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That's pretty amazing since they mention a 300-500 mile lifetime on their website. I have heard they were takekn over by NorthFace. If that is accurate, we have to wonder what becoming part of Big Outdoors will mean for Altras.
The notion of 'breaking in' hiking or walking shoes comes from old style construction materials, like leather, which were stiff and required time and effort to mold itself to the foot and become more flexible.
This thread is a goldmine of information!
Thank you everyone, especially Laurie and Dave.
When I go to Ladakh, I take Keen boots (Targee). The last European boots I got chewed my feet up horribly. And they were very good very expensive boots. But the lighter weight Keens aren't stiff or heavy. Much better if you're used to trail runners.
You saw my camino 'shoes,' Lee. I totally love them, in too many ways to count. Not a sandal, but not a running shoe, either. A bit of both:
https://www.keenfootwear.com/p/M-MCKENZIE-II.html
At least three pairs of footwear??! Will you be carrying them yourself?
I could also title this "Why did it take me 17 years to realize this?"
On my first couple of caminos, I wore hiking boots that were probably too small for my feet. Rookie mistake. That led to overheated feet, blisters, lots of unhappy feet while pounding the pavement. One year, my choice was to try something new in León or stop walking. I bought a low Salomon hiking shoe and continued on the Salvador/Primitivo pain free. From then until last year, I wore Salomons. No blisters, but terrible corns between the toes. My dermatologist said that the solution was to get a wide toe box, and Altras are wider than them all.
So I went to Altras for the wide toe box and then had an epiphany. Altras are trail runners, they are not hiking boots or hiking shoes. That means they are "less shoe" and more cushion. The Camino is not a hike in the outdoor sense of the word, it is a long walk with some occasional rough terrain. Trail runners are the perfect shoe for that endeavor. They have enough grip and form to keep you steady when the off-road gets rough (especially if you have poles), but their comfort on the asphalt and gravel just blew me away.
I am no expert in shoes, but I would certainly encourage everyone to search out trail runners. Altras are one brand, and every major outdoor shoe company has some. But it seems to me, especially as the caminos become more and more paved over, that hiking boots and hiking shoes are just way too much shoe for the camino.
Though the pain of past caminos, like the pain of child birth, always fades with the years, I was continually happy this year to see that at the end of long days, some up in the 40s, I never had that urge to yank off my shoes and free my feet. My feet may have been tired, like the rest of me, but they were not sore, weary, pounding, or any of those things.
Bottom line -- try the trail runner option. Its one drawback may be lack of waterproofing, but I have always found that my feet are wet at the end of a rain that lasts more than an hour anyway, goretex or not. I had only one rain on my 32 days on the Mozárabe, if you can believe it, but I found that the shoes dried very quickly.
I know there are others on the forum with far more expertise in shoes, and they may be able to point out flaws in my thinking. But this year, as every year, I saw so many people with boots or hiking shoes who were really having problems, and I felt so lucky with my trail runners. I am a convert! I will try not to proselytize though.
Buen camino, Laurie
You should be fine in your running shoes.My only concern now is rain. They certainly eon;t keep my feet as dry as boots would have but I'm willing to risk it for comfort.
Side to side looseness is something new to me. So the shoe structure determines that?
I have worn custom orthotics for years. I believe my hard plastic orthotics, in combination with all the asphalt on the Norte, caused my tarsal tunnel syndrome, which left me 6 months in a walking cast. Since then I have custom silicone orthotics and they are wonderful. Had no problem getting them in the Altras either.
Ask a podiatrist for sure, but I took it to mean the ability for the shoe to twist. My doctor picked up my shoe with one hand on the front and one hand on the back, twisted it side to side, did the same with my store-bought orthotics and said both were too loose, which allowed my foot to move from side-to-side too easily.
