Hiking and Backpacking Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety

Boot Weight and Height Your selection of boots will depend on where, when, and how often you want to hike. Lightweight boots are ideal for day hikes and backpacking on easy terrain. For example, most of the trails along the east coast can be hiked in lightweight boots. Rock scrambling and rougher terrain call for medium-weight boots, which are better suited to that kind of stress. Heavyweight boots are designed for those who intend to do intensive backpacking in mountainous terrain, including snow and ice hiking. Both the Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails, among others, involve this type of hiking. You also have a choice between differing lengths of upper-above ankle boots, ankle high boots, and below ankle boots. Above ankle boots offer the most support and are usually only found in heavyweight boots made of leather. They are great if you need to carry a big pack in the backcountry. Just make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to break them in. Ankle high boots are cut just at or just under the ankle. They are good for moderate loads and are fine for most trails. These can be found in both lightweight and medium-weight styles. Finally, below ankle boots are usually only lightweight in style and are best for very light trail use. If you wear them for tougher trips, you risk blisters and insufficient ankle support. Because so many trails are made hazardous by rocks and roots, conventional wisdom sides with having some type of ankle support, though in the end, it's as much a matter of preference as necessity.Logue, Victoria is the author of 'Hiking and Backpacking Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety', published 2005 under ISBN 9780897325844 and ISBN 0897325842.