[jawats]

All,

I often take long walks in the woods / trails with my camera. Not too much "off road" with it, but I've found that the Brooks I have are wearing, and am looking for something more "hybrid" that I can wear when sneakers are called for on general walks, but also on the unpaved parts of life.

A friend pointed me towards Salomon shoes, and some of their Gore-Tex shoes in the sneaker style seem appropriate - e.g., X ULTRA 3 GORE-TEX -

Are there any other brands that trail walkers / runners would recommend? Thank you!

[bertwert]

Salomon is an excellent brand for boots and shoes. Personally I stick away from Goretex runners, as I find you accidentally end up getting water in them (crossing a stream on rocks and slipping say) at which point they cannot dry out or if it's a hot summer day, they get very sweaty. I go with very breathable runners, and wicking socks - then you can just step in water to your hearts delight, and they dry out fairly well as you go about you run/day. Hiking boots - yeah goretex is fine depending where you're going, warm climate I'd still wear a pair of breathable non waterproof ones designed to dry as you wear them.

I've also had an older model of those specific shoes you've linked, and I found the goretex to be more marketing than useful for me as mentioned above, but maybe you're mileage will differ - they may good for keeping morning dew in short grass out. Great shoes though.

[jawats]

Salomon is an excellent brand for boots and shoes. Personally I stick away from Goretex runners, as I find you accidentally end up getting water in them (crossing a stream on rocks and slipping say) at which point they cannot dry out or if it's a hot summer day, they get very sweaty. I go with very breathable runners, and wicking socks - then you can just step in water to your hearts delight, and they dry out fairly well as you go about you run/day. Hiking boots - yeah goretex is fine depending where you're going, warm climate I'd still wear a pair of breathable non waterproof ones designed to dry as you wear them.

I've also had an older model of those specific shoes you've linked, and I found the goretex to be more marketing than useful for me as mentioned above, but maybe you're mileage will differ - they may good for keeping morning dew in short grass out. Great shoes though.

So, the X Ultra 3 "regular" shoes might work just as well - like these? amazon.com | Salomon Men&?tag=pentaxforums-20's X Ultra 3 Hiking Shoes | Hiking Shoes

[aslyfox]

not much of an " off roader/sidewalk " type of guy any more but I look for two things

a Vibram type sole

What Are Vibram Soles?

What Are Vibram Soles?

and a shoe/boot which has soles that can be have the soles replaced

Vimeo

[bertwert]

So, the X Ultra 3 "regular" shoes might work just as well - like these? amazon.com | Salomon Men&?tag=pentaxforums-20's X Ultra 3 Hiking Shoes | Hiking Shoes

Maybe - you'd have to do some thinking on where you're walking, say if you're going out early morning morning where there's dew but no creeks to cross then the goretex may make sense - plenty of people buy and use them. I just found goretex wasn't great in shoe form for me - any water I come across, be it creeks or marshy bits, is taller than shoes, rendering the goretex more of a hindrance (as it not only keeps water out, but also keeps water in!). I much rather get my feet wet and let them dry as I go, sometimes that's easiest (not only for shoes, but also hiking in the rain - hike in a shirt and shorts if it's warmish, then put dry clothes on when you get to camp and in a nice dry tent/shelter).

[jawats]

not much of an " off roader/sidewalk " type of guy any more but I look for two things

a Vibram type sole


What Are Vibram Soles?

and a shoe/boot which has soles that can be have the soles replaced

I wear Ecco normally, so Vibram and Vibram-type soles are familiar to me. :P

[jawats]

Maybe - you'd have to do some thinking on where you're walking, say if you're going out early morning morning where there's dew but no creeks to cross then the goretex may make sense - plenty of people buy and use them. I just found goretex wasn't great in shoe form for me - any water I come across, be it creeks or marshy bits, is taller than shoes, rendering the goretex more of a hindrance (as it not only keeps water out, but also keeps water in!). I much rather get my feet wet and let them dry as I go, sometimes that's easiest (not only for shoes, but also hiking in the rain - hike in a shirt and shorts if it's warmish, then put dry clothes on when you get to camp and in a nice dry tent/shelter).

I don't tend to walk too early. I walk mostly on dry trails. However, I would prefer shoes that dry more rapidly, which sounds like a wicking-sock / drying shoe combo, as you suggest.

[aslyfox]

what is it they say

" be prepared "

you could be surprised on what you find as you go on the excursions

good luck and be sure to show us the photos you take

[bertwert]

a Vibram type sole

Yes for sure - some of the best grip and rubber there is. But the contagrip on Salomon shoes is nothing to sneeze at, that's perfectly fine.

and a shoe/boot that can have the soles replaced

Quality boots yes. Shoes no. Running/hiking shoes typically have non replaceable soles as the rest of the shoe will wear no slower than the sole, and the cost to replace is certainly not economical for the cost of the shoes.

a good walking shoe/ boot can last for years if properly cared for

Boots yes. Shoes, again, I find not really. The rubber and foam breaks down, especially if you run at all - off topic, but if you run a lot, you can find yourself replacing shoes every several months (often quoted number of roughly 500 miles). Also, the main advantage of shoes over boots is the lightweight factor - typically the uppers will be less durable to keep the weight down, and you'd be doing fine to get maybe 1.5 to 2 years out of them with heavy use.

[moggi1964]

I've been wearing La Sportiva hiking boots for quite a few years now and find them to be incredibly comfortable and durable. I haven't worn any of their shoe type footwear.

