Trail shoes vs boots

I have read, if you have weak ankles, it is much better to strap them up with bandages then to wear boots.

@madpom, I can't recall ever getting bruising or other soft tissue foot injuries from wearing trail runners, the reasonably thick midsole and the rockplate (thin plastic sheet in the midsole) in my favoured Xodus seem to work well in that regard. I've kicked a few rocks/roots though and hence lost the odd toenail or two. From what I've read on various review sites (always taken with a grain of salt) the Xodus are considered at the "bomber" or "robust" end of the scale, while some other trail runners seemingly barely cope with getting dirty. I generally do take more care where I place my feet when wearing trail runners compared with boots, and nobody could accuse me of being fast. I also walk in bare feet/jandals/thin sandals quite a bit so perhaps my feet have adapted/toughened to receiving the odd poke from a sharp rock, and I generally try to minimise my packweight as much as possible.

the more minimalist running shoes can be hard on the feet, they have thin soft midsoles and little support to resist pointed objects agains the sole or twisting forces

I bought some Garmont Dragonfly LT's on special about 8 months ago. Before that I'd never given much thought to trail shoes. https://www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/GBSSHN4DR/title/garmont-mens-dragontail-lt-hiking-shoe They were comfortable and stable from the get-go, but typically the soles took a couple of trips to lose their glaze and give good wet rock grip. I always wear them with long gaiters to keep crud out and they drain really well with their full toe lace up. The ankle lace tension strap is a bit of a gimmick though, and it's starting to fray, just like the web reviews said it might, so I'll have to fix that at some point, but no biggie. As approach shoes the extra weight trade-off is well worth it when doing the balancing act of stability, speed & comfort. I don't mind carrying my stiffer climbing leathers to wear once we hit real terrain, because the pace usually slows to suit anyway and the Dragonfly’s can always be stowed at a hut or hidden en-route. For tramping I've tried walking in runners but I found they just don't give enough stability on mixed ground and your feet get smacked around especially if they get wet or cold. Dirt trails are all very well but as soon as you start plodding up broken ground like a river valley they just don't cut it.

As someone who tramped for 10 years plus in sandals, including carrying a 10 day pack (containing mountaineering gear) up the Waitaha and back, I can't understand the deal about runners but have to accept that people's comments and experiences are very much real. My current boots feel as though the soles are too thin so I've put in another layer of insole and wear thinner socks. Great tip about the seam grip. Thanks.

Back in my cycling days we had an expression: "An ounce on the wheel is like a pound on the frame". I reckon it's the same with footwear. I also hung up my heavy boots a few years ago. It's now either my Asolo approach shoes or my light Teva boots (with Keen water shoes as backup/hut shoes). In addition to picking up less weight with each step, my feet also tend to sweat less and feel more comfortable. I've not missed the old heavy duties even for a moment.