Anyone try out Waldies sandals

[WldWil]

I bought a pair of ultra-light Waldies that arrived today and fit well. Personally, I am not much of a sandal person living in Wisconsin, but do like a heavy leather pair that I would never back pack with which I wear in the summer.

The Waldies weigh in at 210 gm and seem to have decent support. I checked out barefoot running shoes since they are light. A serious barefoot person has their own style of walking in them since there is really no support since they are designed to be like bare feet.

I saw a post by @peregrina2000 that bought a pair but did not take them at the last minute, I wonder what her feelings on them would be today after maybe trying them out. Has anyone else had experience with these? I have not seen any other post specifically about them.

Just to save a couple comments, I will be testing them out when the danger of frostbite has passed other than around the home. So far, the low weight is very attractive.

 

[Ahhhs]

They seem like a good option...light, waterproof, and you could wear socks if necessary.

 

[peregrina2000]

This was an impulse purchase as I was trying to reduce pack weight. The day before my departure, I had a sudden realization -- that there was no way that I would be able to use these to walk around town after walking, because I need more support. So they stayed home and are now what I use to walk into the shower at the gym. I went back to my chacos.

Bottom line: I think they are great if you don't have any issues with your feet, but I've worn orthotics for decades.

 

[Mycamino Maya]

I bought a pair of ultra-light Waldies that arrived today and fit well. Personally, I am not much of a sandal person living in Wisconsin, but do like a heavy leather pair that I would never back pack with which I wear in the summer.

The Waldies weigh in at 210 gm and seem to have decent support. I checked out barefoot running shoes since they are light. A serious barefoot person has their own style of walking in them since there is really no support since they are designed to be like bare feet.

I saw a post by @peregrina2000 that bought a pair but did not take them at the last minute, I wonder what her feelings on them would be today after maybe trying them out. Has anyone else had experience with these? I have not seen any other post specifically about them.

Just to save a couple comments, I will be testing them out when the danger of frostbite has passed other than around the home. So far, the low weight is very attractive.

Mine actually look the same but have not been able to use them because of the cold. I only bought them for the shower and perhaps during communal mealtime and yes I could also wear socks with the.

 

[Anniesantiago]

These look like they'd be really nice for evenings after walking, if you don't need the extra support like peregrina2000.
Comfie and good in the shower.
I'd worry about rocks getting in them on the trail, but they might be nice for a change when you're walking dirt or tarmac.

 

[WldWil]

Thanks @peregrina2000 for following up. I am wearing them again today with socks which feel very comfortable as well. I did find trying to run in them especially down steps that you need to go slower (no falling) since there is not an ankle strap like my leather ones. But, seem to be comfortable with the heel cup when walking. I do not plan to hike in sandals, but certainly want to be comfortable at the end of the day, use in the shower and be light on my back when hiking.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

but I've worn orthotics for decades.

Hi Laurie

I think I need some orthotic supports - can I ask how you have gone about it , what brand, what about fitting or have you gone for custom fit? Once you have a pair do you end up needing a pair for every shoe - or can you swap them around , how long do they last ?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Waldies? Seems to me Crocs is going to have a wonderful time in the courts for copyright infringement.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Bottom line: I think they are great if you don't have any issues with your feet, but I've worn orthotics for decades.

I also need orthodics, but back in the days, 2 years ago, before I knew that, I tried to walk with high quality hicking boots - my feet killed me. So I pulled out my Crocs which have even less support then the shoes being shown in the picture: my sandals only had 1 straps across the foot, like the old Dr Schol's wooden sandals. Pure HEAVEN! On the trail. But now I'm reasonable, so I wear custom made orthodics, and get plantar fasciitis ;0) I am willing to be they need adjusting, because even today, wearing them in my new hicking Salomon's, my sciatic acts up in the same leg. Funny how that works.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi Laurie

I think I need some orthotic supports - can I ask how you have gone about it , what brand, what about fitting or have you gone for custom fit? Once you have a pair do you end up needing a pair for every shoe - or can you swap them around , how long do they last ?

Kevin, I don't know about rules in the UK, but in Canada you need a doctor or podiastrist (and perhaps chiro?) to give you a prescription for custom orthodics. You can then have them made in many of the medical supplies shops or by your podiatrist. I am guessing mine must have cost about 400$ for the pair.

I found out by accident I have flat feet when I walked into one of these medical supply shops to buy something for my father but showed interest in items they had to help prevent pain in the ball of the foot. The tech asked me what I was looking for, and then asked to see my feet. He told me exactly what I needed, wrote it down, and I then told my Dr to give me a prescription for them. I don't think it would have occured to tell my Dr about "Camino walking pain".

