From: "Chuck Holst" <cholst_at_bitstream.net> > Speaking of ankle support, I think it is overrated. I think a lot of people say ankle support when they really mean heel support. Many sandals suffer in this regard - they don't keep the heel in place laterally. If the heel slides while you're carrying load, it can knock you off balance. The mesh-shoe type paddling shoes usually have heel cups and counters to provide reasonable heel support. Dive boots do not, but I added footbeds to my Swellies (MEC's Chota clones) to at least provide a firmer bed, arch support and a heel cup - the inability to tighten them makes them less than ideal, however. The lace-up Chotas are probably better. I agree that ankle support is overrated, especially when you look at what is required to provide real ankle support. People who say they have weak ankles (a common complaint in cross- country skiing) are actually suffering from bad balance - if you can walk, you have adequate ankle strength. Downhill ski boots, winter climbing boots and similar gear provide ankle support - few hiking boots really do. If you look at the range of motion that can cause damage and compare it to the range of motion permitted by most hiking boots, you'll realize how overrated the boots are. The high topped boots do protect the ankle in other ways, though. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Aug 27 2002 - 13:09:22 PDT
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