Light weight boots

[ethan]

Has anyone experimented with light weight boots vs traditional heavy duty boots? I'm battling another round of plantar faciatis (sp?). I had an interesting discussion with a foot doc about footwear and how our feet basically work they way they were designed to when we wear the heavy support type boots. Now, I'm not talking the whole bare foot marathon running stuff, but was just wondering if anyone had any opinions?

 

[xcutter]

Check Lowa Renegades LL.

 

[sbwilkins71]

With my plantar faciatis I found that the more support or stiff boot the more comfortable at least for me.

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[tipsntails7]

You will want a good supportive insert with a STIFF boot. I tore my arch last year and it's been a long road back. If I'm doing any heavy packing or steep hiking my Lowa Tibets are the minimum for me at this point.

 

[ArrowForester]

Hey Ethan,

I picked up a pair on Merrel light hiking boots about two years ago. I wanted light weight and breathable for daily summer wear and general trail hiking. The soles are not very stiff and the comfort level was fine. All seemed well as I wore them a lot. Last winter I had my first ever experience with Plantar fascitis. I can't say that the boots contributed but I can definitely say that since then I have noticed a difference. Now my heel chords hurt and my plantar fascia hints at soreness if I wear those boots for a day on uneven ground. I have no pain if I wear my stiffer Asolo leathers for a long day on any terrain. I just got a pair of light weight Vasque hikers with a stiffer sole and they seem fine so far. You may want to look for a compromise boot if you are talking regular/daily wear. But I am planning to go with a solid backpacking boot for the fall hunts.
Best of luck and I hope your PF clears up quickly.

 

[kodiakfly]

Like most things, your "lightweight" may be different than mine. I wear heavy boots just every day, so it's not hard for me to consider a boot lightweight. I recently went back to Trangos and holy crap...to me, they feel like I'm wearing gym shoes. I'm amazed at how light they feel. And they feel that light with a sole that'll take a crampon. Even on a short three mile jaunt, I can feel the difference at the end of it. My heavy boots are Nepals and Lhotses, for reference. But these Trangos are just great light and fast.

 

[ethan]

Thanks for the input guts, keep it coming!

 

[sodaksooner]

I had a bout of it while training for a marathon a few years ago, but it went away pretty quickly when I slacked off on the mileage. I did use a foot roller a lot to help break it up. Never really had to think about it with boots. That said, I wore a pair of Keen light hikers for 3 years. They were great the first two years, never had a problem. However last year, with no real changes in what I did to prep, they just tore my feet up. Guess all they had was two years of life, but they were super light(the reason I picked them initially) and waterproof. I am trying Salomon 4d's this fall. Still pretty light, but A LOT stiffer.

Sorry, not much help on the plantar fasciitis. I just got a lot of advice from the running store I frequent and it seemed to help.

 

[russ_outdoors]

I've dealt with plantar fasciitis a number of times over the years and learned a few tricks that work for me.
Cushion - In our house we have wood and concrete floors and a "no shoe" rule. I found that wearing runner recovery sandals inside helps.
Stride - I tend to walk heavy and strike my heel hard. I've had to learn to bend my knees more as I walk and lesson the impact on my feet. Especially when carrying a load.
Meds - Now that I've had plantar fasciitis a few times I can tell when it's coming on. Ibuprofen can help with the pain and inflammation. The first time I went to the doctor with it, he put me on a serious dose for about 3 weeks. If I'm on a tough hunt with a heavy pack I will usually take a moderate dose as a partial preventative.
Stretching - The foot roller noted above and some general foot stretches can work wonders.
Footwear - Cushion and support seem to work best for me. For everyday use I wear a lot of running shoes and the recovery sandals mentioned above. I've had a tougher time with hunting boots and settled on just trying to get a decent insert. Cushion and hunting boots seem to be mutually exclusive.
In the Field - Stretches, ibuprofen, etc. A soak in a cold stream or just airing out seems to be therapeutic as well.