How do hiking-boot ratings work?
To me, one of the great mysteries of life has to do with load ratings on boots. For exple, some day hiking boots are rated to carry up to 30 pounds after which, the boots will fail. Now, what the heck is the difference between a 180-pound person carrying no load versus a 150-pound person with a 30-pond load wearing the se pair of boots? Your enlightenment will be eternally appreciated. Jake Kim Irvine, California
My own belief is that most hikers are under-booted. That is, they're hiking in footwear lighter than they need. Good boots are incredibly important; your feet take a pounding when hiking, and decent ankle and arch support is vital. In my opinion, manufacturers tend to rate their boots a notch too low. Most of the time a boot rated as a "light backpacking boot" is more like a decent day hiker if you're carrying any kind of a pack and hiking on moderately rough terrain. I concede there's a tradeoff as weight on your feet increases the fatigue factor. But I generally think people ought to get a slightly heavier boot than perhaps would be advised given a manufacturer's specification and the wearer's hiking habits.
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