If you’re planning to get away this weekend and do some hiking with the lightest backpack ever but worried about the shoes? Thinking if your running shoes would pass for your hiking shoes or not? Not to worry, sit tight as all your questions regarding that will be answered here.
We all have it drilled in our heads that anyone who goes for hiking has to wear boots. It’s like a tradition and you’re too afraid to break it. We need strong ankle support and water resistance along with the toughness which only hiking boots can provide. But recently i learnt that a lot of backpackers do not wear the hiking boots while going on a trek or hike; instead they confidently enjoy there get aways in their usual running shoes.
4 Practical Tips to Pick Best Hiking Shoes for Your Next Trip
Let’s enlist the facts which play an important role for passing as the perfect footwear for hiking:
#1 Longevity
It is an important feature for any high quality shoe. Hiking shoes are specifically manufactured to face the gnarly terrain and they can last for hundreds of hikes. Even after such rough and tough journey they might not ditch you yet. Whereas running shoes can last about 500 miles and that’s the maximum limit. And also they were not manufactured to be used on an uneven terrain so they might tear apart and disappoint you, sooner than you expect.
#2 Poundage
We all know extra weight can be fatiguing. Nobody wants to waste their energy in lifting their own foot, that too when they need to focus their energy on something more important. Hiking shoes are generally more heavier because of the added features like durability and support and which cannot be overlooked while going for a hike. One the other hand, running shoes are obviously lighter and have less poundage as they are designed to be used for day to day activity and hence uses no extra energy.
#3 Shielding
We have different type of boots for hiking because we need them to protect out feet which usual running shoes cannot do. Hiking shoes are made of thicker sole and have these tough and durable features which can help you get through any terrain without any injury or harm. They even have ankle support which prevents any kind of ankle sprains. While running shoes are lighter in weight because their sole is made up of lighter material and are far less durable.
#4 Waterproof
This is another important feature hiking shoes tend to have. Most of the hiking shoes are made up of such material which doesn’t let water to seep in and hence they dry off pretty quickly. Running shoes may or may not have this feature but they can dry off pretty quickly as they are made up of lighter material.
So well the answer to the question, whether we can wear running shoes for hiking is a NO! Hiking shoes are especially made for hiking so don’t choose running shoes for hiking instead. Do your feet a favor and select what is right for them.
As they say, if you want to forget all your problems, wear ill fitted shoes. So, decide first what you want to do.
