Rant: My dad swore those $10 hiking shoes were fine for the AT

My dad told me last spring that expensive boots were a scam and to just grab a pair of cheap sneakers from the outlet. I wore them on a 4-mile stretch near Harper's Ferry, and by mile 2 the sole started peeling off on a wet rock. Had to finish the hike with duct tape holding the shoe together. Anyone else get terrible advice from a family member that ruined a good walk?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylorc401mo ago

and that "breaking them in" thing gets me too, because like... a shoe that falls apart in 2 miles is not a shoe that needed breaking in, it just needed to not be made out of cardboard and hope. i've had cheap sneakers from walmart where the sole started separating just from walking around the block, let alone on wet rocks. and the real kicker is that my dad still insists his $10 shoes were fine because he only wore them on flat paved bike paths. it's almost like different activities require different gear, who woulda thought

murphy.abby1mo ago

wait, your dad actually argued those were fine? that's wild, like would he wear flip flops on a glacier and call it a character building experience?

xenaf511mo ago

OH MAN, duct tape on the trail is a CLASSIC sign that you've been given awful gear advice! It's like some people think hiking gear is just a conspiracy to take your money, but there's a REASON real boots have good rubber and solid stitching. That nonsense about "breaking them in" is also a joke when a shoe literally falls apart on you. At least you got a good story out of it, but your feet probably didn't appreciate the extra adventure.