Trail Shoe ideas?

Hello everyone again, I'm back to pick all of your brains!

I recently was at Borders and picked up a cool new read called "The Ultralight Backpacker" by Ryel Kestenbaum. After reading the footwear section I was really excited about his opinions on hiking boots. I've been trying to break in my pair of Asolo Fugitive GTX's and still have yet to be impressed. Its a decent boot, but nothing that screams comfort by any means. But Ryel is a keen believer in light weight trail shoes, and now has my brain in a tailspin. Could it be that I was completely wrong about big packs as I was with big hiking boots as well? I am going to be going to some stores around me to check out whats available, any good trail shoes that you guys know of? Price is not an option in terms of footwear to me, I tend to have problem feet and normal "average" shoes don't cut it usually. Also if anyone has any other good ultralight reads to recommend that would be great too. Thanks again for all your help!

You have to try them on. No brand suggestion in the world beats a pair that fits, and fit varies from one model to another even with the same brand. I use Montrail trail runners most of the time now, have used Saloman trail runners, and have tried different models in each brand only to find they are too tight across the ball of the foot. Don't assume expensive means a better shoe, either - none of them are going to be durable in the same sense as a pair of leather boots.

I am a keen believer in what works. That's not going to be the same for me as it is for you.

lori speaks the truth. Feet are highly individual and so are footwear needs. What works best for you trumps everything else, and the only way to know is to try them on and see how they feel.

I understand that, but I just wanted and idea of something thats going to be durable/light and somewhat waterproof. Lots of shoes are comfortable, but would I take them on a trail no lol. I actually came across some Solomon XA Pro 3D Mid GTX Ultra(what a mouthful) at Gander Mountain just after I posted this. I really liked the way they felt, and were super light and definitely seemed more then durable. Been reading a lot of reviews and people have been giving them great remarks. Kind of expensive, but I would rather have gore-tex then not, and have the higher top design over some other trail runners that are lower.

Well, I think I am not understanding what you mean by trail runner now - all trail runners have low ankles. They are running shoes for the trail. Not mid height boots.

Goretex for a trail runner makes little to no sense to me. Then again, Goretex in shoes in general makes no sense to me, except in winter boots. Perhaps an indicator of where I hike (the mild and usually on the dry side Sierra Nevada) that I much prefer more breathable non-goretex shoes to any boot.

I want my shoes to literally pour water out, especially my off trail shoes. Gore-tex is definitely out of that picture.

Why do you want the weight of boots, even light weight boots?

Well, thats why they made a mid version of it I suppose. I kind of see your point on why would they put gore tex in a trail runner because of the low cut. These are no way boot...They weigh in at 1 lb 14oz's? Still in the ultra-light bracket and still considered a shoe.

There not light weight boots though? On the website it says mid height version of our most popular trail running shoe. And it by no means weighs anything near to what my Asolo's weigh.

Well, on a lot of sites, they'll label a boot "mountaineering boot." A mountaineering boot is made of hard plastic and ready to take any number of add-ons like crampons. Shoe and boot makers frequently label boots of leather and suede as such, but it's not what they are.... If you say to an old timer mountaineer "I'm getting mountaineering boots" you will confuse the heck out of him showing up with some of those heavy but not-mountaineering boots.

Labels shift around a lot. But to my way of thinking, you will never run in a mid height boot - so they may be the mid height version of the running shoe, but they aren't the same as trail runners. I had a pair of mid height Merrel Moab Ventilators that had a lighter sole than the Montrail trail runners, and am trying to get rid of them as they are too light to protect the bottoms of my feet. The trail runners have more aggressive traction as well. I was on a trail that crossed a stream 10 times within 8 miles - having the trail runners was a godsend, the water just poured out after each crossing, the wool ankle socks kept my feet warm even when wet, and no blisters whatsoever because the fit was right even tho there was damp in all day. Blisters happen with friction and dampness - no friction, no problem.

The goretex versions of trail runners are for walking in wet grass - after a few miles of that your socks are wet. Since I don't care and my feet sweat anyway, I prefer the more breathable non-gore.

Even if it is considered a boot, I don't care lol! There so comfortable to me, and fit wonderfully. I love the lace system soooo cool! I tried on a bunch more today at Campmor as well. I came across some Vasque Velocity trail-runners that were also very comfortable, but noting could compare to those Salomon's to me. Felt like they were part of my foot since birth. I think I'm gonna give em' a go. I know there not a trail runner by definition but the higher top design seems to take well to my feet and just seems like a homerun for comfort on the trail. Hopefully they feel as good on the trail as they did in the store! Thanks again Lori for your insight, much appreciated!

lori, did you say that the water poored out of the ventilators or the montrails? I have been looking at the ventilators and I want a shoe that sheds water.

If you are an old "oldtimer" plastic boots were not made yet - back then we called one-piece leather boots with a inside-stitch sole (sole did not stick out from the boot) a mountaineering boot. They had steel shank innersoles and were stiff as boards! These boots usually weighted 5-7 pounds. You learned to walk flat-footed. Could not go very fast, but when you were loaded up withh 30+ pounds of climbing gear and all the heavy stuff of yesteryear, you never went very fast anyway. Ah-- the good old days!

I gave up Goretex-lined footwear a couple of years ago when my boots (that was the last year I used them) got dunked--full of water--and took two full days to dry inside (those were warm, dry, sunny days, and I was not wearing the boots). My feet have always sweat like crazy in Goretex-lined footwear, making them always wet, but these days it is almost impossible to find women's hiking boots without it. That's another reason I finally switched (after fighting the switch for years) to trail runners. I don't have to take separate wading shoes--just go right through the stream and walk my shoes and socks dry! At the next rest stop, I take my shoes off and wring out my socks to hasten the process.

The Montrails are the Wildwood TRs - they don't retain water much at all. The Ventilators I hadn't done water crossings with, but they probably have similar properties in the non-Gore version - very light and breathable. My only quibble with Ventilators vs. Montrails is the sole - the Montrails seem to protect the bottoms of my feet better, I don't feel the rocks in the trail through them as I do with the Ventilators.

Probably better when you have to hike uphill in the snow both ways.

I'm still a relatively new oldtimer. I still see a lot of old gear out there, can recognize a lot of it, but have not had the privilege of using it....

Thanks lori. I will give them a fitting, if I can find them when I actually go to the store