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Boots or Hokas

Streetfood

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances (Finisterre) 2017. Via dl Plata 2018. Portuguese 2019.
Looking for advice from 'mature' peregrinos because when I start the VdlP from Seville on 3 April 2025 I'll be 70 (where did that time go?).
On all previous caminos I've worn mid-boots (Keen or Scarpa) without any issues. But given the distance to Santiago, plus the likelihood of some lengthy stages & the lack of any rocky technical descents on the VdlP, I'm considering a switch to Hoka Speedgoats. Thoughts please?
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Tough call, as we are all different.
I used to use Salomon mid boots and loved them.
But 2-3 physios (on the Camino) told me to wear lighter footwear as they were causing damage to my 'bad' knees.

I wore Hoka ATR 6 on the VdlP last year and they were great.
Except they barely made the distance.
Held together with Gaffer tape by the end.

But I will use them again.
I bought 4 more pairs when I got home.
Before they change the design!

But there are Hoka and Hoka............

The designs are very different.
The ATR are the only ones that were comfortable for me as they have great cushioning.
I tried most of the Hoka styles.
The Bondi for example, I couldn't wear.
I'm sure I tried Speedgoats but forget what they were like.

Insoles/orthotics of course make a big difference.
I started out using vasyli orthotics, that you shape using a hair dryer for heat.
They were good.
As I get older and my feet worse, I now use custom made orthotics, that are great.

The VdlP walking surfaces are generally really good.
Lots of fine gravel and dirt paths.
Some road walking but not a lot.

Though I headed North from Granja so not sure what the Sanabres variant is like.
 
Hi Robo,
Thanks for your reply. Aging is a bitch!
Normally I subscribe to the "if it ain't broke don't change it" policy but of course as we grow older & wont to keep doing the stuff we love we're tempted to try the latest & greatest.
I walked the VdlP/Sanabres route in 2018 & loved it. My recollection was that the path was very benign in comparison to other caminos that I've done such as the Norte & Primitivo. So I was wondering whether the extra support & rigidity of boots would be worth the added weight over shoes like Hoka. Also, wondering whether Hoka would last the distance.
 
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The lining of my Hoka started to come away at the heel after 600 kms.
They were new at the start, as I had another pair for training.
Maybe it was just a bad pair? It was only on one shoe.
I had to keep repairing it with Duct tape.
But they lasted 1200kms even taped up!
And for me...........they were just right for that route.

I wouldn't go back to boots regardless of the route anyway.
I tried them recently, and the added weight, pendulum effect etc was hurting my knees.
 
Robo said:
so not sure what the Sanabres variant is like.
Click to expand...
It is excellent, with enjoyable hills, and can be walked with whatever shoes you liked on the vdlp.

Which means: whatever pair of shoes you liked for your most recent Camino can be used for whatever your next Camino is.

If concerned about the life of the shoes, take 2 pairs and send the spare pair to Ivar when you land in Spain, and he can forward them on to you en-route when the first pair is life-expired. (or just pick them up at the end and discard the worn pair in Santiago)
 
There is no way to make a good suggestion: you have to try them.

As for the Speedgoat, I have used them for trail running and walking and frankly they are very good for me. No problems found. Sure, they wear out pretty quickly, especially on hard terrain, like ANY good running shoe, as they are designed to last 5-600km (later, the foam gets permanently deformed and can't provide enough comfort). However, I think you can order a second pair and have them delivered to an Albergue or Amazon locker if you have tried the SAME model before.

if I may make one criticism, they make a lot of noise on asphalt, it feels like walking on suckers.

But again, you have to try them, no matter what others say.

On a side note: it always amazes me when someone manages to set dates so far in advance. I have never managed to organise a trip more than 15 in advance. I too am thinking of doing a Camino in April, but unfortunately I could never, ever just imagine the day of departure now. Congratulations! Explain me how to do that...
 
