I'm just venturing out a couple miles. No jungle, no rainforest, no alpine switchbacks. Do I really need big ole ugly boots or am I allowed to wear my Yeezys and Jordans?
Are hiking boots a meme?
I'm just venturing out a couple miles. No jungle, no rainforest, no alpine switchbacks. Do I really need big ole ugly boots or am I allowed to wear my Yeezys and Jordans?
the more distance and / or elevation you have the more comfortable you'd be in hiking boots.
but small day hikes most of the time trail runners would be fine
Every long distance hiker is using trail runners. It’s literally the opposite of what you said.
no the only people doing that are ultra light people. you're wrong
??? No. I mean actually go on some through hike trails and look at what people are wearing. It's runners, almost exclusively. At most some like Salomon's or merells.
yeah people doing day hikes and curated trails (which aren't much different from a comfy side walk) wear trail runners like I said but if you're doing a lot of elevation or going long distance i.e. multiple days which will require heavier gear the more you'd want boots
No dipshit. Thruhikers are wearing trail runners. You’re a homosexual who’s never been hiking. Your opinion doesn’t count for anything and is basically just noise. Elevation has nothing to do with footwear either.
>No dipshit. Thruhikers are wearing trail runners. You’re a homosexual who’s never been hiking. Your opinion doesn’t count for anything and is basically just noise. Elevation has nothing to do with footwear either.
Like big campfires, big trucks, big fish (i.e. dazed farm fish dumped into the water by a truck the day prior), and big burgers, big boots are an American white man staple.
They literally cannot conceive of a piece of gear nor any article of clothing being ideal if it isn't the equivalent of a Ford F-450 with seat warmers in its category.
Obviously, your boots must be as heavy and thick as possible, totally waterproof, fully insulated, and the tread deep enough to boil water in, with a steel plate to protect soft white man feet from small stones or (gasp) close contact with the outdoor environment.
It's much the same thing as when European explorers were wearing thick-ass textile clothing or even wool in deserts, jungles, etc.
MFW I like big burgers and you do too (you ain’t got to lie).
Ah, the legendary Ferd Fteenthousand.
I like a good big burger I've made. I literally never go to cancerburger joints anymore.
I'm an American white man myself, and not a self-loathing one, but I am self-aware. The urge to go full white man and load up on the best and most expensive equipment to go birdwatching must be recognized for what it is and resisted.
Thru hiking is irrelevant
>if you're doing a lot of elevation or going long distance i.e. multiple days which will require heavier gear the more you'd want boots
>n-no! You can’t mention thruhiking even though it’s an exact example of the imaginary scenario I made up but have never done!
Are you ok?
Not that anon, but thru hiking isnt the same as long distance off trail. There's plenty of shit I wouldnt bring on the AT that are an absolute necessity for even a weekend of off trail hunting/exploring, and boots are no exception. No part of a generic thru hike is going to put me innaswamp or onnaglacier.
Jesus christ the autisim in this thread greatly exceeds the base level PrepHole bullshit. Different tools for different jobs.
>Jesus christ the autisim in this thread greatly exceeds the base level PrepHole bullshit
Lmao agreed
Should I quote where she said “long distances and elevation gain” again, or will you just keep ignoring it and insist that the extremely rare exceptions disprove the rule?
Not a single argument detected
There’s no argument needed when someone simply contradicts themselves. He said boots are required when there’s elevation game and mileage. I pointed out that long distance hikers who gain a lot of elevation don’t wear boots. What more can possibly be added to the argument?
I mean yeah, we can move the goal posts and start talking about off-trail hiking (which is separate from distance and elevation) but then I can point out Skurka’s Great Western Loop or his Pfiffner Traverse yo-yo, both of which were done in trail runners.
From his Great Western Loop article:
>Mid-June and July: Northern California, Oregon, and Central Washington (2,000 miles)
>Snow persisted at the higher elevations throughout this portion of the hike, especially in Oregon and Washington, which get massive amounts of snow and where thick tree canopies block snow-melting sunshine. I got hit with several cold and nasty rainstorms, including on Mt Hood and in Goat Rocks Wilderness.
>massive amount of snow
>cold and nasty rainstorms
/Out/‘s retort
>you need boots when it’s snowing and raining
>trail runners won’t work in those conditions
>I pointed out that long distance hikers who gain a lot of elevation don’t wear boots
But this isn't true
You pointed out a fringe group of people who only technically go long distances. While resupplying mailing this home etc
That is an exception not the rule
>I mean yeah, we can move the goal posts and start talking about off-trail hiking (which is separate from distance and elevation) but then I can point out Skurka’s Great Western Loop or his Pfiffner Traverse yo-yo, both of which were done in trail runners
Only goal posts being moved is you thinking q fringe group of people who don't use boots can be universally applied
Thousands of people do it. That’s a pretty good sample size. And you didn’t say why it works for them but wouldn’t work for others. They don’t resupply more often than anyone else. Basically you’re only option is to LARP about some epic multi-week adventure into the wilderness without resupplying that you’ve never done (and would be much more fringe than a thruhike).
Thru hiking is still fringe compared to the wider hiking world
Your concession is accepted
Still havnt posted shoes lmao. Enjoy your couch hikes.
idiot
have you ever been on a thru hike? 95% of thru hikers wear trail runners. the only people who thru hike in boots do so for one very specific reason, which has nothing to do with anything any boot gay has ever said on this board:
the only reason a thu hiker ever wears boots is because boots last about 2,000 miles and the north america thru hikes are about 2,000 miles. the only people who thru hike in boots do it solely to avoid having to plan buying or mailing themself trailrunner pairs along the way.
you'd know this if you ever did a thru hike.
>steel plate
ironically, trailrunners wind up being a lot more protective than boots because they have full carbon plates or half plates that take 1000+lbs to put a nail through and most boots puncture around only 180lbs with a standard deck nail, about the same as a normal pair of sneakers. the highest i've seen is like 220lb.
Quoted the wrong post. These are the two who have demonstrated that they're more experienced
If you are seeing people you are doing it wrong. If you actually push deep into wilderness you are going to want something between the world and your feet.
Couple of weeks ago I was touring around the mountains. While doing a hike that started below the treeline to acclimatise, I mistook a game trail for the path I was following. I ended up several dozens of meters below the trail, blocked in by dense trees and shrubs. Had to bushwhack my way up a steep slope at a snail's pace. What I'm trying to say is: anyone saying shit like
>hurr durr real men hike off trail
is a fricking LARPer. I was glad I was wearing my mountaineering boots at the time, though.
Rare examples of people on PrepHole who clearly do real shit in the outdoors. Too many covid tourists do Alltrails/Facebook/Reddit-tier hiking and try to pass themselves off as experts.
gays. Fat / strong thick people typically want sturdier shoes (boots), cause we don't mind the extra pounds on our feet and 'trail runners' flex, twist, give too much under our girth. gays.I've done both, for 20 miles a day.
>obese whitoids require special shoes to avoid injury due to nutrient deficiency from consuming nothing but snacks and fast food, get on our level gays
Yeah, we know. Except that ankle support doesn't do anything (and may in fact actually cause harm, but we'll leave that for now), so in reality your Ferd Fteenthousand boots are just a placebo.
The reason you think you need bigass hiking boots is much the same as the reason why Europeans refused to stop wearing heavy wool clothing when they landed their ratboats in a tropical or subtropical zone.
THat's, like, just your anecdotal opinion, man. go frick ankle support If youre so obsessed with it. Tie my boots, b***h.
Bullshit. When I am bushwacking thru swamps, scree fields, snowfields, crossing creeks etc...I need more than just a tennis shoe. You seem moronic.
nonsensical post
runners >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> boots for scree fields and crossings
only poors and noobs sperg about boots vs runners. what kind of a poverty chump can't afford a pair of boots and a pair of runners? there's only a debate to be had if you're poor.
are runners the thing in
those look homosexual as frick anon, I wouldn't be caught dead with those on my feet
on the other hand boots look cool
if you have money to buy both the only sensible choice is to buy two pairs of boots
>doesn't know what trailrunners are
oh so you've never been hiking yet. yeah they're running shoes but with carbon plates and aggressive outsoles. almost everyone wears them on trail. once you start hiking you'll see them a lot. boots are a lot less popular on trail, most people use them for off trail and winter only.
>looks homosexual
yeah its so if you drop your shoes off a cliff or something you can find them later. function over form. hikers and backpackers don't really care about what they look like. its actually come in handy for me a few times. losing my shoes/boots on a section hike a hundred miles away from civilization in the shoulder season here will kill you.
