You've Made the Switch to 0 Drop - Did you go back

[Hnthrdr]

I use both, my merrel 0 drops feel like dang moccasins, but I wouldn’t want to pack heavy loads in them, I prefer a more traditional hiking boot for that.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

I had Hallux Rigidus. Surgery bilateral great toes. I went with shoes as flat as possible plus a wide toe box. Great for my feet. Toes aren't meant to be in continuous extension at the MTP joints as happens with shoes with heel lift nor are toes meant to be squeezed in a narrow tapering toe box. Most shoes are designed with aesthetics in mind not proper biomechanics and long-term foot health.

I have a pair of Merrell shoes that I like. Altra shoes work really well with my feet (flat with wide toe box). Meindl hunting boots are fairly flat and have a wider toe box so I use those.

If I'm in the house I wear flat stiff flip flops or barefoot.

Personally, I believe my footwear choices caused my Hallux Rigidus. But you don't know what you don't know. FWIW.

 

[ElPollo]

I wore wildland fire boots and mountain boots daily for 35 years until I couldn’t wear them anymore due to my feet being a mess. I’m about 2.5 years into the zero drop world and have been wearing Vivo Tracker Forest ESCs for about a year now. I can’t imagine wanting to go back to stiff boots with narrow toe boxes and high soles. My ankles and feet are way healthier and stronger, and they hurt way less. I’m not the smartest person in the world, as evidenced by the fact that it took me 35 years to realize that the boots I was wearing to protect my feet were actually causing problems that don’t go away. My wife refers to my tendency to do things until I hurt myself as Y-chromosome poisoning. But I can learn. No way I’m going back.

 

[dgfavor]

I have a pair of zero drop work boots and hate them. I feel like I'm leaning backwards all the time, or walking up hill on flat ground. I like having a heel on my boots.

Dang, that's sad...you're too far gone man, shoe and boot companies got ya' right where they want ya'. [Moment of silence]

Do you tip over walking around barefoot or like in the shower? JK! I'd be surprised if that degree of dependence and posterior chain dysfunction didn't cause upstream effects...because, well, that ain't normal - hips? back?

 

[5MilesBack]

Dang, that's sad...you're too far gone man, shoe and boot companies got ya' right where they want ya'. [Moment of silence]

Do you tip over walking around barefoot or like in the shower? JK! I'd be surprised if that degree of dependence and posterior chain dysfunction didn't cause upstream effects...because, well, that ain't normal - hips? back?

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Why can't the guy on the left stand up straight with a heel?? It's not like were hiking around in stiletto's. On the other hand, I've known many women that wear very high heels and have great posture in them.

 

[dgfavor]

Why can't the guy on the left stand up straight with a heel?? It's not like were hiking around in stiletto's. On the other hand, I've known many women that wear very high heels and have great posture in them.

I think the long term postural and associated musculoskeletal problems from wearing elevated heel footwear is their long term use on the flat surfaces where most of us live, work, etc the majority of our lives...IMO there is zero reason we need elevated heels in those settings.

As I mentioned, out in the hills/side hills heel to toe drop is, IMO, likely much less relevant, not to mention, for most of us, that environment makes up only a fraction of our lifetime on our feet. That said I see no reason to have elevated heels in that environment either.

 

[ianpadron]

My ultrarunner wife got me on board the zero drop train about 4 years ago. I still wear traditional boots when hunting, but only because a true zero drop boot with adequate sole protection doesn't exist to my knowledge.

Make sure you ease into them if you're a runner or you could potentially do some serious damage to your lower legs/feet.

I started walking/hiking in Altras and then progressed to running in them. they're all i wear now aside from backcountry hunts like I mentioned. Your calves will absolutely blow up in size and strength with the added ROM, its awesome

 

[Lawnboi]

I very much enjoy my vivo trackers for hunting, scouting and shed hunting and for work. (New work plumbing) And the vivo magna knit shoe for training and work, everyday wear.
But in November, chasing mule deer in the high country here in nasty bear grass n chunk rock slides with snow, etc, they just don't cut it. You just can NOT edge in in super sketchy terrain.
In fact I often wear K10 crampons with my crispi Nevada and feet feel great. I do have to make sure I have a wider boot now tho.
My theory is , if you train and live in minimal type footwear, the occasions that a heavy, traditional boot is basically required, your foot is stronger and I have less issues.
Also, I just can't live with soaked feet all day hunting in snow in November. The vivos aren't even close to waterproof compared to my pairs of crispis.
So to answer your question OP, I bounce back and forth at this point.

Unrelated maybe, but I also play hockey and have less issues with foot pain even tho modern skates are insanely stiff. Like a full carbon, rock solid cast on your foot. My feet feel stronger and more in control now than 5 years ago.

You make like a boot like the Jim green trooper. Same flat boot, with a little more structure and an outsole you can put spikes on and kick into a hillside if needed

 

[dgfavor]

You make like a boot like the Jim green trooper. Same flat boot, with a little more structure and an outsole you can put spikes on and kick into a hillside if needed

I've found if you have good ankle mobility, foot strength, etc. you really don't need to edge into a hillside - just sort of friction smear your way along with your "chassis" doing it's thing rocking and rolling as the terrain dictates. YMMV...and friction dependent.

This was a pretty steep sidehill packout we did last year...I had my low Topo Terraventures shoes on that just have moderately squishy foam soles. No probs or snapped extremities with two mule deer quarters on my back. My buddy in the photo has some ankle issues and wears more traditional Herman Munster hunting boots.

Like I've posted elsewhere, I do do alot of creepy old man at the gym stuff that I do think helps :

Going for a scout in the hills later...will probably break my freaking ankle!

 

[MuleyFever]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a shoe in this class with a safety toe?

 

[Poser]

I wear some 0 drops. I think I have 3 different pairs, but when it comes to mountains, rough terrain, off trail, heavy pack, scree slopes etc, I'm wearing a boot. Period.