Brooks Glycerin.

[woody66]

Hi everyone!
Well three of us have just been to a small local running shop where the guy(the owner) was so knowledgeable and so patient;we were there for two and a half hours all of us found and brought shoes.
I had walked about six and a bit miles before going,it was stinking hot,carried my pack(6.3 kilos with 750ml of water)had the socks and orthotics on i will walk in!

I explained what type of terrain the Portuguese Coastal was and that i had a bad knee and some ankle pain (turns out he had a degree in sports medicine;said a lot of stuff i didn't understand.He said put pressure below the knee on the outside its a trigger point and massage it the tension/stress will release;less than ten seconds later it did amazing stuff been hurting for bloody ages.)

I tried Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5,and Timp 2, Hoka Bondi 7, Brooks Caldera 5,Saucony Peregrine 10 in various sizes none were right! He gave sound advice about my pack and the distances i would walk,and what he though i should need on my feet and produced the Brooks Glycerin's!
( Brooks Glycerin 19 in a size 12 i am normally a size 11, he lace locked them and they felt perfect i walked up and down in them outside for ages at least 20 minutes (hadn't brought them at this time) while the two friends with me were fitted with their shoes.
So my question is:


Has anyone got any experience/opinions on walking in Brooks Glycerin19 or other variants of the Glycerin!
I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.
The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?
Woody

 

[Rick M]

I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.

Then you have done the right thing.

Your shoes are about 80% of what is important when prepping for Camino. They have to fit. I walk in another shoe like the one you chose, and I will swear it is the PERFECT shoe for Camino.......if you happen to have the same feet as I do. There is no point in worrying about any particular brand or model, they are all the right shoe......if they fit your foot and gate, and the wrong shoe if they don't.

In case you are concerned about not having a rugged enough shoe, don't be. People walk in athletic shoes of all types, trail shoes, and sandals. The Camino is a proverbial stroll in the park, not a slog up to base camp.

Your job now is to try and walk some distance in them before you go to make sure they are comfortable. Blisters are the main issue with new pilgrims, and if this shoe works the way it should, no blisters. If not, you'll need to break up with your newest conquest, and try another.

Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 73526]

I tried Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5,and Timp 2, Hoka Bondi 7, Brooks Caldera 5,Saucony Peregrine 10 in various sizes none were right!

I think it's absolutely the right way to choose. Work with a patient and knowledgeable seller. Try as wide a range as possible. Reject anything that doesn't feel right - no matter what reputation, technology, testimonials or recommendations they may come with. If they feel wrong after ten minutes in the store, the chance of them feeling right after eight hours on the road is next to zero.

The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?

Sounds like you are suffering from "buyers' remorse," or "second-guess-itis." The good news is that it's totally treatable. All you need to do is put on your new shoes and go for a walk.

 

[C clearly]

I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.
The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?

I asked myself those same questions when I bought my first pair of Brooks Ghost shoes - quite similar to the Glycerin. I had tried on a dozen pairs and no other pair felt "right" like this one did. I wondered about durability as well. Now I am on my 4th pair of the same model and I don't have to agonize over the purchase any more.

 

[Anamiri]

Hi everyone!
Well three of us have just been to a small local running shop where the guy(the owner) was so knowledgeable and so patient;we were there for two and a half hours all of us found and brought shoes.
I had walked about six and a bit miles before going,it was stinking hot,carried my pack(6.3 kilos with 750ml of water)had the socks and orthotics on i will walk in!

I explained what type of terrain the Portuguese Coastal was and that i had a bad knee and some ankle pain (turns out he had a degree in sports medicine;said a lot of stuff i didn't understand.He said put pressure below the knee on the outside its a trigger point and massage it the tension/stress will release;less than ten seconds later it did amazing stuff been hurting for bloody ages.)

I tried Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5,and Timp 2, Hoka Bondi 7, Brooks Caldera 5,Saucony Peregrine 10 in various sizes none were right! He gave sound advice about my pack and the distances i would walk,and what he though i should need on my feet and produced the Brooks Glycerin's!
( Brooks Glycerin 19 in a size 12 i am normally a size 11, he lace locked them and they felt perfect i walked up and down in them outside for ages at least 20 minutes (hadn't brought them at this time) while the two friends with me were fitted with their shoes.
So my question is:


Has anyone got any experience/opinions on walking in Brooks Glycerin19 or other variants of the Glycerin!
I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.
The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?
Woody

I have bought both those and the Ghost. Super comfortable. I'm about to buy another pair of Glycerin - My third I think. The only time they are slippery is on a very muddy downhill - but then all my footwear is slippery in that.

