The REAL REASON People Fail When Switching from Hiking Boots to Trail Runners

Fantastic presentation bud, so nicely and professionally explained! Love it!

6:56 как раз в более жестких ботинках ходить по снегу и рыхлому грунту удобнее. Со временем от множества сгибов, излишней мягкости и постоянного увязания в мягких ботинках устает нога. В жестких ботинках такого не происходит. В них можно пройти дольше, чем в мягких

I agree with "higler" about the extra pair of dry socks vs. heavy boots, but my knees at age 78 will not tolerate, or even permit, most of the exercises the presenter gives us, particularly the "pistol squat." I walk 3k every day it's above zero wind chill in Minnesota (about 350/year), and when I lived on the Colorado Front Range, hiked 100 miles (total) every summer in high country. I've hiked in both "mid" and "low" hiking shoes, and generally prefer "mid." Trail shoes/boots are my all-day, every-day footwear. I don't know if my ankles really NEED the extra support, but psychologically, I like having it. In any case, no ankle issues or injuries in a couple decades of hiking. I always have at least one hiking stick or pole, which helps, and age means I'm no longer in a hurry to get to a particular destination. Taking your time and exercising a bit of care helps, also.

Great video. Could you please recommend a trail runner for a trek I am planning to do in Nepal (Langtang Valley) in October? I've been battling Achilles tendonitis, so a zero-drop shoe is probably a bad idea. There is some snow on a couple day hikes to peaks, but for the most part the trail is dry and well-maintained.

I'm going to take aim at your cost "pro" for trail runners. Given that a good boot is more durable than even the best trail runner, the cost per mile is going to be cheaper for boots. Look, despite all of the pros of trail runners, the durability of boots really ought to be given priority in weighting. This makes boots ultimately the better option because they are (well, can be) more sustainable and eco-friendly. Good boots hold up. Good leather boots hold up even more, especially when properly taken care of. And a fully stitched leather boot will wear out the soles before the fabric, and the soles can be replaced. This ultimately leads to less waste. All trail runners are basically made of plastic. You can avoid synthetics with boots if you look hard enough. We need to fight against the "everything is disposable" mindset that pervades our consumer culture these days.

В Аппалачах у себя ходите или в Большом каньоне в кроссовочках по сухости. У нас на Урале без нормальных треккинговых ботинок точно ноги повредишь. Камни, глина, корни, мокрая трава, курумник, скальник, снег кроссовки не выдержат. Я в кожаные-то себе все отбил, они все потертые и поцарапанные. Кроссовки просто перетрет. и я еще не говорю дождь, про мокрую траву, про броды. Иногда вообще только резиновые сапоги

Is there probably an extended video on relevant exercises / stretches for trail running shoes? (Maybe I've missed one in tour channel). Being a novice in hiking, want to switch from high boots to trail runners, but due to history of ankle sprains would prefer to prepare by training first. Thank you!

Hi from Port Alberni! The second half of this video is the best review of ankle and knee strengthening exercises for hiking that I've ever come across ✅ I currently wear "heavy" hiking boots like the Scarpas in the video; I have been humming and hawing about getting Vivo Barefoot shoes for a while, and now your video has convinced to buy a pair and try that style of shoe for myself on some of my upcoming pre-snowy-season hikes 🥾! One suggestion: check out the Original Strength movement system (lots of YouTube videos about it) which helps condition the rest of the body for functional strength and mobility which translates nicely to hiking and scrambling.

Vey useful, thank you.

Hey bud, have you ever tried Altra and Hoka trail runners?

Very good video ❤️❤️❤️

I just read a study published by the NIH called, "The effect of high-top and low-top shoes on ankle inversion kinematics and muscle activation in landing on a tilted surface." The report seems to support what you said about strengthening muscles and ligaments. My take away (better to read it for oneself) high tops delay the muscles normal tensing in preparation for taking on the load of landing.

9:24 Where is that at and have you made a video?

It's a personal choice but trail runners/shoes offer zero ankle support. Yes, those are the same model of Scarpas in my pic.

You left out hiking sandals. Lunas, Cairns. Better tread than trail runners, more breathable, more groundfeel, better balance.

Merrell trailrunners are so underrated. Love the Agility Peak 4. Oh, and I wear trailrunners year round in Colorado and I'm def not the only one. An extra pair of dry socks is still lighter than any boot haha

I'm going to do a hard disagree on this one. People have a preference and it's silly to convince them otherwise. Ankle injuries are a real thing and can haunt people for their entire lives. I had severe ankle injuries from skateboarding in my youth and my ankles just don't have the elasticity they once had. I do see a few hiking channels trying to convince people to use trail runners also. I don't understand why they care what people wear unless they are inexperienced and don't know better.

Coming from someone who wears trail runners 80% of the time you are missing the the real reasons why you wear mountaineering boots or a stiff hiking boot. First, you can edge and kick steps in conditions you wouldn't be able to in tail runners (including with micro-spikes/crampons on). Second, a flexible shoe will also not allow you to climb technical rock whereas you can climb any fourth class and even up to about 5.9 climbing routes in a stiff mountain boot as it will allow you to edge well. You will get turned around on tricky ground in trail runners and think it's too hard where if you were wearing mountain boots you would be chillin. All the "cruxes" get easier.

Pretty narrow view to say the only reason you need ankle support is after spraining your ankle mid-hike. As a person who has had a traumatic ankle break with sub-par surgical reconstruction, I absolutely do need ankle support and all the exercises in the world won’t make me not need a boot with support in order to hike.