[pct-l] boots, creeks, and pre-hikes

[ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com]

Let me chime in with a voice from the other side of the fence:

I hiked the PCT and CDT with full leather, heavy boots and never had a 
complaint. In SoCal and NM, I never felt the heat through the soles or 
uppers and my feet never really sweated much to notice. The only time I 
regretted walking on steel shanks was when hiking on asphalt, along roadways 
for many miles. I was always thankful for the upper support when I would 
land on the edge of a rock while plunging down the rocky switchbacks, taking 
my long, lazy strides as usual, and my ankle would roll off the rock. The 
stiff uppers always helped me recover from falling, which would have been 
really nasty at that speed, with the weight of my pack, and onto those 
rocks.

Their heavy lug soles and abrupt heel transitions always gave me the braking 
and traction confidence I desired when hiking on snow, mud, sand, or loose 
gravel (even across those large, granite slabs with the little, pea-sized 
pebbles on top that usually send you flying!).

Their overall weight was never a problem, either, as it actually helped me 
swing my feet easier and more comfortably. On the uphill's, I just 
gear-down, take shorter strides, and power on up. No big deal.

Keep in mind, for all of you who are planning and anticipating a long-trail 
departure next hiking season, your muscles will get stronger and endurance 
better as you go along. The first week is always the toughest as you may be 
dealing with sore muscles, screaming tendons, troubles with your pack and 
gear, digestive adjustments, and the like. If you can work through all of 
that, you will come out the other side the most fit that you've ever been, a 
virtual trail-cruisin' machine, capable of hiking sun-up to sun-down quite 
naturally and effortlessly, and be able to take in all the beautiful, 
wilderness scenery all around you (depending on your speed and the number of 
other hikers in your immediate vicinity).

When crossing streams, I always wore the boots straight through the water, 
when I couldn't find a safer route, changed socks on the other side, and 
walked them dry. Didn't take long. No blisters, either! But, maybe, I had a 
good match between the shape of my feet and the last used to make the boots.

Whether you opt for trail-runners, sandals, or boots of some sort (or all of 
the above throughout your trip), choose what works best for you and not just 
because it was recommended or worked well for someone else. This means that 
you have to get to know your self, your gear, your GI track, BEFORE you 
start planning. If your long-weekend, pre-departure, planning hikes reveal 
that trail runners flare up plantar fascitis or that certain packs really 
irritate your back, you'll have time to make adjustments from home.

Sure, the law of averages says that, if most folks hike in runners, use 
tarps for shelter, or hike 30-mile days, that these ought to work for you, 
too, but, first, test their ideas out for your self on long pre-hikes before 
the big trip to see if their ways are what you want to adopt.

Mtnned


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Bryce" <sbryce at scottbryce.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] water and walking


> Abigail Wilson wrote:
>> First off, do most PCT hikers wear boots?
>
> No!
>
> Most wear trail runners, or similar shoes. Some wear sandals. A very few
> wear boots.
>
>> Trailrunners are more popular on the eastern trail, but it seems that
>> all the snow and rockier terrain (esp the Sierras) would require more
>> support.
>
> In the Sierra, your feet will get wet. Boots take a long time to dry out.
>
> Also, the terrain is rockier than on the AT, buy the trail bed tends to
> be smoother.
>
>> Is it reasonable to start in boots and switch to lighter footwear
>> after the Sierras?
>
> Boots can be killers in southern California. The first 700 miles or so
> of the PCT is largely desert. You want to wear breathable foot wear to
> keep your feet as cool and dry as possible. You will be amazed how much
> the heat from the ground will radiate to your feet. Boots will hold that
> heat in.
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus 
> signature database 4515 (20091016) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>