 

[woody66]

HiAll!
Thanks so much for the replies all very helpful and reassuring; coming from you C clearly and Anamiri that have walked in the shoes.
My concern started when i got home and realised the lack of tread compared to trail runners and i thought oh bu*ger!

Sounds like you are suffering from "buyers' remorse," or "second-guess-itis." The good news is that it's totally treatable. All you need to do is put on your new shoes and go for a walk.

Yeah spot on Raggy i had been searching the web for super grippy trail runners for muddy trails and downhills and cobblestones! Came home with the glycerin's; i have a pair of Ecco off-road lite sandals as my second pair to take ( been wearing them all day most days at home very comfy;will walk some flat stretches in them ) they have so much more tread so i suppose i could always swap them out for muddy downhills!
Thanks again peeps
Woody

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Yeah spot on Raggy i had been searching the web for super grippy trail runners for muddy trails and downhills and cobblestones! Came home with the glycerin's; i have a pair of Ecco off-road lite sandals as my second pair to take ( been wearing them all day most days at home very comfy;will walk some flat stretches in them ) they have so much more tread so i suppose i could always swap them out for muddy downhills!
Thanks again peeps
Woody

Don't sweat it. You're not the first person to hit the road with unstable glycerines. Hold your nerve and everything will work out just fine ... probably.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

↑↑↑↑↑↑ Just wanted to say, I'm particularly proud of this pun/reference. ↑↑↑↑↑

 

[lt56ny]

I think it's absolutely the right way to choose. Work with a patient and knowledgeable seller. Try as wide a range as possible. Reject anything that doesn't feel right - no matter what reputation, technology, testimonials or recommendations they may come with. If they feel wrong after ten minutes in the store, the chance of them feeling right after eight hours on the road is next to zero.

Sounds like you are suffering from "buyers' remorse," or "second-guess-itis." The good news is that it's totally treatable. All you need to do is put on your new shoes and go for a walk.

Couldn't agree more with you about the seller. Before my first camino I went to the outdoor store in my town in Oregon. We are on the PCT and it is where lots of hikers stop to get supplies that they shipped to the post office as well as going into the outdoor store. They said that a pair of Merrills was the ticket it was the only thing to wear on the Camino. I took their advice and within a week both feet were blisters. I recovered and a friend of mine who is a triathlete took me to the running store. I quickly found out that my town was one of the top training spots for ultra marathoners. At the time the owner who helped me was the number 2 ultra marathoner in the world. As soon as I said camino he and the other two employees all pointed at the Brooks Cascadias and said almost in unison that is your shoe. (The other two were ultra marathoners too) They all looked at my feet and agreed I should go up one size and go to a wide Cascadia. They felt great but the proof is in the pudding. He had only one wide in my size. He told me he was going to order another pair as I was just starting my training and he thought I should have a new pair (broken in) before I start. He also said if this pair gives me any problems at all he would take them back no questions asked. As I start my 6th Camino and have between Caminos and training at least 7-8000k of walking under my feet I just ordered another pair of Cascadias for my VDLP in October. But these Glycerins look interesting although I doubt I will change from my lover Brooks Cascadia. Between training and caminos I have had no foot or leg injuries and I think 7 blisters.

 

[motero99]

The knee pressure thing was popular in the late 70's or early 80's. It was called Acupressure then, a take off on acupuncture rage then. It was usually accompanied by a massage on the heel and outside ball of the foot when the pressure was released. It worked very will on shin spints. Used it not too many years ago when my kids ran cross country. They felt it worked.

 

[Chris Gi]

Hi everyone!
Well three of us have just been to a small local running shop where the guy(the owner) was so knowledgeable and so patient;we were there for two and a half hours all of us found and brought shoes.
I had walked about six and a bit miles before going,it was stinking hot,carried my pack(6.3 kilos with 750ml of water)had the socks and orthotics on i will walk in!

I explained what type of terrain the Portuguese Coastal was and that i had a bad knee and some ankle pain (turns out he had a degree in sports medicine;said a lot of stuff i didn't understand.He said put pressure below the knee on the outside its a trigger point and massage it the tension/stress will release;less than ten seconds later it did amazing stuff been hurting for bloody ages.)

