PCT is going to be 1st thru hike in '07. I’m looking for opinions on footwear for the desert section and beyond. Any suggestions? Thanks for any replies.
tracy j. calvert
Footwear - Pacific Crest Trail
system
#2
I have been a fan of the New Balance series of trail shoes (800 series) but recently got and have now spent quality time in the Montrail Continental Divide shoes – they are better, in my judgment.
McIntyre
system
#3
5.10 (the climbing company) makes approach shoes that have large oval vents that kept my feet dry and kept the sand out also the soles absorb shock really well. I carried an unnecessary amount of weight (including my ice axe from Campo to Crater Lake just to hear people say, “an ice axe in the desert?”) and after switching from new balance to 5.10s in Iddlywild the searing agony disapeared. Have a blast the PCT is amazing heading back out this season from Tuolumne.
Feral
system
#4
Close to a third of the 06 hikers were wearing Montrail Hardrocks They seemed to serve people well. I know one girl who got over 700 miles out of one pair but expect around 500. I was a bit strange in that I wore boots the entire trail. I will say they were over kill until we got to snow. Then I was asked repeatedly to kick steps for people wearing only trail runners. My reccomendation? Find something comfortable, supportive and have some back up pairs on reserve. My boots lasted about 1500 miles a pair but the trail runners were being replaced every 500ish. Whatever you do, don’t chintz on footware, your feet take most of the pounding for 2600 miles.
Ladybird
system
#5
second vote for the new balance- i especially like the light trail series (486 etc.)- have you seen these McIntyre? I’ve walked over 4000 miles in them- they’re good shoes (about 500 miles a pair).
Also you might look into river shoes- solomon makes some have all mesh uppers. superior ventilation, though the desert picker plant can be awful!
Remy
system
#6
I used the Lowa Tempest Lo’s on the AT '04 and the PCT ‘05. A little heavier than some others’ Trail Runners, etc, but I averaged about 1,000 miles/pair. The pair that I finished the PCT in now have over 1,600 miles on them, but I used them the first of this week backpacking in the Slickrock Creek Wilderness in North Carolina. I tried a pair of light weight shoes with all mesh uppers & superior ventilation in the desert in SOCAL, but found that they let in too much fine sand and dust. I was having to stop and clean the grit out of my shoes and socks every two hours or so. But the bottom line is HYOH–whatever works best for you is the best choice. Just be sure to practice with them for several hundred miles BEFORE you start your PCT hike!
WILDCAT
system
#7
Have to throw in the sandal vote. Hiking sandals like Chacos or Tevas can be worn comfortably anywhere on the PCT, even in snow with Neoprene socks. Wear them loose to prevent chafing/blistering by the straps and keep your feet moisturized to prevent drying out and they can serve you quite well. Happy adventuring!
Smack
system
#8
I’m planning on using New Balance on my thru in '07 as well (the 606). NB makes really good shoes. Got 1,100 miles out of a single pair M83’s on my AT thru last year.
nuts
system
#10
I would agree with Wildcat. I hiked the second half of the AT in Lowa Tempest and Loved Them. I went through several pairs of “other” name brands and none lasted more then 3-4 hundred miles. I’ve done sections of the PCT, G.C. and Wonderland Trail to name a very few in Lowa Tempest (I’m on my 3rd pair) and can’t say enough good about them.
Wildcat…met you at Goverenment Camp Cabin in Washington
State PCT 05 right?? I didn’t notice the nice kicks at the time! Hope the rest of your PCT hike went well.
SweetAss
sweetass
system
#11
I had the worst feet for the first 400 miles until I switched from Montrail’s to the Garmont Nagevi’s. The Garmonts were light,had nice venting,and had a nice wide toe box for when my feet swelled… i wore them through the desert and on into the Sierra. They gave me enough traction and dried fairly quickly, plus had enough stiffness to handle the extra weight from all that food I had to carry into the Sierra.
Green T
system
#12
I wore Salomons for the beginning to middle of the PCT last year, got about 500 miles out of them on average. Got about 500 out of some NB 805’s, too.
IMHO, though, HardRocks, for whatever reason, seem to outlast the competition for at least a couple hundred more miles. I got 800+ miles out of mine and still wear them around, many other hikers that wore them last year would say the same I think.
If I ever wasn’t sure which trail was the actual PCT, and I didn’t feel like messing with my maps, I’d just follow the Hard Rock tracks. They never once led me astray.
Snail