>caring what you look like in the woods
ye they might not be the best for impressing other zoomers on the gram. they're made for hiking long distances and rugged terrain, not fashion.
>function over form.
then why aren't they neon orange with reflective bands? why are the soles color coded like they do with toothbrush marketing?
its a chicken and egg scenario if aesthetically appealing to yuppies or being high vis came first. but at the end of the day almost every trailrunner offers at least 1 colorway in actual hi vis colors like orange etc.
no need for reflective bands. take a flash photo of any trailrunner sometime. they're already covered in it.
lmbo
>runners >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> boots for scree fields and crossings
>ignores swamps and snowfields
>moronation confirmed
not a factual statement. Have you ever actually been /out?
You need rubber boots for snow and swamps. And you need scuba fins for diving. There is no perfect shoe for every single scenario there is if you go ourdoors.
>You need rubber boots for snow and swamps.
nah. When I am bushwacking in the backcountry of the N. Rockies I come across all sorts of different conditions in the same day...a good boot
will get you thru all of it. tennis shoes...er..."trail runners" will not. Everything else is cope
Boot laces collect snow and boot membraines start to leak after a few years of heavy use. There is not better shoe than rubber boot if your feet are going to be constantly under water.
>Boot laces collect snow
only if they are exposed lol.
>membraines start to leak after a few years of heavy use
i'll worry about that in "a few years".
>constantly under water.
but thats not the case. Conditions vary from minute to minute, mile to mile.
The average PrepHole poster rangers from slightly autistic to severely autistic. As such, they will always point to exceptions in an effort to disprove the rule.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
All discussions about gear devolve into Whataboutisms. If you’re talking about hiking, isn’t the assumption that you’re not bushwhacking through a swamp? Wouldn’t that be a pretty extreme edge case? If you’re discussing tents, some homosexual will invariably claim that it’s not fit for winter. This happens in August, btw. “Oh a hammock? Well you can’t use it above tree line! Ha! Now we got ‘em!”
Pointing out exceptions doesn’t mean they “won.” It means they didn’t understand the conversation. And I suspect that anyone who takes this approach to hiking gear (that is, a one-size fits all solution) doesn’t have any experience.
>If you’re talking about hiking, isn’t the assumption that you’re not bushwhacking through a swamp?
if you've actuall been out then no...the assumption should be that you encounter a lot of different conditions, terrain etc...while out.
if you just want to walk on a flat, well beaten path...sure tennis shoes might work. But i almost never do that. I hike the mountains...and as such need footwear that can handle all the various conditions I encounter.
It always amazes me that people just go on the internet and lie.
>hiking in swamps
>I hike in mountains
Uh…
>there are no well worn paths in the mountains
Umm…
>what do you mean people hike off trail in runners? It’s impossible because
>it just is, trust me
But yeah, most people hike on trails most of the time. We all go off trail occasionally, and no one believes your nonsense.
>It always amazes me that people just go on the internet and lie.
in swamps
>>I hike in mountains
So...you have never been out. I am not talking Florida swamps but there are many areas of wetlands, bogs, springs, ponds, snowfield runoff etc in the mountains...that are very wet and require decent footwear to navigate around and/or thru. Even designated trails become quite wet and muddy with t-storms runoff and creeks crossing the trail. Thats just summer...try spring. There is a reason they call it mud seasom around here.
You seem moronic. Its almost as if you are talking out of your ass and have never actuall been out. shocker.
>my feet got wet! My hike is ruined!
Hahahahahhaha!
>moronic sperging cope
says it all.
Sounds like a perfect enviroment to use rubber boots. Mud can be easily washed away and your feet stay dry no matter what.
nah. rubber boots dont fit as well as actual hiking boots. My foot slides around inside which is not good.
You think your foot will not slide around if you buy too big boots?
i mostly hike in the mountains, so i prefer a trailrunner because they offer much better footing and are much better suited for steep incline. do you usually take the switchback routes or go straight up? that might play a factor. i hike more alpine style, self sustained and i do a lot more miles in a day than most people.
yeah its super obvious
the place i do like 80% of my bushwhacking these days, my home turf is called the "alpine lakes wilderness" its also one of the higher rainfall parts of the world. its not easy terrain, most people suggest you spend several years off trail practicing somewhere easier like the rockies before you try going off trail here because its known for being particularly treacherous, and a few of my climbing buddies won't come here because they're afraid lol.
>that are very wet and require decent footwear to navigate around and/or thru
ye which is a huge advantage runners have over boots. maybe you had a brain fart or something but it goes without saying that plastic bags are more waterproof than the stitching and glue seams on a pair of boots. bags can also be secured at the top so that spillover is not an issue unlike boots. they can also be shaken and then air dried in reasonable times in most weather in most regions on most days, unlike boots. frequent water crossings in cold weather, in particular are an example of situation i would rather go barefoot than wear a boot, but a trailrunner gives a big advantage.
t.speaks from the experience you pretend to have. prly backpacked as many years as you've been alive too.
well yes, there are different conditions. a trailrunner is better in a scree field. a hiking boot is okay in a swamp. a rubber boot, as anon pointed out, is even more ideal in a swamp. if you're not poor its possible to own multiple forms of footwear and plan according to your trips.
weird bro. i never had any trouble with trailrunners in the rockies when i lived in colorado & alberta but i spent a lot more time on the south side than the north end. i've been ALLLLLLL over the America side of the rockies. i take runners over boots the vast majority of times in the cascades, i see everyone else doing the same thing, and its never really a problem for anyone. most people generally agree trailrunners are way better suited for mountainous terrain except when elevations get super high alpine territory. maybe its a you problem since it seems to work just fine for myself and pretty much everyone on the planet who hikes except a few autists with their heels dug in on PrepHole.
>if you're not poor its possible to own multiple forms of footwear and plan according to your trips.
lol. and bring them all with you and change as condtions warrant.
>weird bro.
>my ancedotes, assumptions and assertions prove you wrong
lol. ok skippy.
>my ancedotes, assumptions and assertions prove you wrong
ye they do because they're real
unlike the anecdotes you were posting
>most people generally agree trailrunners are way better
>source- my ass
citation needed.
its called planning your trips
>citation needed.
go hiking and look whats on people's feet
>its called planning your trips
lol. So...only go on hikes where you wont experience a range of conditions and terrain. Do you realize how moronic you sound?
>go hiking and look whats on people's feet
I do. Thats why I am incredulous to your assertion. Almost everyone has boots. Even more so with hunters...no hunters in trail runners lol.
idk dude ive done month long backpacking trips in the southern rockies and had no problem with runners. only time i had something go south the guy in boots actually had to get airlifted out because he slipped while we were traversing fallen trees from a recent forest fire and got impaled from his calf to his knee cap by a branch.
no you havent. You've never even been out. Quit lying.
See how that works?
>See how that works?
it doesn't work when you do it because i'm backing up your lack of experience with evidence
there's no possible way you've been bushwhacking mountains for years and have all this experience but never heard of using a membrane between your socks
the bread bag thing is older than time
>the bread bag thing is older than time
now that you mention I do remember doing that as a kid in winter...but footwear hs come a long way since then and now my footwear is good enough so that I do not need to resort to using plastic bags lol.
hm weird every mountain expedition gear list i've ever seen has waterproof socks or membranes on it no matter what footwear is worn. i'd assume everyone else brings them, since i see them on every list, and its not just a "me" thing.
>every list
I just scanned several list...none of them mentioned waterproof socks...or plastic bags lol
https://www.alpineinstitute.com/media/712133/denali-equipment-list-2020.pdf
read the list again it has intuition liners on it
>intuition liners
>moldable foam liners for mountaineering boots are the same thing as "waterproof socks" or plastic bags
really.
ye neoprene is the most common waterproof liner people use because its more breathable. bread bags are the nuclear option. nothing in nothing out. neoprene makes way more sense for denali because sweat is your enemy on a cold endurance slog like that.
same task, different tools. bread bags are more often seen and used to keep dry in warm to fall weather for things like swamps or whatever. when sweating doesn't matter. and you see neoprene socks gore tex socks and ski boot liners on mountains because sweaty feet means missing toes.
Imagine not being white.
Imagine waking up every day with poop colored skin.
bros talking about ugly skin when his race looks like this
>picture of white guy
>still dark and angry
>only teeth and eyes visible at night
>t. Brainlet
maybe reddit is more your speed
Oh yeah, Reddit. The place where people have their shit together, lives in order, and free of mental illness and psychotic behavior?
