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It’s often quoted like it’s the eleventh commandment. It depends.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
My experience on 3 caminos confirms your intuition and the advice about individual anatomy, sweating etc also comes into play.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
Larger than what? If you normally wear shoes that are a size too small, then I definitely recommend that you buy a size larger! It should be considered a metaphor for "make sure your shoes are roomy."everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
That makes sense to me, I’m on my feet all day at work and walking lots.Just once, I tried buying boots one half size larger than normal. I couldn't wear them because the were too big and ended up donating them to a shelter. If you walk regularly in the kind and size of footwear that you will wear on camino, there is no reason to change them for for a larger size,
The comments all seem to make sense .. knowing your body and going with what you know works ..It’s often quoted like it’s the eleventh commandment. It depends.
If one is an inexperienced medium-distance walker, and doesn’t know how their body adapts to several days continuous walking on firm to hard surfaces; then it’s worth considering.
I do precisely the opposite. I virtually live in lightweight leather size 46 walking boots. I cover about 15km daily recreationally walking or dog-walking. I live in a cool damp climate where mud is common and I use a pair of thin and a pair of thick socks. My feet are about as ‘spread’ as they’re going to get.
I’m off to Spain walking in two weeks and for that purpose I’ve been ‘loosening up’ my Camino boots. Size 45. I’ll wear those with two pairs of thin socks.
You need to know your own body, really.
I agree. I had some significant distances done on my new shoes over the summer for an autumn camino. But not as long and not day after day and not enough pavement. I was collapsing to the ground about five days in with a knee giving out. Fortunately, raising an instep with wads of paper quickly solved my problem.No matter how much one trains beforehand and believes their shoes are dialed in just right, once one begins walking 20-30 km/day, it's likely feet will swell/grow (and my feet stayed the new size afterward, a half-size larger in all shoes). It's also difficult to replicate the day after day distances/pounding on the feet prior to Camino.
Not everyone says this. For as long as I have been a member of the forum some of us have offered the advice that one should get footwear properly fitted by a competent salesperson at a retailer offering a range of different brands and styles. Alternatively, be prepared to visit several different retailers so you better understand how different brands suit your unique foot shape.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I've never had an issue with my feet swelling. I've worn Keen and oboz almost exclusively. I prefer to have my boots snug in my feet so my feet don't move and then just learn to lace your boot properly. I'm not saying that you don't swell I just never had the issue.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
This got me curious about the various shoe sizes standards. Now I'm sorry; it's not for the faint of heart.It's 1 size larger with European sizes, ½ size with UK/US ones -- unless your basic shoe size is very large to start with.
This is probably the best advice I've seen on the topic! It's been my observation that many hikers purchase hiking shoes that are too small to begin with, particularly in width. There appears to be some error on the side of the folks making the measurements.Larger than what? If you normally wear shoes that are a size too small, then I definitely recommend that you buy a size larger! It should be considered a metaphor for "make sure your shoes are roomy."
I find that with lace-up running shoes, the extra room is not a problem. I measure a 7 in length but now wear an 8 Wide and I now call this my "normal size." I almost never wear "dress shoes" so I consider them to be the abnormal fit.
The number size mainly addresses the length, so if you have wide feet, you may need to go up a size or two if you cannot get a Wide one. That doesn't always give the right proportions, so you need to try on different models in different sizes. Err on the larger size.
I find it useful to find the right model shoe in a size 7 or 7.5, to make sure it is the right fundamental shape for my foot. That is a size I could wear comfortably around the neighbourhood and errands, with no pinch or pressure points. Then I try on the next sizes up for the bonus room for long-distance walking, buying the biggest one that isn't "too big". Then I can wear a variety of socks and allow for swelling.
With very roomy shoes, careful lacing and a heel lock technique, I have no problem with my foot slipping, and I can wear whatever socks I choose. I think people are just accustomed to wearing tight shoes, so the roomier ones feel odd.
