I don't have enough experience to have an opinion...but as a noob one thing that helps is finding out if like >90% of people say "x" is best, versus a close to split decision. When, as a noob, you learn that 90% of people do something a certain way, then these forums pay dividends (because you never know which way the crowds will vote...when you're a noob). That's my long-winded way of saying thanks for clarifying that this debate isn't one-sided. That really helps!

The other issue with being a noob is when you're doing something new, you have an issue, and it can be one of many things. I'm there now with this achilles soreness. It could be the boots (and the fact that I had a previous issue), "too much too soon" hike the day before the pain began, or something else completely different. As a next step, I'll do two tests and scatter these several days apart: 1) go for a shorter hike in the same boots. If I'm fine the day or two after, then maybe the boots are fine; 2) go for another long hike, but this time in hiking 'shoes'...you get the idea.

Not sure if I'm different from others here, but I'm looking forward to winter (snow up here in Canada) and this is precisely why I'm taking up hiking now...to have another activity when it's less cycling.