Wow 1 quick browse and dudes rocking Land Cruisers and other trucks out in the sticks. Meanwhile this board is like "wut pocket knif is bestist?????"
glad you don't like it :^)
I actually made an account after I realized PrepHole is a fricking shit hole of shit talkers that wouldn't dare have a name ever attached to their post history
I know you didn't ask, but as for myself? I'm doing fricking great at life and look forward to blocking this site out entirely
Go on then, shoo.
upboat and gold kind stranger. my wife agrees too.
>and look forward to blocking this site out entirely
We look forward to you doing that as well
Not like you weren't a Reddit infiltrator anyway
Cope!
I'm a free speech absolutist. I used to post in boomer boards, but I fell off the normie internet some time ago. I sure do miss survivor's sks boards. The autism was real there. Good autism. Comfy autism.
>Oh yeah, Reddit. The place where people have their shit together, lives in order, and free of mental illness and psychotic behavior?
I hope you are being facetious anon
>thinking post history is something that matters
you clearly belong there moron. Have fun we won't miss Black folk like you
asian-level reading comprehension
I've been here longer than you, cooof tourist. Fricking moron claiming boots are more comfortable for longer distances and expecting to not be called on hos stupidity.
The outdoor subs on Reddit are way, WAY better informed and more experienced than this place. People post here for two reasons: they can talk about moron-tier and super autistic shit that would get them laughed off of a normie platform, and because we can post off-color humor (like calling each other moronic double Black folk) that would otherwise get us banned.
>he can't even stop returning
rent free
what environment are you in? you can carry water resistant socks like rockys goretex sock. a bunch others out there.
>rent free
Did you just read a random meme on PrepHole and decided to try it out? What exactly is living rent free in my head? Reddit? Someone brought it up and I explained why it’s better in some ways. PrepHole? You’re a moronic double Black person because I explained that as well, and again, that’s the subject someone else brought up.
>double Black person
Quit using this forced meme. It was cringey enough the first time. You double moron.
Fried chicken grease fingers typed this post
Jokes on you, I'm eating watermelon rn
SHOWL IS GUD
>double Black person
>forced
stinky scummy newhomosexual detected that meme is almost old enough to vote
And you recommended water resistant meme socks? Holy shit bro, you really should swing by r/ultralight and pick up some basic info.
why don't you go there then? you redditors always say that reddit is better, maybe you should go back?
kind of sad that /r/ultratwink predditors look like badass mountain man chads by comparison to the tweenager ren faire clowns on PrepHole these days. three letter boards have always been shit but this is the worst one.
Yes, we hurt your feelings.
We knoe
Fricking clutch response lmao. All the replies seething at this made it ten times better too.
Haha. Those other gays would feel more at home with the literal trannies who post about their dayhikes on Reddit.
To this troony's credit, at least "she" had enough sense to wear a sturdy pair of boots.
That troony probably fantasizes about Dix a lot.
She probably hiked Giant, Dix as her first two Adirondack 46ers
>she
>her
>day hikes
>is actually mountaineering expeditions, thruhikes, hiking firsts, FKT’s, and epic cross-country treks
It sucks that the moderation is so heavy that it becomes an echo chamber, especially with regards to gear. People can’t be called out on their moronic bullshit. It also makes it pretty boring. Plus the format doesn’t lend itself to memes. I haven’t seen any poz in the relevant subs, but I don’t bother with normie stuff like r/hiking. The specific subreddits have their merits; the “Lol Reddit bad” stuff is just a /misc/ meme because the general subs really are filled with trannies and gays and assorted weirdos.
If I was looking for metrological info on the abrasive resistant properties of various types of material for a backpack I’m making, I’m certainly not asking the forum that has a continuous thread about smoking a pipe outside or one populated by people who think ankle support is a real thing.
>or one populated by people who think ankle support is a real thing.
>because the general subs really are filled with trannies and gays and assorted weirdos
So it's exactly like PrepHole then?
wheres my cute troony hiker gf?
Jesus christ did this hit the nail on the head. The unrelenting asshurt is exquisite
U really only need hiking boots if you are carrying heavy loads or anticipate you're going on rough ground
If you're just out for a walk or short hike all you need is comfortable foot wear.
So what constitutes short/ long distance? Is that line drawn at 14.734 kilometers? 11.004 miles?
And then I need to go for uncomfortable shoes?
I don't get this logic.
That’s really up to you to decide. Personally if I’m doing >10 miles in a day or if I’m carrying my backpacking pack rather than a day pack then I go with boots over my runners. Really I prefer my boots all the time, but I wear my runners to try and build up them ankle stabilizers. It’s your personal call on when to do one rather than the other.
yeah this its a personal preference thing if u like boots or runners better don't listen to the homosexuals on this board.
if you don't know your personal preference and lets say hypothetically you're brand new with 0 gear GOOD NEWS! footwear are consumables that wear out quickly PrepHole so you will have plenty of chances to find out and experiment with what works for you in this hobby!
here's what i always tell ppl:
- if you got old running shoes you don't mind beating up just use those for a bit
- go in person to get sized or read about how trailrunner/hiking boot sizing works & actually measure your feet don't go off "im usually an 11"
- step 1: buy a pair of trailrunners and put like 150-300 miles on them.
- step 2: buy a pair of boots somewhere between when the runners are at 50-100% of their estimated lifespan 150-300 miles.
- step 3: congrats now you probably have a pretty good idea of which one you prefer when for no additional cost per mile than hiking normally is.
>So what constitutes short/ long distance?
elevation change. if you're going up/downhill all day or multiple days you need shoes that are sized up simple as.
Depends on two factors, how much weight you’re carrying and how uneven the terrain you’re walking on is
They are a meme. The "need" for ankle support is a complete myth, and the heavy weight of hiking boots arguably hurts more than it helps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pochteca
Pochteca wore fiber or leather sandals to carry loads all across the Aztec Empire, entirely on foot. They ranked right below the noble class.
Trail runners are ideal. They are virtually identical to road runners, but with heavier soles and deeper tread, which is helpful, because let's face it: we're not Aztecs.
>Are hiking boots a meme?
For you? Yes. For everyone else? No.
Ngmi
Get a pair of Saucony
I didn't need them when I recently hiked upwards of 1000 feet in a mile in normal sneakers. But I suppose they're good for really long hikes.
Hiking boots only seem to make sense for the cold, or for hiking through thick bushes/thorns.
Just copped these. Did I make a mistake?
>Just copped these. Did I make a mistake?
Yep.
A huge problem with waterproof big-ass boots is that they don't breathe, and that's a problem because damp socks, boots/shoes, prolonged dampness against your feet, etc. are a constant and real threat when actually PrepHole for any length of time. Better to allow rain and stream water to soak non-proofed footwear. You'll have to rinse/wring out and dry them out either way (waterproof = feet and socks stew in their own stank).
But you're probably a nature stroller, so they'll be fine.
Well, what would you recommend for winter camp/hike boots? I find so many fricking conflicting answers that it's damn near impossible to get a straight answer from anyone.
>dont get waterproof or else they get wet inside from sweat
>get waterproof or else they'll get soaked if any water gets on them from rain/rivers
>get insulated or else your feet will freeze
>dont get insulated or else your feet will get too hot
Also, screw you buddy. Nothing wrong with being a nature stroller.
>Also, screw you buddy. Nothing wrong with being a nature stroller.
Correct. If more people realized this, the board would be a better place. It's when nature strollers imagine themselves to be snake eaters that we run into difficulties.
In MY opinion, insulated, waterproof hiking boots (with thermal socks) are for snowy conditions, and absolutely nothing else. At that point, you do need the protection and insulation, and stank is an inevitability. Note that this is also true of the European wool clothing I mentioned in my earlier analogy.
Otherwise, it's better to bend with the wind, like a reed. Allow your footwear and feet to get wet, then rinse and dry them at the earliest opportunity. Your feet can stay wet for hours if your footwear is breathable; in some conditions, you can even let the footwear dry on your feet. Always clean and dry them and your feet by day's end, though.
I've mistakenly stepped in duck grass beside very small streams and ended up ankle-deep in thick, wet mud. While wearing road runners or trail runners, this isn't a big deal; you simply step into the water to mostly rinse them out, and then later you rinse them properly and let them dry, which will happen fairly quickly.
Waterproof boots will keep the mud from squelching directly into your footwear, except they are now caked in mud and you have stank inside, anyway, so they will still need to be cleaned. And the mud may go well up over your calf.
Don't fall for the memes. Big, heavy, abrasive, non-breathable boots are miserable. Use them only when you must.
>Don't fall for the memes
Your mean like trailrunners?
just were flipflops
>Easily cleanable
>Fit don't soak/dry within minutes
>winter
Black person do you own a calendar? Slow down.
Part of it is that you're looking for one perfect set of footwear to match all conditions. This is impossible.
