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Footwear for 3000ers

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 neauk 11 Aug 2011
A group of us are doing the Welsh 3000ers soon, I swear by my Scarpa SL's, but others are using approach shoes. Whos feet will survive?
 stonemaster 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: Horses for courses, one prefers the SLs. Good luck and hope the weather is kind.
 stewieatb 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk:

Assuming your mates in trainers don't turn an ankle, then it'll be whoever's boots/trainers fit better.
 MJH 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: I use fell running trainers for 99% of my hill walking, so provided they have reasonable grip then your mates should be fine.
 adityahs 11 Aug 2011
In reply to MJH:


Oh dear: hope they are recognizable as fell-wear. You are at risk of featuring in a future post titled "I saw someone going up a mountain and they were wearing trainers!!!!!".

Kind regards
 GeoffRadcliffe 11 Aug 2011
In reply to adityahs: Some sections can be very boggy depending on the route chosen. Also, the Carneddau has some mossy sections that can be very slippery when damp, so I would wear boots with good soles.
 monkeyboyraw 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: Whatever fits best really but ankle strength/support is the key I think. If your mates are regular fell runners then no problem but for a hill walker to do the route is strenuous enough anyway and some of the terrain is very broken and ideal for ankle turning.

Good luck what ever you do
 Brass Nipples 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk:

Depends how light on your feet you are. I wear innov8's outside of winter and can go for miles and miles with no problems. Did sky ridge traverse in my running shoes as well, 7 hours, and no probs. I am light on my feet, and used to moving fast in rough terrain. Stick with your boots if you're not confident moving fast in rough terrian.
 Banned User 77 11 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: If you are used to trainers then I'd always go for trainers. But stick with what you use. SL's are heavy though. Personally I never wear boots now, even in winter as I have crampons for my trainers so there's just no need.
 andyd1970 12 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: I did it in june and wore 2 types of footwear my Scarpa charmoz B2's and a apair of lighter walking boots, as we had a support team with us and i changed them to suite the sections and conditions. My mate did it in his SLs and another guy did the whole route in his Scarpa freneys and they are alpine b3 boots. It also depends how big your pack is coz boots will give you better support whilste carrying a heavy load.
Andy
 HenryC 12 Aug 2011
Essentially it comes down to speed and experience. If you are planning a lightning quick time then you will need the appropriate lightweight footwear, if you are planning on just walking it then that is obviously what walking boots are designed for!

The considerations to take into account are:

Rocky sections (Tryfan) where boots will enable you to scramble more easily and will decrease the chances of a rolled ankle.

Weather, in trainers you are probably going to end up with your feet 'running wet', so as long as you keep your pace up so that the feet don't get to cold you should be fine. Spare socks for either boots or trainers would probably be a wise investment for a late booster.

Your pack size is going to struggle to be large, even if you plan to camp at the end in case of benightment you should still be able to squeeze everything into a 35l daysack.

Size, fit and comfort. As said earlier people should take what fits best and you certainly don't want to be out there having bought something specifically for that route as the likelihood is blisters.

At the end of the day I think we take a little too much consideration of equipment for these things, which were probably done 100 years ago in tweed.
David AJ Old Profile 12 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk: If you are asking this question, then perhaps you are slightly under prepared? I found it very useful to get to know the route first, then you know exactly what footwear will suit you. Certainly in the dry, there are vast long sections that are just so enjoyable in trainers, jogging from Elidir to Y Garn is simply a delight on a sunny day - not to be missed out (even with a light pair of boots in a day sac). Things like the little trickle stream just after the lake before Glyder Fawr - allows water refilling - so that's a kilo saved hoiking up Elidir Fawr. Good luck
 GrahamD 12 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk:

The key is not to use a different footwear ystem to the one you are used to. Personally I would wear boots but friends of mine would be equally happy with running shoes.
 JonJavlin 12 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk:

are you doing the 15 peaks? in 24hours?

if so you need a support team. Checkpoint 1: Nant Peris. Checkpoint 2: base of Tryfan

thats if you start at Crib Goch, which is best done in approach shoes if its dry. I did it in a set of old Scarpas on our training run and shat myself as the soles were too hard and the rock is highly polished up there. On the real thing I did it in Merrell approach shoes and loved it! That was Crib, Garned, Snowdon and down to Nant Peris. Then changed into boots for the slog up Elydr Fawr. Boots all the way from there.

if you have boots that you are comfortable in on wet or smooth slippy rock then boots are fine all the way.

2 teams when we did it did it in fell running shoes and did it in less than 10 hours.

if however, you are doing a couple of Welsh 3000's. Boots all the way! SL's - ideal!

 Banned User 77 12 Aug 2011
In reply to JonJavlin: DOn't think you need support. There's a water tap in Nant, maybe stash food at Ogwen.
 Tim Davies 12 Aug 2011
In reply to neauk:

Trainers/ inov8s if you can.

There's only one boggy bit as you descend off elidir fawr (or go up it) by a fence. Your feet will soon dry out, even if they do get wet.

It's a case of 300g on wach foot instead of 1kg.
sputnik3383 05 Sep 2011
In reply to neauk: ive been walking for 40 years W.T.F. are "approach shoes" ?are they some kind of fashion accessory ?
 Jack Finney 06 Sep 2011
In reply to neauk:
Did it in my Scarpa Mirage B2's back in July because i like the extra ankle support, SL's should be ideal.
 Katie86 06 Sep 2011
In reply to neauk:

Did it with a support team back in July (cuz our club organises it that way). It was my first time doing it and did it with my dad who turns 60 this year.

15 summits. 15 hours. Clear until Glyder Fach then very low vis until the end.

Started at Pen y Pass finished with enough time to grab a pint at t'pub.

My kit
Merrell Chameleon Mid boots. (light, supportive with grippy new rubber).
Poles - I have really rubbish ankles and i've obliterated the shock absorbers in my knees (quiet scary at 25) - so for me pole are essential.
10 litre rucksack.
2 litre platypus type thing.
All snacks in zip hip pockets inc. nuts/raisins/sweets.
I wore shorts and tshirt.
Packed a fleece and paclite waterproof jacket/trousers.
Map
Compass
(Dad had a GPS)
Very lightweight survival orange/foil bag.
Very basic first aid kit - compeed/climbers tape/bandage/
Buff
Torch/batteries.
Moved fast and spent the whole day in shorts and tshirt cept for putting a fleece on comming across the Carneddau.
 Katie86 06 Sep 2011
In reply to neauk:

Oh crib goch was wet and slippy because it was covered in morning dew.
Carneddau were wet and slippy because it was so misty.
 Siward 06 Sep 2011
In reply to sputnik3383:
> (In reply to neauk) ive been walking for 40 years W.T.F. are "approach shoes" ?are they some kind of fashion accessory ?

They're the same as 'retreat shoes' but the marketing types didn't like the sound of those.
 Ramblin dave 06 Sep 2011
In reply to sputnik3383:
I think the phrase you were looking for was "Approach shoes? Luxury! We used to dream of having approach shoes...."
 Flinticus 06 Sep 2011
Lots of good replies. Boot / shoe fit first I'd say, then consider weight as with heavy boots on each step you will be tiring out ealier / need to do more refuelling. I'd say a good mid boot would prob be best if you've not used running shoes before on the hills (and running shoes will leave you with wet feet). I did a lot of the Scottish hills in Merrell Moab Mids (though now use a lightweight Asolo boot) and you can sort of run in them too. The higher sides protect against knocks & scrapes from rocks & boulders.

Certainly not a good idea to take new untried footwear.

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