Lone Peak 7

altra lone peak 7s last year 8s this year and I’ll try the 9s next year, I like drop point shoes for DG

Yes, they are extremely popular with many long-distance backpackers. But it also depends on how sensitive your feet are. Their stock insoles are lightweight. If you need more support/protection, take them out and put some Superfeet insoles in.

Don't you find the 9s grip to be better than the 6?

I’ve worn LPs of various models since the LP1.5. They are quite different shoes and it’s very individual whether they work at all for people, and whether a particular model works at all for people. I liked the 1.5 and the 2.0 but could not even get the 3.0 and 3.5 to fit comfortably in the store (let alone on trail)! My favourites since have been the 4.5, the 6 and the 9. In general, they all have zero drop and a moderate (but not barefoot) stack height. As a result they give reasonable ground feel and reasonable protection. Generally speaking, they also all have a relatively wide forefoot and midfoot and an average heel width. But these have all varied a little between models, to the extent that 2 models wouldn’t even fit me in the store let alone after a foot-swelling, long day on trail. In the last few years (with my advancing age!) I have found that for day and week long hikes I still prefer LPs, but for multi-week, on-trail, hikes I now prefer Timps for more cushion and less foot fatigue. If the trip is going to involve more off-trail then I still prefer LPs for better ankle stability. Ultimately, only *your* feet can tell you if they are a good fit for you. No review or hiker-survey or Reddit post can tell you that! The same with Topos or Hokas etc. I’ve yet to try any pair of Topos that was even comfortable in the store *for me*. Same with La Sportiva, Hoka and others. That doesn’t make those terrible shoes - they are just terrible *for me!* Likewise, the fact that some of the LPs over the years have suited me well doesn’t make them the best shoes ever for everyone - they are just good (and sometimes ideal) *for me!*

Same here. I've got 7s and have really enjoyed them, but only have a couple hundred miles of rocky, rooty trails on them so far and will be surprised if they make it to 350-400 miles.

True. After thinking on it a bit more, mine will probably be toast by the time I reach 300 miles. But, definitely super comfy.

is the lp9+ more durable (if that is what you are wearing atm) than previous iterations? I remember my 7 or 8 starting to wear from the heel padding on a second day of a hike.

That is awesome! I am glad it helped with your hip pain. I really liked the LP7. I went through 8 or 9 pairs before I couldn’t find them anymore. 😭 it’s what started my shoe spiral. I really struggled to transition to the LP9. I ended up in Topos. I like the ultraventure for less technical stuff and the MTN racer for more technical stuff. Turns out 4-5 mm of drop was what I needed. Switched about 5 months ago and it seemingly resolved all lingering issues.