# Anybody ride with mid-hiking boots?



## I_8_It_up (Apr 3, 2004)

My friend has some 661 skate style shoes, they are cut low but real stiff however I wanted some ankle support for my riding along with a good beefy sole for when I'm off the bike and hiking it. I decided to pick up some Merrill "Wind River" boots so I can have ankle support, a good stiff sole, and also so I can use them for my hiking aside from riding. They are a bit over kill, but they come in handy.

Just curious if anyone else uses hiking boots?

http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?type=brand&brandid=9&brandcatid=47&gen=m&pcid=5232


----------



## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*No, but Im going to start*



I_8_It_up said:


> My friend has some 661 skate style shoes, they are cut low but real stiff however I wanted some ankle support for my riding along with a good beefy sole for when I'm off the bike and hiking it. I decided to pick up some Merrill "Wind River" boots so I can have ankle support, a good stiff sole, and also so I can use them for my hiking aside from riding. They are a bit over kill, but they come in handy.
> 
> Just curious if anyone else uses hiking boots?
> 
> http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?type=brand&brandid=9&brandcatid=47&gen=m&pcid=5232


during my last crash, I blew my ankle, that was a week ago and its still swelled up and black and blue clear down to my toes. I thought about just using high-top tennishoes, but if I find a pair of hiking shoes that are light enough Ill buy those, Are the ones your talking about very heavy?


----------



## Buck (Jan 21, 2004)

I wear merrell religously, so I would say go with those. Only thing about those is certain types of shin pads go really low so wearing those shoes might make it uncomfortable to wear say like Roach DH and FR are really low on the leg. With that being said I have a pair of merrells that has lasted me two years of everyday use,so I know they last, and they are great for riding.
L8R
Buck


----------



## zedro (Jan 12, 2004)

i like to feel my pedals. I find it almost impossible to ride with anything that has a tread and thick sole. I find the thick knobbies dont grip or grip consistantly, and the rubber is generally a pretty hard compound.

If i needed hightops i'd probably go to basketball shoes.


----------



## I_8_It_up (Apr 3, 2004)

doubleA's said:


> during my last crash, I blew my ankle, that was a week ago and its still swelled up and black and blue clear down to my toes. I thought about just using high-top tennishoes, but if I find a pair of hiking shoes that are light enough Ill buy those, Are the ones your talking about very heavy?


Yeah there a bit heavy at 3lbs, at least thats what the description says in the link. But they're burly, stiff and comfy, and that's hard to find for me because I'm so damn picky. I used them all day for hiking around building a trail, kicking dirt, stumps, bushes etc., then hoped on my steed and busted a small hit. I'm stoked! Like Zedro said below, I like to feel my pedals too but I'd rather have a stiff boot for ankle protection and simply to just stomp sh!t. Plus if I have to get off in mid air or I happen to get bucked I want to know that my soles are going to take the rock or tree'd up landing and not my feet.


----------



## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

I_8_It_up said:


> Yeah there a bit heavy at 3lbs, at least thats what the description says in the link. But they're burly, stiff and comfy, and that's hard to find for me because I'm so damn picky. I used them all day for hiking around building a trail, kicking dirt, stumps, bushes etc., then hoped on my steed and busted a small hit. I'm stoked! Like Zedro said below, I like to feel my pedals too but I'd rather have a stiff boot for ankle protection and simply to just stomp sh!t. Plus if I have to get off in mid air or I happen to get bucked I want to know that my soles are going to take the rock or tree'd up landing and not my feet.


The shoes I wear now are like a hiking shoe but a low top, they are pretty heavy too. Ive never had a problem until I started doing bigger stuff. Those Merral's look cool, Im going to look at Cabella's also.


----------



## fathead (Mar 12, 2004)

*Try braces plus hi-tops*

I have broken both ankles more than once and I found hiking boots did not work for me. I wear basketball hi-tops with a nice flat grippy sole (get em at a discount shoe place super cheap) along with ankle braces. The braces are made by 661 and are super supportive with laces plus velcro staps inside and out and thin enough to fit inside my shoes. Super-go is selling them for 25 each.


----------



## mtnbkr4eva (Jan 1, 2004)

*New Balance*



I_8_It_up said:


> My friend has some 661 skate style shoes, they are cut low but real stiff however I wanted some ankle support for my riding along with a good beefy sole for when I'm off the bike and hiking it. I decided to pick up some Merrill "Wind River" boots so I can have ankle support, a good stiff sole, and also so I can use them for my hiking aside from riding. They are a bit over kill, but they come in handy.
> 
> Just curious if anyone else uses hiking boots?
> 
> http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?type=brand&brandid=9&brandcatid=47&gen=m&pcid=5232


I use New Balance adventure Racing shoes. Theyre Light, they have ankle support/protection and they come in wide sizes, I wear 4eee. They also are made of New Balance's version of Gore Tex (Sympa-Tex). . I've has em for the past 3 years and they hold up great!

http://www.nbwebexpress.com/detail.asp?style=MA901BB


----------