I am a believer in the one size larger doctrine . The first thing is buy and wear comfortable merino wool socks. Wear them when you shop and buy your hiking shoes . Then add one size, so if a 10 is comfortable with the socks , buy size 11 . While you are breaking in the shoes and your feet are still 10, tighten your laces up to pull your foot to the rear of the shoe . The problem is your toes, they will scrunch / cramp and you will blacken and loose your toenails . Blisters are caused by heat and moisture . I take off my shoes and socks on a noon break to let the “dogs” air out . Also in summer I walk in Teva sandals and that works for me .I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
I had a podiatrist who is a frequent Camino walker give a lecture about the Camino and footwear/first aid for the Camino. He says to ALWAYS wear 1 1/2 sizes bigger than what you normally wear. First - most of us will wear double socks for the Camino anyway. Why? Friction causes blisters and double socks reduces friction. It puts the friction between the two socks instead of your sock creating friction between your shoe and foot. So - your socks take up some of the space. The rest of the space you can adjust by adjusting your laces. You want to tighten your laces around the middle of your foot - but leave plenty of wiggle room at your toe area. It takes a little getting used to - but now that I have I ALWAYS wear my bigger trail runners for any walks. But if you have that extra space - it will accommodate the swelling. And if it doesn't, you can remove one of your sock layers.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
As preparation or my Sept/Oct 2018 Camino Frances, I walked about 8 miles daily in the heat of July and August. I discovered that my half-size-larger Salomon XAComp7 trail runners were too small! Heat and swelling eventually taught me that I needed tobe wearing a full size larger instead. So I bought them, and walked the Way in them, no blisters or blue toes. Socks were REI thin merino sock liners (no oversocks), which fit well. So if you get shoes a half size larger, wear them a lot in the temperatures you may expect in Spain, and you will find out what you need before you go.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
I have wide feet so typically have always have had to buy shoes a half size longer. So I wore a pair of size 6.5 salomons when we walked the Portuguese camino in 2017. It was a mistake. I had many blisters in the toe box. I have since bought a pair of salomons size 6 and they fit me so much better. I'm going to wear them when we walk the Del Norte in the fall. The size 6.5 just had too much room in the toe box so my toes could move around too much so that's why I had so many blisters. I think your shoes should fit with the socks you're going to wear.I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
While sweat is still a vapour, waterproof membranes will transpire the vapour, and repel the rain. As your body, in this case your feet, gets warmer with exertion, sweat production increases and will exceed the capacity of the skin surface to vaporise it, and liquid sweat will form. At this point, a waterproof membrane acts the same for the liquid sweat in one direction as it does for the rain in the other - it will stop it transpiring. At this point, the sweat will be retained in your footwear. Initially, at least, a good sock combination will wick the moisture away from the skin surface, but eventually your footwear and socks will gradually become soaked.Is there a shoe/boot that is both breathable against sweat & waterproof enough for rainy days?
Thank you!While sweat is still a vapour, waterproof membranes will transpire the vapour, and repel the rain. As your body, in this case your feet, gets warmer with exertion, sweat production increases and will exceed the capacity of the skin surface to vaporise it, and liquid sweat will form. At this point, a waterproof membrane acts the same for the liquid sweat in one direction as it does for the rain in the other - it will stop it transpiring. At this point, the sweat will be retained in your footwear. Initially, at least, a good sock combination will wick the moisture away from the skin surface, but eventually your footwear and socks will gradually become soaked.
How quickly this happens will depend upon a number of factors, but in humid conditions, it is more difficult for your body to vaporise sweat, and in hot conditions your body is going to produce more sweat as it attempts to keep itself cool. My observation, having walked in both hot and cold conditions, is that waterproof rainwear and footwear that use Goretex and similar barriers works better when it is cold and damp that when it is warmer.
There have been many forum discussions about waterproof footwear in the past. My view is that it has been dominated by some of the more aggressive ultralight aficionados who are pretty one-eyed in their outlook. You can use the search function to find these, but read them with an open mind.
what about the odd leg ? ( NO not that one)I look at the discussions re buying certain size boots to wear on a camino with some amusement. My right foot is a size larger than my left, so I have to buy a size that will be suitable for that right foot. That means the left foot wears a boot that is theoretically too large. I wear my boots for hundreds of kilometres before I leave home. On the camino, neither foot gets blisters.
US and UK sizes are more or less 1:1 -- a US shoe size is very marginally shorter than a UK size, so my French size 50 army boots are size 14½ UK, size 15½-16½ US -- but smaller, more normal sizes are near identical.Then there is the issue of what are "sizes?" A size larger in the US will be different than a size larger in the UK or Europe.
on Altra’s - i have lonepeaks and have had to go up a full size due to swelling on training hikes and now they are not comfortable. with less than a month to go i’m now comparing other shoes. another pilgrim i met out here while training said to try a hiking shoe instead since there will be a lot of tarmac and gravel whereas the Lonepeaks are better for soft wooded trails such as the AT or PCT (he’s done camino many times as well as the other.). looking at used keen targhee vent low. otherwise i know my keen newport H2 sandals are good so may end up with those after all!This is another bit of advice on here that is stated like gospel but which I think is more dependent on the particular shoes one is wearing as well as individual physiognomy.
Some shoes, like my Altra Lone Peaks, have a good amount of "give" and accommodate whatever foot swelling I experience after many hours / days of walking. I would imagine that a stiffer shoe or hiking boot would be less flexible, though, and might require sizing up a half or full size - in which case I would think that alternating thicker and thinner socks (like the different weights of Darn Tough socks, for example) would be helpful. And then there's the fact that some people's feet swell more than others - things like weight, age, and propensity towards fluid retention are some of the determining factors.
Again, it comes down to your particular situation, which can only be determined by test walking your shoes thoroughly before setting out on a multi-week walk.
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