My podiatrist also recomends I wear Birkenstocks at home when not wearing my orthodics, again, for arch support. They make a waterproof model - may invest in a pair as my "evening Camino shoe".

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie

I think I need some orthotic supports - can I ask how you have gone about it , what brand, what about fitting or have you gone for custom fit? Once you have a pair do you end up needing a pair for every shoe - or can you swap them around , how long do they last ?

Hi, Kevin, Not sure about protocol in UK, but like Anemone describes for Canada, in the US you'll need a medical prescription too, if you need anything custom. The only thing I'll add is some suggestions about the material. I had been wearing hard plastic orthotics for decades before starting to walk the Camino. For my first couple of caminos, I ended with terrible heel pain, bone spurs, tarsal tunnel (the foot version of carpal tunnel) and various other things. I even had to use a walking cast for several months upon return home. Then a new podiatrist came up with the idea that I should try silicone orthotics. In hindsight I'm not sure why no one ever recommended it, or why I never thought of it. But it makes perfect sense that walking with a hard plastic orthotic in my boot would cause stress and pain over all those kms. I've had the silicone ones now for five or six years and have not had another bit of pain. They are expensive but worth every penny.

Mine are molded to my feet and then trimmed to fit my boot perfectly and they are not interchangeable. They wear very well, in my experience, but like all good things, don't last forever. If you're going to walk for more than a couple of weeks, I think it's worth investigating the silicone alternative. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Then a new podiatrist came up with the idea that I should try silicone orthotics. In hindsight I'm not sure why no one ever recommended it, or why I never thought of it. But it makes perfect sense that walking with a hard plastic orthotic in my boot would cause stress and pain over all those kms.

Interesting Laurie. I have hard plastic, and I suspect it caused the fasciitis. All my podiatrist said is that we may need to adjust angles. Will ask her about silicone version. Question: why are they only good for a specific shoe or boot? Beaucause they are not the hard type?

 

[peregrina2000]

Interesting Laurie. I have hard plastic, and I suspect it caused the fasciitis. All my podiatrist said is that we may need to adjust angles. Will ask her about silicone version. Question: why are they only good for a specific shoe or boot? Beaucause they are not the hard type?

Hi, Anemone,
I get mine made to fit my boot, which is bigger than my shoes. So I can't fit the silicone orthotic into my boot. I could of course get them fit to my shoe size, but I have never had a problem with hard plastic orthotics even with many years of two weeks of hiking. It's just the month long pounding that makes my feet rebel. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

p.s. Anemone, I know you're in Canada so you don't have these issues, but in the US, getting insurance coverage for silicone orthotics has proven to be a challenge. Just for others who might be reading this, most silicone orthotics in the US are made by what is categorized for our ridiculous insurance system as a "durable medical equipment" provider. That puts them in a different category than your average hard plastic orthotic maker. I have fought the good fight and won three times now with my insurance company, but I have been told that Medicare will absolutely not cover orthotics made by a DME provider.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

Laurie, Anemone,

Thank you both very much. I have set up an appointment to progress. Like you Laurie my walking boots are +1 size bigger and I also need more heel cushioning as well as arch support.

 

[peregrina2000]

Laurie, Anemone,

Thank you both very much. I have set up an appointment to progress. Like you Laurie my walking boots are +1 size bigger and I also need more heel cushioning as well as arch support.

HI, Kevin, there's another thread going now with some orthotics discussion that might be of interest to you in case you haven't seen it. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/is-this-tendonitis.28083/

More info there about my silicone orthotics. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi, Anemone,
I get mine made to fit my boot, which is bigger than my shoes. So I can't fit the silicone orthotic into my boot. I could of course get them fit to my shoe size, but I have never had a problem with hard plastic orthotics even with many years of two weeks of hiking. It's just the month long pounding that makes my feet rebel. Buen camino, Laurie

Laurie, here are pictures of mine. You will notice the soft bump in them.

 

[peregrina2000]

So given the bumps on the bottom, I am going to hazard the guess that your orthotics are in the "correct the deformity" school. Since mine are flat on the bottom and mold to the shape of my foot, mine seem to work on a different theory. I absolutely do NOT know anything about the differences, but I would just suggest you talk about the options with your podiatrist.

Maybe others out there have experiences comparing hard plastic and silicone orthotics?

Or maybe something to add to the "correct the deformity" vs. "reinforce the deformity" discussion?

Buen camino, Laurie