• European Trails

  Via Alpina – How many shoes

  Posted by Sara on december 22, 2025 at 12:58 pm

  Hey everyone,

  I’m curious to hear about your experiences on the Via Alpina, specifically when it comes to footwear longevity.

  For those of you who have completed the route (or long sections of it): How many pairs of (trail running) shoes did you go through, and where did they tend to fail? Soles worn out, uppers tearing, cushioning collapsing, seams giving up, etc.?

  I’m from Hanwag, and we’ve been thinking a lot about the broader implications of shoe turnover on long-distance routes – ecological footprint, cost, and the logistics of replacing footwear mid-trail.

  The reason I’m asking is that we’re currently working on ways to better compare the durability of hiking shoes. Real-world numbers like yours are really helpful for understanding what hikers actually face on long routes. Any insights, numbers, or anecdotes would be really appreciated and useful for understanding the reality out there.

  Thanks, and happy hiking 👣

  Sara

  • This discussion was modified 4 months ago by  Elmar.

  Sara replied 4 months, 2 weeks ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
• 0 Replies

Log In to Reply