Salty
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Planning : Camino Frances - Oct 2022
What I have learned so far in the last 10 days, since I decided, I want to go walk the CF for the 1st time, in 5 weeks ( beginning of Oct) . I am female, 61, 50 pds overweight and not active at all and in Canada. I am ussually a size 10 female but for walking the dog, I wear a size 11 Nike mens. I have wasted a lot of time by going to outdoor adventure places first. If I can do this over, I will start by Googling "best running shoe store + insert the name of your cite here "
The outdoor adventure places I found, the staff is not so knowledgeable. The biggest running stores I visited, the staff is extremely knowledgable, they know a lot about feet and shoes and have tons of different shoes and big sizes in stock.
Now I know for next time, I will buy my socks 1st, and then the shoes. I have chosen thin Injiji toe socks as my 1st layer and second layer, I bought a pair of thin Icebreaker merino socks and Darn tough Ultra Light weight merino 1/4 socks . Both just come slightly above my ancle.
I now put on both my socks at home and wear my Teva sandals with it and hit the running shoe stores, with my 2 pairs of socks already on. When entering, the best running stores and tell them : " I am going to walk the Camino. I need trial runners, wide toe box and very comfy ( with lots of cushioning) light weight and slightly bigger shoes. "
The running store sales person tells me, too small shoes, makes blisters. Do not go for too small shoes. If in doubt, go for slightly bigger. You can always put on a thicker sock, but nothing you can do when you buy too small to begin with. Which I now believe was excellent advice.
My journey started at an adventure outdoor store near me. I should have never gone there, I wasted my time. I went home with a pair of Merrill Moab 2's. They felt good in the store, once home, they were so hard and extremely heavy. I returned those the next day. Next I went to another outdoor store, and got Altras Olympus 5 mens size 10.5. The sales person was not too knowlegable and told me, to not go with the size 11, as it will be too big. I also bought there Hoka M Tecton X ( the very orangy ones ) size 10.5. $ 225 CAD + tax. Those new Hokas are very pricey. I tried them out at home and thought, they feel small. I should have listened to myself and went for the size 11's.
By now I was discouraged. Next I googled, running shoe stores and this was a break through moment for me. First running store, the girl looked at my feet and immediately said you are a size 11 male. I knew that she was extremely knowleable right there. That store also had the thin Injiji toe socks in beautiful colors for me, to buy. I bought Hoka Speedgoats 5 size 11 men from them. The sales person also told me to walk around in the shoes, indoors, for at least 1 hour. That was very good info as well.
Next I went to the other running store in town and their great sales person, took a look at my feet in my 2 layers of socks and right away, as his 1st choice for me, brought me the New Balance Fresh Foam TRL V2 Harvest Gold Mens size 11. I was told this New Balance shoes are brand new on the market and are competing with the Hoka speedgoats. I am so far extremely impressed with the NB Fresh foam shoes. It feels like I am walking on a cloud, so cushiony ( great suspension and very roomy toe box, and so comfy. I then stopped at the adventure outdoor store ,where I was previously told to go with the size 10.5 Altra and Hokas. I picked up a size 11 mens Altra and size 11 Hoka. I currently, are the proud owner of 5 pairs of shoes. Well over a $1000 CAD just in shoes. I will walk indoors an hour with each pair and then decide which pair to keep and will return the rest.
The Altras are very nice. But they are a flat shoe, which is a strange new thing for our feet to adapt to. I was told that our feet are trained to walk with a type of shoe that is higher in the back. Most shoes have a higher heel part. Altras are so different, yet so comfy too. I asked what will happen as I am heavy, overweight and out of shape. Running store sales person told me, I can get pain and discomfort in the back part of my lower leg, as the muscles in our legs are not used to wearing the flat shoes.
I realise that my shoes and my socks are the most important decision I will have to make, before I can start my Camino in SJPP. I will forward my pack each day and walk short distances in the beginning eg 15 kms or less per day and go very slow. I am not relationship dependant and will not try and keep up with newly made friends who are fast, fit walkers.
