Thru hike: trail runners or boots

[Douglasr]

Gonna launch an attempt at the Illinois river to river trail tomorrow morning.
Can’t decide if I should wear my crispi Colorado’s or my Hoka Tectons.
I really, really want to wear the tectons and just haul massive ass, but I’m a bit afraid of my feet getting wet in muddy sections and putting myself through unnecessary suffering.
Thoughts?
Opinions?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Have you trained your fit for the hokas? IMO it takes a bit of training to adapt to the more flexible soles and lack of ankle support if you are more used to traditional boots.

I did a 25 miler for charity on a trail a few weeks ago. I opted for mid weight hikers, primarily because I have been a bit lazy about hiking since November And was worried about my foot strength in a pair of trial runners.

 

[Stave]

How long are you gonna be out there? The 5 day forecast looks sunny and warm. Wear the Hokas, bring extra dry socks, and make great time! (I hang wet socks outside my pack during the day and they dry quickly with this type of forecast).

Also . . . Lukotape or the 3m knockoff is your friend. It will stick to wet skin for a week in case you get a blister

 

[Douglasr]

I’ve only got like 50 miles of running on the hokas and they feel great, but I’m just worried about running into ankle deep mud somewhere along the trail.
I’m hoping to be able to knock it out in 5 days.
Weather looks good through Monday, then a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday morning.
But I just got done listening to “the best land under heaven” and if those poor bastards in the donner party could walk out of the sierras on homemade snowshoes in the middle of the winter, surely I should be able to walk through a little Illinois rain.

 

[Douglasr]

I just look so damn cute in the trail runners.

 

[fngTony]

I just look so damn cute in the trail runners.

Pics or it didn’t happen . Just get some short gaiters and spare socks.

 

[Zach75]

Pretty much everyone in the thru hiking community is wearing trail runners

 

[justinspicher]

I'd go with the trail runners. Boots are heavy and unless you're carrying significant weight, I don't see the need.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

I’m gonna give a different perspective. Are you going over mountainous terrain or flat? Mountains, go with boots for the ankle support. Flat (ish) terrain, trail runners.


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[Douglasr]

Read some trail reports on fkt.com and some of them mentioned ankle deep horse shit slurry, so I opted to go with boots.
They’re not as cute as my hokas, but since I bought a crys pair of mountain hardware khaki hiking pants to replace my skree camo, I’m looking pretty good.
Hope to hell I make it

 

[robtattoo]

Good luck & don't go so fast that you forget to enjoy the time out there!

 

[BROWNTROUTDAN]

Best of luck, trail Runners definitely

 

[Douglasr]

Good luck & don't go so fast that you forget to enjoy the time out there!

The only views I’m here for are the views on my strava.
And I’m personally glad I went with the boots.
There are some pretty muddy spots and a couple little creek crossing where they came in clutch.
I’ve also got the full public land archery bow hunter kit with me sans public land archery bow and I’m not upset about the extra ankle support.
They’re actually crispis summits, not Colorado's.
@Greenhorn could you ask @williamchristi and @snowypoutaineer how many miles I should be putting down a day?
I feel like 28 wasn’t very good

 

[Stave]

Anything over 20 is a lot in my book!

 

[Douglasr]

Oh wow!
Look how cool my gear is!

 

[bradmacmt]

For backpacking, I ditched boots a decade ago and won't ever go back. I will wear boots in some snow conditions, but that's about it. I also don't us WP/Breathable shoes, preferring something that's not a plastic bag, but rather something that will dry out quicker. It's a individual thing for sure - Vive la difference.

 

[Konaboy1972]

I wear a pair of Altra Lone Peaks for a lot of section/day hiking I do. My criteria is if I’m carry 30 pounds are less I can do the trail runners but if I’m carrying more weight that that or when I’m hunting, obviously, I wear my boots. If you have trained with the Hoka’s I don’t see a problem. Wear good wool socks and you can survive if your feet get wet. Just this noobs opinion

 

[Douglasr]

@Greenhorn
Daddy’s heating up, GH.

 

[Douglasr]

This is so much easier than public land archery bow hunting or winter camping in the white river natch whilst working full time at a ski resort.
It was like 50 degrees today so I only went through 2 liters of water as opposed to 15 when I’m public land archery bow hunting and nothings freezing in 2 seconds like it does when you’re living on 3ft of snow and I’m absolutely crushing mountain house instead of choking down a spoonful at a time.
Rifle hunting in October/November must be easy as chit.

 

[Douglasr]

Yep.
Chit talked myself right into the pain cave.
Tortie cat sized unstable rocks buried beneath shin deep leave fully jacked my feet and ankles through the second half of the lusk creek wilderness.
Just smashed $25 worth of food and a handful of ibuprofen at shotgun Eddie’s and getting back in it.
Time to turn on some Collyn Pax and @schafermusic and