Approach Shoes you can hike in

I can't wear high top walking shoes. I have an extremely sensitive ankle bone that will render me unable to walk in high tops after a few miles. No idea why. I think it's weird. Fortunately I have strong ankles so heavy loads in low tops don't bother me.

For the last few years I've been using La Sportiva Boulder X for pretty much everything. I think they're perfectly comfortable for day trips to the crag and they're sticky enough to scramble and rock hop in. I don't climb in them, they're a bit too thick and bulky for that. I feel pretty happy in them backpacking, like no issues over Jackass Pass with a weeks worth of food. I don't really see needing more than that.

My biggest complaint is the toe. If you look at a Boulder X, you'll see the rand actually overhangs the sole and is exposed. Not a huge deal but it makes them wear out a lot quicker. Faster still if you're doing any scrambling in them.

I'm looking to replace the Boulder X with something similarly well made but with a little better design in the toe.

My ideal shoe would be an all leather, non gortex, low top, supportive forefoot, vibram bottomed shoe.

I think Salewa makes a model that mostly fits this bill. Are there others?

Also, I am a 3 hour drive away from being able to try anything on. I'll end up mail ordering.

Get the 5.10 guide tennies, I have climbed up to 5.10c in yosemite with them and love them. They have a low cut, and hike well. I had the boulder x and they were clunky and I felt like I was wearing platform shoes which made me worry about spraining my ankle.

I should have mentioned. 5.10 is not an option. They are too poorly built.

I've climbed 11d in approach shoes. Doesn't mean they are good approach shoes. In fact, it usually means they're just soft and you're on a crack.

La Sportiva Tx4

love my 5.10 camp fours. I know you said no Fiveten, but the camp four needs to be mentioned. I have worn mine every day for over a year with hard use like Hikes up Washington and of course the Rumney approaches that everyone "loves" so much, and they are still going strong.

I really like the look of the TX4. The bottom looks like a shallow dot rubber design. Probably not too durable.

Stop with the 5.10 suggestions already!! Never going to happen.

Keep an open mind when looking for gear. I have limited myself to specific brands, and have never been as happy as when I look at what people actually say.

Here are some reviews:
outdoorgearlab.com/Approach…

The TX4s are pretty soft.

I recently got a pair of Garmont Dragontail LTs which seem to have a similar construction to the Boulder Xs but don't have the same kind of overhang on the front of the toe.

I got a pair of Salewa Wildfires 2 months ago and love them. They are Gore-tex, but breath really well considering. The toe rand fits the bill of what you're looking for I believe. Great for approaches, great for descents, great for scrambling, great for 5.easy approach pitches, great for around town. I have put on around 50 miles on them so far, never a blister. I've been very happy with them.

Side Note: They run about 1/2 a size too big, I am usually 10.5, but 10 was perfect fit with the insert

Seth Jones wrote:I like hiking in my Scarpa Crux.

I like the crux but they're really soft. I put 15 miles on a pair last weekend and my feet were bruised when I was done.

Have any of you tried the Millet Friction? It's a bit spendy but might be what I'm looking for.

Not leather, but I'm digging the tx2 by la sportiva. So light.

Salewa Mountain Trainers are quite nice.
Very supportive and durable. Probably heavier than the 5.10 Guides, but also way better to me.

Sierra Trading has an approach shoe from Aku that looks promising. I live near a retail store and tried them on, they fit well and look durable. sierratradingpost.com/aku-r…

You can always send them back if you dont like them.

If durability is a key concern go for Salewa. I can't kill them. Every other shoe I have lasts about a year at the most and the Salewa shoes are going on 4 years now.

Seth Jones wrote: You just need to harden up. :) Joking aside, I do agree with you that they are pretty soft but haven't had any problems with hiking in them. That being said, I've hiked quite a bit in flip flops so at this point, I'm good with anything that has laces and doesn't give me blisters.

You're probably right, my feet are constantly messed up. However, what makes the Crux climb well is how soft they are...it's also what causes every stone you step on to poke the bottom of your feet. I have well over 100 miles in them, they were soft the day I bought them. They hold up pretty damn well too.

How can a shoe be considered an approach shoe if it does not hike? I like my Salewas. You need foam for comfort, a partial shank, no foam in the edging area and sticky rubber with minimal tread where you smear.

Do they have to be "approach shoes"? The same features that make a pair of shoes climb well tend to make them hike poorly. But unless you want to climb low 5th in them, I've never had any problem scrambling in regular hiking shoes.

I think the Salewa Mountain Trainer mentioned above is a good choice. Salewa markets them as "alpine approach shoes", but they're really just a pair of beefy hiking shoes. They're pretty stiff, have deep lug soles w/ a flat "climbing zone" near the toes (like the sole on many mountaineering boots). I've hiked 14+ miles in them, as well as done class 4 scramble in them, and they worked really well.

aikibujin wrote:Do they have to be "approach shoes"? The same features that make a pair of shoes climb well tend to make them hike poorly. But unless you want to climb low 5th in them, I've never had any problem scrambling in regular hiking shoes. I think the Salewa Mountain Trainer mentioned above is a good choice. Salewa markets them as "alpine approach shoes", but they're really just a pair of beefy hiking shoes. They're pretty stiff, have deep lug soles w/ a flat "climbing zone" near the toes (like the sole on many mountaineering boots). I've hiked 14+ miles in them, as well as done class 4 scramble in them, and they worked really well.

Funny thing, I was reading the replies and browsing some online gear stores and reached a similar conclusion. I think what I'm actually in the market for is a pair of low top hiking boots.

I've been climbing for a long time and sometimes you just get set in your ways. I think that was the case here. I'm glad I asked though, it made me look at the features I want and what I don't want in a shoe.

+1 for TX4. Super comfy hiker. Have done multiple 14ers in them

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote: Funny thing, I was reading the replies and browsing some online gear stores and reached a similar conclusion. I think what I'm actually in the market for is a pair of low top hiking boots. I've been climbing for a long time and sometimes you just get set in your ways. I think that was the case here. I'm glad I asked though, it made me look at the features I want and what I don't want in a shoe.

In hat case Salomon XAPro are a good choice