No doubt one of the most important gears are your shoes given the challenging terrain and climate of the Himalayas. Regular hikers usually opt for hiking boots which have a number of benefits: protection for feet, warm in cold climate, ankle support and water proof. As an alpine style / minimalist fast hiker (and ultra runner) my preference goes towards "trail running shoes".

These have a number of distinct benefits when compared to hiking boots:

1. lightweight - much lighter compared to boots which significantly reduces the effort to hike in steep terrain. Climbing up 2000m elevation gain with a 300 grams running shoe on each foot will be much easier than with a 500-700gr hiking booth on each leg.

2. breathable - it's important to keep your feet ventilated as there is usually lot of sweating inside (closed) shoes. A running shoe is usually more breathable compared to a closed hiking booth. Companies will advertise hiking boots as being "water proof" which is actually a drawback - once wet on the inside (and trust me - they will get wet while crossing streams or inside rainy weather or snow), booths become uncomfortable while breathable running shoes will dry more quickly keeping your feet comfortable.