The Quest for the right boots or shoes

[skilsaw]

I have walked the Camino Frances and the Via de la Plata twice... about 2800 kms.

If you don't like reading long posts, here is the conclusion first: Purchasing boots and breaking them in is a crap shoot (american slang for "a gamble"). Ya pays yer money, and ya takes yer chances. But suffering is optional. If your feet are blistering or otherwise hurt, experiment.
Try different socks. Use vaseline or other grease on your feet... Or stop using vaseline. Same goes for foot powder. Buy new shoes altogether. Keep experimenting until you find the right combination shoes, socks, and lubricants. Love and care for your feet. You owe it to them, after what you are putting them through.

Before each camino I bought new boots and broke them in.
I completed the first camino without blisters, but with feet that ached when I put weight on them. The first steps of the morning were the most difficult. It took several months after the camino for the ache to go away. Decided the boots were too tight so passed them on ...

Second Camino I got blisters the first week but on the advice of fellow pilgrims, bought new socks and had no further problems. These boots were not up to the task and the sole wore out before reaching Santiago. I was able to finish in them though, and then tossed them in the garbage.

Third Camino, I bought boots 3 months ahead and did a lot of walking on relatively rough forest paths, but never carried a pack. I had no blisters during the training. The camino was another matter. The balls of each foot developed big blisters, but they never tore open which was a blessing. Once again, on the advice of fellow pilgrims, I bought a 35 Euro pair of Nike running shoes that were a size too big (on purpose, mind you) and mailed the boots home. The blisters dried up without a problem and the skin later peeled after new skin had formed underneath. Upon arriving home, the boots sat, unused in my closet for a year and then I gave them to Goodwill. They had bad karma.

This week I'm going to purchase new boots again because I'm planning a couple big walks in 2013. Like the times before, I'll try them on in the store and wear them around the house for a couple of days... The store will let me return them if I've kept the box and not otherwise marred the boots new appearance. But I won't marry the boots. I'll discard them in a flash if they give me any problems.

Buen Camino,
And Happy Feet!
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[LieutCol.Ret.]

Hi,

Different people-different problems-different solutions. Everything depends on particular and individual circumstances. I used special trekking shoes made by “Meindl” from Bavaria, Germany and special socks made by Spanish “Cupron”. As the result, Camino Frances was accomplished for twenty nine days without any blisters at all. Shoes and socks are in excellent condition as if they were the brand new and they are ready to serve me properly during my next Camino.

Sincerely,
Oleg

 

[skilsaw]

Oleg, you are lucky to have quality boots available to you.

Thirty years ago we could buy Meindl footwear in Victoria, Canada (my city)
They were beautifully made. As were Merrell, Asolo, and many others.

Now, even the big names have moved their manufacturing to Asia. The closest I could get to a traditional european boot was some Asolo boots made in Romania. The best thing about them is that they were sized by length and width. My store had the 46 Wide that I required in stock.

I've worn them on one 2 hour hike already and they feel great. No problems.

Good Luck on the the search for the right footwear.

And may the evil genie that sprinkles blister powder in boots while you sleep pass over your boots.
Buen Camino,
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[kaixo]

I wore Lowa Renegade...made in Germany.
No blisters, very comfortable.
I met a pilgrim in Belorado who had walked from his doorstep in Munich.
He was wearing the same boots and could have been the poster child for the company.
His feet were in great shape and the boots were just beginning to show wear and tear.

David - Fourth times the charm?
I do hope so.

 

[AJ]

I usually wear Asolo boots, the same model every year and find them to be excellent. This year they were dangerously worn by the time I reached Burgos (I had started from Rome) and I had to buy a new pair of boots. This can be a problem because I need size 46, preferably 46+. The shop in Burgos only had one pair that would fit me: Chiruca, made in Spain at cost of 60 Euros. I was afraid, very afraid, but needn't have been. They were perfectly OK, comfortable and I got no blisters.

 

[marian55]

I wear Meindl's... but I've got two sets of insoles. The original ones: with these my boots fit in the normal way (one size bigger).
But in case of problems I can change them for a pair of thin leather insoles, also from Meindl. With these I've got extra space. So with different socks (light and medium) and this extra set of insoles I can play with the size... For me this works. I walk a lot, despite my feet. Have had some nasty injuries in the past. So shoes or boots.....tell me! It's very difficult to decide in a shop. Boots prove themselves on the way and certainly not within an hour.... It´s great that you can try them at home.