A pair of trail runners is good for 3 seasons; heavy, waterproof, insulated boots are good for 1. Choose depending upon which you'll be doing first/most.
Actually, hiking sandals are far superior to trail runners, as they're even lighter, more breathable, rinse more easily, dry almost immediately, and can still feature tough, deep tread.
The Romans (who also had full-coverage shoes; that isn't a technology they lacked) figured this out thousands of years ago and used them to march literally billions of miles.
The one downside to sandals is that your piggy-wiggies might get scwatchy-watchies and you do have to empty pebbles out of them the most often.
first sentence is correct.
to cover most bases in winter i'd say non waterproof trailrunner, waterproof boot, and mountaineering/warm waterproof boot.
just buy what you need as you need it as trips come up.
>waterproof non waterproof demystified
bad idea on shoes because the physical design of shoes isn't conducive to waterproofing so you gain all downsides no upsides.
good idea on boots, as long as the boot itself is designed well. you have to limit pace in cold sometimes to avoid sweating.
non waterproof or ventilated boots niche is mostly as a trailrunner replacement for people who dislike runners.
>insulated boot?
>non?
just depends what you're doing bro. non insulated is more useful and versatile, but when you need an insulated pair you need an insulated pair.
gotta min/max to YOUR winter 🙂
any questions feel free to ask.
Guess I just don't want to buy 3 different pairs of shoes since I'm trying to keep this within a reasonable budget. Realistically, I'm not going to be doing a lot of pure wilderness camping. Gonna try a primitive campsite for the first time to ease into it. I'll probably do more sitting around, doing light bushcrafts, cooking and maybe hiking for a few hours. What would I be looking for? Ideally, something that I can use in general colder weather. Not particularly snow, but just colder weather. Fall/early Winter type cold. Also, what brands do you recommend?
1 pair of trailrunners will do everything most people on this board are actually doing. they go for $50-100 and can be bought on sale.
the other 2 pairs are only needed if you're winter backpacking or hiking denali and mt rainier or something.
at the end of the day pretty much all options you have for footwear cost the exact same $ per mile. runners are cheap and last a couple hundred miles. boots are expensive and last like 1000-2000 miles. you only need multiple footwear if you're really into outdoors and its only upfront cost since footwear are consumables not gear.
I got those 3 years ago on clearance as well. They are not the best long distance boots in terms of comfort, but great for smaller hikes and day to day stuff when its raining or snowing out. And so far they have held up great and shown little damage.
I'm planning a trip to hike in colorado in mid September. 5 days, less than 10 miles per day, no camping (sleeping at a hotel/motel each night).
Do I need hiking boots for this? I ordered https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KWK8V72/ . Are these going to be shit because they're waterproof?
>tried the non-waterproof shoe meme
>every time I get them wet from literally anything, even dewy grass, my feet get red and INCREDIBLY itchy that night then start peeling a day or two later
>use waterproof boots
>feet get incredibly hot and sweaty, but have no problems caused by it
What is wrong with me?
normal running shoes are fine for pretty much anything other than mountains with steep grades honestly.
the main reasons/differences with a actual trail runner shoe is better grip in wet/mud, they're going to fit right for declines (you're supposed to size up hiking shoes, can hurt your toes if you do massive declines in true to size shoes) and puncture resistance if you step on anything (carbon plate vs no carbon plate)
so ya just use your old running shoes.
>other than mountains with steep grades honestly.
Why would they be bad for mountains with steep grades? I've scrambled fine in running shoes.
its not that they're bad its that trailrunners are better.
the specific reason is because your normal running shoes are sized tts which will give you black toes if you try to ever do long distance endurance stuff in them downhill. that and better grip.
also keep in mind boot waterproofness is not to be relied on, you want to continue wearing either bread bags, gtx socks, or neoprene socks under them like a non waterproof shoe in wet conditions.
see it as an extra layer of defense.
Answer: no
Mountaineering boots only have two advantages: they are rigid and they are warm (if insulated).
As for trail-running shoes, plenty of them are waterproof and some even have integrated gaiters. I recently did the Mont Blanc with a pair of Salomon XA Alpine 2 (crampons were Grivel Air Tech). They have the aforementioned disadvantages, but honestly unless the route you're taking is extremely technical this won't matter.
I backpack wearing Mammut Taiss Light GTXs. They’re comfy as frick and waterproof, which matters in the early and mid season in the Sierra.
They’re like as light as the trail runners the other guys I go with wear, and my feet don’t get wet.
I have read all the ankle support memes, and I have actually noticed my ankles not getting twisted due to having boots on a couple times.
They’re expensive, but so light that I think I’ll keep buying them after they wear out. They’ve got about 80 miles this year and will finish it with maybe 100. I’ll get a couple years with them.
Why do people just ignore the mountain of evidence we have by way of thruhikers?
>we’ll I’m not doing a thruhike
Yeah, you’re doing way less than they are.
What's your point? OP isn't doing a thru hike.
Something with decent traction is preferable. That being said I really like my high top hiking boots because I can barrel through brush and not feel it at all. Same reason I'm insistent on wearing pants no matter what even though I live in a warm area. Nothing is better than walking through a bush and being unimpeded.
game over baby bear i tracked your cairn building ass since you left to the city park 5 minutes ago now slowly drop these fricking stones and move your asss asap back to your moms basement
Depends on your feet. Flat footed people can really suffer with the wrong shoes. my knees get fricked up if i wear big boots though. I just did a 20km hike up and around a mountain in Stan Smiths. The only bother was that paths were slightly wet so my grip was terrible, in those cases i just walked 1-2m off the path through the brush. I hike a ton, also through hiking, and the best for me is flexible soles with a wide front half of the shoe so my metatarsals can splay out naturally. Over the years, these types of flexible sneakers and barefoot walking have bulletproofed my feet and ankles. Doesn't work for flat footed people though, they're better off with ankle support. Really depends on your anatomy.
>be me
>me about 20-30 friends are going to have a party innawoods.
>wear hiking boots for walk through fields to woods+party innawoods
>clunky and uncomfortable
>have another party innawoods
>wear leather chelsea boots
>they’re literally fine
>comfy
They’re a meme unless you’re in conditions that are likely to damage your shoes.
I exclusively wear barefoot style shoes so I got some barefoot hiking boots
We shall see how they hold up on longer treks but so far they're the most comfortable boots I've ever owned and I can't imagine going back to clunky heavy tradboots
>clunky heavy tradboots
Well, it's a good thing that boots have evolved since the 1990s. If only some of the posters here got the memo.
You probably look really hot in those at least.
Those look interesting. Are they zero drop? I just started wearing Altra Lone Peak 6 shoes, which are zero drop and my first time trying zero drop shoes. They really give my calves a workout after hiking. Pic rel, my shoes.
They are zero drop, yes
Kek I don't know if you're trolling with that pic but you should lose some weight
I'm trying
You have got to stop posting pictures of yourself bro...
Doin good chief!
Namegays can burn in hell, but you're an okay dude. Keep on keeping on.
You're alright. Don't post on PrepHole tomorrow
I don't post on PrepHole ever.
Thanks
Is asking if something is a meme a meme?
Baffin still have good quality?
I hike in these unironically
You can do most walks in most shoes. The difference a good pair of boots makes is reducing your chances of picking up blisters, wet feet, a twisted ankle, a stubbed toe, fricked up shoes, or any of a million other things that can make hiking a miserable experience. It's really for you to decide if you're just strolling around the trails - I would recommend them.
Also regarding the moron talking about waterproof boots, just ask yourself whether you want your feet to get wet every time you walk on dew/step in a puddle/it rains
>Also regarding the moron talking about waterproof boots, just ask yourself whether you want your feet to get wet every time you walk on dew/step in a puddle/it rains
The answer is that yes, you do, because it's far preferable to cultivating a bacteria-rich sweat swamp inside your waterproof boots.
I've used waterproof boots in the past. That is why I'm adamantly opposed to them now.
When waterproof boots do get wet, for example when you rinse them out because they smell like the inside of a cat's butthole or get rained in overnight because you left them outside your tent (because they smell like ass), it will take an absolute eternity for them to dry.
I walked through a stream today in my trail runners. Do you know how I dealt with that? I didn't do anything, because they were dry an hour later as I continued walking.
Also, I own a couple pairs of wading boots. They aren't waterproof; water is allowed to saturate the boots as well as a neoprene sock or wader bootie that then insulates your feet, just like a diver's wetsuit.
I can wear wet wading boots all day and be fine, because water and/or air is allowed to circulate through them. It's not trapped in there to fester as with waterproof boots.
