shoe suggestions ??

[coolbikeguy]

hey all .... total newb here. im looking for suggestions on a beginners hiking shoe. a little background on me ... ive had 2 knee surgeries and the shoes i mostly wear are the brooks beast which are a motion control sneaker with lots of support.

so heres what im looking for

beginner shoe so ....

1. cheap .... not looking to spend a fortune to just get started. ill do that once i know we are going to be committed to this new kind of exercise.

2. supportive/traction .... as i mentioned above .... the brroks beast i wear are like standing on a sheet of plywood... lol  traction is also important for wet slippery rocks

3. light weight

4. waterproof or not ??  im thinking not to keep weight down and its coming up on summer so they will dry any way.

thanks for all you help and suggestions 

[wspscott]

I hike in trail runners. In general, if you have a pair of sneakers that fit well and are comfortable, I would try hiking in those before I bought something else.

You definitely don't need waterproof hiking boots to go hiking, especially in late spring through early fall (or maybe at all depending on where you are hiking).

Give a little more info about where/when you plan on hiking and maybe others can give a little more feedback/advice.

[coolbikeguy]

6 minutes ago, wspscott said:

I hike in trail runners. In general, if you have a pair of sneakers that fit well and are comfortable, I would try hiking in those before I bought something else.

You definitely don't need waterproof hiking boots to go hiking, especially in late spring through early fall (or maybe at all depending on where you are hiking).

Give a little more info about where/when you plan on hiking and maybe others can give a little more feedback/advice.

where .. is in pa md del ..... nothing crazy just dirt based and some rocky trail ...... when .... we started last sat  lol    now till whenever  :-)

[wspscott]

The only hiking I have done in that area is the AT in New Jersey, even with all the rocks, I was happy with good trail runners. I've also done a couple trips in the Dolly Sods in WV, parts of that can be very rocky and there is lots of wet parts. Trail runners that are light weight and dry quickly are great because you can go through the wetness vs. around the wetness.

Give your regular sneakers a chance before you start spending time/money on "hiking boots".

[toejam]

I agree that you don't need to rush out and buy something new, but here are some ideas.

Salomon shoes really fit me well, but not everybody. Worth a look. I'm currently using X Ultra 2.

I found some Saucony Grid Raptors cheap and have done two backpacking trips that included long days in them. I've had several pair of Saucony running shoes and these fit me the same.

One of the most popular trail runners is Brooks Cascadia, which might work for you since you are wearing Brooks shoes.

[Billg]

What ever you do, ease into it. Take short hikes, vary the terrain, add some weight to your pack to train. I live in the flat lands and I know that my feet will behave differently on level ground and slopes, even with shoes that have lots of miles on them. I did a short day hike a few years back in the Smokies (2.5 Miles up to Low Gap and back) that just about wrecked my feet. It took three days before I was able to walk normally. I originally thought that it was my shoes, but now believe that it was the up and down slope angle of my walk. For training, which I don't  do often enough, I'll add a bag or two of bird seed to my pack to load it. It helps for endurance and it also challenges me to balance properly. My pack is generally under 15% of my weight, but it still affects my balance. I generally don't wear waterproof hikers, but my experience with waterproof work boots was that they were much superior in sloppy wet muddy conditions. Water is one thing, rocks and dirt are another. If I get dirt in my shoes, I stop and clean it out. Gaiters may help, I don't have much experience with them. Wet feet aren't fun and I try to keep mine dry. If I know I'm going to be in water, I'll try to bring shoes for that. If I think that it's going to be sticky mud, I'll try to wear shoes that won't come off my feet. This is where low hikers don't do well. Once you get going, you may find a brand that you prefer. I have a fondness for Merrell's, but when I find a shoe that I like, they discontinue it. 

[toejam]

On April 19, 2016 at 4:26 PM, Billg said:

but when I find a shoe that I like, they discontinue it. 

That's the truth. When I find shoes that fit I buy them. I wear them out so fast I consider them disposable (goes for boots as well as trail runners).

On April 19, 2016 at 4:26 PM, Billg said:

I originally thought that it was my shoes

People tend to expect too much from their shoes. If you sit in an office all day, exercise indoors a few hours a week, and are overweight, there's no shoe made that will prevent your feet from hurting if you try to hike in the mountains with a backpack on all day. Shoes/boots get blamed for soft feet a lot.

[rickrick]

. I take two pairs of shoes hiking I have a pair of new balance trail runners and for the tough stuff I have a nice pair of Keen hiking boots. Why two. I wear the hiking boots which are light weight but waterproof in areas where I expect to do a lot of  rock hopping creek crossings or where it's going to be muddy. They are water proof and are only slick on these wooden bridges when they are wet. The trail runners are super light weight like not having on shoes at all and I use them for short hikes in easier terrain. The Keens I bought at Cabelas for 89 bucks, the trail runners were a gift so I can't tell you what they cost. Both are durable and comfortable. Buy a comfortable shoe and mine are about a half size larger then what I wear for street shoes. Makes for a comfortable day.

Edited May 5, 2016 by rickrick