39
votes
Accepted
What's the purpose of the sling on the heel of boots?
The main use is pulling your shoes on, this is particularly obvious in rock climbing shoes that will often have multiple loops so you can really yank on them. Alternatively this can be used as an ...
- 829
33
votes
Is ankle support a myth?
There are a number of studies cited in this forum thread.
Subjects were filmed at 60 Hz while on an inversion platform that suddenly inverted the right ankle 35 degrees . We measured 5 trials of ...
- 5,153
20
votes
Accepted
Is ankle support a myth?
Since you asked for actual studies, I think a study on general ankle support in sports will be helpful (It focuses on basketball and volleyball, but has also some generic information that might be ...
- 590
19
votes
Accepted
Is it ok to wear hiking shoes on street conditions?
Concerning using hiking shoes on asphalt: it certainly can be done and is a much better option than the other way around (i.e. taking a business shoe on a mountain hike). Hiking shoes are a bit ...
- 7,532
16
votes
Accepted
Does newspaper (in shoes) kill Gore-Tex (breathability)?
I would say that this guy at the hut was plain wrong.
As far as I'm concerned, the working principle of the Gore-Tex membrane is gradient-driven. That means, the membrane itself (if you consider only ...
- 7,532
15
votes
What's the purpose of the sling on the heel of boots?
Carrying.
The sling makes it easy to attach the shoe/boot to a backpack or something else. (For me, this is the main point.)
For example, you can clip your approach shoes to your climbing harness (...
- 4,447
15
votes
Is it ok to wear hiking shoes on street conditions?
Benedikt already gave a good answer and he is right that a hiking boot would be a massive overflow. It just looks ridiculous because it is simply not designed to be used on flat terrain. What you need ...
- 12.2k
15
votes
Should one buy a higher shoe size while buying hiking shoes?
While it's a very personal thing, there are a few simple guidelines for trying on boots.
Go late in the day, when you've been walking around, and your feet are already sweaty and swollen. Your feet ...
- 490
9
votes
Vibram FiveFingers or Non-Hiking Boots as a Beginner in Hiking?
If you are normal weight,then I would strongly suggest wearing whatever runners you wear day to day.
Your feet are happy in them.
Your body mechanics are used to them.
I would never recommend 5 ...
9
votes
Accepted
Should one buy a higher shoe size while buying hiking shoes?
There are a number of factors you should be considering when sizing your hiking shoes.
LONG DISTANCE HIKING
For long thru-hikes, it is very common to go up a size, because after a few days of ...
- 11.7k
8
votes
How to prevent metal eyelets from rusting?
When I bought my first pair of walking boots, I was told to buy a jar of vaseline and use that on the hooks of the boots.
You can apply it very precisely and it is very likely not to run off and ...
- 3,579
8
votes
Boots or trail runners with reference to blisters?
Blisters are more a function of improperly fitting/not broken in footwear than the specific type, although some kinds can be worse than others. Heavier and stiffer boots take longer to break in than ...
- 69.2k
7
votes
Is ankle support a myth?
This isn't an answer but it's too long for a comment. Since I was the author of that quote you snipped and info from BPL (where I'm a member) has already been presented, I'll just offer my anecdotal ...
- 2,012
7
votes
Accepted
How can I tie my laces so they don't come undone?
First of all if you are really interested in tying your shoes, check out Ian's Shoelace Site. All credit for the imagery used here and most of the information given goes to the author Ian Fieggen.
...
- 21.7k
7
votes
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What is the top-down (reverse) shoe lacing good for?
My wife does this with her hiking boots. She finds that it feels more stable and that the flap and knot remain in place better. We first learned about it from a seller at a local outdoor store, who ...
- 27.1k
7
votes
Boots or trail runners with reference to blisters?
I also have feet which are blister sensitive, but I'm not overweight.
In principle, everything that 'dampens' your steps, avoids blisters, but cost energy. So it's a tradeoff. This includes for ...
- 1,899
7
votes
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how to distinguish between Merrell Men's Moab 2 Vent vs Merrell Men's Moab 2 Waterproof at a glance?
Looking at REI at the Moab 2 Waterproof, one sees that it has a little tab showing a tag with "Dry" on it:
Similarly, the Moab 3 Waterproof (also REI) has a tag saying "Waterproof"...
- 1,824
7
votes
Accepted
How far can a pair of shoes last?
I don't know what 'experts' you've heard, but trekking shoes that can't make at least 1000 km are a very low quality ones.
The 'recommended' mileage for running shoes in popular apps is often as low ...
- 9,487
6
votes
What's the purpose of the sling on the heel of boots?
They can also be held as a stabilizer while you put the shoes on, but without tugging.
My podiatrist and orthopedist recommend not using it as a tool to pull on the footwear, even if it's high ...
6
votes
What is the top-down (reverse) shoe lacing good for?
I only do this on the top hooks myself. It helps lock off the laces and prevents them from popping off the hooks. If you leave it the other way around (bottom to top), and don't tie your boots tight ...
- 53.5k
6
votes
Vibram FiveFingers or Non-Hiking Boots as a Beginner in Hiking?
I have a pair of trail running vibram fivefingers but I find that the grip, while often good enough, isn't perfect for all situations.
If you didn't have sore calf muscles last time from walking in a ...
- 2,270
6
votes
Using running shoes to hike Mt St Helens
My feet are very particular
Plan A: If it's cold and wet you'd want proper weather protection. Running shoes won't provide that per se, but do also know that modern boots don't need breaking in. Is a ...
- 161
6
votes
What's a good shoe for long-distance walking?
You say you don't need ankle support, and you won't be walking on sharp stones or near snakes, and that you walk more on your toes than your heels. If you don't need arch support either, then all you ...
- 23.4k
6
votes
What's a good shoe for long-distance walking?
Forget going for one brand, try different brands to get you the best fit.
A friend who is a posty as well as myself use sandals whenever the weather is good enough. And that is not only dry and sunny, ...
- 3,579
6
votes
how to distinguish between Merrell Men's Moab 2 Vent vs Merrell Men's Moab 2 Waterproof at a glance?
If you do have the time to test them I guess that it will be possible to tell them apart with dunking them in a tub of water. I would keep the top of the boot higher than the level of the water in the ...
- 3,579
5
votes
Does newspaper (in shoes) kill Gore-Tex (breathability)?
Your final sentence is correct. The newspaper will wick water from internal fabric, but it will not pull water back through the Gore-Tex layer. It only allows water vapour to pass through.
You ...
- 24.9k
5
votes
Accepted
Are "skateshoes" really necessary?
I've only skateboarded much when I was younger, and have only about an hour of practice total this past year, but here is what I know:
There are a few things that make a skate shoe good for ...
- 166
5
votes
What's the purpose of the sling on the heel of boots?
Already some great answers here:
Along with the purpose of tieing them to a sling, and mainly for pulling the shoes while putting on or taking them off, I use them as an additional loop to pass the ...
- 31.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Why do my socks roll down towards the toes of my shoes while mountaineeering?
This typically indicates you have movement in your shoes, perhaps your insoles are worn and squashed and need replacing. The balls of your feet sliding on the bottom of your boot will eventually bunch ...
- 53.5k
5
votes
Should one buy a higher shoe size while buying hiking shoes?
I prefer my hiking boots to fit so perfectly that I can only wear thin socks inside. Tighten the laces and the feet does not move inside, also not going down hill.
At work I have to wear (steel) ...
- 3,579
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible