Buying shoes on the way......

[Cruiser52]

It's probably a question that has been asked before but is it easy to found trekking shoes on the way?....I have been training with the same shoes I will be walking with and they did 520 kms, so I would probably need to buy a pair somewhere along the way. But I have big feet size 13 UK or 14 US. Will I found this size in Spain and is there specialized shops on the way?....

 

[AJ]

Try Decathlon. They have outlets in several locations along the Frances. I bought size 46 (UK 12?) boots from their Burgos store (I think).

 

[mspath]

As AJ suggested try Decathlon.
Find a list of all Decathlon shops in Spain here !

 

[dougfitz]

Two points:

• if you are worried, consider replacing them before you go
• generally, shoes don't fail suddenly at a particular distance. Generally one or both of two things happen - either the hard surface layer of the sole wears through exposing the softer layers of the sole, or the compressible layers of the sole lose their elasticity and bounce. There are other mechanisms like the adhesion of the sole to the upper failing that are catastrophic, but I think these are relatively more rare, and I am not sure that they are necessarily distance related.

 

[NualaOC]

I agree with @dougfitz - if you're concerned that your tried and tested shoes won't last the full distances, you might want to replace them before you go.

There are plenty of places to buy footwear along the way, but there are also many smaller towns and villages where this may not be possible.

 

[Waka]

I agree with @dougfitz and @NualaOC about buying new ones before you set off. If you do decide to use the originals then you might want to consider taking some hiking sandals as backup. You know what it's like if they are going to go it will be in the back and beyond, and those sandals could be your feet life savers.
Having said that I'd take sandals anyway.

 

[Bradypus]

I have been training with the same shoes I will be walking with and they did 520 kms, so I would probably need to buy a pair somewhere along the way.

As others have said the life expectancy of footwear is hard to predict - too many factors involved. I walked over 2500 km last year in the same pair of 25 euro leather safety boots before they finally fell apart in Rome. Much further than your 520km already walked plus the Camino Frances. If you already have good reason to believe that your footwear is not up to the job for another 800km then I think it would be better to replace it well before you begin walking. That way you can start confident knowing that potential problems of fit, ventilation and so on have already been dealt with.

 

[mspath]

Late January 2009 in Pamplona
it was pouring rain/sleet when leaving the cathedral my boot sole separated from the upper! What to do? From the nearby cloister courtyard came an elderly priest. He took one look at my sole-less boot and said "Senora please come with me".

Under the protection of his huge umbrella we arrived at a old-fashioned sports store nearby. The priest knew the matronly saleslady and together they both fitted me with new emergency boots! When leaving the shop the priest kindly wished me 'buen Camino' and made the sign of the Cross. ...Ever since I recollect that those new soles arrived via the kindness of a most special soul.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you take sandals for hiking, take some long hikes in them before you go, and include some terrain, cobblestone, and rocky footing. Sandals may work for a half day of relief or blister treatment, but the lack of lateral support may not be suitable for many walkers.

 

[Mark Lee]

I would definitely not count on finding a pair of size 14 hiking shoes that suit you well while on the Camino.
I would say it's best to buy a new pair before you go.

 

[grumerz]

It's probably a question that has been asked before but is it easy to found trekking shoes on the way?....I have been training with the same shoes I will be walking with and they did 520 kms, so I would probably need to buy a pair somewhere along the way. But I have big feet size 13 UK or 14 US. Will I found this size in Spain and is there specialized shops on the way?....

Another challenge, if buying a replacement pair of boots along the Camino, is the break-in period after the purchase. Perhaps better to obtain the new pair, "pre-Camino," walking in them for short distances and on home turf, rather than subjecting yourself to the daily requisite distances, (and potential debilitating blisters,) as a peregrino.

 

[gidivet]

Agree with the above comments - buy before you go and wear them now. Even lightweight hiking boots like the Keens I use take at least a few walks to settle in.

 

[Cruiser52]

Thanks everyone for the advice very much appreciated.

 

[Cayou]

52: If you decide to chance it with the old pair, make sure you take along some duct tape!

 

[rometimed]

In my 6 months walking last year it was only in very light running shoes which I only replaced once about 2000 kms in with the identical pair since I found them in the UK and even that was tough for a few days as I broke the new pair in on the Coast to Coast.

 

[West Coaster]

I was assisting a lady that I met on the way to purchase a new pair of hiking boots in Ponferrada. The ones she started out with were poor quality and just fell apart. We found a couple of sporting goods stores in Ponferrada that had a small selection on hiking boots. Nothing in her size and everything very expensive. She ended up buy a pair of Teva hiking sandals.

You’re not going to get the same product that you have now, and you don’t want to be testing something new with 100’s of kms to go. Best to purchase quality before you step out the door.

 

[Satírico]

It's probably a question that has been asked before but is it easy to found trekking shoes on the way?....I have been training with the same shoes I will be walking with and they did 520 kms, so I would probably need to buy a pair somewhere along the way. But I have big feet size 13 UK or 14 US. Will I found this size in Spain and is there specialized shops on the way?....

I recall wasting hours trying to find Decathlon in Logrono in the heat of the day. It's a nuisance, the stores are often on the edge of town. When I was planning last year's trip I made an advanced note of where each store was in relation to the camino.

 

[RRat]

From my experience, buy everything you need before you go. After a day on the Camino you might not want to spend time shopping for anything. The town you end up in might not have what you need. The shop that has what you need might be just around the block but you can't find it. Better spending the afternoon with new friends talking about the day and planning the next, over a glass of vino tinto.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Or you could get your shoes resoled - I've just had mine done by
lancashiresportsrepairs.co.uk

 

[Vacajoe]

I wear a size 14 - if a shoe my size exists in a Camino shop, I’ve never seen it!

 

[MarkyD]

It's probably a question that has been asked before but is it easy to found trekking shoes on the way?....I have been training with the same shoes I will be walking with and they did 520 kms, so I would probably need to buy a pair somewhere along the way. But I have big feet size 13 UK or 14 US. Will I found this size in Spain and is there specialized shops on the way?....

I found an excellent specialist trekking footwear shop in Viana. I stopped there to find a solution to my tried and trusted Salamon GTX Goretex hiking boots that had been cooking my feet early September. I was allowed all the time I needed (about an hour) to try different options and ended up with a pair of lightweight and extremely breathable Merrell walking shoes that saved my feet and my Camino. They fitted perfectly and didn't require any breaking in. I put another insole inside to give a bit more cushioning. At the next post office I then sent the boots on to my cousin in Villafranca del Bierzo where I picked them up later to used them on and off during the wetter part of my Camino - in the end I donated them at a 'pilgrim pitstop' on the way to Finisterre.

 

[lindam]

Like you, my husband wears size 14 US or 47 EU for his Camino shoes. Certainly, I would not recommend that you plan to purchase shoes in this size along the Camino. My husband has purchased shoes in this size at Decathlon but was unhappy with their fit and they have never been used on a Camino. Since living here in Spain (for the past 4 1/2 years) he has instead relied on mail order shoes where he has access to a brand of shoes he prefers and in the required size. Having said all of that, I would suggest buying your shoes at home before you leave and wearing them briefly enough to break them in without the concern of over-wear.

 

[Telboyo]

I wear a size 14 - if a shoe my size exists in a Camino shop, I’ve never seen it!

The good thing about having big feet is that shoe shopping takes seconds, walk into a shop look at the 2 pairs in your size and either buy or not buy.