They are expensive and may be more 'rugged' than your needs. Salomon also a great choice.

[aslyfox]

. . . Quality boots yes. Shoes no. Running/hiking shoes . . .

to me, there is a difference between a low cut hiking shoe and a " sports " shoe

[ the low cut hiking shoe doesn't support your ankle properly while it does give you lighter weight ]

and the major one is being able to replace the heel and sole so the hiking shoe lasts for years

and yes in the " throw away " culture we live in it is hard to find any shoe with a replaceable heel/sole any more: dress, hiking or work

nothing wrong with the choice people make so long as they don't complain about the choice I make

[jawats]

I've been wearing La Sportiva hiking boots for quite a few years now and find them to be incredibly comfortable and durable. I haven't worn any of their shoe type footwear.

They are expensive and may be more 'rugged' than your needs. Salomon also a great choice.

The Sportiva brand has the Ortholite insoles, and also has Vibram soles. I also note that they have similar pricing in their hiking shoes as Salomon. Thank you!

---------- Post added 05-26-21 at 07:34 AM ----------

to me, there is a difference between a low cut hiking shoe and a " sports " shoe

[ the low cut hiking shoe doesn't support your ankle properly while it does give you lighter weight ]

and the major one is being able to replace the heel and sole so the hiking shoe lasts for years

and yes in the " throw away " culture we live in it is hard to find any shoe with a replaceable heel/sole any more: dress, hiking or work

nothing wrong with the choice people make so long as they don't complain about the choice I make

Which brand(s) do you use for hiking / trail / off-road?

[aslyfox]

. . . Which brand(s) do you use for hiking / trail / off-road?

my hiking boot collection has several brands

I have " Coleman ", another is an off brand bought years ago at Cabela's and one bought at an Army Surplus store

all have vibram or vibram style replaceable soles

all bought at least over 10 years or more ago

and includes:

the up the lower calf type

the over the ankle type

and the under the ankle type

all long lasting and very comfortable now

and in eyes of my dad not taken care of properly: " get the boot polish out and use it "

some insulated ( I lived in East Central Illinois and Iowa before Kansas )

some not

some with Goretex type inner linings

some not

again, I am not much of an off roader any more

going to local park, I don't bother, going to national park or wildlife area, then usually either the over the ankle or under the ankle one

_______________________

a suggestion, look at a Cabela's or Bass Pro Shoe credit cards, I was able to earn points by using one and get items free or at a lower price

________________________________________

and staying true to form, I suggest using the internet to check out information [ some of which might be helpful ]

https://www.thehikinglife.com/gear/the-hiking-footwear-guide/

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-boots.html

[cooks333]

So, the X Ultra 3 "regular" shoes might work just as well - like these? amazon.com | Salomon Men&?tag=pentaxforums-20's X Ultra 3 Hiking Shoes | Hiking Shoes

I was on a run of Merrell's for several years, but bought the X Ultra 3 as my first pair of Salomons a couple of years ago and I love them. Definitely recommend staying away from Goretex if you're going to be hiking/walking a lot in hot weather. They breathe well and dry out pretty quick if they do get wet. Here in Phoenix, they've handled the heat, rocks and desert hikes great and I've also used them on international trips with lots of hiking. I've gotten about two years out of them and they stay comfortable even at the end of the longest 15-20 mi day hikes I've thrown at them.

[Serkevan]

Huh, I've been a diehard goretex (or similar membrane) fan for a long time... I sweat a lot and the darned membranes are the best way for me to keep my feet dry (although I tend to hike more in humid environments than dry heat). I had no issues with the Grand Canyon in May (~35ºC or so?)

I had the older Salomon model (XA 3D Ultra 2) and they lasted a very short time of non-intensive use*. Main body and sole separated in less than a year (got it glued back) and the outer cover started tearing shortly after. I guess I got a bad pair, but after paying 120€ for that pair I've never given them a second chance. The zip system was very cool, though, and a couple of my friends were super happy with theirs... enough that they'd recommended them to me.

These days I have three types of outdoorsy shoes:
-Mephisto Allrounder Rake-Off (RAKE OFF-TEX). It's like wearing a glove. Super comfy. They've lasted ~3 years a pop or so, but I wear them quite extensively for most non-strenuous stuff (including walking around the city).
-Chiruca boots. I alternate between the Somiedo and Xacobeo models, because the fit is not always exactly the same over the years, and sometimes when the current pair needs replacing I have to get one of the other models
(yes, I'm very picky with shoes ). Chiruca-SOMIEDO 12 GORE-TEX - Chiruca, Chiruca-XACOBEO 05 GORE-TEX - Chiruca. They've served me and my dad very well for about 15 years now (longer for my parents). I basically wear nothing else throughout winter (except at work), and these things easily last 3 full winters before the sealing starts being compromised. I'd wager I put 3-4000 km on each pair. Super comfy for roughish terrain hiking, IMO, and leather breaks in very nicely...
-Asic running shoes. I've been using a pair of Gel Pulse 7 trainers that have performed admirably (although I'll be replacing them this summer... the outer cover looks like it's gone to war ). I'm heavy so I need well-cushioned trainers or my knees get blasted. Can't recommend these enough.

As you can see I'm all for durability and comfort ... I firmly believe that with shoes the price tag is the last thing I should look at. I also got a second pair of Quechua (Decathlon brand) boots that I got to have a backup pair for the US road trip, and my feet have never agreed to them despite the tryout at the store being alright. Definitely not worth the 60€ saved, at all.