Re: [Philmont]: Hiking boots

In my personal experience, in virtually every sprain I can recall at
Philmont, whether my own Crews or other Scouts or Advisors we talked to
or tried to assist, the individual was wearing either low top boots or
was wearing high-top boots that were half-unlaced.

I am not sure why people wear boots half-unlaced (cooler maybe?), but
you see it all the time. Dumb.

A point would be needed on your podiatrist's comments, that being what
is she defining as a high top boot? In the 60's and 70's, high top
meant 6 or more inches up the leg, like a combat infantryman's boot. If
memory serves, I wore classic Timberline high-tops in 72 and 73. Now,
it seems high top means anything that is about 2 inches over the ball of
the ankle. I can see where there would be quite a bit of difference
between those two types.

My personal opinion is that if you have your boots firmly tightened up
while hiking, you will avoid major sprains regardless of whether they
are medium top, "today's" high top, or the long-ago high top. But
again, and based only on what I've seen in the way of ankle sprains
through 15 years of Scoutmastership, I certainly wouldn't recommend low
or low/medium top boots for Philmont.

smith.13@nd.edu wrote:
> This is just a note on the subject of high top hiking boots.
>
> Our crew has a podiatrist going on the trek. She claims that studies
> show (I did not ask *what* studies) that high top hiking boots cause
> more sprains than they prevent. She bought low top hiking boots for
> herself and her son. This is their first trip to Philmont. She has
> done a three day hike in the Grand Canyon in the shoes she will be
> wearing to Philmont.
>
> She also says that each pound of footwear is equivalent to three pounds
> on the back. That part I do believe.
>
> You would never get me into low hikers for Philmont or other mountainous
> terrains. I guess I like sprained ankles.
>
> ----------------------------------
> Roman J. Smith

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Received on Tue Jun 24 17:12:23 2003