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Streetfood said:
On all previous caminos I've worn mid-boots (Keen or Scarpa) without any issues.
Click to expand...
IMO if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Also, regardless of which Camino, I'd say that boots (or other more solid footwear) would tend to be more sensible IMO on a longer one compared to a shorter hike, than the more fragile Hoka or hoka-style lighter footwear that might break under your feet before you get there.

I also find that thicker soles are a good idea on such routes as the VDLP with more tarmac stretches than others, including in hotter weather and so on hotter walking surfaces.

Anything longer than the VDLP I would say definitely choose sturdier footwear.
 
I love my hoka speedgoats but they wear down so much quicker- I previously had salomon trailrunners XA pro and they still are decent shape after 1000km as they had a harder sole closer to a hiking shoe (but the updated version killed my foot), whereas the Hokas after 600km are starting to show significant wear.
I find boots difficult to wear- because of a narrow ankle it's harder to get a good fit.
But I would probably say a "harder" soled hiking shoe or plan 2 pairs of the Hokas - or stick with your boots!
 
Hi Streetfood!
I am the same age as you and ageing is a pain; in my head i am a Greek God in the mirror i am Jabba the Hutt !
Robo and i are both Hoka Stinson Atr 6 fans on my 10th pair of non waterproof!
will wear the last pair i have to walk Costa Rica in January cos they are so comfy.
After that i will try the ATR7 version but read they have changed slightly; that's a pain in the bum!
Some people call them old mans shoes!
I think that's because they feel like wearing slippers!
I wear nothing else.
When no good for outdoor use; they are my indoor shoes.
I have never had build quality issues with any of them but i agree that for VDLP it's a stretch; but they are great for hard surfaces like road walking.
I get about 800 +km before they become indoor shoes

Wet grip is a bit crap but i have done some 30km days without issue..
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I love my Hokas but so far I only have used the mid boot type.
 
My first pair of Hoka was Mid Summit Tor. They lasted over 3500km.
I've got Hoka Kaha 2 GTX for my next Camino, and hoping they last just as well.
I have the Speedgoats as an everyday walking shoe, however, I don't find them as comfortable as my Hoka mid boots.
 
Hi JustOneGuy,
I guess I'm a planner (my wife calls it anal!) but now I've got 5 months of anticipation.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I almost bought a pair of Hokas until I realised that, because of their flat soles, I could not safely wear gaiters with them.

With flat soles, the gaiters' "stirrup" straps are in direct contact with the ground, which creates a slip hazard in wet conditions.
 
I used to wear Chiruccas boots (Spanish), sturdy but heavy but have now switched to Merrells.

What I would add though, is having a pair of sandals as a back up. I use Keens and Tevas - the former are great for crossing waterways. At the end of a long day or on warm dry days, I find that I can get up speed and ventilate my feet, obviating the need for sock changes! They are also great for sightseeing at the end of the day, indeed the end of the Camino. (72 year oldie)

The Merrells wash well and have good insoles. I know others swear by Hokas and I must say that they look snazzy!
 
Boots every time, I have need for orthotics soles in sturdy grip of my heels and have been blessed by now having found the only brand and model that does not supply blisters
Here is the parade of my operating boots in m my bedroom as they will need to have soles repaired and rest after every camino, least worn to the right and most worn to the left, plus the pair I have at my back door plus 2 new pairs in their cartons in store.... never go down on eqipment....
Good luck w Ur search.....

Ecco Biom Hike 45 EU

post scriptum: I forgot; I want my leather boots to last at least 2500 - 3000 kms. Walking both to work and on caminos for 12 yrs. Is that too much to ask...?
 

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I was fortunate to run across Hokas and can't live without them.

I periodically go to a 'shoe doctor,' and he specifically recommended the Hoka Speedgoat for rocky terrain. Chuck
 
Robo said:
The lining of my Hoka started to come away at the heel after 600 kms.
Click to expand...
Mine started falling apart a lot earlier than that.. Lots of people complain about the HOKA's falling apart fairly quickly.

Maybe lacing with a heel lock technique would help? I may try that next time. Otherwise, I really like the HOKA's.