What would you suggest I try next or any advice or tips on shoes and socks ? Any other suggestions I would gladly welcome and embrace.
Attached a picture of the brand new on the market New Balance Fresh Foam TRL V2 Mens shoes
The outdoor adventure places I found, the staff is not so knowledgeable. The biggest running stores I visited, the staff is extremely knowledgable, they know a lot about feet and shoes and have tons of different shoes and big sizes in stock.
Now I know for next time, I will buy my socks 1st, and then the shoes. I have chosen thin Injiji toe socks as my 1st layer and second layer, I bought a pair of thin Icebreaker merino socks and Darn tough Ultra Light weight merino 1/4 socks . Both just come slightly above my ancle.
I now put on both my socks at home and wear my Teva sandals with it and hit the running shoe stores, with my 2 pairs of socks already on. When entering, the best running stores and tell them : " I am going to walk the Camino. I need trial runners, wide toe box and very comfy ( with lots of cushioning) light weight and slightly bigger shoes. "
The running store sales person tells me, too small shoes, makes blisters. Do not go for too small shoes. If in doubt, go for slightly bigger. You can always put on a thicker sock, but nothing you can do when you buy too small to begin with. Which I now believe was excellent advice.
My journey started at an adventure outdoor store near me. I should have never gone there, I wasted my time. I went home with a pair of Merrill Moab 2's. They felt good in the store, once home, they were so hard and extremely heavy. I returned those the next day. Next I went to another outdoor store, and got Altras Olympus 5 mens size 10.5. The sales person was not too knowlegable and told me, to not go with the size 11, as it will be too big. I also bought there Hoka M Tecton X ( the very orangy ones ) size 10.5. $ 225 CAD + tax. Those new Hokas are very pricey. I tried them out at home and thought, they feel small. I should have listened to myself and went for the size 11's.
By now I was discouraged. Next I googled, running shoe stores and this was a break through moment for me. First running store, the girl looked at my feet and immediately said you are a size 11 male. I knew that she was extremely knowleable right there. That store also had the thin Injiji toe socks in beautiful colors for me, to buy. I bought Hoka Speedgoats 5 size 11 men from them. The sales person also told me to walk around in the shoes, indoors, for at least 1 hour. That was very good info as well.
Next I went to the other running store in town and their great sales person, took a look at my feet in my 2 layers of socks and right away, as his 1st choice for me, brought me the New Balance Fresh Foam TRL V2 Harvest Gold Mens size 11. I was told this New Balance shoes are brand new on the market and are competing with the Hoka speedgoats. I am so far extremely impressed with the NB Fresh foam shoes. It feels like I am walking on a cloud, so cushiony ( great suspension and very roomy toe box, and so comfy. I then stopped at the adventure outdoor store ,where I was previously told to go with the size 10.5 Altra and Hokas. I picked up a size 11 mens Altra and size 11 Hoka. I currently, are the proud owner of 5 pairs of shoes. Well over a $1000 CAD just in shoes. I will walk indoors an hour with each pair and then decide which pair to keep and will return the rest.
The Altras are very nice. But they are a flat shoe, which is a strange new thing for our feet to adapt to. I was told that our feet are trained to walk with a type of shoe that is higher in the back. Most shoes have a higher heel part. Altras are so different, yet so comfy too. I asked what will happen as I am heavy, overweight and out of shape. Running store sales person told me, I can get pain and discomfort in the back part of my lower leg, as the muscles in our legs are not used to wearing the flat shoes.
I realise that my shoes and my socks are the most important decision I will have to make, before I can start my Camino in SJPP. I will forward my pack each day and walk short distances in the beginning eg 15 kms or less per day and go very slow. I am not relationship dependant and will not try and keep up with newly made friends who are fast, fit walkers.
What would you suggest I try next or any advice or tips on shoes and socks ? Any other suggestions I would gladly welcome and embrace.
Attached a picture of the brand new on the market New Balance Fresh Foam TRL V2 Mens shoes
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