sit and wade?

Why should I spend hundreds of dollars on boots when I know that a pair of sandals will keep me cooler and lighter and heck... if I do encounter snow, I carry wool socks and 16 other essentials anyway. Why do I want to spend money on boots?

Why do I want unbruised, unbroken toes and intact skin? Why do I want unfrozen feet? Why do I want to avoid sticks and junk stuck under my feet? Why do I want to avoid broken straps that make the sandals useless?

I suppose if you are urban hiking, it makes no difference. You could always call a cab. I like hiking....

I use $50 New Balance Trail runners. I also carry vibram five fingers for when I want to walk around in the water, be it a lake or stream.

I use my heavy boots when I walk in snow in the winter.

Lori, the op may be talking about snow on high passes. Still sandals would be dicey on steeper slopes and the traction. I've gotten by luckily with my trail runners going over Forester and Colby passes a couple years ago, or was that last year? I did loose a Croc in the Kern River and ruined my $400 camera for decent work. Good thing the Crocs were my camp shoes.
Duane

Why do I want to spend money on boots?

Apparently, you do not want to spend money on boots. Great. I have no reason to try to tell you your opinion on this is wrong. As long as what you wear works for you I say knock yourself out.

I rarely wear boots anymore, either. I spend my money on trail running shoes for most of my hiking. I still own a pair of boots for more extreme situations, where they make some sense.

I never wear sandals hiking because I've never liked sandals at all, for anything. That doesn't mean you shouldn't wear sandals because I don't like them, or that I should wear sandals because you do like them. Seems like common sense to me.

When figuring out what to spend on foot ware, consider the cost per mile, not cost of purchase. Often the higher priced shoe (whether trail runners or boots) last longer. But, fit is very important too. For most of us, the choice of comfortable shoes that fit is limited. Lucky you if everything out there fits! In fact I would not even consider price when choosing foot ware. A top of the line shoe/boot that sits in the closet because it is not comfortable is useless. I would not buy boots until you get into situations where you need them. When this happens, you will know it!

Why would someone wear flip flops riding a road bike (motorcycle) instead of something that would protect them from ripping a foot off accidentally? I don't know but I have seen people wear them.

To each his own I suppose but where we hike rocks would be one good reason. I have not seen a pair of sandals that I would care to travel over literally miles of jagged edged rock but I'm not saying they don't exist.

An old saying comes to mind - we can do just about anything we want, but just because we can do it doesn't mean we should.

jimmyb

I use a pair of Danner combat boots. They are the most comfortable footwear I've ever worn, including bedroom slippers. Some people would complain about the weight, but the soles have an energy return system that makes hiking more efficient.

I don't worry about shallow stream crossings. I just walk right through them, because the boots are completely waterproof.

Are they worth the money? I have over 1,000 miles on them (City and backpacking) and they don't show any wear. What's the secret? On a hot day, put Gorilla tape on the bottom and walk on pavement, and it melts and molds to the sole. Each treatment lasts a couple hundred miles except for the heel where I use Shoe Goo.

I also have a pair of Danner Mountain Lights which will take the meat off your feet in a short time. I wouldn't recommend these.

For city walking, I prefer my Red Wing 604 six inch boots. They are HEAVY, but I walk the fastest in the city with these. They are comfortable after a short break-in period of about 25 miles.

"Boots" is a broad term, and many of them are unsuitable for anything but filling with cement and using them as a doorstop. Unfortunately, the cost of experimentation is high.

For three season use, Hiking Shoes and Minimalist Trail running shoes are much better options to consider. You can get very tough, waterproof hiking shoes that aren't as heavy or expensive as boots, or you can get minimalist running shoes that will offer at least a minimal protection from UV, bugs, snakes, unseen roots, and they dry quickly enough for rain not to be such a big deal...and hey thats why we bring two pairs of socks