I live in a very rugged Pacific Northwest (PNW).
The terrain consists of sharp rocks in summer and wet or snow-covered sharp rocks in winter.
My choice of ultralight shoes is not typical,
but they are similar to the footwear of traditional highlanders from the region where I was born.
Are heavy mountaineering shoes a good choice for hiking?
No. Heavy boots are a terrible choice for hiking.
Heavyweight down below is what you have to lift the most;
just like with the car, you want a minimum of unsprung weight.
An extra pound in your backpack makes little difference, but the same pound distributed to your feed becomes a very heavy burden after a few thousands of “stairs”.
The second, more important reason is that mountaineering boots are stiff.
Stiff boots might only appear a better choice in rugged rocky terrain, but they weaken the toes, the arch of the foot, and the ankles.
Why are the agility and strength of your feet important?
In human evolution, the bare feet that propelled us for tens of miles daily throughout rugged terrain in pursuit of fruits, nuts, tubers, and the game.
Today’s urbanite mountain hikers will pump iron to strengthen the quads and glutes, but they under-appreciate the most important group, the feet.
The final reason is that as we age, we want to have stability and dexterity in our feet to keep us healthy.
Is the risk of hitting a rock with my toe worth wearing ultralights?
Yes. As you hike, you strengthen your feet and build awareness of foot placement.
I see people lumbering like elephants without apparent attention to foot placement.
In reality, you want to be light-footed and pay attention to every foot choice you make.
Eventually, you will be able to literally run through rocky terrain without worrying about misplaced steps.
What about running shoes or, even better, cross-terrain shoes?
For years, I used cross-terrain running shoes with a very aggressive tread pattern.
I used them for Spartan run practice and for hiking.
They are great.
However, they have relatively thick soles and do not train your foot muscles well.
So what is my choice of shoes?
I use ultra-light minimalist shoes in summer.
They have good thread and minimal soles.
Note, I bought the shoes below twice!
I wear military-style ultra-light flexing-sole boots in winter.
I love them, I used them frequently since 2016, and they are also great in summer.
I need tall military-style shoes in winter to prevent snow from entering the boots.
Why do I always wear woolen socks?
Wool is my favorite fabric. I have T-shirts, long-sleeve shorts, underwear and blankets made of wool.
Wool socks, especially a thicker set, protect feet from minor scratches.
Wool does not stink like cotton.
Wool keeps cooler in summer and warmer in winter, especially when wet.
What do Polish highlanders wear?
Has this article changed your opinion on which shoes are best for mountains?
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