Trail shoes

Grease

Grease

Joined
May 10, 2012
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1,812
After flipping back and forth between heavy, sturdy boots and Nike's at work, I think I've come to realize that I hate heavy shoes.

What kind of lightweight shoes would hold up well to mountain hiking for someone with wide feet and average arch support needs?
 
There are a ton of minimalist shoes out there now. Check out Merrell, New Balance, La Sportiva, Saucony, and others. Go to Zappos.com and see what you like.
 
Any of the shoes/boots by Keen. They are great footwear and what I wear in the woods, on the mountains and when I'm snowshoeing......
 
I also dislike heavy hiking boots, they are for clumsy people IMO.

I need lightweight and thin soled to feel the terrain.

people look at me funny when I hike in converse type shoe, but honestly I can travel extremely fast in them and I need toe manipulation, I do a lot of leaping.

vivobarefoot neo trail is a very good shoe. Not cheap.
 
All right, I hit up the local REI and tried on some Merrells, as well as a Northface and a couple of Keens they had. Merrell seems to be the right fit for my feet, so I brought a pair home.

Thanks guys!
/thread
 
Lots of manufacturers make appropriate shoes for lightweight hiking. For really lightweight hiking look for "cross training" or "trail running" shoes. Any ordinary tennis shoes can work too but the trail running shoes usually have a tread pattern and material that grips rocks better.

If you want something more like a hiking boot then you can buy low-top hiking boots made similar to tennis shoes.

The type of shoe depends on the terrain and more importantly the amount of weight you are carrying. For rough terrain and heavy backpacks go ahead and get the heavier shoes. For lighter packs or no packs you can go with the lighter shoes.
 
Merrell Moab Ventilators if you like a light hiker style.
Salomon Crossmax (or any other of their trail runner varieties) if you prefer more of a sneaker style.
I have wide feet with a medium-high arch, and these brands have worked for me. That being said, there's no substitute for trying them on, just to be sure. I'll pay a little extra at a brick and mortar store, just to make sure I get what fits.
 
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