier than in any other shoes. Voelkl Delta High for Austrian Army are Multi-Climate Boots. Don't compare it with Alt-Berg Defender MKII. Voelkl Delta/Safari are defined as the Most agile Shoe/Boot for Outdoor, Hunting, Police, Army, Ambulance, Fire Brigades, etc..
High ankle support and heavy soles will not make for a more stable option when hiking with a heavy backpack. Quite the opposite. Typically heavy boots like these have a sole that are somewhere between 20-30 mm thick and very often without zerodrop. This will make the probability of a sprained ankle higher than with a lower sole. To be fair it is even counterproductive given that these boots weigh more and thus add more weight that you effectively carry around. You want to have strong ankles and fairly low shoes so that the body can compensate fast enough in case of a roll over. Traditional hiking boots help with neither. I've spent more than 7 years hiking. The first 2-3 years with traditional hiking boots. Carrying sometimes upwards of 80 pounds. Ankle support inhibits free movement and really isn't sturdy enough to prevent roll over. I've had some serious sprains happen in the field when on week long hikes in the far north of Sweden. I switched to lightweight barefoot hiking shoes and boots, carrying the same load without a single sprain in 4 years. Now. You still need to work that ankle strength up before going head first into barefoot hiking but having developed that strength I can tell you that I will never ever wear traditional hiking boots again.
My girlfriend and I have been hiked a couple times around Broken Bow Oklahoma and loved it! We're actually going on our first real hiking trip in late August to Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. I'm looking to upgrade from my huge, hot, and heavy hunting boots that I've used the few times I've been hiking. Any recommendations on good shoes for the terrain out there?
Awesome! You'll love it out this way. For dry southwesty and hot hikes I usually recommend a breathable low cut boot like the Breeze from Vasque. But I also like using trailrunners a lot, like the Timpanogos from Altra.
@@BackpackingTV I'm a barber and I've had a couple of my clients recommend the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator. Do you have any experience with that model? Also were planning on hiking the narrows in Zion. Would a low cut hiking boot or a trail runner be good for that too or should I also buy some Chacos or similar shoe from another brand?
Loving these vids thx. How would define the breathable ankle boots (I assume these cannot be waterproof?). What would u google or ask for in store. Ie not vortex but... ? Thx!
Perhaps a crazy question ... Those "Toe Shoes" from Vibram. That encapsule each toe, has anyone had experience using these? As a camp shoe, hiking in wet conditions? Dry conditions?
“Ankle support” doesn’t come from boots or any shoe. Ankle supports comes from having a healthy body, and you get that from walking barefoot or with minimal “support” so that your body can do what it’s designed to do.
This video really narrows down what kind of shoes to buy. I'll be hiking in the area of Northern Cascade in Washington. Trying to decide if i should wear the high cut Gore Tex waterproof boot or the Ultra. Any advise on which one to get.
We just got back from hiking in Pisgah National Forest with my Altra weatherproof mids and my legs and knees are destroyed after many miles (5 plus) of hiking down hill in rocky terraine with a 34 pound pack. Every time I stepped down onto jagged rocks, the sole flexed in and was killing my arches and feet and now I have some bad knee pain I am nursing that caused us to get off trail early. I want something with a stiffer sole, that will not flex as bad and protect my feet and arches better. What are your thoughts on this?
"Benefit of zero drop shoes" Well your feet are "zero drop". So this is the wrong question. The real question is "what are the problems caused by elevated heels that have no reason to exist". So the "benefits of zero drop" are that simply your foot functions like it's meant to and you don't get the drawbacks of elevated heels.
I'm always surprised that hikers in general seem to have a blind spot when it comes to boots built for military use. I can only speak for the particular ones that I wear on occasion but they are quite light, breathable, have solid gold ankle support while also allowing you to be nimble, and are bulletproof (not literally) in hard scrub and around snakes.
i know right? my altama desert combat boots have been absolutely wonderful, no clue how many miles are on them and they were my daily wear for a nature park internship.
Hey Greg! Happy to see you are hungry for MORE!! We're releasing the VLOGs every 4 days...so you can expect the next one on Friday! :) Though, to be fair we didn't do a video on the descent, but we get straight into some more NZ goodness!
