Essence of shoe selection: "Is it comfortable and is it on sale?"

[C clearly]

Here is an article about the controversies over running shoe design. I don't see any reason it wouldn't apply to walking as well.

I am still on a quest to find my new shoes. I have a few months to test every shoe I encounter, in search of the most comfortable.

 

[jsalt]

Is it comfortable and is it on sale?

Having abandoned my trusty boots (after xxxx kms, the soles worn down, no longer waterproof, but still very very comfortable) at the last albergue before flying home, I needed a new pair for my next camino.

Back home, there they were! Brand new, new model, IN MY SIZE, but not on sale .

I asked for a pensioner’s discount. (If you don’t ask, you don’t get!)

The salesperson consulted with the boss, who checked with his boss (a computer) and all three agreed on a student’s discount .

Yeay, happy happy .
Jill

 

[t2andreo]

Do not forget to include the all-important for the Camino qualifier... Is it right-sized?

Many shoe style run slightly larger or smaller than the advertised and marked size. Do advance due diligence to determine if your 'target' shoe or boot is true to size. Make size estimate adjustments, up or down, from that point. For example, several Keen styles run 1/2 size larger OR smaller. I have had to adjust accordingly. Start by checking with the manufacturer or distributor. Then check with shop staff. Finally, try them on with the socks you plan to walk in.

Also, and there is still a debate on this point, size UP to accommodate a second pair of socks, end-of-day swelling, and possibly splaying after several weeks of carrying a daily load. I personally advise adding on-half size for each of these considerations.

So, in my case, my Keen Targhee II boots, running 1/2 size SMALLER than posted, needed to be a full TWO SIZES larger than i measured at the time. That was an extra:

1/2 size for the smaller than posted style issue (per the Keen website)
1/2 size for the second pair of socks
1/2 size for the end of day swelling, and
1/2 size for multi-week splaying...

Bottom line, my Bannock-device measured US size 11 / 44.5 feet needed a size 13 / 47 Keen Targhee II boot. Your experience may vary. For me, this worked perfectly. In six Caminos, I have never had a blister... not bragging, just a fact. I have other foot problems, but blisters and lost nails are not among them.

My bottom line here is that the boots ought to be on sale if that is important to you. But they must be comfortable, and fit according to the Camino standard.

If you buy the same size as you wear on the street, you will have toe problems. Toe blisters and lost toenails are frequently caused by the toes striking the inside of the toe box on downhill stretches. In every case where I have attended pilgrims with this issue, they have shoes that are the same as street size, or maybe 1/2 size larger. Too small footwear is always a proximate cause of toe problems on Camino.

Hope this helps.

 

[Samarkand]

I've always been told to buy my shoes in the summer. Why? Because that's when your feet get swollen (just like after walking for many kilometers) and you might find an otherwise comfortable shoe get a bit too tight. And if it's not during the summer, have a good, long walk before trying a new pair.

I've never been comfortable ordering shoes online.

 

[tomnorth]

I have super wide feet (i.e. EEE) and high arches, so I have given up on ever finding sale prices on shoes.

 

[josephmcclain]

I feel that right shoes are more important than price. If you buy just dependent on price, it seems like building a house a going cheap on the foundation which is a sure sign of trouble ahead. Maybe! I highly recommend HOKAS!

 

[peregrina2000]

Here is an article about the controversies over running shoe design. I don't see any reason it wouldn't apply to walking as well.

I am still on a quest to find my new shoes. I have a few months to test every shoe I encounter, in search of the most comfortable.

You gotta love those guys who challenge the accepted wisdom and mess with everyone’s mind. The cynic, of course, will say of their scientific conclusion — well, duh, you needed research to conclude that “comfort is probably the most important thing.” (And note the equivocation )

As one of those who for years was stuck in my ways and had concluded that blisters and corns were just par for the course on the camino, I was kind of scared to change from my beloved Salomon hiking shoes. Which worked fine except for the blisters and corns. I took the plunge to comfort and realized that yes it is possible to walk 42 km and not have aches and pains in the feet.

I completely agree that comfort should be the key factor, but the trick is figuring out what is going to feel comfortable after 30 days of walking 8 hours a day! That’s why most of us have gone through so many shoes — they feel fine for the trials at home, it’s just when you really put them to the test that you find they are not as comfortable as you thought!

 

[C clearly]

Do advance due diligence to determine if your 'target' shoe or boot is true to size.

I don't do that at all, since I don't base my purchase on the labelled number. If I think a shoe might be good, I try it in a close-fitting size (whatever label that has) and determine if it is fits like a comfortable glove. If so, I conclude that the shape and fitting of the shoe is right for my foot. Then I ask for the next size up, and often find it feels almost the same. So I ask for the next size up. When I find the size that is really too big, I go back to the largest one that seems reasonable. There is a lot of adjustability in the lacing to allow for swelling, but the basic shape/structure of the shoe needs to be right for your foot.

If you buy the same size as you wear on the street, you will have toe problems.

Only if you choose to wear smaller shoes on the street. I don't.

the trick is figuring out what is going to feel comfortable after 30 days of walking 8 hours a day! That’s why most of us have gone through so many shoes

Exactly! In spite of my lofty words of advice and fitting theories, I admit that am still working on it!

 

[peregrina2000]

Exactly! In spite of my lofty words of advice and fitting theories, I admit that am still working on it!

So am I tempting fate or challenging the Camino gods by saying that I think I have found my perfect shoe ? Altras Lone Peaks, mens size! Of course, I will not be surprised when I go to buy a new pair of Altras this spring to find that they have “improved” the model and have introduced some new features, which inevitably will cause problems for my feet.