need a shoe opinion

pfredricks · Post by **pfredricks** » Dec 28 2003 10:57 am

Hey all-
Need some recommendations for some shoes. My shoes were in bad shape, then became completely shredded this last weekend
I only hike in low quarter shoes.
The lighter the weight the better.
I was wanting Merrill's but have repeatedly heard about the soles unpeeling.

I would like a shoe that has great grip for canyoneering/scrambling, but could be a hiking shoe if need be. Of utmost importance is that I dont want the shoe to fail, eg:sole come off, eyelets pull out, etc

Any suggestions?

Greg Jackson · Post by **Greg Jackson** » Dec 30 2003 6:09 pm

My opinion..

The North Face has some great low cut "trail running" shoes that I have had great success with. No problem with a fifty pound pack.

The only problem is longevity... new pair every year because of tread wear. I'm on my second set after trying the Merrils and some ACG's.

Check 'em out at thenorthface.com

azhiker96 · Post by **azhiker96** » Dec 30 2003 7:59 pm

I've enjoyed both Salomon and Columbia low tops. I think the tread on the Salomons has better grip. Typically I have to get a new pair every year as I wear the tread off. That's a tradeoff with getting a "sticky" tread. It tends to wear down faster. A harder tread wears longer but doesn't have as much grip. Considering some of the terrain I travel, I want all the grip I can get. I've worn both in the water and didn't have any problems with delamination. If I'm worried about drying I wear my Teva sandals. I have an older model hurricane but will probably get a new set this year with the spider rubber. It feels pretty grippy in the store.