Ultimate alpine TOURING boot?

What do you AT people recomend for hiking.  Sneakers just doesn't cut it for my feet.

<br>I've been using trail runners, specifically the Salomon XA Pro II (although Salomon has some newer models now). Very light, yet surprisingly supportive. Worked great on the long draw approaches this past July to the Interglacier and Russell/Flett.<br>Drawbacks are:<br>-- not much side protection when accidently banging feet up against big rocks; and,<br>-- prone to getting soaked in wet/muddy conditions. (An xcr version is available, although given the low cut, probably would get wet anyway.)<br>

I also use the Salomon XA Pro with a low, stretchy gaiter, they work great. Decided against the XCR version, as once they fill up with water the membrane will be working against you - the mesh ones just drain out and feel dry in about 5 minutes.<br><br>BTW, the XA Pro II's are at Sierratradingpost for $59 now . . . (but they are blue)

Thanks for the advice on the light hikers. I don't mind wet feet so much, unless they are swimming in water, I hardly notice till I take off the shoes. I like the fast drying feature. I will check them out, even the blue ones!<br><br>Alan

I use heavy sneakers. I don't worry about moisture, I just carry my ski socks in my pack until I put on my boots, so I can splash through bogs and posthole through snow without worries. If my feet get too cold, I'll just switch to my boots. <br><br>Sneakers have always worked fine for me, even with a big pack and rough terrain. My stiff (for these types of shoes) Montrails even work great with strap on crampons, perfect for alpine rock with a glacial approach.

One idea for hiking (not mine, but a good one worth sharing) is to use your laceup boot liners, like on my Garmont tele boots, that you use as mukluks, but have them covered with NEOS overboots. This would of course work with sneakers or trail runners as well.<br><br>This running shoe/ NEOS combination is also the preferred setup for sprint and mid-distance mushers.

Dave,<br><br>What is NEOS? I'll look it up. Been getting out with the dogs much?<br><br>Alan