Shoes and Water

[sdh18lax]

Hi,
I'm a first time walker and am wondering what shoes are best. I'll be walking in late May/June, so the weather should be warm. What do people recommend, trail-runners, hiking boots, or running shoes? Also, is it necessary to bring a water filter or is their access to drinkable water each day?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi sdh18lax, check out the Forum's Home page: EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS, under PILGRIM TOPICS RELATED TO ALL ROUTES. You'll see a lot of postings on the subject. Pop up any questions u got for us here. Best, xm 8)

 

[janjakk]

Hi,
I'm a first time walker and am wondering what shoes are best. I'll be walking in late May/June, so the weather should be warm. What do people recommend, trail-runners, hiking boots, or running shoes? Also, is it necessary to bring a water filter or is their access to drinkable water each day?

well im always use a portable water filter..


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[ivar:removed commercial link]

 

[viajero]

I have never used a water filter. I have never had any problems.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

This photo shows the wide range of shoes/boots used by pilgrims mid-June in El Burgo Ranero!

 

[Sansthing]

I drank water from fonts all along the Camino Frances and filled my bottle from both kitchen and bathroom taps in the albergues. I never used a filter and never had any trouble. The water in Spain is perfectly safe, unless there is a sign saying it is not for drinking.
Sandra :arrow:

 

[finnegan]

I wore ecco walking shoes, but still got badly blistered feet. Currently wearing Keen walking shoes, they are good but I have received advice the best are HiTec Altitude boots, that's what I'll be wearing next time. Water - I always carry a water bottle, the drinking fonts are fine, so is tap water, never suffered adverse effects from drinking local water.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi - I now wear Merrell Trekking Sandals - same sole as boots but comfortable, wide, open to the air and - well - marvellous.
You will hear fears about 'not enough support' - meaning you will twist your ankle .... you most likely won't, but you can, also, in boots.

Sandals (the proper sandals, made for rough ground and long marches), are absolutely wonderful!

Thing about my Merrells is that they have an inner sort of neoprene lining and then a separate outer strong suede (you can get a vegetarian, no animal, version). Fully adjustable so you get a great fit .... the inner stays on your skin and the outer moves, like anti-blister socks - so no blisters ....! - and as your feet swell (and they will really swell with all that walking and load carrying) you can adjust them outwards - perfect!

like all footwear you need to break them in and get used to that sort of footwear before lurching out of St. Jean and over the pass ...

and if the weather goes completely pear you can put on socks, then carrier bags then the sandals to stay warm and dry - oh, and they are REALLY light too - :wink:

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Finnegan.....not too many people wore full boots...... though as you can see from my photo above, all kinds of footwear were worn. I think one of the most important things is to make sure you have 'worn in' whatever you choose to wear. And if you are going in a 'slippery' season, it pays to think about how good the soles are in the wet. I wore Merrells as well, but a walking shoe rather than a boot. They had Vibram soles which were a godsend in the wet.

And I wore two pairs of socks- one woollen and one a synthetic liner, which wicked away moisture from the feet. I managed to avoid blisters except just after the Aubrac Plateau when I endured three days of solid rain with tracks like rivers and my feet got saturated....( Am investigating a walking shoe that is a little more waterproof but still breathable.) The rest of the time I stayed blister-free.
Margaret