Have you tried the Targhee III boots? I walked twice in Targhee IIs totally free of problems but Keen seems to be changing things up and the new boot (Targhee III) feels more streamlined read narrower.... Almost impossible to get hold of Targhee IIs any more...I have walked three Caminos and always in Keene Targhee hiking boots. I think ankle support is critical on the rougher sections, and the Targhees are very light, comfortable, and a good fit for my wide feet. I have never had a blister. I did the VDLP in 2016, doing it again this fall, going to use the 2016 boots , see if I can get 2000km out of them.
Such useful and welcome suggestions. Thank you.I could also title this "Why did it take me 17 years to realize this?"
On my first couple of caminos, I wore hiking boots that were probably too small for my feet. Rookie mistake. That led to overheated feet, blisters, lots of unhappy feet while pounding the pavement. One year, my choice was to try something new in León or stop walking. I bought a low Salomon hiking shoe and continued on the Salvador/Primitivo pain free. From then until last year, I wore Salomons. No blisters, but terrible corns between the toes. My dermatologist said that the solution was to get a wide toe box, and Altras are wider than them all.
So I went to Altras for the wide toe box and then had an epiphany. Altras are trail runners, they are not hiking boots or hiking shoes. That means they are "less shoe" and more cushion. The Camino is not a hike in the outdoor sense of the word, it is a long walk with some occasional rough terrain. Trail runners are the perfect shoe for that endeavor. They have enough grip and form to keep you steady when the off-road gets rough (especially if you have poles), but their comfort on the asphalt and gravel just blew me away.
I am no expert in shoes, but I would certainly encourage everyone to search out trail runners. Altras are one brand, and every major outdoor shoe company has some. But it seems to me, especially as the caminos become more and more paved over, that hiking boots and hiking shoes are just way too much shoe for the camino.
Though the pain of past caminos, like the pain of child birth, always fades with the years, I was continually happy this year to see that at the end of long days, some up in the 40s, I never had that urge to yank off my shoes and free my feet. My feet may have been tired, like the rest of me, but they were not sore, weary, pounding, or any of those things.
Bottom line -- try the trail runner option. Its one drawback may be lack of waterproofing, but I have always found that my feet are wet at the end of a rain that lasts more than an hour anyway, goretex or not. I had only one rain on my 32 days on the Mozárabe, if you can believe it, but I found that the shoes dried very quickly.
I know there are others on the forum with far more expertise in shoes, and they may be able to point out flaws in my thinking. But this year, as every year, I saw so many people with boots or hiking shoes who were really having problems, and I felt so lucky with my trail runners. I am a convert! I will try not to proselytize though.
Buen camino, Laurie
I "slightly" agree with you.Modern trail shoes and trail runners have been designed to operate new and out of the box. While the materials can be worn down, they do not really do much 'breaking in'.
I "slightly" agree with you.
In my team we never use brand new shoes in competition. Surely the break-in is much more reduced nowadays, compared to the "old times".
But the the upper shoe, although made of soft and flexible canvas, and the sole, although made of elastic stuff, need some adaptation to the foot: we call those processes "adaptation of the texture and "smashing the micropores of the sponge". And the foot has to become familiar with the shoe as well and to "shape" it.
Brand new shoes have a reactivity that is completely different from used ones.
All in all, the break-in of our trail running shoes can last only 100 Km, compared to the 200-300 Km of the past, although, personally, I belong to the "old school" and I wear my shoes in competitions (and tong trekkings) only after a 200-300 km of adaptation.
Forgive my poor knowledge of English. I totally agree with what you wrote. Thank you for your clarification.I am quite familiar with the difference between "breaking in" material, vs wearing down material. What you are describing is normal wear.
Forgive my poor knowledge of English. ........
A good supportive trail runner or trail shoe can have some "twist" to it, the question really depends on how well the shoe controls for pronation. Pronation is one of the big factors related to knee pain, as well as Plantars Fasciitis.
Hi, no, I have not tried the Targhee III, and I see some others are not impressed with the fit. I just posted that I am going to check out some trail runners for my upcoming Camino, feeling a little apprehensive about leaving my tried and trusted Keenes, but you are right, the IIs are hard to find...Have you tried the Targhee III boots? I walked twice in Targhee IIs totally free of problems but Keen seems to be changing things up and the new boot (Targhee III) feels more streamlined read narrower.... Almost impossible to get hold of Targhee IIs any more...
