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I would say the answer is somewhat subjective, and in order to make a fair assessment you will need to invest some time. Carrying a 30-pound pack up and down hills with a week's worth of food and gear produces different stresses on your feet and joints than a water bottle and rain jacket. The fit may seem less perfect if the material between your toes starts ...

Blisters usually form when your socks get sweaty and things start to rub around. When I first bought my pair of boots, the man in the store told me to wear them around the house for an hour every night for a week or two before my trip. This gives you a chance to break in the leather slowly over time, while keeping your feet blister-free. Obviously, this ...

One of the things I've heard that wildland firefighters like to do (they often wear large, all leather boots, like these: Danner Flashpoint II) is put on the boots, stand in the bathtub with water and let the water soak through the boots with your feet on, and then wear them around the house for a few hours. It seems to work - as it softens the boots and ...

While this is by far not a universal truth, in general, women tend to have more slender feet than men. Then again - some women have wide, plate-like feet, and some men have thin feet. Also, I've noticed that women's hill shoes tend to be 'prettier' (I'm not sure why - I doubt that this is actually a consideration for most hillwalking women - but that's just ...

Do boots really last (only) 400 miles? In short, yes. If you are a hard-man/woman, you might stretch one pair of boots to half the AT. Normal people go through quite a few pairs - I used 10-ish pairs of trail runners on the PCT, partially because my feet grew 2 sizes and I didn't realize that was why I was suddenly getting blisters from my previously ...

Overshoes When the boots' warmth is not enough, you can use overshoes. Basically, it's nothing more than a sack made of cloth , which you put over your boot and fasten somehow: This helps you in two ways: It creates an air pocket around your boot, reducing heat loss. The snow now melts not on your boot, but on the overshoe, drastically increasing the ...

I'm not aware of any boots for your specific need, but there may be some other options using a larger size boot. Preferably you should have little if any pressure from your toes against the front of your boot. For me, the solution to a loose boot has been to add a second insole which keeps a laced boot snug at the ankle while leaving the toes with room to ...

The cold weather boot will definitely be too warm for 40-80F (4.4-26.7C). I will definitely choose warmer hiking boots rather and bring two pairs socks types in such condition : warm and normal. Just start with the normal socks and if you are too cold then switch for the warmer. Remember that sweating is worse than being a bit cold. Last but not least, ...

The best qualities of caving footware are actually easy to clean (especially now with WNS concerns) easy to walk/crawl in (must fit well and now slide around) keep your feet warm durable (caves eat clothing) Watertight shoes hold water in just was well as they keep water out, and in a wet cave water will get in. First get yourself a pair of 3mm ...

I have a feeling this question is going to come up a lot on this site... as I mentioned here it is an old and persistent myth that full leather boots will necessarily have a blister-inducing break-in period. Well-built boots that fit properly can be broken in fairly easily and blister-free. Hot-spots and rubbing are usually an indication of a poor fit ...

For snowier conditions, it is common in the ultra community to take an old pair of shoes and screw in a number of metal hex screws into the sole from the bottom leaving enough of the screw proud to stick into the snow. I've never had to try it myself but I'm reliably informed it works a treat.

As stated by Graham in his comment, I would recommend using ice traction device like this one or this one. It will provide you with the missing grip in winter. You should definitely keep using your running shoes because they are still better suited for running even in winter conditions.

I am a big fan of the low ankle water resistant Salomon fell-running shoes. The Gore-Tex allows moisture and sweat to escape rapidly, and when worn with wicking socks they actually work well to keep your feet dry and sweat-free. I do most of my hiking in Scotland, which is on a par with New Zealand for precipitation - I would definitely recommend water ...

Pull out the liner and step into the shell - if you can fit a finger between your heel and the back of the shell you might be able to remold the liner or buy an after-market liner. A professional boot-fitter at your local gear store can do it for you, or you can follow the directions to do it yourself in a low temperature oven. If you have trouble fitting ...

as far as the issue of warmth - they do make special five-finger, wool socks for the VFF that fit perfectly with the shoes. I've combined these and they work great in cold weather. the only time i ever had a bad experience in my VFF was walking several miles on asphalt. trails with rocks, streams, mossy paths - no problem.

When I bought my leather boots they told me that modern walking boots should not need breaking in if they fit properly. I followed their advice and bought well-fitting boots and did not break them in. The boots have never given me blisters despite spending many days walking in the mountains in them. This may be helped by my choice to wear two layers of ...

I wear Keen for my everyday shoes. The main reason I like them is the wide toe pocket. I've found that their sole isn't has hard wearing as (for instance) vibram soles I've had on other shoes, so I'm not sure how hard wearing their hiking boots are. Their Erickson PCT boot has the same shape toe though, so it might be worth trying on.

The boots remain stiff, but the liner inside and the footbed all adjust to your feet. You can definitely get away with not breaking them in, but if you're going to be wearing them for a prolonged period of time the first time you use them you might consider breaking them in a bit or bringing along some second-skin in case you encounter hot spots.

I avoid water-resistant shoes for hiking since they trap moisture (your sweat) in as well as out. Kinda depends on hiking style, too - if you're ultralighting then you'd probably want trail-running shoes that breath and dry quickly as you walk. See Ray J.'s advice. They're light enough that people often carry a second pair. Another factor is weather - a ...

Think about whether it really matters if your feet stay dry. Will this be in warm enough weather when trenchfoot and frostbite are not problems? If so, the simplest answer may be to let the feet get wet. Wet or damp feet by themselves is not really a problem. I do most of my hiking in New England where it can rain any time on short notice, and soggy ...

I tried using regular shoes (hiking or running) but unfortunately those shoes are not that good in conserving your foot warm and they contain little or no insulation. I do not recommend at all, using regular shoes in winter because of the risk of getting a frost bite. Skiing: I do not think that you can use the same shoe for skiing and snow ...

When hiking for multiple days you will likely encounter scenarios that you will get wet feet regardless of the footwear you are using. My experience with Goretex footwear is the same as most fellow hikers I know: Goretex footwear can delay your feet getting wet but it cannot prevent it altogether. The important question is: What is your strategy once your ...

What sort of snow conditions are you running in? For dry, powdery snow, the best option is a pair running shoes that have aggressive tread (search for "trail running shoes"), but in wet, icy snow, metal screws or spikes will give you the extra grip you're looking for. I can't think of anything that will help more than it will hurt on icy pavement other than ...

Keep them dry; if your feet perspire a lot, have a dry set of socks to change into. Never cotton socks 2 layers of socks is very good; a light inner layer of something that wicks moisture very well (Coolmax, Smartwool, etc), and then a heavier sock (I like some of the LL Bean fleece socks). Goretex, plastic bags, etc can trap a lot of moisture, which can ...

My criteria for winter shoes/boots are pretty simple: 3/4 or higher cuff to reduce the chance of snow getting in Goretex to keep water out A Vibram sole to keep traction on ice A thicker sole than usual to avoid the cold ground When I try the shoes on at the store I wear thick wool socks (if you wear a sock liner then bring that too). I usually go ...

Finally ran into another article on this New Balance, when you can find them, are definitely sized properly. My clouds are even still on amazon (I was told by the NB store near here that they are no longer made). Asolo should be sized correctly based on my reading, but sadly they have no distributors in the US, according to their site. ( Oddly, if you ...

The single best thing you can do to avoid blisters is making the right choice of boots in the first place. If they are good quality, fit really well and suitable for your chosen activity I wouldn't expect many problems. Go to a specialist outdoor shop and get advice from an expert. Most reputable outdoors shops will allow you to buy them, try out indoors at ...