Arguably, ancient soldiers didn't sit on a couch and watch 4-6 hours of t.v. or internet every day like most westerners do. Most of us can walk 20 miles a day in sandals, but not without serious conditioning methinks.
Backpacking boots has nothing to do with goretex or high cut !! Its having an impact absorbing midsole for the extra weight your carrying .. blisters are caused more by carrying heavy loads with Solid rubber soles unsuitable for load bearing ,, iv learnt nothing here just bad advice0
One of the big reasons I wear fairly heavy boots is that the sole of the boot prevents the rocks from beating the snot out of the soles of your feet. I've never regretted wearing a 'too heavy' boot like I have wearing a 'too light' boot and ending up with horribly aching feet after pounding rocky terrain doing a lot of miles.
I hear ya. Only reason I'm a big fan of lighter weight footwear though is for more breathability. Which in the desert where I am keeps my feet drier and less prone to blisters.
This depends quite a bit, or is related to the weight you are putting on your feet. Someone who weighs 110, 120, or 130 is going to experience this sort of problem much less than someone who is 180, 200, 220+.
Lighter footwear is fine for me (130 lbs) even in rocky conditions.
It probably also depends to some extent on your walking style.
The Hiking Boot has been seeing some backlash/ridicule from the ultra crowd in recent years - pitched as an overkill item. I completely disagree - high cut boots, both lightweight as in those used by Military ( ATAC 511's ) and more heavy duty waterproof versions for snow and wet weather - are absolutely perfect for their given circumstance and or environment. I've got a pair of 7 Hole, mid calf high, 511's that feel as light and roomy on my foot as any trail runners. They offer max support but also suit the terrain and environment I live in ... tall grass and bush with spikes, burrs and stinging nettles as well as Snakes. The mid calf Hiking Boot negates the requirement for Gaters and offers snake protection ( Australia ) and support without the weight penalty suggested. Shop around folks ... boots doesn't have to mean mean clunky.
I've often just hiked in my Birkenstocks. A little slippy sometimes but oh, the comfort of support and breathability.
I've hiked hundreds of miles in Merrel sandals. They required some restitching on both sandals. They were super comfortable. The problem is that long twigs can jam your toes badly. I broke my big toe's nail off under the skin where the nail grows and it won't seem to grow back on its own. Off to the foot doctor I guess, to have my nail yanked off.
Some of the newer trail-running shoes have extra-breathable mesh uppers. These are my preference. With sandals around camp.
This is a great spread of different footwear! great video!
I love sandals when hiking BUT REALLY hate debris getting inside, but over crossing is fun and relaxing on your feet and just let your feet breath but yeah you have to be really careful or you can really injure your foot
Altra Lone Peak Mid have much more durable Duratrac Outsole instead of Maxtrac of the Low-Cut Lone Peaks.
For Backpacking you can go for Low-Stack like Altra Superior or higher stack with comfort and adjustable support like adidas Folgian Hiker.
Something Special for Backpacking is the La Sportiva Akyra with an STB-Concept for Ultra-Trail-Running which Supports Backpacker as well. Against Sharp Rocks or roots you should wear e.g. Superfeet Carbon as the Akyra has no Rockplate underneath the midfoot like the prefered La Sportiva for Hikers the Bushido/Bushido II.
E.g. the Topo Trailventure has a Rockplate from heel over the midfoot towards forefoot to protect against sharp rocks and roots. The Outsole is the brand-new Vibram XS Trek EVO. Better wet grip, which is most Important as the Former XS Trek has critical low wet rock grip performance.
There is an Mid-Cut-Modell of the La Sportiva Ultra-Raptor announced for 2021. La Sportiva FriXion White-Outsole is defined as the nearest to adidas Continental Outsole-Rubber regarding grip on wet rocks and roots. The Ultra Raptor is the model with FriXion White Rubber.
The La Sportiva Wildcat 2.0 is also an Thru-Hiker model. Same concept Like the Ultra Raptor but different upper - extremly breathable - and the Outsole is FriXion Blue, which means awesome durability. FriXion Red of Akyra means FriXion Blue and FriXion White in a Dual-Runber-Composite Outsole. The Bushido/Bushido II is also a FriXion Red-Model but has plenty of FriXion White as Core of the Outsole, while on the edges there is FriXion Blue-Rubber. Akyra is Blue for the Core and the Front- and Rear-Rocker is FriXion White.
