Ratgeber
Walking boots or trail runners for trekking?
For multi-day tours with a heavy rucksack, scree or wet conditions, ankle-high walking boots are the safe choice, while trail runners suit light luggage and well-built trails. Fit matters more than the type, and shoes must be broken in before the trip. Adventure is a Swiss travel agency offering advice by video call.
Von Adventure, Stand
Schritt für Schritt
- Clarify the terrain, rucksack weight and weather of your tour.
- Decide between walking boot and trail runner based on these conditions.
- Try shoes on in the late afternoon and with walking socks.
- Break in the pair on day walks over several weeks before the trip.
- Also test descents, where the foot slides forward.
- Take blister plasters and a second pair of socks.
Checkliste
- Shoes bought at least four weeks before departure
- Several day walks completed with luggage
- Walking socks in wool or synthetic fibre
- Toes have room downhill, heel sits firmly
- Sole with a good tread, not worn
- Blister plasters and tape in the rucksack
- Second pair of light shoes for hut and camp
Your footwear is the most important piece of equipment on a trekking trip, because blisters and pain can end any tour. At the same time there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A walking boot supports and protects, a trail runner is light and dries faster. This guide helps you choose the right type, try on properly and break in on time. A good shoe is not a question of price, but of fit and preparation.
Walking boot: support and protection
Ankle-high walking boots with a firmer sole support the joint and protect the foot from stones. That helps with a heavy rucksack, on scree, snow or mud and on long descents.
The price is weight and a longer breaking-in period. A stiff boot needs time until it fits the foot, and it dries slowly after getting wet.
For tours such as Kilimanjaro or stages in Nepal and Patagonia they are usually the safe choice. Also pay attention to the sole. A grippy rubber compound with a deep tread gives grip on wet rock and gravel, and a firm midsole protects against sharp stones.
Trail runner: light, flexible, dries faster
Trail runners are lighter, more flexible and often more comfortable from the first hour. They suit well-built trails, light luggage and dry conditions.
They offer less support and less protection in wet conditions and on rough terrain. If you tend to twist your ankle or carry heavily, be careful.
Low walking shoes offer a middle way. They are more stable than running shoes, but lighter than high models. If you wear trail runners, you should approach scree and long descents carefully and take little luggage. With a light daypack and dry weather this is quite doable.
Fit: what really counts
Try shoes on in the late afternoon, when the feet are slightly swollen, and with the socks you will wear on the tour. In the end the toes should not hit the front going downhill, and the heel should hardly slip when walking.
Around half a size to a full size larger than everyday shoes is usual, but not binding. A specialist shop can check length, width and insoles. Bring to the fitting the insoles and socks you will wear on the tour. And make sure the heel does not lift as you roll through the step. A specialist shop measures both feet, because they are rarely the same size. The larger foot is the deciding one, and an insole can balance out differences.
Breaking in and avoiding blisters
Break in new shoes over several weeks, with increasing duration and real luggage. Watch for hot spots and react early with tape or a plaster before a blister forms.
Downhill is usually where it gets critical, because the foot slides forward. So explicitly test long descents and clean lacing. A firm heel prevents many problems.
If you have foot or joint complaints, a consultation with a professional beforehand is worthwhile. For recurring complaints, talk to a professional, such as an orthopaedist or a podiatrist. Good advice saves a lot of trouble later. Check the lacing too. If you lace loosely on the ascent and more firmly on the descent, you prevent pressure on the toes and the heel slipping.
Care and replacement on the trip
Dry shoes in the air after they get wet, not directly on a heater or the fire. Waterproof them before the trip and check the sole and seams.
A second pair of light shoes for hut and camp relieves the feet in the evening. You will find more on equipment in the [packing list for trekking](/m/adventure/planen). On long trips, take spare laces and some adhesive tape. Small repairs on the way sometimes save the whole tour.
Typical mistakes when buying shoes
A common mistake is buying shortly before the trip. New shoes need time, and pressure points often only show after hours. Buy in good time and wear the pair on several walks.
Equally widespread is a shoe that is too small. Downhill the toes press against the front, and nails suffer. When trying on, check steps downhill, for example on a slope in the shop.
Old shoes can also cause problems. Soles harden, bonding comes loose. Check the condition and tread before the trip and replace the pair if in doubt.
