What shoes are best for backpacking?

[FrancisTapon]

In the SF Chronicle article of Sunday, 3/9/08, WHICH Inov-8 Trail Runners do you recommend? Search yielded numerous types.
Thanks.
Mary Barlow

Mary: You're also right that they have many shoes to choose from!

Inov-8's most innovative shoe is the MudClaw 340 O+.

They're great when you're expecting occasional ice. Their "dobs" are metal spikes that act as mini-crampons.

However, for more casual hiking, I suggest using the filter on their website which lets you slice their shoes in two ways:

* By Activity
* By Terrain

For example, when you look "By Activity," you can sort them by "Long Distance Walking," and you get this list.

This results in a selection of shoes that is good for standard trails that have good, smooth tread.

The higher the number, the more it weighs. Although I'm a fan of minimizing weight everywhere (including the shoes), the lightest Inov-8 shoes are also the most narrow, which is only appropriate if your shoes are narrow or if you're running less than one hour in the mountains. Otherwise, if you're hiking for many hours, then those narrow shoes may start to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, if you want to hike for several hours, then I recommend picking an Inov—8 shoe that has a number more than 300 in the name. :idea:

I've hiked over 500 miles with 9 different Inov-8 shoes in 2007, totaling nearly 6,000 miles. My favorite Inov-8 shoes: 300, 310, Roclite 320.

Obviously, it's best if you can try before you buy. Although these are my preferences, you gotta hike your own hike!

Their website also helps you decide where to buy.

You can probably find a great deal on eBay too.

Happy trails,

[FrancisTapon]

Question on the Inov-8s. I wore 315s on the Colorado CDT and very much liked them, however, after about 200 or 250 miles the bottoms of my feet always felt slightly bruised, and took a couple weeks to recover after the hike. This model is shown as having a medium level of cushioning at the Inov-8 site. Did you find that the level of cushioning of the different models made a difference in comfort? The ones you list as your favorites include all three possible levels of cushioning.

I'm still trying to figure out the cause of the bruising / soreness and choose the right models for this year's PCT thru-hike.

Rick

Rick, in general, the higher the number, the more comfortable the Inov8 shoe was.

Secondly, often the terrain has more to do with soreness than the shoe. Hiking through the granite-filled country of Yosemite will beat up your body much more than walking the soft saturated ground in Olympic National Park in the wet rainforest of Washington State.

Happy trails,

[Rick D]

Thanks. Did you ever experience bruising or just all-around foot fatigue? Is this something that can be trained for to prevent, in your opinion?

[FrancisTapon]

Rick,

The closest I ever got to experiencing foot fatigue when I was backpacking 20-30 miles in Yosemite's granite filled country. The steep steps and unforgiving rock can pound your feet to submission. It was enough that my feet were tired and a bit swollen by the end of the day.

Everyone has different tolerance levels, and I believe you can extend those levels through training and proper gear.

TRAINING: Build yourself up. Start slow for the first few days. Bend your knees a bit more upon impact to absorb the shock more efficiently.

GEAR: Wear orthodics (sp?) that add some gel-like cushion to your feet. Consider using lightweight trekking poles (like Gossamer Gear's).

If you have ideas that work for you, post them here! Thanks!

[Rick D]

Thanks, Francis. I think I am going to try wearing an inov-8 model with maximum midsole cushioning (305, 320, 335) and see if that makes a difference. Maybe on the PCT it won't be too much of an issue if I'm walking on a basically smooth trail. Maybe rocks on the trail were what were getting to my feet on the Colorado CDT.