Annapurna short tracks - Road & Shoes

I agree 100% with Skyline1 in post #8. Being quick and nimble with you feet is going to protect you more than having them wrapped in heavy and clumsy armoury. What comes to military footwear, there has been a clear trend towards trail runner -type shoes, usually "hi-top" versions, from heavy leather boots recently (I have been there, Mosul in 2008). In any case comparing a 4 day middle hills trek to a military manoeuvre is quite pointless. If one can hike the trails near home with sneakers or trail runners, one can do that even when the country name is changed to "Nepal" also.

Interesting opinions from very experienced hikers.
I don't tent to twist ankles and I did very rarely when I played some basketball.
I thought that trekking requires some heavier shoes for better traction support and stability and about 5 years ago when I started doing more serious trekking I got myself a pair of Lowa Renegade at REI and was very happy from day 1 when I hiked 20 km. I am now on the 2nd pair and recommend the shoes to many and they all bless me.
I now realize that despite being happy I had no base for comparison. In the past when I had crappy hiking shoes, I had to take a rest from them after a few days since I was not comfortable and walked with good trail sandles and was fine.
I always have trail sandles with me as a backup in Nepal and sure use them after taking my shoes off or going to take a shower but I know that I trek heavy.
Maybe I should try once trekking with trail running shoes but for now very happy with my Lowas. Very comfortable and not to heavy and I even ran with them when I needed to.
Just my thoughts

Hello
If you are traveling in July/August this is the rainy season in Nepal. Especially when you are going to do lower part of Annapurna trek it will be wet, slippery, muddy and quite stones so better to have good ankle height trekking boot and at this time some part of Annapurna is leech can make more interesting one.
If you have enough time at this time better to try real Annapurna Circuit Trek because higher part of this trek is perfect for rain season. And this is one of the most beautiful and world widest pass Trek in Nepal.
Cheers

Thank you so much for your advice. I think that the shoes are very personal, when it comes to trademark etc. I have very thin and long feet and I have felt the qualitz of Lowa however they cannot grab my foot in the right way so I have pain from the beginning.

What do you experience as great trademarks , not only how they are to your feet, but more quality wise and most important in Nepal in the rain season: Waterproof wise!

If you buy leather boots, make sure they are not made in China. (I had 2 pairs of Merrels fall apart on me: one after 15 days hiking; the 2nd pair, replaced free by MEC, fell apart after only 5 hrs hiking....) Europeans make the best leather boots. (I love my Italian Scarpa leather boots that replaced those lousy other boots.)

Nothing really will stay dry after 1-2 days of monsoon hiking (from my experience in the Annapurnas monsoon trekking in August 2014). So something that dries faster woukd be better in monsoon. (Thus leather at a disadvantage in monsoon.) A fabric boot or trainer/sneaker/trail runner likely best.

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