There are some situations where waterproof boots are preferable to other types of footwear, but there aren't many of them.
Late May, early season in the Sierra, we did about 15 miles (8k-10k ele). Obviously lots of snow melt and creek crossings. Two guys had trail runners. Rest, goretex boots.
I'll let you guess who froze their fricking feet off.
That you walked through a stream today is indication that you're east of the Rockies, where no mountains exist except across the ocean. Weak.
>I'll let you guess who froze their fricking feet off.
I'll let you guess who has stated several times already that waterproof, insulated boots are good for cold-weather conditions.
Mind you, if those two goons had worn neoprene socks with their trail runners, they would have been fine. I know this because I've waded through freezing-cold streams in neoprene socks and wading boots.
No doubt you instructed them to start wearing big, bulky, smelly white man trail tractors, just like the Native Americans used when they ranged the Sierras.
>That you walked through a stream today is indication that you're east of the Rockies, where no mountains exist except across the ocean. Weak.
None of the mountains west of the Rockies even place in the top 10 worldwide in terms of elevation, and only a portion of one range in the continental US (it's not the Rockies) barely scrapes in at number 9 in terms of overall size of the range.
So, congratulations. Your great big mountains are only footnotes on a global scale, best known for adorning shitty beer cans, but they're bigger than the old hills across the way and that's what matters.
>None of the mountains west of the Rockies even place in the....
Eastern flatlander confirmed.
>No doubt you instructed them to start wearin
My boots weigh ~670g a piece (just weighed one). Just don't be poor, and you can have nice things.
They make more than me (we're all early 30s, $100K+), so they can afford them, but they watch too much youtube. And we only backpack once a month in season.
>They make more than me (we're all early 30s, $100K+), so they can afford them, but they watch too much youtube. And we only backpack once a month in season.
They're definitely not the only ones who watch too much YouTube.
You're on PrepHole flexing over your salary, shoes, and clothes like a TikTok hypebeast, and yet even now I'm entirely sure you don't realize how cancerous you are or that you don't belong on this board.
Anyway, I thank you for posting that, because now PrepHoleists with brains will realize that your "advice" regarding boots is hypebeast-tier.
Don’t get mad. Get better.
>$100k
>”flexing”
That’s not even middle class in California.
>That you walked through a stream today is indication that you're east of the Rockies
>Eastern flat lander confirmed
Americans hate Californians because of this snobbish attitude.
>Americans hate Californians because of this snobbish attitude.
no one mentioned California. are you... dare I say, obsessed?
Americans don't go outside far enough to even understand the mountain criticism. 99% of Californians don't even go outside.
Mostly right.
Like a trans woman thinking about his dick VS a womans vegana, he is definitely obsessing over California for a similarly perverse reason.
How much are you sweating you fricking ape
Try changing your socks more than once a month
I made a thread earlier this year about crossing creeks, to see if people took their shoes and socks off to cross or just left them on and got their shoes wet. A lot of people have bad opinions and stick to them. It’s sad/funny.
Take shoes off and year saddles or go bare to cross creeks
>I made a thread earlier this year about crossing creeks, to see if people took their shoes and socks off to cross or just left them on and got their shoes wet. A lot of people have bad opinions and stick to them. It’s sad/funny.
I leave mine on, because bare feet have little to no traction, even with some callus; and even in a small creek, a slimy rock can instantly dunk you right into the drink (and possibly break your wrist, etc.).
The last time I slipped while wading, my thumb got compressed fingertip-first into some rock at the bottom with no give, and ached for a full two months. It must have been very close to breaking.
There is a lot of LARPing here, but I definitely have been fishing since childhood, and I've definitely been wading around creeks, streams, and rivers for a long time in all sorts of footwear, or none. I know my opinions are correct because I've learned that they are through direct experience.
"Take my shoes and socks off" is absolutely never the correct answer, for a variety of reasons, traction being one of the most important (but not the only).
Same, but the thread was very decisive. Shockingly so, really. It was a stark dichotomy. There were level headed, experienced people who had reasons why they kept they shoes on, and I’ll-informed, inexperienced children claiming we must get blisters when we do so. It’s a very strange thing to be told that your lived experience isn’t true.
Hey I remember your larp thread. It outed you and half the board as larpers.
>Go out hiking
>Remember my advice from PrepHole, wear ordinary shoes that get wet in a puddle
>Don't worry, anon said it would dry out quickly
>Remember I don't live in the desert
>Remember it's cold at night
>Remember it can rain
>Realise I now just have cold wet feet from now on because I trusted some ming mong on the internet
>go out hiking
You have to do that first
its most likely he never did go outside because its basic intuitive common sense not to sleep in the socks you hiked in all day. i refuse to believe anon is that stupid. anon didn't think through his bait very well so his anecdote is nonsensical. drugs/schizophrenia.
You just replied to a post about walking through a stream with this:
>Remember I don't live in the desert
>Remember it's cold at night
Aside from the fact that there are no streams in the desert, deserts also get cold at night.
You thought I was going to look like the dumb one here, didn't you?
>If the label says Gore-Tex(TM), my things and I will always stay warm and dry!
Frick off, bong dayhiker. You aren't even allowed to go camping on the scrap that's left of your empire.
You think it’s just this place saying that? Do you think it’s only people here doing it? How sheltered are you? Do you just have a casual, passing interest in hiking?
Lmao
I can't say I've ever taken one single tidbit or piece of advice of any kind on this shit hole of a website
Let’s change that: check out the Packa. It’s the best rain gear out there.
Frick off Skurka
https://andrewskurka.com/review-packa-rain-jacket-poncho-pack-cover/
Seethe more
newbies/10
>Remember I don't live in the desert
>Remember it's cold at night
remember you're supposed to bring a different pair of socks to sleep in morons.
this has never been an issue for me 15 years of winters in the cascades you're just braindead teens.
These are my boots. Waterproof/resistant is a meme, especially inna Florida swamps. Your feet WILL get wet, and the water WILL top your boot. Instead of walking around with buckets of swamp water and sweat on your feet they drain and dry right out.
Ive got a set of light mesh trail shoes for hiking trails with my more normie friends, but never in a million years would I be off trail hunting/bushwhacking in them.
Different tools for different jobs.
I (boot-hating anon) agree with you entirely. This is what a non-hypebeast opinion actually looks like.
If you're going to be trekking through heavy underbrush, tough thorns, etc. that can actually cut you and damage light shoes or even pull them off, it is good to have protection. Take tough boots with coverage, perhaps even calf- or knee-high boots if you think you'll need them, but not waterproof boots.
If you're going to actually be trekking through real snowmelt, freezing-cold small streams, etc., then you may opt for waterproof and optionally calf- or knee-high boots. However, in many use cases, a setup with a neoprene sock will serve you better. Trust this anon and disregard the hypebeast. I fish freezing-cold streams all winter and the water touches my skin the entire time, through neoprene.
If you're going to be mucking around in marshy or swampy terrain, you get a good pair of muck boots. If you're going to be in swampy or marshy terrain that is also cold, you get muck boots with neoprene booties.
If you're going to be wading, you use wading boots and neoprene socks/booties.
Frankly, though, you only wear any of the above when you absolutely need to. In general, use as little as possible, up to and including barefoot (although modern wussies like us lack the lifelong callus to go full-blown native).
Take some deep breaths with those sea level lungs.
You haven’t experienced elevation, uphill hiking, descending, granite. Your SpongeBob boots may suit you in Bikini Bottom, but they don’t work in the mountains or backcountry.
You can hate on boots all you like for the McDonald’s tier stuff you do, but that McDonald’s palette doesn’t give you the taste to critique the finer things in life.
>that McDonald’s palette
why do Americans always say palette instead of palate? a palette is what a painter uses
cuz youre a Black person
Stop larping troony and you both need to go back
Actual boots
Actual swamp.
Please do not wear trail runners in this.
You will upset snek or get poked by submerged wood
>Please do not wear trail runners in this.
Homemade wanderlust walked the entire Florida trail in trail runners lel.
Noooo! You can’t point to real world examples!
Wow, that's actually super impressive. As a Floridaman one of my goals is to do the entire trail. I've done more than a few portions that were rough, and they were barely even a trail. It doesn't get a lot of support/maintenence.
Theres a whole lot of florida that isn't the trail though, and kicking shit through saw palmettos to a turkey hole with trailrunners isn't my first choice.
Lose weight fat ass
Lmao post boots you larping homosexual.
This ain't reddit. Lose weight you fat frick
Imagine being so mad about a post of 10 size boots that have some miles on them. You can just wear trail runners and stay on the path lmao.