And I would never wear boots to hike unless there was snow. The trail runners are so much more comfortable after a day.
 
A couple of thoughts:

I wear Speedgoats to run in, and on a recent 1000 mile camino hike (Geneva/Le Puy/del Norte), chose a new pair when my existing (non-Hoka) shoes gave up after 600 miles. I new that I wouldn't need to wear them in, and indeed they were very comfortable. However, the outer sole wore smooth after 400 miles. Also Speedgoat 6 is more narrow in the midfoot and toebox than Speedgoat 5.

If your aim is for lighter footwear, of course there are other options than just Hoka Speedgoats. A pair of hiking shoes (rather than boots) such as Lowa Renegade Low would save some weight but retain the durability and rock plate protection of boots. I remember the VDLP as having some long stretches of coarse sharp road stone, which might be uncomfortable on soft soled Hokas.

Alternatively, Hoka, Salomon and other brands make some lightweight mid height boots, maintaining the ankle support you are used to, but again saving weight.

Whatever you decide, I wish you a great adventure. I hope I can still undertake such trips when I am in my 70s!

Buen Camino
 
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Loved my Tor Summit's. When they stopped making them, I bought every pair I could find in my size. I am breaking out the last pair for the O-trek in Patagonia in January.
Funny Story... I was wearing a pair on Camino a few years ago, when a man noticed them. He had them on too and said that he buys them on e-bay or wherever he can find them. This was a few years ago
 
Stephan the Painter said:
Mine started falling apart a lot earlier than that.. Lots of people complain about the HOKA's falling apart fairly quickly.
Click to expand...
I use French Army boots, and the pair I currently have I bought in 2013.

They are not ideal, but they have lasted a 1,000K year of prep for my 2014, the 1,000K of that 2014, uncounted hundreds of K between, then about 1,700K this year, though now they are definitely dying.

I walked well over 3,000K in the better pair that I had purchased later, but that was just too much for them.

I'm not saying you need army boots -- just that too many people ignore the advantages of traditional leather footwear, and instead get stuff that will break under their feet and need constant replacements every few weeks.
 
JabbaPapa said:
I'm not saying you need army boots -- just that too many people ignore the advantages of traditional leather footwear, and instead get stuff that will break under their feet and need constant replacements every few weeks.
Click to expand...
It's true, I have some leather, hiking boots that I bought eight years ago and still use them every winter. Worth thinking about.

The HOKA's are lovely for walking and standing, but I think the quality is a rip-off.
 
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Recently walked the Via Degli Dai in my sturdy Lowa Renegade shoes and wished that I had brought the boot version instead. That said a totally different path from the Camino.

You wear what works for you. If you have footwear that doesn’t hurt your feet and allows you to cover the miles use them. My 2 companions were frequently taking off shoes and socks to massage feet while I never needed that.

If it isn’t broken then don’t fix it
 
Hello, Shoes are one thing, but don't forget the socks. Socks can change the feel of the shoes. I used Smartwool socks but changed to Injinji dual socks (Coolmax inner and Merino exterior). Made quite a difference for me. The Hoka Speedgoats 5 are used up quickly and are smaller in the front (even the wide version). I read that the 6 is a bit wider.
I used Altra Olympus 5 for training and lasted a bit longer, but you can feel the difference compared to a newer worn-in pair of shoes.
I used the new Altra during the steeper part and the Hoka Bondi 8 for the easier route, but had to change to the Hoka for the last 3 day's (Norte Ribadeo-SdC). They were better for my knees and feed (using poles).
It depends also on the route and your level of fitness... In short it is a personal choice you have to make and test what work for you.
Never tried the Topo shoes, some of my friends prefer those.
Good luck with your choice
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I just finished the Camino Francces wearing Hoka Anacapa shoes. Half a size larger than normal but withSuper feet insoles. They were fantastic on every terrain for 700 km but then the lining on theright shoe tore and I ended up with three blisters on my little toe. the reason was all the tiny little grains of grit that find their way in. I still recommend the shoes but were I to do a similar hike I would buy gaiters to mitigate the problem and/or clean out the shoes thoroughly a couple of times daily
 
The Hoka Speedgoats have megagrip vibram soles: do they efficiently prevent from sliding on the ground ?
 
