[pct-l] Top thru hike shoes

Wed Apr 15 22:00:32 CDT 2015

And just to add to the Altra thread once more, Purist's experience is not
atypical.  The Lone Peaks are some of the most comfortable shoes I own, but
they seem to break down quicker than some others.  The original Lone Peaks
were more robust than the current incarnation.   Friends I hiked the CDT
with in 2012 had them last many hundreds of miles before needing
replacement.  The current ones just don't last as long.

In comparison, I had one new pair of Montrail Sabinos (I bought 12 pair on
sale for $40 each back in 2010 so this pair was "new/old") last from
Springer Mt. Georgia and I didn't retire them till the White Mountains of
New Hampshire, 1,700 miles later.  I wanted newer tread for the Whites as
that is one very rocky trail from there on.  As they hadn't fallen apart, I
mailed them home and I've been using them all winter for training shoes and
probably added another 5 or 600 miles!  Granted, the AT is a very leafy
trail before the Whites, but still.  More of our best trail runners ought
to be built that strong.

I haven't tried the Altra Olympus, but for around home and on my local
trails, I love the Instinct which is also pretty soft of sole, so I'll
probably like the Olympus.

The Altras are wonderfully comfortable and have fixed blisters on every
person we've gotten into them on trail, but be gentle with them if you
don't want to replace them too soon.

Shroomer

On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 8:50 AM, Todd Evans <Todd.Evans at a-dec.com> wrote:

> Altra also makes a shoe called the Olympus which has tons of cushion and
> is still flat. The insole does provide a minor amount of arch support but
> without it it's flat and comfortable. Right now the old version is on
> clearance at REI. So far it's been a very durable for me, I have over 200
> miles on mine and they are not showing any wear.
>
> Team Evans
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Scott
> Williams
> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 7:48 AM
> To: Isabella
> Cc: <Pct-l at backcountry.net>; Brian Gill
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Top thru hike shoes
>
> Hey Mademoiselle,
>
> I've got the same issue.  I can't hike with arch support or I end up with
> PF and how I solve that with the Lone Peaks, Altra Instincts and my old
> Montrail Sabinos is to pull out the insole.  That gives me a flat platform
> in all of these shoes.  Since I don't have the old insoles, I can't tell
> you how much of an arch they had with the insole in, but without it,
> they're flat and very comfortable.
>
> As for cush, the Instincts are the softest of these three that I hike in.
> The Lone Peaks have what they used to call a Rock Guard, which gave more
> stiffness, but there are lots of shoes out there with a more stiff sole.  I
> wouldn't call the Lone Peaks, cushy, but the Instincts definitely are.  One
> way Ken Powers adds a little cush when he needs it, as he's hiking in very
> minimalist shoes last I heard, is to carry a Dr. Scholls foam insert to
> drop in when he's on pavement or nasty rocks for a bit.  I've used them too
> on a long road walk, and that's all I need.
>
> Have a wonderful Hike!
>
> Shroomer
>
> On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 7:34 AM, <isabella at bendnet.com> wrote:
>
> > Do Altra Lone Peaks have arch support?  I have a weird issue and need
> > a shoe with NO arch support.  Hard to find.
> > Also, are the Altras cushy at all?  Stiff sole?
> > Thx, Mademoiselle
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Scott
> > Williams
> > Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 3:12 PM
> > To: Brian Gill
> > Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Top thru hike shoes
> >
> > Hey Brian,
> >
> > The most popular and commonly seen shoes on some of the greatest
> > hikers I know are the Altra Lone Peaks.  With their zero drop heal and
> > wide toe box, they're some of the most comfortable out there.  At last
> > years ALDHA West Gathering, the largest group of Triple Crowners in
> > one place ever, we took pictures of everyone with their shoes stuck in
> > the shot as a big rosette of Altra shoes.  Just to name names of those
> > who hike in Lone Peaks, the list includes, Lint, Snorkel, Freefall,
> > Allgood, Dirt Monger, Swami, Why Not, and it goes on and on.
> >
> > There are other great shoes out there as well, however, and shoes are
> > soooo personal.  If they feel great and you don't get blisters, go for
> anything
> > else.   I train in Altras, Knocked out 14 miles and 4,500 vertical in
> them
> > yesterday, but I still use my old Montrail Sabinos, when I'm thru hiking.
> > The Sabinos were the widest toe box I could find back in 1009 and when
> > they did me so well on the PCT in 2010, I bought a big stack of them
> > at $40 a pop when Montrail changed the pattern later that year and had
> > them on remainder.
> > So, I'm just too damn cheap not to use them although I take out the
> > insoles to approximate the feel of the Altras.  $40 or $110 per pair
> > over a thru hike saves me a bit of cash.  I had one pair last me from
> > Georgia to New Hampshire on the AT last year.  I only traded 'em out
> > because I needed a bit of tread to hit the Whites. But I sent them
> > home and am still waking around in them. The Lone Peak is not that
> > robust, just the most comfortable shoe out there.  But the Montrails
> > still do me well. Once I use 'em all up however, I'll be using
> > whatever Altras I can find in the bargain stores.
> > Last year, when the Lone Peak was upgraded, I was able to find the
> > original Lone Peaks at Sports Basement at $40 a pair.  I called the
> > people I knew who used them and bought up whatever sizes fit.
> >
> > Altra is by no means the only great shoe out there, but many of the
> > greatest thru hikers in America are using them this season  and have
> > been for the past 2 or 3 years.
> >
> > Have a wonderful Hike,
> >
> > Shroomer
> >
> > On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 8:27 AM, Brian Gill <pctpanama at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > > What's  the top three shoes for a thru hike now days?  Panama
> > >
> > > "Sent from my iPhone"
> > >
> > >        Brian
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