These look like the marching boots I'm wearing here with minor differences but they're very similar to mine:
I don't understand why this is being argued. Marching boots were made for hard use.
dont listen to these people.
hiking boots are worth it. if you wear shoes with no tread your going to be slipping with every step weather you know it or not. when you slip your wasting your potential energy.
if a pair of sneakers get you out there, sure, you can use sneakers for hiking. but no, its not good.
I hike in military cadet boots. They're really cheap and so comfy for the price. Never had an issue with them.
My Altra Lone Peaks are starting to separate from the soles after only 400 miles. I see dumb little kids wearing Altra’s these days. Hokas look gay. Are Solomon’s the last frontier?
how did they do it bros
>we didn't send them the boot memo
is this why they fell?
Those sandals are closer to the jungle boots of today. Drain easy, protect/support the ankle, durable AF.
Also they were around the Mediterranean, not the urals.
we need to tell them to avoid these mountains
Unironically got crushed by boot wearing Germanics
>dies of gas shortage
>army unable to mobilize for war
>has no boots to supply troops
https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-army-will-100-billion-make-it-strong/a-60996891
are all those Muslim citizens actually going to go to war once Russia gets there or will only white cishet men get drafted to protect the most precious part of the population?
Whenever I see people wearing boots they look like morons who don’t know what the frick their doing and picked up whatever gear was on sale at Walmart.
That’s basically everyone in Europe (who really don’t know what they’re doing). I always assume that everyone on PrepHole just like to garden and smoke pipes, and maybe fish occasionally. No one here really knows much about hiking, as evidenced by the lack of hiking OC.
And whenever I see people wearing trailrunners, they always look like smug douchebags who only hike for ego-based purposes, and rush to their destination without understanding or appreciating nature much. See, I can stereotype too.
Yeah but you only see them online because you don’t actually go outside.
What about boots with ultra-thin soles, for the barefoot experience?
Trail runners for 95% of hiking. The armchair hikers and various LARPers should never be taken seriously. Only time I’d wear a boot is when I’m working on a job site where you actually need to protect your feet or hiking through miles of muck and swamp. If you’re crossing a creek, take your socks and liners out to keep them dry. If you’re walking in snow deep enough to posthole your feet are going to get wet regardless of what you’re wearing, I’d rather be in trail runners that dry faster. Every pound on your feet is 3 pounds on your back. Whenever you think about taking advice from just remember it’s usually some boomer who’s 50 pounds overweight and might go out once a year for a 5 mile day hike. Go 30 miles from a trailhead and check out the gear those people are wearing, you’re not going to see boots or dumbass milsurp or tacticool gear
>t. Long distance hiker
Also Altra’s are getting to be shit tier and they’re getting worse about honoring their warranty, I’ll go with Solomon’s next. Merrels are shit. A guy on trail with me got Hokas for his newest pair of shoes and they seem alright
Do you have any pictures of you actually going outside or is it all stock images. No need to reply; I know the answer.
Boots were good enough for our militaries past and present so they're good enough for me.
Do you eat MRE’s and getting fricked in the ass by your squad members too?
No I just hike in cadet boots made for marching. They're comfy, breathable, cheap, waterproof and give plenty of ankle support. These lasted me 4 years of heavy use. They were finally put to rest after being soaked in honey multiple times which damaged them because of the acid in honey it ate through them. I bought another pair for $80. Never had a more comfy boot.
I’ve been using Lone Peaks since the original clown shoes came out. I replaced my 4.5’s with 6’s in like February of this year. The noticeable differences are a different lacing that creates more pull over the instep, and larger vents holes (presumably for water). I haven’t noticed any more wear on the lugs of the forefoot, which is a common issue with zero drops since the design biases toward a heavier forefoot strike. Some people say that’s a problem, but maybe it isn’t for me since nearly all of my shoes are zero drop. I’m in the south and most of my hiking is on trails; the terrain here isn’t exactly jagged rocks, and when I travel I’m not doing anything too daring. If I was in Pennsylvania or something a shoe with a beefy rock plate might be better.
Also this:
>Go 30 miles from a trailhead and check out the gear those people are wearing, you’re not going to see boots or dumbass milsurp or tacticool gear.
Good post. These are my Lone Peak 6’s I got 3 weeks/400 miles ago. The soles are already starting to separate. Altra supposedly covers this under warranty but we’ll see. There’s guys on trail who’ve worn Lone Peaks for over 10,000 miles of hiking, pair after pair. Would be nice if they threw in an extra pair of liners with every pair of shoes. But with those 800% margins it might be asking too much
>Altra supposedly covers this under warranty but we’ll see.
They will cover you with no hassle, because you're a serious hiker.
Many manufacturers use this profit model now. They rely on casual users to buy the majority of their products; these casual users barely use them, and so they never claim the warranty. Serious users do claim the warranty and it is always honored, because that means serious users use their products.
Example: General contractors buy Craftsman tools (made in China), break them, and just get them replaced under warranty again and again and again. Craftsman doesn't mind at all, because they make 90% of their money from Joe Homeowner who uses his drill once per year.
This, by the way, is an EXCELLENT tool for spotting PrepHole LARPers. They are casual users and know nothing of their consoomed products' actual longevity/ruggedness.
Sounds like a piece of crap shoe that will fall apart a few miles in.
A good pairs of boots won't do that
It won't, but that's about all it has going for it, unless you're going mountaineering or have found a reason to bushwhack instead of following the trail.
The people who posts opinions like this are just noise. A trail runner Chad is talking about how the changes of the shoe lacing affected how it pulls on the instep and how zero drop shoes lend themselves to forefoot striking, while a boot wearing virgin is just saying “lol sounds like these are bad.”
people here used to hate trail runners as much as rock stackers what happened
They're decent for day hike but if you're doing distance or elevation you'd want boots
The Covid tourists got bored and left.
The user base got dumber and the differentiation of information became less nuanced. Posters with brains can tell the difference between parroted opinions and real discernment.
>photo of a pile of rocks on a mountain top
>out newbie opinion: “Fricking rock stackers get the rope!!”
>real hiker opinion: “Hey that’s a useful cairn to stay on trail in these high alpine routes”
>photo of a rock stack beside a creek 1 mile from the trailhead
>out newbie opinion: “Fricking rock stackers get the rope!!”
>real hiker opinion: “Fricking rock stackers get the rope!!”
A broken clock is right twice a day nah mean?
I agree with this. Whenever I go in a coffee shop and see a herd of opulent casuals wearing $800 worth of Patagonia and Northface gear I scowl at them but subtlety appreciate them subsidizing my gear
They presumably got tired of arguing with self-assured trailrunner chuds who come off as authoritative dickheads despite having practically zero hiking/outdoor experience beyond normie-tier tourist paths full of dudebros and Instagram bawds. Basically poseurs who think hiking a few dozen miles on the AT constitutes a proper backcountry experience.
Why do we never see people talking about their epic off-trail adventures?
Because the board is full of larpers and trail hiking casuals who only go on normie-tier hikes with tons of photos and beta online. They couldn't navigate their way out of a wet paper bag either.
Why would anyone larp about going outside? LMAO
Just open your front door and start walking in a random direction. If you're a citygay, pick a bus or something, I don't know. No one can possible be so much of a lardass that they'd consider hiking larpworthy, right?
t. Poorgay that just uses whatever footwear I'm comfy in until it breaks apart.
Whenever someone makes a thread about their adventure and shows pics it is either ignored or turns into a flame war about the person being a LARPer or that their country is shit for PrepHole or that they're poor, or really anything you can think of will be thrown at the person.
As I said here
there's an argument to be made that this is the worst board on the entire website.
>>As I said here
I'm starting to think this board is one of the worst on the website. There seems to be more people here who have lost their objectivity than in any other board. there's an argument to be made that this is the worst board on the entire website.
So you're presenting us with an argument that there's too much arguing? Heh.
I would call all of this bickering "food for thought." It at least gets people (including me) thinking critically about their choices, questioning their assumptions, and maybe seeing from different viewpoints, rather than assuming HIKING BOOT BEST THING or TRAIL RUNNERS BAD BECAUSE VLOGGER USE or MUST HAVE $600 TENT or $600 TENT ONLY FOR REI gayS.
So if your goal is to get definitive answers, as is often the case for outdoor newbies (absolutely nothing wrong with that), then yes, this is the worst board. But if your goal is distill something (possibly) useful from a mess of argument, which in my view is helpful to journeman or even master outdoorsmen who think they've had it all figured out for years, it can be good.
Real experts almost never agree with each other, and there are some experts here.