Traversing with the Wildcat 2.0 and Ultra Raptor is perfect. Nearest to that get the unknown Haix Eagle Adventure and Athletic-Models. The Dual-TPU-foam-midsole compensates uneven ground. Traversing is smoother compared to other shoes.
Most agile and undestructable the Voelkl Delta/Safari. Also available as Low-, Mid- and High-Cut labeled as Gaston J. Glock, www.gastonglockstyle.eu/footwear.html
Sympatex HIGH²Out Climate System is very interesting. Works even at heat and your socks kept drier than in any other shoes as the linning is hydrophile. The Safari High here like the Delta High for the Austrian Army are without Sympatex but the 3D-linning keeps the socks also drier than in any other shoes. Voelkl Delta High for Austrian Army are Multi-Climate Boots. Don't compare it with Alt-Berg Defender MKII. Voelkl Delta/Safari are defined as the Most agile Shoe/Boot for Outdoor, Hunting, Police, Army, Ambulance, Fire Brigades, etc..
High ankle support and heavy soles will not make for a more stable option when hiking with a heavy backpack. Quite the opposite. Typically heavy boots like these have a sole that are somewhere between 20-30 mm thick and very often without zerodrop. This will make the probability of a sprained ankle higher than with a lower sole.
To be fair it is even counterproductive given that these boots weigh more and thus add more weight that you effectively carry around.
You want to have strong ankles and fairly low shoes so that the body can compensate fast enough in case of a roll over. Traditional hiking boots help with neither.
I've spent more than 7 years hiking. The first 2-3 years with traditional hiking boots. Carrying sometimes upwards of 80 pounds. Ankle support inhibits free movement and really isn't sturdy enough to prevent roll over. I've had some serious sprains happen in the field when on week long hikes in the far north of Sweden.
I switched to lightweight barefoot hiking shoes and boots, carrying the same load without a single sprain in 4 years.
Now. You still need to work that ankle strength up before going head first into barefoot hiking but having developed that strength I can tell you that I will never ever wear traditional hiking boots again.
I've heard this exact same thing.
Thank you! I am new to hiking, and this video was very helpful.😊
Great video! This really helped me decide on what shoe I am going to go for. Thank you:)
Glad I could help!
The problem I have is finding extra wide hiking boots /shoes.
Thankfully there are a few manufacturers out there!
Thanks for your comment, James! Having wider feet can definitely make it tricky, glad to hear you've found some brands that work for you though!
@@BackpackingTV
Thanks, I've worn New Balance and Dunham boots in the past and currently I am wearing a pair of Drew Rockford boots; size 10 4E
Great video! Keep them coming!
Lots more from this series coming your way, friend!
thanks. very good info when go for hiking😀
Glad to hear it!!
Balanced. Liking it. 🌻
I use my irish settler hunting boots (think they are the trail blazers) and they are the best backpacking and all around boots I have ever worn.
The Romans used to go from Egypt to England in socks and sandals, and you laugh at your father for that, shame lol
My girlfriend and I have been hiked a couple times around Broken Bow Oklahoma and loved it! We're actually going on our first real hiking trip in late August to Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. I'm looking to upgrade from my huge, hot, and heavy hunting boots that I've used the few times I've been hiking. Any recommendations on good shoes for the terrain out there?
Awesome! You'll love it out this way. For dry southwesty and hot hikes I usually recommend a breathable low cut boot like the Breeze from Vasque. But I also like using trailrunners a lot, like the Timpanogos from Altra.
@@BackpackingTV I'm a barber and I've had a couple of my clients recommend the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator. Do you have any experience with that model? Also were planning on hiking the narrows in Zion. Would a low cut hiking boot or a trail runner be good for that too or should I also buy some Chacos or similar shoe from another brand?
Thank you. Very helpful. Great job 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Loving these vids thx. How would define the breathable ankle boots (I assume these cannot be waterproof?). What would u google or ask for in store. Ie not vortex but... ? Thx!
Perhaps a crazy question ... Those "Toe Shoes" from Vibram. That encapsule each toe, has anyone had experience using these? As a camp shoe, hiking in wet conditions? Dry conditions?
