Lighter shoes outperform boots on switchbacks

pineneedler

I expected boots to lock my ankles in place on the uneven switchbacks, but the lighter shoes I took instead let my feet flex and roll with the ground without that stiff catch at each turn. The damp needles underfoot felt closer through the thinner sole, and I didn’t notice the usual hot spots forming on the long descent.

PinePeak

pineneedler that roll with the ground instead of fighting the stiff catch is what keeps the hot spots away on descents. Thinner sole giving that needle feel without extra cushion probably helps the foot move naturally the whole way.

CreekDrifter

That flex through the needles turns the whole descent into a steady roll where your foot reads the ground instead of fighting it.