>>2445330>cheapget some trailrunners and a pair of short trailrunning gaiters. you don't *need* the gaiters but its well well worth the $10 or $20 to not pick rocks out of your shoes ever. they're a lot cheaper than boots for even the very high end ones at full msrp and go on sale all the time. random recommendation i've been re-buying saucony peregrines for 10yrs they're a good safe bet trailrunner with a roomy toebox, they let me splay out with toe socks.
>cheapestgot some old athletic running shoes you don't mind beating up? perfectly fine if you're mostly on trails and not doing technical stuff. as long as you're not going through like snow or deep mud the traction is fine. just be cautious that you're wearing a shoe with like zero puncture resistance. the tread and the protective carbon plate for stepping on things and the toe cap's the only real difference from a running shoe and trail runner. that and the sizing will be wrong because you're supposed to size up trailrunners since you go up and down inclines in them.
>least cheap, you either need them or they're not as goodboots. your only choices are keens or spend $300. if these are super tall alpine mountains you might need boots otherwise its just a preference thing and more ppl prefer runners for mountain terrain anyways just get those since they're cheaper.
if you get boots costco has the cheapest good wool socks, store brand.
always size up +0.5 to +1 minimum shoe or boot. your feet swell and you need the space in the toes for declines.
runners and boots both cost the same $ per mile usually, the life span of both is different.
boots are required for some mt everest type shit but on smaller mountains runners are better by a long shot when its not super rugged and boots are better by a long shot when it is. boots off trail. runners where its wet.
