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Original poster

Hiking a marathon across the countryside - trainers or walking boots?

36 replies

cherrybakewell17 · 06/05/2023 18:35

I’m hiking a marathon across the Jurassic coast in the summer which has hills and rocky parts, would walking boots with ankle support be best or would a pair of trainers be okay? My first hiking marathon distance. Thanks

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 06/05/2023 19:48

Trail running shoes

Theimpossiblegirl · 06/05/2023 19:23

MissingMoominMamma · 06/05/2023 18:46

I hike a lot. I can’t wear boots (an old Achilles issue which becomes irritated), so I wear ASICS trail runners (the goretex ones for over pronation). They are really stable and support well.

Would you mind linking to some? They sound ideal for me.

AgenceGrateau · 06/05/2023 19:09

Hoka have a goretex boot version of the speedgoat 5 trail shoe. Really light and stable. I have a lot of ankle instability but they've just got me over an ultra in the lakes and one in Northumberland

megletthesecond · 06/05/2023 19:06

Trail running trainers. I wear saucony.

BogRollBOGOF · 06/05/2023 18:59

Trail runners are enough for non-rocky ground in the summer. They're lighter and more cushioned on the feet than walking boots, but have better lugs, side/ toe protection than standard road running shoes.

Walking boots have their uses on very rough, rocky ground or very wet/ muddy conditions.

RelentlessForwardProgress · 06/05/2023 18:53

What have you been training in? I'd wear them, whichever they are.

(Walking boots are old fashioned, its now understood that their ankle support makes all the small stabilisation muscles weak as you don't use them much, so although you feel protected from turning your ankle, in the long run you are much worse off and more likely to suffer such injuries. You are much better in trail shoes and using your own ankle strength for support. But if you've been practicing in walking boots, its likely you wont have the stabilisation strength to manage without them this time, so maybe use walking boots this time and start to build up your ankles strength to do without them in future.

Raggletaggles · 06/05/2023 18:50

I live on the Jurassic Coast and find hiking boots too heavy. I wear them in bad weather but prefer ALTRA’s long distance trail running shoes which are light and fantastically comfortable.

Thelittlekingdom · 06/05/2023 18:48

I’d suggest hiking boots or asics do a boot like trainer and trail shoe. Highly recommend breaking in the walking boots.

MissingMoominMamma · 06/05/2023 18:46

I hike a lot. I can’t wear boots (an old Achilles issue which becomes irritated), so I wear ASICS trail runners (the goretex ones for over pronation). They are really stable and support well.

NoSquirrels · 06/05/2023 18:44

Walking boots, definitely.

RuthTopp · 06/05/2023 18:43

We regularly do long holes in the Lake District which includes rocky & uneven ground with crossing areas which are soggy or bogs etc.
We find it much better to wear leather traditional style hiking boots as they are sturdy and offer more protection.
The downside is they are a little more heavy than trainers.