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Boots vs trail running shoes

Boots vs trail running shoes


Postby annaOldNanna5 » Sun Jun 05, 2022 8:36 pm

Travelling from Canada. Will be hiking in Skye, Torridon and Great Glen over three weeks this month through mid July. Not the Monroes though!
Recommendation for appropriate footwear. Should I bring my solid, high Arteryx boots (purchased for successful Bruach na Frithe) plus trail runners or will regular running shoes suffice?
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby prog99 » Sun Jun 05, 2022 10:46 pm

I'm on my trail running shoes now until autumn for all hill activities. What are you intending on walking?
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby AyrshireAlps » Mon Jun 06, 2022 10:42 am

Aye, trail running here too.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby jmarkb » Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:31 pm

If you are planning to be mostly walking on paths/trails and don't mind getting wet feet occasionally, trail shoes will be just fine.
Not sure what your "regular running shoes" are like, but something with a decent grip is probably advisable.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby ohsosky » Mon Jun 06, 2022 6:05 pm

I prefer my boots but I’m always planning walks in the bog for some reason.. must secretly love it :? :shock: Even when I plan to stick to a path I end up going off track… :crazy: so it depends what kind of walker you are and where you are planning to go
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby WalkWithWallace » Mon Jun 06, 2022 10:25 pm

If you don't mind wet feet, then another vote for trail runners. 8)
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby jupe1407 » Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:18 pm

Trail trainers for me also. My new ones didn't arrive in time for the Braeriach Traverse last week, so i had to wear my 3 season boots which felt like clogs :lol:
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby cruachan06 » Thu Jun 09, 2022 6:35 pm

Another vote for trail runners. Not for any actual reason, I'm just a cheapskate and when I started hiking I wore the shoes I already had for running. :lol:
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Fri Jun 10, 2022 12:42 pm

How do you all find trail runners hold up against rougher hills that involve miles of heather bashing? Think I've reached the end of the road with heavier leather boots so something more like a mountain trainer or trail runner is on the horizon.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby AyrshireAlps » Fri Jun 10, 2022 1:21 pm

Not an issue Iain, the lack of weight in them makes having to lift your feet high over heather thousands of times a lot easier. In terms of robustness, I've not noticed a difference. You often hear folk quoting the extra support that boots give you, which is a bit of a myth IMO.

I only wear boots in winter or super boggy days.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby cruachan06 » Fri Jun 10, 2022 3:22 pm

iain_atkinson_1986 wrote:How do you all find trail runners hold up against rougher hills that involve miles of heather bashing? Think I've reached the end of the road with heavier leather boots so something more like a mountain trainer or trail runner is on the horizon.


I bought a pair of Asics Fujitrabuco on special from Wiggle (who often have offers on end of line stuff before the new seasons gear comes in, so well worth checking out) because I was doing Run the Blades, a trail run around Whitelees Windfarm. I'd previously found training (around Chatelherault Country Park) that things like landing on roots or rocks as I was running were really affecting my feet badly. No such issues since I got the trail runners. They've also been up hills and on long-distance treks. Good grip on mud and loose surfaces as well, the soles and uppers of trail runners are generally much tougher than regular trainers.

The downside is if you have to trail through heavy undergrowth (happened to me on the Kelvin Walkway) your feet get soaked, but they also dry much quicker than boots would.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby AyrshireAlps » Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:04 pm

It's the fujis I use too (did that ultra in them as well!), I use both the goretex and standard versions.

Great shoes.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:15 pm

Interesting...

Will take a look. I'm not that bothered about durability, so long as I get at least a year out of a pair of trail runners or synthetic boots I'd be satisfied. I tend to get a year to 18 months out of boots before I've worn the soles down to nothing as I tend to do a lot of long walk-ins that most would cycle.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby James Picksley » Fri Jun 10, 2022 6:30 pm

annaOldNanna5 wrote:Travelling from Canada. Will be hiking in Skye, Torridon and Great Glen over three weeks this month through mid July. Not the Monroes though!
Recommendation for appropriate footwear. Should I bring my solid, high Arteryx boots (purchased for successful Bruach na Frithe) plus trail runners or will regular running shoes suffice?


I always go with proper boots covering the ankles. I like dry feet for a start. I walk off path a lot and they definitely give better support in rugged terrain and on boulder fields (contrary to an opinion higher up the thread maintaining that extra support is a myth - trail shoes give no ankle support and if you turn your ankles a lot, like I do, then proper boots are pretty much essential - I was a fell/cross country runner so I have a lot of experience of trail shoes and the like).

As ever it depends on which advice best fits you. I guess the short answer is it depends what you're going to do, how stable your ankles are and what your preference is on dry feet.

Enjoy the walking.
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Re: Boots vs trail running shoes

Postby Alteknacker » Fri Jun 10, 2022 10:12 pm

Another vote for trainers/trail shoes.

I've done all my 3 season walks in these, including the Cuillin Ridge (3 times), the Torridons, Mullardoch Round, etc., etc.

I swapped from boots about 25 years ago, partly because I kept getting blisters, and partly because I saw that fell runners were doing long routes so shod, without apparent ill effects - including not turning over ankles when running down hills. In my boots days I used regularly to turn my ankles. It's never happened in trainers. Neither have I suffered from getting wet feet at the start of a long day (here 1000 mile socks help a lot).

I wear boots only in winter.
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