“Ankle support” doesn’t come from boots or any shoe. Ankle supports comes from having a healthy body, and you get that from walking barefoot or with minimal “support” so that your body can do what it’s designed to do.
This video really narrows down what kind of shoes to buy. I'll be hiking in the area of Northern Cascade in Washington. Trying to decide if i should wear the high cut Gore Tex waterproof boot or the Ultra. Any advise on which one to get.
Great information!
Happy to be of service!
We just got back from hiking in Pisgah National Forest with my Altra weatherproof mids and my legs and knees are destroyed after many miles (5 plus) of hiking down hill in rocky terraine with a 34 pound pack. Every time I stepped down onto jagged rocks, the sole flexed in and was killing my arches and feet and now I have some bad knee pain I am nursing that caused us to get off trail early. I want something with a stiffer sole, that will not flex as bad and protect my feet and arches better. What are your thoughts on this?
awesome job guys!
Thanks Max!
What is the benefit of zero drop shoes and are they good for everyone?
"Benefit of zero drop shoes" Well your feet are "zero drop". So this is the wrong question. The real question is "what are the problems caused by elevated heels that have no reason to exist". So the "benefits of zero drop" are that simply your foot functions like it's meant to and you don't get the drawbacks of elevated heels.
Awesome video! Thanks.
Btw, I sure love wearing hiking sandals... and one of the reasons is
because I have ingrown toenails. 😔
great video usefull information
Glad to hear it, Jitendra!
Чувак, подключи субтитры, пожалуйста.
Тяжело только на слух воспринимать, хоть речь и понятная
I'm always surprised that hikers in general seem to have a blind spot when it comes to boots built for military use. I can only speak for the particular ones that I wear on occasion but they are quite light, breathable, have solid gold ankle support while also allowing you to be nimble, and are bulletproof (not literally) in hard scrub and around snakes.
i know right? my altama desert combat boots have been absolutely wonderful, no clue how many miles are on them and they were my daily wear for a nature park internship.
Mid boots, lower cut i find them perfect for me, not a shoe and not a full boot, I am expedition hiker (thru hiker)
Nice, Andy! Definitely a good compromise that doesn't too much weight for you.
In trying to look for boots or shoes that have the same style as the Five Tennies, do you know any?
I'm a big trail runner fan but I must admit I've been considering the sandal route for some time...
I love the sandals. But they're not for everything.
same
Badly badly badly stubbed toes cured me of sandals while backpacking. Around camp, fine, but for hardcore backpacking no bueno.
Thanks for sharing!
which model of the adidas boots was on the table?
Cool clip!
Old Rome Centurions prefer sandals all the way!!!!!!!!!
If Roman centurions can dominate the world in sandals, hikers can dominate the trail
I would avoid the sandals because of snakes too. Depends on your region!
I live in the land of snakes! Only close encounters I've had were in Australia though. Keep them toes!
what would you say about going in cowboy boots
I'd say yippee-ki-yay! Also proceed with caution;)
Blisters. At least for long-distance use.
WHERE IS THE HIKE DOWN THE NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND MOUNTAIN ??
Hey Greg! Happy to see you are hungry for MORE!! We're releasing the VLOGs every 4 days...so you can expect the next one on Friday! :) Though, to be fair we didn't do a video on the descent, but we get straight into some more NZ goodness!
whats the addidas boots
Hmm. I think they were a version of the Free Hiker but I'm not sure if they're still available.
what about sandals, with a toe box....
What type of sandals are those? (The model)
Chacos with the Z strap! These ones are old classics FYI.
Ancient soldiers would walk 20 miles a day with a heavy pack in sandals
Arguably, ancient soldiers didn't sit on a couch and watch 4-6 hours of t.v. or internet every day like most westerners do. Most of us can walk 20 miles a day in sandals, but not without serious conditioning methinks.
Chacos
For the win!
Cramp-ons? Jk
Well...we did do a video about microspikes awhile back 🤔Thanks for commenting Alanna!
Backpacking boots has nothing to do with goretex or high cut !! Its having an impact absorbing midsole for the extra weight your carrying .. blisters are caused more by carrying heavy loads with Solid rubber soles unsuitable for load bearing ,, iv learnt nothing here just bad advice0
blisters are caused by more than just being under a load. Moisture management is certainly among the top reasons for developing blisters.