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Re: [at-l] Footwear and trailrunning

Well, another lurker bites the dust.  I'd like to add some comments to
this thread on footwear.

Years ago, I met a backpacker on the AT who used both running shoes and
hiking boots.  He told me that he if the day's hike was more uphill than
down, he wore the running shoes and carried the boots, and if the day's
trek was mostly downhill he wore the boots.  I don't recall which he
preferred when the balance was about even.

My own hiking experience during the past 10 years has mostly been day
hikes and a few 1-5 day trips in the mountains and desert of Big Bend and
also in southern Arizona (the Huachuca mountains and desert near Bisbee,
Toomstone, and Sierra Vista.).  During these hikes I've generally used a
variety of running shoes with good success.  There main advantage for me
was 1) light weight and agility, especially going uphill into the
mountains (sometimes scrambling over rocks, but never snow/ice) 2)
comfort -- no blisters, etc. since I also wore these same shoes daily for
casual dress and activities like biking, walking around town, etc.  The
main disadvantage seems to me to be in lack of protection from 1) thorns
(as in cactus and other desert plants) and 2)  nicks and twists when
going downhill on loose rocks, where the lack of ankle support exposes
you to getting banged by loose rocks, or having the foot twist out due to
the gravel/rock underneath giving way, with the possibility of twisting
the foot/ankle due to lack of support.

Now that I've moved East (near Boston), I'm considering hiking sections
of the AT, as well as Vermont's Long Trail, and I plan to use running
shoes on some weekend backpacking trips here.  If they continue to work
out OK , then I'll probably stick with them for a longer outing.  Of
course this is for trails without snow and temps above freezing.  I
couldn't image using running shoes if one expected to encounter snow/ice
or freezing temperatures during the day.

By the way I'm 6', 200 lb. +.  My pack weights have not been over 45 lbs.
(and usually much less) when using running shoes.

---Terry---

On Tue, 24 Mar 1998 18:36:37 -0500 Frank Webbe <webbe@fit.edu> writes:
>	For the first time, a couple of weeks ago I wore my trail 
>running
>shoes on a section hike.  My reason was that I am trying to find a
>combination of shoes and pack weight that works for me.  My feet 
>always
>sweat buckets no matter the outside temperature.  Given that, I want a
>show/boot that minimizes the heat build up and causes the least skin
>friction/irritation. My closet has a lot of failed experiments in it.  
>I
>had this current brainstorm when I was day hiking in Zion NP last 
>November.
>On one morning I wore my boots on an 8 mile hike.  That afternoon I 
>wore my
>running shoes for a similar hike (lots of elevation gain and loss).  
>After
>the morning hike my feet felt assaulted.  After the afternoon hike 
>they
>felt fresh.  I also was flying up and down the mountain in the running
>shoes compared to the boots (leather Raichle Spirits which I really 
>like).
>So, I tried the trail runners on a section in the Nantahalas over 
>spring
>break.  I hadn't expected the cold, cold weather or all the snow, but 
>the
>shoes were fine.  I wore an OR mountain light gaiter to keep junk  out 
>of
>the tops.  My feet got a bit damp, but less so that if they were 
>sweating
>in the boots.  I had no traction problem except on ice, but that would 
>have
>been equally with the boots on.  My feet and legs felt fresh.  I was 
>not
>carrying much weight, about 25 lbs from the skin out.
>	I don't know how the shoes/feet would hold up under an 
>extended or
>thru  hike but I'll probably try this combination on a longer section 
>this
>summer.
>
>	Standing on the soapbox, now - delete if you want.
>	Regarding the thread on running the Trail, I can't think of a
>better environment.  I run on trails for the same reason that I hike 
>them;
>I love being closer to nature.  If you have never run trails you have 
>no
>business pontificating that the environment is somehow being "abused" 
>or
>that the runner is missing out somehow on the magic of nature.  I do 
>no
>more damage running than hiking and I am equally aware of and in full
>appreciation of my environment.  I am more likely to stop for vistas 
>while
>running because I don't have the onus of taking off and putting the 
>pack
>back on.  The disadvantage is that I can't stop for the night anywhere 
>I
>want since I would not try to run with even ultralight backpacking 
>gear. I
>have not run on the AT but it is difficult for me to envision how I 
>could
>possibly degrade the Trail or someone else's enjoyment of it - unless 
>that
>is, their own prejudices stimulated negative emotional states.  
>Something I
>have no control over.  I don't know where this haughty attitude arose 
>that
>frowns on running the Trail, but it smacks of the kind of social
>intolerance that many of us want to escape. I think that we can all do
>better than that.
>	Soapbox mode off.
>
>Frank in Palm Bay, FL
>
>
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>http://www.hack.net/lists *
>

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