Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2016 11:01:42 GMT -8
I currently have, and love dearly, a pair of Asolo 520's. They fit my feet perfectly and seem to handle anything I throw at them, including a recent hike of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I only have 500 miles on these boots, but toward the end of this hike I started getting a slight hot spot. I didn't get a blister, but one of the guides made a suggestion that has had me thinking ever since.
I'm a big guy - 6'4", 325 lbs. and my pack weighed in around 50 Lbs. Needless to say, the ultralight trend isn't really much of a concern for me. The guides suggestion was that while the Asolo's were fine, I might be wearing them out because of the weight demands being placed on them. He suggested looking at mountaineering boots which would be more stiff and possibly provide more support on hikes like this.
I live in Connecticut and while New England doesn't have the big 14,000 foot mountains, there is plenty of rugged terrain everywhere with some pretty good scrambles, the White Mountains, etc.
Thoughts?
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Aug 31, 2016 11:39:03 GMT -8
Fit, fit, fit. That is all that is important. Maybe a pair of Superfeet Greens will aid in your foot comfort. Boots have been touted as supportive for as long as I have been alive (65yrs) but there is little scientific evidence that they make any difference at all. Not with support, anyway. Where was the hot spot? If it was on the heel, then a simple piece of tape over the area ahead of any hiking will help. I use the white athletic tape or duct tape.
500 miles. Some boots wear out faster than others. Check the soles to see where the wear shows up the worst. I would expect 1000 miles out of a good pair of boots. But, as the saying goes, Your Mileage May Vary.
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almostthere
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Post by almostthere on Aug 31, 2016 19:36:39 GMT -8
I wouldn't wear mountaineering boots unless I were actually mountaineering - aka, crampons, etc. Backpacking? I don't care if it's 5 lbs or 50, no boots ever. NEVER. I'm not into pain.... I do great with heavier packs with Keens. A full boot is overkill. Boots were responsible for some damage to my feet -- shoes, never.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Sept 1, 2016 3:59:00 GMT -8
The upper stiffness and full rigid shank offered by mountaineering boots will only hinder you. Great for uphill and alright for downhill, yet you'll be expending all sorts of energy and effort walking like a robot on easy terrain.
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Post by johntpenca on Sept 1, 2016 6:50:41 GMT -8
I wouldn't wear mountaineering boots unless I were actually mountaineering - aka, crampons, etc. Backpacking? I don't care if it's 5 lbs or 50, no boots ever. NEVER. I'm not into pain.... I do great with heavier packs with Keens. A full boot is overkill. Boots were responsible for some damage to my feet -- shoes, never. Couldn't agree more. Mountaineering boots are not much more supple than ski boots; they will wear you out on less than technical, frozen terrain and mess your knees up on anything less. Try looking at trail runners. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2016 10:04:11 GMT -8
I wouldn't wear mountaineering boots unless you'll be kick-stepping or using French technique on snowfields, or attaching crampons to them. That's what the full-length steel shank is for. For general purpose backpacking (even walking on soft snow), they would be overkill. Mountaineering boots don't flex at the ball of your feet, so they're less comfortable when you're trekking. The illustration shows me attaching crampons to my Fabianos. I rarely wear these any more.  |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 1, 2016 10:17:31 GMT -8
I'm guessing that the issue may be that you have worn something out. Or maybe there was just too much humidity and your feet went funny. On our Peru trip 2 years ago, which involved more miles for more days than I'm used to, I hit a point where the boots that had fit perfectly for several years suddenly gave me an awful pain (not a blister, but still). Probably had nothing to do with the boots and everything to do with 10 miles and more a day for 3 weeks.
At your weight, with your pack weight, it is possible that 500 miles has worn the boots out. That's about all I really expect to get from my boots, but I wear much lighter boots than the Asolos. OTOH: even with my pack, I weigh in at about half what you do. So you may have to plan on buying boots more often.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2016 10:29:39 GMT -8
I had a thought; it's possible you might just need to alter the way you're lacing your boots.
There are several sites on the web that describe high-instep lacing technique, heel lock, etc.
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