Wow this post is a blast from the past.
It's amazing how quickly one evolves. I'm now a 7 - 8 kg base weight "lightweight" hiker, and hike in La Sportiva Akasha trail runners at present. (My current set-up here:
https://www.lighterpack.com/r/f1n8lg )
I would say though that I did find the mid-sole perhaps not firm enough (for example climbing down the rocks on the hill slope downwards on day 3 of the Overland Track from memory). So I'm still keen to potentially add one more pair of trail runners to my collection that are a bit firmer mid-sole.
However I definitely wouldn't have wanted to be in heavy boots, personally.
My thoughts now on applications that suit boots are:
- Carrying really heavy loads. (But I have a bias now that I think it's usually unnecessary to carry a really heavy load. You can get an approx 1 kg tent, a 1 kg backpack, a 600-800g quilt or sleeping bag in Dridown which is 850 or 900 fill loft such as Enlightened Equipment quilt or Western Mountaineering Ultralite sleeping bag or similar different brand. Add lightweight rain gear - Frogg Toggs or Outdoor Research Helium or similar, a fleece hoodie, a lightweight down puffer jacket, some thermal merinos, beanie, your sleeping mat, BeFree water filter, safety equipment, etc. And you shouldn't be that heavy any more. Obviously exception may be really cold weather, or long excursions lugging in a lot of food or water weight, etc.)
- If your ankles aren't strong or arthritis / old age effects etc.
- Terrain that's particularly tough on the ankles or likelihood that you need to protect from a sprain by locking the ankle with a boot.
- Perhaps also going through thick knee-high mud. (Although even that I think could be done with long gaiters over the top of trail runners.)
I'm sure everyone will pipe in with a few other examples.
But I think if your base weight is below 9 kg, and total pack weight below say 13 kg "ish", then many people can I think get away with just trail runners, if the hiking conditions are favourable and they're relatively fit and nimble, and not prone to accident or spraining ankles.
My five cents.
What version Altras do you have @Ms_Mudd? And did you buy online, or found a shop that stocks them? (I went looking for some in Melbourne but didn't manage to find a shop that stocked them,)