When do you have to swap from path runners again to waterproof or insulated mountaineering boots when the temperatures drop in autumn? I get requested this query continuously, and it’s one thing I wrestle with when the climate modifications. The straightforward reply is when temperatures drop beneath freezing (32 levels) throughout the day or evening. Nevertheless, there are a variety of mitigating elements and transition methods that you would be able to make use of to defer switching from path runners to boots. Some are extra snug than others, some much less so.
Day Mountain climbing in Autumn
For instance, when you’re day mountaineering, you possibly can normally put on path runners right down to freezing, offered:
- You’ll be able to maintain your footwear and socks dry.
- There’s no wind.
- You don’t cease for breaks usually or stand round on chilly rock.
- You hike at a quick tempo and generate a variety of physique warmth.
- You eat snacks and keep hydrated.
- You don’t must put on metallic traction aids like microspikes.
Until you already know your supposed route and mountaineering companions nicely, it may be tough to foretell these elements. For instance, it’s simple to underestimate the quantity of water that fallen leaves can maintain in autumn, even when it’s not raining, or the elevated wind publicity you’ll expertise when mountaineering via forest after the leaves have dropped. The identical holds for morning frost or dew, which might make your footwear and socks moist, or the chilly that radiates via your path runners when you should put on a metallic traction help to hike over slick and icy rock.
You’ll be able to mitigate these situations by sporting a waterproof insulated sock from SealSkinz or Showers Cross. The added insulation, wind safety, and waterproofing will maintain you fairly snug in your path runners right down to freezing or decrease. One other different is to buy a water-proof model of your present path runners if the producer makes them or a mid-version of the identical shoe, which will likely be a bit hotter. Altra, Hoka and different path runner producers have expanded their product traces to incorporate such fashions.
Common mountaineering or insulated winter boots are normally a lot hotter than path runners in borderline climate as a result of they don’t have mesh sides and so they have a lot thicker soles. This leads to a lot higher wind resistance and extra foot and sole insulation. I swap from path runners to flippantly insulated winter boots (200 g of insulation) as a result of “waterproof” winter boots with artificial insulation may also keep hotter when you get them soaked, whereas the identical can’t be stated of uninsulated or leather-based mountaineering boots.
Backpacking in Autumn
Backpackers should take into account the identical elements as day hikers, together with nighttime temperatures and the climate over a number of days. It’s one factor in case your footwear get moist on a day hike as a result of you possibly can go residence and dry them out by the wooden range. However when you’re on a multi-day backpacking journey, moist path runners will probably freeze at evening if temperatures drop beneath 32 levels. There’s additionally much less probability to get better from moist footwear throughout a multi-day journey in freezing climate except you possibly can hit city and dry your footwear out utterly.
There are a number of methods to mitigate the danger of frozen path runners. A technique is to sleep with them and forestall them from freezing along with your physique warmth. This may be uncomfortable as hell, but it surely does work. One other manner is to rewarm your footwear within the morning by placing a scorching water bottle or warmth pack in them to soften any ice that’s fashioned in a single day. However they’ll nonetheless be chilly once you put them on, and your toes will wrestle to heat them up.
Give up to the Inevitable: Boots
If none of those mitigating methods sound very interesting, it’s as a result of they’re not. If you happen to hike within the colder and wetter climate that usually accompanies autumn, you’ll want to swap to boots if temperatures constantly drop beneath freezing. Whereas boots aren’t as light-weight or snug as path runners, it’s what it’s.
Extra Footwear Incessantly Requested Questions
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