Is there any similar work on hiking boots?
Regular people do it. Journalists do it. And AI does it up the wazoo. We are all doomed.
Example:
This article is like a guide for choosing the best flip phone with a full keyboard. The entire category is obsolete. The authors are simply parroting marketing myths from twenty years ago. Like an AI chatbot, the writing appears thorough, but they did NOT do their research by talking to human hikers.
They looked at catalogs of products instead of examining a task and finding the best tool for it.
Here's the real story: No experienced hikers use waterproof boots except in deep snow where insulation and a high top is necessary. They use trail runners. Why? Because gore tex membranes lead to sweaty feet, which causes blisters and damp boots the next day ('waterproof' boots do get wet but take forever to dry out). Boots are heavy and clunky, encouraging a stompy, imprecise style that results in more slips, twists and jerks in each stride.
Boots are sold because uninformed consumers demand them. Boots match the aesthetic of hiking.
Ankle support is a complete myth. When you roll your ankle, an inch of extra fabric is not going to resist the full leverage of your body and protect your foot. What helps is a more sensitive shoe that avoids the ankle roll in the first place, and allows a nimble correction if it starts rolling.
In 2023, ALL experienced hikers wear trail runners unless the snow is deep.
I do bring a pair of "trail sneakers" to change into whenever I put down the heavy backpack. They are much better for walking, but I don't like them when carrying.
Ironically my beloved chacos have a very stiff sole; with the toe strap they give me the same traction on irregular terrain and same small-rock sole protection that I get with my clunky boots. I did a five day trip with them in the Desolation Wilderness and it was pretty good, except of course as a sandal I got sharp crud over the sole. Also they are pretty heavy for sandals.
It seems like the high top winter boots have less stiff soles. If it's not too cold and I want to make distance I have used my leather summer boots with the snowshoes.
It's hard to do a lot of A/B testing in these cases as you can't do a five day through hike every weekend.
I remember being told this (in 2000?) by one of the sales people in the shoe department at REI so it was being said at least for the last 23 years. A rigid sole is what he said was most important for stability.
I could have that with trail runners but then I'd need an extra ankle protection sleeve.
These days I mostly use fairly cheap single layer insulated boots with some variant of microspikes. Still have plastics with step-ins. Have never bought into the newer generation of high-end single layer which seem to be the non-expedition norm these days.