I keep dealing with a stubborn ankle injury, so I thought hiking boots would give better support over hiking shoes. Got myself a pair of Vasque boots that felt roomy at first, but after a 4-mile hike, my toes went numb, especially on the downhill stretch. I switched out insoles and socks, tried another shorter hike, but still had numbness by the end.
Sent the Vasque boots back and picked up some Keens instead. Kept them super loose around the ankle, but still felt some issues after just hanging around in them for a bit. Same thing happened with my old Oboz shoes, which don’t even have ankle support. So now I’m wondering—why do these boots seem to trigger numbness? Even when they’re loose? Could it be how the ankle is bending in the boot?
Here’s the kicker—if I wear an ankle brace or wrap, I don’t have this problem. What’s the deal with that? Am I better off just ditching boots altogether and sticking with shoes and a brace? Totally lost now.
You know sometimes it’s less about the fit and more about the terrain because going downhill can cause your foot to slide forward thus pinching nerves or cutting off blood flow even if the boots feel loose on flat ground.
I’d also like just drop the boots and switch to trail runners with the brace. Boots can be way too rigid, especially if you’ve got an ankle thing going on.
Yeah, trail runners with the brace could def work, but don’t write off the boots yet. You might just need to break them in more. If the material’s too stiff, your foot’s not moving naturally and cutting off circulation. Could just need more time to soften them up. I’m all the way boots…
