Quoted By:
Eva foam compresses after 300-500 miles, so all of those super lightweight comfy trainers and boots are a total money sink
A good compromise for foam cushioning is Adidas’ boost - but it sucks to have one company monopolise a material
PU soles are subject to hydrolisis when stored (soles will crumble/detach) and aren’t particularly light, but better than EVA for longevity
Hard rubber (vibram etc) doesn’t cushion you at all leading to fatigue after long 30+ day walks without a cushioning midsole or insole
Crepe rubber is soft and grippy but wears very quickly
Leather soles as found on historic boots wears very quickly on rock, gravel and tarmac and absorbs lots of water, needing long drying times
Minimalist footwear often lacks decent traction and wears through quickly. It also leads to foot fatigue on rocky trails and no contingency for bashing your feet on rocks or roots which can lead to serious bruises and bone bruising (very bad for a hiker)
Sandals have all of the above sole problems and lack the protection of the upper for prickly and abrasive areas
My conclusion is therefore that a good minimalist boot like the Belleville Minimil with a decently durable and lugged sole, paired with a cheap EVA foam insert (to be considered disposable after ~300+ miles) would be the ideal outist footwear as it pairs the lightweight off-road nature of a trail runner with the durability of a boot, with a sustainably cheap and replaceable cushion for the anti-fatigue and shock absorb[tion factor. Complete the trinity with thicker bottomed socks for more shock dampening, and a thin carbon rock plate insole for rocky or more technical trails, carry waterproof socks and you have a single boot that will
- outlast any boot using compressible, low lifespan EVA mid soles (Just cut a new pair of mid/insoles from Eva foam for maximum poorfaggotry)
- fulfil all 3 seasons and conditions, potentially 4 if you have enough room for more socks and a thin winter insole like aerogel