It's kinda shit though and it's why no one posts up their adventures of their gear because it's just not worth it that's what I'm saying to those anons. It isn't that we don't go out it's that there's no point posting it here because If you post in the wrong shoes that is focused on and mocked. If your gear isn't suited to everyone's specific opinion of what you should have that is focused on and mocked. As an example 12 months ago I made a thread about exploring the great dividing range of australia where I went out for 3 weeks and the entire thread devolved into how australia is shit for PrepHole and how we don't have mountains here compared to wherever those people lived in and how it doesn't snow in australia when I had pics of me in the snow lmao. People weren't aware of the most basic things and argued that it couldn't be where I said it was. The thread was a fricking disaster and turned me off ever posting my trips here.
These people aren't experts man they dont even know the climate of different countries.
>worst board on the entire website
/misc/ /PrepHole/ /b/ PrepHole are far worse. PrepHole is probably on par with PrepHole in terms of quality. PrepHole has better content but is even slower, probably because most of those activities have a higher barrier to entry than casual trail hiking or camping or sharpening knives
This board doesn't come close to PrepHole
I said PrepHole not PrepHole
Bravo Vince
There must be at least one janitor here because I was recently temp-banned for posting a hentai image
>can't ban obvious troll posts, off-topic posts, or spam posts
>can ban people for: using the n word, anime, calling others gays, and other staples of PrepHole culture
But of course.
Yup, my other ban was for saying Black person a few years ago
Pretty much. The rest of this website is diamonds in a pig trough ad lib but this board fails in that regard because every outing is a unique experience. The threads and sub discussions of gardening and mycology are quality, but you’re exactly right about everything else. Everyone here is angry and it doesn’t even have an element of humor to it. I blame boomers, LARPers, gun nuts, virgins, wannabe’s and confidently incorrect manchildren
>confidently incorrect manchildren
That's an apt description of the trail runner advocates on PrepHole
But also this. If you don’t need the validation of people agreeing with you and are willing to sift through the bullshit you see posted here you can accentuate your tastes and methodology. There’s stratospheres of discourse on this site. Replying to idiots lowers you. Remember that there are some people who sit on here all day every day waiting to have some visceral disagreement on the internet. Shit style and no substance. It’s the nature of this platform
Cry about it
>there's an argument to be made that this is the worst board on the entire website.
this must be the only board you visit because not only this is hands down the best board still standing, but all other hobby boards show much later stages of this. /tg/ has "you don't play games" and the same kind of arguing where people shit on the game you play or claim your campaign is made up. The only threads where everyone goes along is fetish threads with anime shemales; PrepHole doesn't even have literature conversations anymore, it's just a mix of /misc/ and /PrepHole/ and there's a dozen active triptrannies constantly chasing attention. The reason is zoomers. It's not the election tourists, those have left. It's just that zoomers found this site eventually and this is how they think, like catty women on their periods.
its because everyone who actually backpacks, thru hikes, mountaineers, or whatever you consider badass posts on reddit, backpackinglight, rokslide, social media, and websites like that instead of this shithole.
this board is shitty outdoors console wars.
Glad we make you seethe so hard :^)
There are more real adventurers on PrepHole than here - scuba divers, sky divers, mountain climbers, mountain bikers, etc.
Anything beyond a post talking about someone’s first trip ever will be ridiculed as not good enough. Do a 50 mile hike over 4 days and you’ll be told that it should have been longer, or the terrain isn’t that hard.
The entirety of PrepHole want to be a big fish in a small pond. I’m just here to call people Black folk and homosexuals without being banned for life or having my posts deleted.
>I’m just here to call people Black folk and homosexuals
Black personhomosexuals like you are the problem
Just stick to plebbit homosexual.
What part of “call people Black folk and homosexuals” is confusing to you?
I don't give a shit plebbit tourist, go back.
Clutch.
>go call people Black folk on Reddit
Why are you even here?
>people here used to hate trail runners as much as rock stackers
When was that? After 2016, you fricking tourist?
Can you imagine trying to dig your 4x4 out of a sheer cliff drop in 6 feet of mud so that you can then winch it without a good pair of boots? Madness.
6 inches of mud*
After reading this thread it seems that almost all of you are wrong in the boot v runner debate but you're all so egotistical that you can't accept these things have different uses. We've seen uses for both types of footware mentioned in this thread. We've seen this thread descend into arguments which seem to be just for the sake of arguing.
I'm starting to think this board is one of the worst on the website. There seems to be more people here who have lost their objectivity than in any other board.
I like ankle support when carrying heavy shit. Also on unrelated note, you mom has a hiking boot fetish.
strong soles and ankle support.
walking over lots of rocks and roots with shoes that have soft soles is a fricking nightmare.
ankle support from properly teid shoes can prevent a simple slip from turning into a major injury.
i've seen people walk trails in flip flops. by all means, you can take all the risks you want, but proper hiking boots are well worth it.
go barefoot like our ancestors did. reclaim your humanity
now try it on something that isnt grass
Is getting the proper width as important with hiking sandals as it is with shoes or boots? A nearby store has some decent hiking sandals on sale and I wanted to try some out, but they don't carry any wides. I figure since sandals are mostly open and adjustable it'll be fine, but I don't want to find out I'm wrong an hour into a three-hour hike with my feet blistered and on fire. Would getting one size larger be an acceptable workaround?
Boots are good if you are carrying heavy loads like hunting and stuff. Usually when I go out I take light loads and even if its heavy if I wanna do a scramble I just dump my bags at the bottom. For my cases I like a "mountain running" shoe, its a like a trail runner with better climbing features. Also im in the Canadian Rockies which are quite dry and not much mud, any wetness will generally dry quickly. Idk much about the US but I assume the east can get pretty muddy and a boot might make sense then. As with all things in the outdoors what works best for you in your specific situation is what you should get, don't always listen to autists online.
>all these morons shilling normal shoes
actually go outside. I'm going to laugh when you roll your ankle on a loose rock 1 mile in.
>actually go outside. I'm going to laugh when you roll your ankle on a loose rock 1 mile in.
It's a common myth. A high-top boot isn't going to do a thing for you.
>Google images "sherpa"
>literally wearing moccasins or tennis shoes
>Aztec pochteca
>literally barefoot, maybe light sandals
>Roman legionary
>heavy sandals with protective uppers, but no "ankle support"
>Native Americans
>moccasins
>Inuit
>sealskin moccasins
>modern obese white man
>YOU GOTTA HAVE THIS BIG ASS BOOT OR YOUR ANKLE WILL FRICKING SNAP RIGHT THE FRICK OFF DAWG, CONSOOM PRODUCT IMMEDIATELY
Dumbasses.
I strengthen my feet by wearing Chuck's, running and exercising in them. Then, I wear my favorite pair of Austrian Army M59 boots. Get stronger, homosexual.
Pretty sure every "example" you included there (aside from the sherpa cause he has tennis shoes) would take the modern high-top boots if given a chance.
Just cause some piss poor legionnaire wore sandals 2000 years ago is a moronic argument for why you should wear tennis shoe. You're the type of PrepHole moron who also probably thinks we shouldn't use lighters while camping cause buttholes 400 years ago didnt either.
This board has gone full autist.
>Just cause some piss poor legionnaire wore sandals 2000 years ago is a moronic argument for why you should wear tennis shoe.
Well, for starters, there was no such thing as a piss-poor legionary, but we'll let that go for now.
Even if that were true and they'd choose the boots (though I should note that the Romans also had boots and shoes; it's like you people think that big boots are some sort of high-tech modern invention), the fact is that all of the above walked, trekked, caravaned, and/or marched while carrying heavy loads but without big-ass hiking boots, and yet didn't constantly roll their ankles or become injured.
The way you dumb homosexuals fearmonger about this type of shit is absolutely shameful, primarily because it isn't true. It's not true and you're repeating a load of bullshit, simple as.
Those were closer to sandles then running shoes.
Also my feet are probably healthier then any of those gays you listed
I hike in my steel tip workboots because Im convinced it'll make my legs stronger.Longest hike I did in them was 10 miles and it wasnt that bad. Theyre just comfy.
I have snowboots for winter tho.
>I hike in my steel tip workboots
I don't know if you're the only anon who says this but I've taken a look at workboots and I'm not sure about them. Has anyone else actually tried workboots as well as hiking shoes / marching boots so you can tell the difference?
all feet are different but i can only say what i use for what enviroment
>Maritime altamas for most light stuff (anything near water or just trails)
>full leather palladiums for (rocky/ sandy stuff)
>hiking mid sneaker boots? for anything in the PNW
>lowas with goretex for anything in snow or heavy mountaineering
does anyone remember the title of that book about a girl's pct thru hike where she suffers ill fitting boots the entire time, and has her boots fall down a hill and almost loses them? i think its the most sold book about the pct, someone will know what i'm talking about.
someone needs to just post that book any time someone calls trailrunners homosexual looking.
god i wish i could get boots that are high vis and don't suck. the few brands that make them just don't like my feet as much as solomon/lowas do.
