UKC

Is it just me, or does anyone else find all modern mountain boots have a high and narrow heel, and together with the trend of flexible ankle support, means it is really easy to roll an ankle? Especially when descending, on rough frozen snow (eg. av debris), frozen footprints, or big scree.

I'm now used to the massive improvement in stability from low-rise running shoes and the like. So these kinds of boots feel lethal.

I'm considering cutting out a 2mm horizontal slice of the heel block with a hacksaw and gluing it back together, to reduce the heel rise. Has anybody tried that already? (Before I hammer a £2-300 pair of boots.)

Alternatively, how do you all cope? Have I just got stupidly weak ankles?

Cheers

In reply to BruceM:

Wooooahhhh!
Prior to wrecking your boots, stabilise your ankles with proprioceptive exercises freely available online. Do them, try the boots again, then re post.

In reply to BruceM: no, I don't have the problems you mention in your first paragraph. However I do appreciate the point you make in wanting less drop, and agree, and the boots I'm using , Scarpa rebel ultras do have a reduced drop (certainly feels it). But they're not a great choice for casual hiking

In reply to BruceM:
What Dave the Rave said.

Cycling can seem to do the opposite of what one wants when it comes to ankle strength/stability I've noticed if that's relevant.

Edit: The flexible ankle support may mean you can lace things up tighter than you'd expect to be comfortable, I found my Meidle boots could be laced up tight enough to suppose a twisted ankle the day after I'd done it without it being (too) uncomfortable.

In reply to Timmd:


???

In reply to BruceM:

I've always found my Scarpa Charmoz useless in regards to ankle support. I can never lace them up tight enough to get any meaningful grip on my ankle so when I do roll it it doesn't really help that much. I figured maybe the Scarpa testers all have beefy mountaineers ankles or something, but I've never had a problem with my more traditional hiking boots...

In reply to Timmd:

support a twisted ankle

In reply to BruceM:






Yep, i have found the same thing. Also an elevated foot means that added leverage is placed on the ankle as the joint is further from the fulcrum, so when they do go over, ankles experience a more powerful roll. I usually wear minimalist shoes in the hills now because of this and don't have any problems - although it can get cold in winter so improvised gaiters help.

In reply to BruceM:

Thanks for input so far.

Yes, I should add that I'm talking about the likes of Sportiva Trangos, Nepal Extremes (all their variants), and all the Scarpa equivs. So we are talking Mountaineering/Climbing types of boots.

Do agree that Scarpa Rebels are slightly lower heel rise,, esp the Orig Rebel Lites. But unfortunately I can't wear Scarpa because of other foot/heel probs and their big heel-lock internal padding that all their boots have.

I've been using Mammut Monoliths and Mamooks until recently (when I've burnt them out), because these boots have a big solid plastic support thingy ("Motion Control") on the medial side of the ankle which is brilliant! Compared to say a Trango, the Monoliths are soooo supportive. Unfortunately they have stopped making these.

So yes I'm using low-rise approach shoes for walk-ins, low-rise orig 5.10 Tennies, for scrambling...but now it is winter again...

I should also add that my feet are quite massive but low volume for my frame. Size UK 10.5-11 feet on 172cm 62kg. So there is a massive torque from these big flippers aggravated by the high heel of the boot, and compounded more by the potentially poor boot fit around the ankle area due to the low volume issue. Proprioreception is definitely an issue. I have done exercises in the past. But I must say any improvement has been relatively insignificant given all the other parameters.

I suspect many people don't have a problem because many people way bigger than me have like size 7 or 8 boots. Must be awesome! Big feet are not so great unless everything else is in proportion!

But I can't help thinking these boot designs are all wrong. Why the high heel? We don't need to run in boots.

The slice out of the heel block idea is still very tempting. Loose 2-5mm...