I had a problem with a couple of Meindl's I bought in spring. They were badly stitched in the nose of my left shoe. I changed them a couple of weeks ago for new ones after I had a bad time on the Rennsteig this summer due to this problem.
Paid nothing for the change.

Before these: I had a pair I bought in Belgium...-I bought them on a day I couldn't walk any further on my old Hanwags-. These cheap shoes were no fancy brand at all...-bought them in a shop from the farmers union-. They cost me 30 euro!
I walked with them as if they were slippers. No problems at all. Walked a part on the camino de Madrid without a single problem.
I searched everywhere to find them again, after I had worn them as long as possible. Unfortunately I didn´t succeed. I can tell you that I miss them.
The meindl's are good shoes but....not as easy to walk with.
But I will walk with them...can´t wait to try these new ones. Did already some walks of 10-15 km without problems. But the truth will come after a week of walking in hills. In Holland I almost never have any problem...
They will have to prove themselves at Christmastime between Samos and Santiago. Can´t wait...

Good luck....finding the right shoes is indeed a gamble...I hope you will find yours!

 

[skilsaw]

I'm preparing for a couple "Backpacking trips" in 2013. We will be totally away from civilization and need to carry a tent, stove, cooking pots and food, as well as the usual kit that a pilgrim carries on the Camino.

Today I walked a little over 4 kms on pavement with a 25 kg backpack and wearing my new boots. It was a shock to the system! But I held up, and look forward to going further on forest trails. I'll be ready when I can go about 16 kms in a day carrying 30 kgs.

My wilderness trips are a camino of sorts, minus the Catholic quest to the relics of the apostle. I feel very small in the expanse of nature. Like the camino, life is simplified. Eat, sleep, and walk from A to B each day while staying warm and dry...

A very buen camino to all new pilgrims.
May your walk mean more than you can imagine.
David, Victoria, Canada

 

[Tim McElhannon]

As Oleg said, everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. So for what it's worth here's what worked for me...My wife and I walked Camino Frances this past September and I wore Keen Voyageurs and Smartwool ankle-high light running socks. I had been using this shoe/sock combination for hiking for a year prior to the Camino. I used Aquaphor (a moisturizer/lubricant) most days just to keep my feet as soft as possible.
This was a good combination for me and I had no blisters on the Camino. I took all of the more challenging alternativos and walked from Santiago to Finisterre in two days in the rain, so I gave my feet and the shoes/socks a good test. I was very pleased with them and bought another pair of Voyageurs immediately upon returning to the states. I also bought more Smartwool socks. They are a blend of wool and synthetics that keep my feet dry and just feel good on my feet. I'm fairly frugal and it hurts me to pay $12-15 for a pair of socks but I feel that they are just as important as the shoes.
I like to have a lot of room in my shoes, especially in the toe box, and the Voyageurs are perfect for me. I've tried other models of Keens, though, and they did not fit as well, so I don't think it is safe to assume that all models from a particular brand will work equally well.
In my opinion, and many of my European Camino friends would disagree, low hiking shoes or running shoes are all that is needed for the Camino. The extra support and warmth (and weight) of high-top hiking boots are helpful for alpine hiking and off-trail hiking over rough terrain but are overkill for the Camino. I have an old pair of Danner Lights (heavy leather boots) that i use for tough terrain or cold weather hiking and I love them but they would have been too much boot for the Camino.
A few final words...I used trekking poles on the Camino, mostly to give my 55-year old knees a break, but I also think they helped take pressure off of my feet. Whether or not to use poles is a very personal decision but if you've got problems with your feet, they're worth a try.
My wife and I loved our experience on the Camino and cherish the memories of the friends we made during our walk. We're still trying to process it all and plan to do another Camino - possibly the Portuguese route.
Buen Camino!
Tim

 

[pablo.m]

sitting in santiago now
my trustee leather tramping boots on my feet
when i started in early of sept it was scorching, now in mid oct, its wet & muddy
leather boots, great when its wet & slippery, good on the trail, winter foot wear thats hard to beat
& really, these are good boots, well seasoned, well travelled, & i love em
i walked years ago in a gortex/leather boot which was lightweight & strong, they were great too
but
next time, i´ll bring a 3/4 cut sneaker for the hot days, a walking sandal for the wet days
lightweight & easier to pack down
& i´ll leave my boots at home
why? they are big & heavy, & honestly, i dont think theyr necessary
we´re not talking out back terrain here, tho i guess it does get a little challenging at times
(of course, a pair of jandals for the shower!)