I could also title this "Why did it take me 17 years to realize this?"
On my first couple of caminos, I wore hiking boots that were probably too small for my feet. Rookie mistake. That led to overheated feet, blisters, lots of unhappy feet while pounding the pavement. One year, my choice was to try something new in León or stop walking. I bought a low Salomon hiking shoe and continued on the Salvador/Primitivo pain free. From then until last year, I wore Salomons. No blisters, but terrible corns between the toes. My dermatologist said that the solution was to get a wide toe box, and Altras are wider than them all.
So I went to Altras for the wide toe box and then had an epiphany. Altras are trail runners, they are not hiking boots or hiking shoes. That means they are "less shoe" and more cushion. The Camino is not a hike in the outdoor sense of the word, it is a long walk with some occasional rough terrain. Trail runners are the perfect shoe for that endeavor. They have enough grip and form to keep you steady when the off-road gets rough (especially if you have poles), but their comfort on the asphalt and gravel just blew me away.
I am no expert in shoes, but I would certainly encourage everyone to search out trail runners. Altras are one brand, and every major outdoor shoe company has some. But it seems to me, especially as the caminos become more and more paved over, that hiking boots and hiking shoes are just way too much shoe for the camino.
Though the pain of past caminos, like the pain of child birth, always fades with the years, I was continually happy this year to see that at the end of long days, some up in the 40s, I never had that urge to yank off my shoes and free my feet. My feet may have been tired, like the rest of me, but they were not sore, weary, pounding, or any of those things.
Bottom line -- try the trail runner option. Its one drawback may be lack of waterproofing, but I have always found that my feet are wet at the end of a rain that lasts more than an hour anyway, goretex or not. I had only one rain on my 32 days on the Mozárabe, if you can believe it, but I found that the shoes dried very quickly.
I know there are others on the forum with far more expertise in shoes, and they may be able to point out flaws in my thinking. But this year, as every year, I saw so many people with boots or hiking shoes who were really having problems, and I felt so lucky with my trail runners. I am a convert! I will try not to proselytize though.
Buen camino, Laurie
Plataman, I found some online. interesting isn't it that we call the Targhee IIs, boots but they are hardly "hiking boots" per se (and it is confusing when folk roll a formal leather boot into the came category as a Targhee II) just higher top shoes that help keep the stones out and provide a little more support. Right up to the day before I left on the CF last October I was trying to decide between my Oboz low cut shoes and Keen Targhees and thank goodness I chose the Targhees. I just went through the same questioning about whether to change but will be sensible. Have you tried the Targhee II shoes if you are looking for a lower cut shoe that you can count on???? Also, Oboz Sawtooths are the closest I found to Targhees with their nice wide toe box but for me they they had an annoying design feature that caused rubbing on one ankle. Worth looking at if you REALLY feel you need to change...Hi, no, I have not tried the Targhee III, and I see some others are not impressed with the fit. I just posted that I am going to check out some trail runners for my upcoming Camino, feeling a little apprehensive about leaving my tried and trusted Keenes, but you are right, the IIs are hard to find...
(The Lone Peaks were not quite as cushioned which is why we went with the Timps). Buen Camino!
Hi Laurie, I'm so pleased to hear of another terrifically successful Altra-supported Camino! I walked in Timps last time and Lone Peaks this time. The Timps are noticeably more cushioned but the most recent iteration of the LPs have a SIGNIFICANTLY better grip than the latest Timps.If the Timps have more cushioning than the Lone Peaks, I am going to have to try them.
I went to Altras only because I learned here that they have the widest toe box of any shoe. A totally unexpected benefit of them was the cushioning. My feet just don’t throb or ache like they used to. Especially on those typical last 3-6 kms into town on the side of the road —my companions in their shoes or boots say their feet are aching, and mine are fine. So if the Timps are even better, they must be like walking on air.
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