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Shoe Question

Mowat11

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
May 2023
Hi everybody! I'm planning on doing some of the Camino Frances in late March. I bought a pair of Merrell Moab hiking shoes today and I'm testing them out at home. After choosing to go one size up because I've read so much about feet swelling etc. So I'm walking around in them at home and I'm wondering if a small gap at the back heel area is a bad sign. It's because they are a size too big I realize but should I be worried, or wear a second pair of socks, or is there anything from your wisdom that comes to mind. I do think slightly bigger is better than being too tight. Any thoughts?
 
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I walked the CF in Moab 3's and they were a 1/2 size bigger for me. In retrospect, I probably should have gone a whole size up, as with walking socks they got snug, though not tight, after a day's walking. You could try a different insole with better heel padding, and/or lock lacing to counteract the heel issue?
 
The back of the heal is the part for me that causes trouble when I try a new shoe and later abandon it. I've never walked in Merrel's, but tried a pair of Nike trail runners that put a quarter sized hole on the back of my heal that took about a month to heal. I wore a pair of Topos that dug into the same part for me.

My only advice is to wear and walk in a new shoe a lot before committing to a trek in them. I learned the hard way.

It is very personal and you just have to figure out what works for you.
 
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I have a pair of Moabs a full size larger than my foot. On longer hikes I wear two pairs of socks, Coolmax under merino wool. On shorter hikes I just wear the wool. The back of the shoe does get worn down but I've not had any blisters or hot spots on my foot. Recently I covered the worn spots with duct tape but that may make things worse and I'll have to try something else.

There are different ways to lace your shoes and boots to fix different problems. You want to try the heel lock. I tried to find a good video or diagram for Moabs but that was difficult, most showed boots or shoes laced differently from Moabs. I'm attaching photos of what should work if you find you want to lock your foot into the shoe more tightly.

First you run the laces from the top loops straight up to the top hole and then down into the hole.


Then criss-cross the laces with the ends of the laces going through the vertical loops created between the last lacing loop and the top hole.


Tighten by pulling both lace ends down toward the shoe's toes.


Finish with the standard double bow knot where the loops go horizontally (square knot style) not vertically (granny knot style).


Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Wow! Never would have known that. Thanks so much!
 
Not sure I'll be wearing my current Moabs on the VdlP as might opt for trail runners, but if I do wear the Moabs, I'll also be doing the double socks and likely swapping the supplied insoles for Superfeet or similar.

My previous Moabs also wore on the heel lining and I used duct tape in the same way. Never had any problems with it apart from having to replace the tape now and again.
 
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