I tried Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5,and Timp 2, Hoka Bondi 7, Brooks Caldera 5,Saucony Peregrine 10 in various sizes none were right! He gave sound advice about my pack and the distances i would walk,and what he though i should need on my feet and produced the Brooks Glycerin's!
( Brooks Glycerin 19 in a size 12 i am normally a size 11, he lace locked them and they felt perfect i walked up and down in them outside for ages at least 20 minutes (hadn't brought them at this time) while the two friends with me were fitted with their shoes.
So my question is:


Has anyone got any experience/opinions on walking in Brooks Glycerin19 or other variants of the Glycerin!
I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.
The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?
Woody

I have worn Brooks Glycerin for quite a few years in the past and loved them but now they are just too narrow for my old feet that have “spread out” over the past 80+ years.

 

[brault-singh]

These are my Glycerins on the day I finished our Camino Frances in 2015. They worked fantastic. The only issue I had was that I was cursing Brooks for the sole being too thin as I was feeling every pebble. When we stopped for lunch, I took my shoes off and noticed a “huge” rock imbedded in the sole. So not Brooks problem!

 

[Former member 94647]

Then you have done the right thing.

Your shoes are about 80% of what is important when prepping for Camino. They have to fit. I walk in another shoe like the one you chose, and I will swear it is the PERFECT shoe for Camino.......if you happen to have the same feet as I do. There is no point in worrying about any particular brand or model, they are all the right shoe......if they fit your foot and gate, and the wrong shoe if they don't.

In case you are concerned about not having a rugged enough shoe, don't be. People walk in athletic shoes of all types, trail shoes, and sandals. The Camino is a proverbial stroll in the park, not a slog up to base camp.

Your job now is to try and walk some distance in them before you go to make sure they are comfortable. Blisters are the main issue with new pilgrims, and if this shoe works the way it should, no blisters. If not, you'll need to break up with your newest conquest, and try another.

Buen Camino

I'd agree Rick....they either fit and you feel fine walking to the point you forget about them or they don't and then in my view its time for an "upgrade" as I like to call it!

Also agree with just going with the fit...bit like buying my daughter ski boots....."I want a red/grey pair"...nope its about type of skiing you do and ultimately the fit I'm afraid .....not the colour!

But a good brand is important to me cos I don't want a fail...so I wouldn't buy say hiTec as I just don't think they are up to the usage needed and would go with a proven brand...but then its all about the fit....

Vibram Mega Grip are the best sticky soles I've come across and available on various shoes/boots from brands....see https://us.vibram.com/search?q=megagrip

But again I only like Asolo boots, very hard to source in the UK .....but I bought some in EMS 20 odd years ago and have only worn their boots and approach shoes since, with the exception of Arcteryx who now do megagrip on their trail runners and Aerios mid hikers which I also have....but end of the day they're your feet and only you can decide if they fit or should i have bought the others.....?

 

[Jose Mathew]

for my first Camino (Frances), I walked mostly in hiking boots. Second time on Camino Norte, I walked on Brooks Glycerin. I am a long distance (Marathon) runner for the past 9 years. Started with Brooks Glycerin ( 8 or 9). Right now using Glycerin 18. After running on it for 600 or so miles the shoes look good and I hate to throw it out. Use it for my normal walking including Camino the used glycerin. They are over priced and have 6 or so in my used section of closet.
While I vouch for Brooks Glycerin, my son who is also a runner and walker hates it. He only Saucony.
If you have tried a brand and felt comfortable...go with it. A particular brand is mostly irrelevant.

 

[RRat]

Hi everyone!
Well three of us have just been to a small local running shop where the guy(the owner) was so knowledgeable and so patient;we were there for two and a half hours all of us found and brought shoes.
I had walked about six and a bit miles before going,it was stinking hot,carried my pack(6.3 kilos with 750ml of water)had the socks and orthotics on i will walk in!

I explained what type of terrain the Portuguese Coastal was and that i had a bad knee and some ankle pain (turns out he had a degree in sports medicine;said a lot of stuff i didn't understand.He said put pressure below the knee on the outside its a trigger point and massage it the tension/stress will release;less than ten seconds later it did amazing stuff been hurting for bloody ages.)