The book was called There and Back Again, by Bilbo Baggins. They made three movies out of it which I think was a little excessive.
the one in OP is really high vis though. orange and aqua is probably as high vis as it gets. aqua is a great color for visibility in the very few scenarios you can't spot orange. i get all my watch bands in blaze/aqua.
I thruhiked 2000+ miles.
The trail runner meme is slightly real
I've worn Thorogood workboots everyday for years. I used to walk in them 11+ miles a day every day. Resoled them once in 4 years.
I hiked in Altra lone peaks for 6 months and went through 3 pairs.
The flexibility of the shoe and the zero drop allows your feet to strengthen, after 3 months of hiking, my feet and legs were in such good condition that I found it comfortable to hike with almost any shoe. I summited more than a few dozen 4000+ ft mountains in walmart crocs once I had my trail legs.
Dont ask me shit about whats better for a dayhike or weekend trip or whatever. I've only ever hiked once, and it was that thruhike, going for number 2 next month.
This seems like bait to ruin peoples feet but I'm not a 4000+ mountain through hiker so I don't know
Is this the thread where we can just dump our experiences with hiking/backpacking footwear?
I started dayhiking and car camping 2 years ago (various national forests/BLM in CA, UT, AZ, NV, OR, WA, ID, MT), then started overnighting this past late winter-early spring in the western and eastern sierra. That's the extent of my experience.
I initially bought a pair of merrell moabs in the low and mid versions, followed by a pair of la sportiva goretex alpine boots. Besides a few day hikes, I have never again used the merrells. The la sportiva thunder iii's are my go-to for winter daytrips in light snowy conditions.
I then rode the hype train to the altra lone peak 5s and used them on several longish (20+ miles) dayhikes in MT, WA, and UT. I tried using them at Mineral King, Inyo, and Desolation wildernesses and my feet were absolutely crushed by the jagged, fist-sized, sharp rocks.
I'd been running in Brooks for a few years at this point (cardio/endurance training is great for long hikes), so I decided to take an anon's advice and bought Cascadia 15s and 16s and the extra cushion and beefy rock plate made all the difference. Yes, zero drop shoes help strengthen your feet against rough terrain but an actual cushioned shoe with a reinforced rock plate really makes for a smooth ride.
I wore the Cascadias from March at 12000ft until late August on short dayhikes and short overnighters at low altitudes (~8k ft) with light equipment (under 20lbs) and felt great. I'm gearing up to retread Inyo and Desolation or Sierra/Mineral King in the next few weeks, and I see no reason to switch from the Cascadias. I have never had my waterproof la sportiva's completely wet thanks to the internet's advice, and I run pretty hot under normal exercise so my trail runners will usually dry out pretty quickly under warm conditions, or will act like a wet suit under cold/wet conditions and warm the soaked sock/shoe fabric as I hike.
people who think trailrunners don't work well in
>mountainous terrain
>wet conditions
>muddy conditions
>etc
have never worn a trailrunner and are strictly theorycrafting about things they've never done. those are all big advantages trailrunners hold over boots.
here's some real complaints about trailrunners from someone who actually bushwacks:
>brambles
>those little spike ball prickly frickers
>again, fricking brambles
those are the actual reasons to wear a boot when bushwhacking.
how does a trail runner work well when in water over your ankle...or mud over your ankle?
i Have hiked in trail runners before...but never again. They sucked in comparison to actual boots.
how are you thinking that you are convincing anyone you are some badass who bushwacks off trail
but you've never heard of bread bags?
lol So good you need to cover them in plastic bread bags. kek.
shut the frick up. seriously. I have tried them. They sucked. Its no wonder you like them...
>huurddurr I am right cuz I say so...everything you say is a lie
Is this the state of today's children? god help us.
>lol So good you need to cover them in plastic bread bags. kek.
the bags go inside
how do you not know this stuff while claiming you bushwhack off trail in mountains? i don't believe you actually do. people use bread bags with boots too, for those particular conditions. whether you do or not, there's NO WAY you haven't heard about bread bags if you're not making everything up, or maybe its your first year or two doing it?
>Is this the state of today's children? god help us.
I'm 35 and my dad raised me doing this stuff anon.
>how do you not know this stuff while claiming you bushwhack off trail in mountains?
cuz I have never had to cover my feet in plastic bags because my footwear wasnt adequate lol.
weird its a standard item on expedition gear lists
you haven't actually done any mountaineering... have you? most recent noteworthy summit?
>you havent climbed Denali? opinion discarded
wew lad. You dont need to go on climbing expeditions to know what footwear works best for you in the rockies.
i haven't done denali yet but everyone tells me its just an endurance battle, not super difficult.
>mountaineering
Do you wear trail runners when you climb mountains?
>standard item on expedition gear lists
There are dozens and dozens of expedition gear lists online...none of them mention plastic bags for your feet lol. If you have to resort to plastic bags on your feet you are doing something wrong.
http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_trips/asia/everest-gear.php
>Do you wear trail runners when you climb mountains?
most of the time. depends on the snow conditions (season) and angle of the slope. whether or not i need crampons is the deciding factor almost all the time. name-brand microspikes work fine with runners, never slip off for me. i did mt adams in trailrunners and the crampons slipped a few times and it was annoying.
You footwear is not adequate every time when the weather and terrain is not wet. Even the most high tech membraines dont breath jack shit under heavy activity and your feet are going to sweat. And when your feet are going to be constantly wet from outside elements you want rubber boots. Waterproof hiking boots are compromise in both situations.
Anon, you would have heard about bread bags if you’ve been doing this long enough. I personally don’t use them, but they’re very common.
stop being an armchair theorycrafter. just buy a pair of trailrunners and try them out before posting incorrect things about them. you're posting about something you've never done and something you've never worn and it shows. its like $50 to try them out and find out for yourself if you buy them off season. if they suck as much as you think they do, then you'd have some experience to back it up with like i do.
>how does a trail runner work well when in water over your ankle...or mud over your ankle?
hahaha
>I’ve used them, I swear
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
>I do. Thats why I am incredulous to your assertion. Almost everyone has boots. Even more so with hunters...no hunters in trail runners lol.
that's for an obvious reason. hunters need to pack heavy carcasses out of the woods.
>almost everyone has boots
yeah almost everyone who hikes has runners too, and most ppl wear the runners on the majority of their hiking trips. just look at whats on people's feet.
>hunters need to pack heavy carcasses out of the woods.
Interesting...so boots are better for heavy loads? who knew? I am sure there will be some anon who knows definitively that you are wrong cuz he has an anecodote lol.
yes. i hinted at this in my first post i made. boots are better suited for hauling expedition weight loads. i hike alpine style most of the time.
footwear threads are consistently among the worst on this board
look anon this is getting derailed here's the goal of my posting:
#1 problem with this board
Black folk having strong opinions about gear they've never used
there's a lot of valid complaints about trailrunners. at least post some accurate ones. picrel.
never done denali but the ski boot liner recommendation in that list makes sense. probably a lot colder than the stuff i'm used to. the insulation would be nice for that.
its not a required item ever. its always an optional item. but you'll find a variant of it on every list. something which fills the role.
>moldable foam liners for mountaineering boots are the same thing as "waterproof socks" or plastic bags
oh you're right they probably mean the insulated ones not the waterproof ones. that brand sells both and they don't mention which.
but that gear list has overboots on it, because denali is cold as balls, which fill the same role its just on the outside of your boot instead of inside. inner membranes are what you go for if you want the water proofing without all the insulation an overboot gives.
Nobody even read OP's question before talking about 3000 mile hikes and why carbon fiberglass shoes are absolutely necessary.
He said he's just doing a few miles at a time. Not everyone who goes PrepHole wants to hike 3000 miles to brag about it... Take me, I just wanna pitch a hammock innawoods and cook sausages on the hobo stove.
See
In the Mojave boots help to have because of the Cholla cactus. Those bastards sneak up on you in low tops. When you try to pull them off they're extremely painful because the barb is hooked like a fishing hook at the tip. The boots have saved my ass dozens of times. If I'm doing a less vegetative area like Death Valley I leave the boots at home and use runners
Just got these as I was sick of walking in army boots. I live in an area with alot of marshes and I want to keep my feet dry. They are abit expensive but i got them for $200. So it depends on where you are walking.