Footwear for minus 20 and sludgy.

[kat_d9152]

Hey, just wondering if ANYONE has any bright ideas about what i can do for footwear?

I currently run circuits up and down these hills at the back of my house in korea, which rocks coz they have all this gymnast and exercise equipment right there by the trails for free.
My only problem is it's now minus 20 and snowy and sludgy. Went out today and my sneakers were soaked afterwards, my little toes so so cold after only bout 30 mins.:speechless::speechless:

I really don't wanna give up the outdoor wooded hill runs for too too many reasons: it's beautiful, cheap and fun fun fun and also gives me plenty of chances to tone on the gym bars and do proper muscle group work as I go round (yup i dont mind looking like an idiot while practicing kicks and lunges for a few hundred meters in the privacy of a nearly deserted wood!!) I know it sounds kinda stupid but it also keeps my brain 100% focused and relaxed as I just have to watch the ground for tree roots hidden in the snow and leaves. A gym just wouldn't give me any of that, or be half as much fun. I have an awesome HR monitor so i know exactly what i achieve at all times, so the gym really holds not a single attraction for me.

So my question....does anyone else run like this?
What footwear should I get?
I have Merrells for hiking and ice spikes that clip on to your shoes, should i try these?
Or does anyone know if there are there proper waterproof purpose built training footwear I can find to suit my purposes?

The problem i foresee with the merrells is, while waterproof they are a rigid base structure with no arch flexibility, so probably not ideal for running, esp on the little haphazard tracks I use, and I dont really want to bang my toes up as I dodge about. the ice spikes are H-e-a-v-y. Not too bad for hiking but gonna kill the running. Or should i just use them and look forward to having calves bigger than a subway train?? :xmas:

Any advice is really appreciated...If you could see the track and the terrain and the views I get every single morning you would totally understand why I would do absolutely anything to not have to move my exercise indoors.

Cheers guys

Kat

 

[Backspace]

I'm not reading the whole post, but I found these shoe covers at a large sports store here in Australia. I found them in the bike section, the have an elastic part that goes around the ankle.

you should also think about changing your shoes to some sort of boots. but be careful, and talk to the shoe store people about perhaps getting some inner soles (that is if you can afford new shoes, I can't right now!).

But if you do chgange shoes to some form of boot, look into what will be okay for running, you don't want to damage yourself!

Good luck

 

[CaterpillarMAN]

Well last week I went out hunting and it was minus 34 with the wind chill and lots of snow. I had just bought a pair of ROCKY boots for hunting. They have a insulation called thinsulate. My feet stayed DRY AND WARM. I was only hiking though. And the boots have awesome traction too. Just an idea. You could look at some hunting gear. Good luck with the search.
Jr

 

[ophix]

Look up a company called 5.11 tactical. They're a law enforcement/security company, and they manufacture boots used by all divisions of law enforcement, American and Canadian.

Another company to consider is Magnum. They also make boots intended for law enforcement.

The boots are called "tactical boots". They're designed to offer the best balance of protection, water resistance, insulation, and lightweight performance.

Altama also makes tactical boots, although Altama is more geared towards military equipment, so their boots are generally heavier and more designed for protection and all-round performance.

These boots have many advantages over other boots or even running shoes.

First, they're very light. Heavier than shoes still, but considering that you're getting a full 6-8 inches of calf coverage and enough foot protection to walk over a spike-strip or exposed electrical cables. Many of them are also acid-resistance, should you ever find yourself running through a field of hydrochloric acid. Granted, some of the safety features on these boots are a bit over the top for a runner. So yes, they are a little heavier, although the difference in weight is minor, these aren't heavy enough to weigh you down and tire out your legs.

But then there's the shock absorption. Excellent. Best I've ever found. I don't think I'll ever find better either. Since many of these boots are issued to SWAT teams, they're made with very good cushioning and are designed to protect the feet through a lot more than just running.

Warmth. Some of these boots are as warm as the warmest winter boot. Most however are not. Magnum makes a "storm" line, which is designed for harsh weather. They're insulated to the highest industry standard (any more insulation and your feet would over-sweat if you stepped inside or got in a car). 5.11 also makes a cold-weather series which they claim is designed to insulate in weather as cold as -40C. On the other side, both companies make boots which I would, and do, happily wear throughout the summer.

Performance is the biggest factor to notice. These boots are made to fit and feel like your running shoes. There's people who have chosen to replace their running shoes with these boots for the performance. What can you say, running feels good. There's no rubbing anywhere. Your foot is held snuggly in place without requiring pressure to keep it there. Granted your fit may vary. And being light-weight, they don't ware your legs out.

It was either 5.11 or Magnum, but one of these companies actually has a marathon runner endorsing their products, despite not being recognized as an athletics supplier.

Which marathon it was, I forget, what his name was, I forgot, you should be able to look it up for yourself though, they use it as advertisement so it shouldn't be hard to find. Either way, he runs with their boots, and he's won marathons using their boots.

Finally, the quality and craftsmanship on these boots it's definitely noteworthy.

I've been wearing a pair of 5.11 urban HRT's year round. Through both summer and winter.

The colouring on the leather is slightly faded, but the condition of the leather is still good as new. After 1 year of every-day use, the leather is still smooth. No cracks. Bit of creasing where the shoe bends (obviously), but otherwise, the leather is still good as new and just needs a bit of polish to get the black in it again. I don't clean or do any sort of leather maintenance on my boots. Ever. I have yet to own a pair of boots long enough to see their quality decline from ware and tare, so you'll get at least 4-5 years out of the boot. I might even push these boots for as long as 10 years. I really can't say how long the materials will hold up, I've always walked the tread completely flat before the boots started looking like parts were starting to break.

You could probably get a pair for $140-$200. Bit pricey, I know, but if you want to keep your feet warm, and dry, the only thing that comes close is a pair of winter boots. If you want to run, these wont have much impact on your performance.

Might I also add that most of these boots come with slip-guards on the treads which is intended to prevent slipping on an oil-slick, but they seem to provide some extra stability to catch yourself if you slip on a patch of ice as well.

The added ankle support of a boot will also save you a lot of tension from landing on an uneven/loose surface like the snow where your ankle could bend in all sorts of angles depending how the snows packs down when you step on it.

So yeah, they're basically a company that makes boots combined with a cross-trainer and some extra features to make things like jumping, climbing, or repelling off a building a little easier. I think the first thing you'll notice about them is how shoe-like they feel inside.

All the mentioned companies use Thinsulate in their boots. It's the lightest, thinnest, and most efficient material used for insulation. Police use it for their gloves to keep their hands warm, but maintain the tactile feedback to handle a firearm or search a suspect through their clothing. Any insulated boot you intend to run in should have Thinsulate as I consider the advantages of this material ideal for a good running boot.

 

[running01]

Running outside in the winter is awesome. Don't give in to using treadmills in the gym!

I've have Merrels in the past and always like them but I think Keen makes much better trail running shoes. They also have water-proof gortex liners.

Have you ever thought about getting some running gaitors? Or using running snowshoes? Those two things might be what you need for a sweet winter running setup.

If it's icy you'll probably have to keep the ice cleats on. It's better than falling though. Socks are also key. I totally recommend Smartwools. Not sure if you can them in Korea, but they are great.