I tried Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5,and Timp 2, Hoka Bondi 7, Brooks Caldera 5,Saucony Peregrine 10 in various sizes none were right! He gave sound advice about my pack and the distances i would walk,and what he though i should need on my feet and produced the Brooks Glycerin's!
( Brooks Glycerin 19 in a size 12 i am normally a size 11, he lace locked them and they felt perfect i walked up and down in them outside for ages at least 20 minutes (hadn't brought them at this time) while the two friends with me were fitted with their shoes.
So my question is:


Has anyone got any experience/opinions on walking in Brooks Glycerin19 or other variants of the Glycerin!
I set out to get trail runners for the grip etc, but none of the trail runners felt right.
The Glycerin's don't appear to have a very deep tread pattern so will they be slippy?
So have i made a mistake in choosing them?
Woody

Its not so much the shoe, its the feet. Tender feet will have problems with the best shoe. Tough feet can use just about any shoe. When preparing, plant toes before planting heel some of the time. Don't travel the smoothest path when preparing.

 

[jo_nz]

The Brookes Glycerin is my usual walking shoe at home, the one that I clock up the miles for training out on the road. Have just purchased my 4th pair. Highly recommend them for that purpose. I'm sure they will be fine for the Portuguese way as there is a lot of tarmac and board walking (coastal route). On some of the other routes i.e. Del Norte, Frances, Mozarabe then my preference is for a mid lite trail boot (Saloman) as I need the ankle support.
If you are happy then that is the thing that counts (one camino a lass walked the whole Camino Frances in a pair of Sketches. At the end they were all taped to keep them together but she made it !!)
Who were we to say anything - it was her camino!!
Have fun in preparation!

 

[woody66]

The Brookes Glycerin is my usual walking shoe at home, the one that I clock up the miles for training out on the road. Have just purchased my 4th pair. Highly recommend them for that purpose. I'm sure they will be fine for the Portuguese way as there is a lot of tarmac and board walking (coastal route).

Hi jo nz!
Thanks for your reply ;the guy in the shop asked mw what my route would mainly consist of so i told him exactly what you have posted tarmac and board walk and he said the glycerin's would do the job;but the biggest plus for me was the fit and comfort!
However i am doing the Variant Espiritual also which will be a mix of surfaces;but that's only for two days out of my twenty six days on the Coastal(defo taking my time to smell the roses and enjoy Portugal)
All the best
Woody

 

[woody66]

Hi everyone!
Just thought i would post this as i am happy with the result of todays first proper walk in my Glycerin's! (just shows what an exciting life i lead ha!ha!, but for some it might be Earth shattering news.)
Full pack and 1 litre of water (7.04 kilos) 8 miles i pair of Darn Tough light hikers no liners and 23 degrees C for us Brits that's more like death valley when your used to summer being warmer rain!
Not a single rub or hotspot and my pack was sound no probs there.
Only issue i had was keeping the hands free Euroshim from dropping slightly and obscuring my bit of useful vision; the belt toggle just isn't up to the job and slips undone i will sort it before tomorrow although i thought it was elasticated, not just cord?
I hope we all are staying positive and looking forward to actually walking a Camino instead of thinking about Camino; and that day will come i hope for us all!
All the best
Woody.

 

[woody66]

Hi peeps!
"Muppet on the loose this is a cautionary tale"
As a newbie i wanted the best chance i could get to finish my Camino.

Well so i thought i would post the end i hope of my shoe saga!! (not the outcome i was expecting
i wish it was as exciting as a Viking saga;but it's all I've got )

I must say i followed all the rules about fitting;but the UK is a nightmare you don't get to really try them out (all my issues appeared after miles of walking)
Before i brought the Glycerins i had purchased some Hoka ATR6 trail runners.comfortable but i just felt very unstable in them (i have a form of vertigo BPPV which when it hits is a bl**dy pain in the bum)

After wearing the Glycerins for about two weeks ; i developed Achilles tendonitis rested for about a week took naproxin and went back to my cheapo Karrimor mid mount boots (worn same brand/style for over 10+ years maybe longer never a single issue ).

So running shop guy said try Brooks Cascadias they were fitted in the shop felt really great;liked them more than the Glycerins more supportive(let me test them in the street again) so off i go and walk put in a few 5 to 6 milers and then Achilles started up again! (rested again and went to podiatrist;suggested should wear my Karrimor mids; but i said awful grip in the wet!

So next i brought some Solomon X Ultra 3 Aero mids determined to get a pair of non waterproof quick dry footwear!
I am normally a UK size 11 but to fit these were a UK 12.5;light and comfortable until the miles went on them!
Now been back in my cheapo Karrimors' for a couple of weeks again and no probs as yet fingers crossed!
I fly on 17th Sept so i will stick with them!

I suppose the old saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it" took a while to sink in.

Got my PCR to fly booked on the 14th just hope it arrives in time!

All the best Woody