On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:05:38 -0600, Vic Smith wrote:

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:45:10 +0000, Geoff Berrow
wrote:

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:49:00 +0000, Peter Clinch
wrote:

Take them orienteering instead and they'll be on rougher terrain with
more need of good soles, and hardly anyone will think they're best off
in boots with Vibram soles and ankle support. Certainly almost all of
the experts won't be in them.

I've been walking 3-4 miles a day on pavements to keep in trim and in
the recent snow, I wore my boots instead of my usual North Face shoes.
As I only have short legs, I found it harder to walk as fast with the
boots because of the extra weight. This isn't usually a problem when
doing day walks across country or up hills as my pace will be more
relaxed. I can see, however, that someone concerned with speed would
prefer lighter footwear.

Speed isn't the only concern with weight.
After some miles of walking in comfortable but heavy boots, a knee
became painful and slightly swollen. I didn't connect it with the
boots at first, but when I doffed the boots the knee problem very
quickly disappeared.
It's possible my gait in the above ankle boots was a factor, but I'm
guessing it was mostly the swinging weight of the boots.

I'm also guessing, but I think it's more likely that you walk differently
in boots. In running, there are advocates of barefoot running, largely on
the grounds of reduced injuries. There was a study that showed that
injuries increased in proportion to the cost of the running shoes.

Heavy boots can make your feet feel very protected, but may mean that you
stride out in a way that puts more strain on other parts of your body.

--
rob