Like you, I am a boot fan. I took Inov8 lightweight boots on the Norte. Very comfortable, no blisters. They are almost worn out after 800km. I think there is a trade off between weight and durability
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Pafayac said:
The Hoka Speedgoats have megagrip vibram soles: do they efficiently prevent from sliding on the ground ?
Click to expand...
Yes. They're very grippy, particularly on greasy and slimey/muddy surfaces. But that grippiness seems to be at the expense of durability - the lugs wear down quickly.
 
I walked the Via Augusta from Cadiz to Seville, the VDLP from Seville to Astorga and the Frances into Santiago 3 years ago. I wore the Hoka Stinson model. They were totally thrashed after 1300 km, but they made it. I am planning to do the Mozarabe (not sure from Malaga or America, then the VDLP and the Sanabres next fall and will take 2 pairs of shoes. I will take either Hoka Stinson or Bondi as my first pair and Brooks Caldera as my second and switch out every day. The Caldera shoe has a base that stands up much better than the Hoka
I wore hiking boots on my first Frances, boots and Hoka Challenger on my second Frances, but have since switched entirely to a trail runner style. In my opinion I haven’t experienced any terrain that trail runners couldn’t easily handle with a pair of hiking poles.
 
I know Hokas are the go-to brand for the Camino, but I wouldn’t rule out other trailrunners. The Speedgoats didn’t suit me at all, ended up going with Brooks Cascadias which were perfect. They’re still fine after the Portuguese, will use them for the VDLP next year. Re boots, Merrell MOAB mid boots were my original plan until I read an article about the physics of weight distribution and walking - bottom line, minimise weight on feet.
 
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Stephan the Painter said:
The HOKA's are lovely for walking and standing, but I think the quality is a rip-off.
Click to expand...
Hoka's are great on the feet, but my son recently wore a new pair of Hoka Challengers for 3+ weeks on a large part of the Invierno, and all of the Ingles. We also included a few vaca/sightseeing days thrown in. They were ready for the trash when he returned to the states as the soles treads had worn way down and a couple of spots on the mesh uppers wore through. I guess that's the price you pay for the comfort of "walking on marshmallows". I do think a few of the newest models have probably addressed some of the complaints.
Also, I notice online that many of the other "tried and true" brands are changing to the concept of using ultra thick soles.
 
I have to buy some new camino shoes for next year. I'm going look at other brands. Someone recommended Brooks Caldera to me, I wonder if those are a little more long-lived.
 
Before I begin, asking about footwear from people is like asking what car should I buy. I would suggest you forget all of the advice,try out several options,and decide what fits you best. When I was younger,I climbed mountains and needed a stiff boot that weighed 5 lbs each. I wore mid height boots for years,until trail shoes came in. I tried the altra lone peak3,and loved them. I bought the 3.5,4,6,and 7 and found them better and better. In 2017,I got a blister on my toe that was crowding another toe. In 2019,I walked part of the arles,aragones,san salvador in Altras with there wide toe box,and had no blisters. I am still wearing the 3.5 around the house as they never seem to wear out. I have become a fan of zero-drop shoes,but that is my own preference. They might be an option for you to try,but the decision is yours alone. Buen Camino
 
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I walked in the Altra Trimp boot version because they held my heel better than the runners. They were brilliant but I did need to add an extra inner sole layer because the back of the foot wore down very fast ( probably specific to my walk pattern). By the end that section of some was very thin.
I wore a mini gaitor in rain to try to stop the water running down into my socks and shoes. Worked to a point.
 
I have worn only trail runners, so can not speak for boots or sandals. I do not have fussy feet and on my many Caminos have worn a pair each of Hokas, Brooks, Keen, New Balance, Saucony. More often I choose Asics for better price, but all have served me well and some last two Caminos, plus walking my trail at home.
 
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