Annapurna circuit… flats or SPD?

In October I’m off to do the Annapurna circuit in Nepal. I’ve only ever used SPDs (well, started off using Power Grips (remember them?) back in the day), but for donkey’s years I’ve used SPDs with Northwave or Shimano boots (not shoes as I bike natural trails in the Lakes, Dales and Howgills)

The circuit will involve some hike-a-bike, sometimes on snow and the rest on rough rocky ground. I’m aware that proper walking boots would be the better choice for the on-foot sections, but as I’ve never used flats I’m a bit torn. I can’t find any boots which are designed for biking but also look up to the job; most seem to be trainer type design more suited to trail centres than big mountains.

I could take both, but at 4000 m plus, I don’t want to carry anything not absolutely necessary and it would be a faff to keep changing!

Any thoughts/advice on suitable boots or the useability of SPD boots on foot; I’m thinking of cold getting at my feet via the cleats, plus the poor grip offered by the metal lump in the middle of the sole…

Cheers, Dave

Mallets and some decent gripping shoes, best snow clearing pedals I’ve used.

Shimano boots or try flats with something similar but walking boots.

It’s been at least 25 years since I tried it but ‘back in the day’ I just used regular hiking boots and toe clips. I know that some people use SPDs now but as far as I can see there is a lot of proper hiking – not just a little bit of scrambling and the last thing I would want would be to slip on the cleat and twist my ankle in the middle of nowhere so I’d still be in hiking boots and flats. Power Grips would rock for this 🙂

I’m a long time user of SPDs on bikes, and not about to switch to flats for anything I do on bikes. I’d go for flats for that – pretty much a no brainer IMHO. The other obvious alternative given your experience is Power Grips – found they worked surprisingly well as an SPD alternative when doing multi-sport and not wanting to switch shoes.

I used some Scott spd touring shoes when I did Lhasa – Kathmandu 10 years ago. Tibet was 3500 – 5400m with snowline at about 5200 but didnt have to walk in the snow. In September it was generally scorching upto about 4500m then quickly freezing, and freezing everywhere at night.

Ideal option available now would be something like the Shimano MT91 or Giro Alpineduro I would have thought.

October should still be OK weather wise so the above should be enough thermal-wise I would have thought.

Having walked that route a number of years ago there is no way I would wear spd’s. Its going to be a bitch of a hike a bike over the thorong la pass at 5500 meters, gave me terrible altitude sickness. There may be some other issues in Nepal more pressing than your footwear though. I have no idea if they are readdy to take tourists at the moment.

There may be some other issues in Nepal more pressing than your footwear though. I have no idea if they are readdy to take tourists at the moment.

That was my first thought…

Walking boots and toe clips would be my choice

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-mt91-mtb-spd-boots-2015/rp-prod47344

Or these ?

There won’t be much if any snow in October and not particularly cold esp going uphill. At around 5000 m it’s pretty much like Scottish moorland then the Annapurna massif kicks in properly. Below this there are trees. Lots of trees. Thousands of trees. Millions of trees.

Depending on where exactly you’re going there are going to be some mental hike-a-bike sections and not much in the way of clipped-in pedally stuff

Flats all the way imo

I have no idea if they are readdy to take tourists at the moment.

Tourists are starting to come back but it is way quiet at the moment unsurprisingly. You would have to do a more detailed check on your route for landslides etc. but I don’t think the effects of the earthquake stretched as far as Pokhara and your route. If you know how to use OpenStreetMap then a lot of the damage is being mapped using that so that may help if you are geeky enough
edit: doesn’t look as though there is much Aid effort in that district

There won’t be much if any snow in October and not particularly cold esp going uphill.

I went there late Oct/ early Nov. We had an enormous snowstorm and avalanche just below the Thorong La pass. It was barely passable on foot, let alone a bike. My gloves froze solid and I have permanent nerve damage in one of my fingers.

I’d also be concerned about acclimatisation: we walked fairly short days to get used to the altitude – I think there’s a danger of ascending too quickly if on a bike.

Considering that you’ll be walking for nearly 80% of your time on the trail, i’d prioritise good sturdy walking shoes, and just put some grippy flat pedals on. I went in late November and the only tricky part was the altitude making me stop every few minutes to find more breath when at the height of the Thorong La Pass.

There was no snow (on the trail) and the days were sunny and warm. Hot in fact.
There’s no WAY i’d be heading up there with SPD’s on.

Amazing country, but in a bad way right now.

daveryall – any feedback from your trip would be appreciated eg did you use a guide and did you go flats or spd’s?

Following with interest; planning to go out in September myself!

Pretty sure Giro do some SPD boots. Combine those with some crankbrothers mallets/new Burgtec cleat pedals/Gwiin’s HT…/anything with a platform and you have the best of both worlds. If the cleats freeze then you can just use them as flat pedals.

Edit: These

linky

Can give you some advice anecdotes 😕

email me and I’ll try and reply when I have more time!

/edit – I just spotted how old a thread this is. I’d still be able to share some nonsense if anyone cares for it!

SPD or flats? All I can offer is “beetroot juice” as a mildly helpful suggestion for addressing the altitude sickness potential.

The circuit will involve some hike-a-bike

Well that raised a smile here

Considering that you’ll be walking for nearly 80% of your time on the trail, i’d prioritise good sturdy walking shoes, and just put some grippy flat pedals on

Ah that sounds more like it

I only ever ride in walking boots its fine. But do practice first. The idea of being clipped by drops like that doesn’t sound fun

Having google it it may not be as bad as i had feared. But ‘d still got for boots