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  1. Karl G

    Walking with Wet Feet: Debunking the Myths

    Ok, one contrary story. I was inspired by the many experiences of wet feet not creating blisters. So, I took a walk in my non-waterproof shoes this afternoon following an all night and all morning rainstorm. Puddles were unavoidable. I was pleaseantly surprised that my feet didn’t feel...
  2. Karl G

    Walking with Wet Feet: Debunking the Myths

    By chance are you Andrew Skurka who wrote the article referenced in @Drifter’s post #25 above? The language closely parallels that of the article he attached (which is an excellent piece as is the comments section.)
  3. Karl G

    How best to get to Oloron-Sainte-Marie or??

    In 2019 I flew into Madrid and then took a short flight to Bordeaux where I spent the night. The next day I took a train to Pau with a connection to Oleron Ste. Marie. Perhaps if you have a long enough layover in Madrid you can forward your tourist luggage from there? The walk from Oleron Ste...
  4. Karl G

    Goretex shoes?

    This is an excellent link for answering your question: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/are-waterproof-hiking-shoes-a-good-idea.80854/post-1144555. A key detail - not all waterproof materials are the same. There are two mentioned that pass the test for breathability. Bon chemin
  5. Karl G

    The Way of Le Puy: All the Stuff You Wanna Know or Oughta Wanna Know Before Starting Out

    Thank you Andy!
  6. Karl G

    Are waterproof hiking shoes a good idea?

    Here is a well written piece explaining: - How and why waterproof materials work - Not all waterproof materials are the same - who has the best stats? - What conditions merit the use of waterproof footwear - and which ones do not...
  7. Karl G

    Waterproof footwear - pros and cons

    …and perhaps I should have mentioned that if you click on the FAQ link you’ll see some other useful articles - e.g. tread patterns, sizing and fitting, etc. 👍
  8. Karl G

    Waterproof footwear - pros and cons

    This topic tends to elicit strong opinions whenever it comes up. So, in hopes of providing a very thorough and balanced reference to provide guidance, I am posting this resource that I recently came across. Some key information you’ll find in the article: - How and why waterproof materials work...
  9. Karl G

    Waterproof trail shoes. Yes or no?

    ..and the counter-point is that shoes are a highly individual matter. For some, like myself, waterproofing is great - I don’t have to be concerned about my shoes drying out, my feet don’t get wet, and they breath enough for my feet to be comfortable - even in the intense heat waves. That said...
  10. Karl G

    Pagan origins of the Camino

    Lots of interesting stuff here but it isn’t clear to me what “Pagan origins of the Camino” means. Many of the responses seem to have different takes on this. For example, are we talking about the routes themselves, a spiritual pilgrimage that follows those routes, a regular movement of large...
  11. Karl G

    Wide-fit, Gore-tex, trail running shoes for women?

    Just to balance the scales a bit. Myself and others have worn Gore-Tex with no issues. While all points of view are valid, they may not hold for any given individual. The best advice is to try out your footwear choice before you are ready to leave in order to see what will suit you best.
  12. Karl G

    Shakedown request: February on the Camino Frances, 35 pounds current weight

    What the heck, I’ll give it a shot: Get a combined shampoo/conditioner or ditch the conditioner. Make it a small bottle and buy new if needed to refill 3 pairs of socks and underwear Is plenty - you could argue you only need two Go down to one pair of thermal pants and shirt. Not sure the...
  13. Karl G

    LIVE from the Camino Arles to Somport reports

    Except for the need to avoid the final leg to Somport when it’s wet, the walk is fabulous. If you have to, there is a very convenient bus that runs from Urdos to Somport for 2 euro. If I’m not mistaken you can take it a little further to the train station if you plan on walking the Aragones and...
  14. Karl G

    How to get to Somport

    If you are short on time you can take the train all the way to Bedous which is perhaps one of the most beautiful sections of the Arles. The train does not go any further but there is a convenient and comfortable bus that can take you to Somport in no time at all. Maison Luard in Bedous is run by...
  15. CA8BE778-DB52-49AD-82FD-A9AFA8430DCD.jpeg

    CA8BE778-DB52-49AD-82FD-A9AFA8430DCD.jpeg

    Bedous rooftops with the foothills of the Pyrennes in the background
    • Karl G
    • Media item
    • Comments: 0
    • Category: The Arles route
  16. Karl G

    Waterproof shoes

    I’ve worn out the treads on about four pair now with no breathability/waterproof issues. In other words, the shoes wore out before the membrane. I did notice the writer immediately qualifies his bias and as can be seen from this thread different people have different experiences. The only way...
  17. Karl G

    Waterproof shoes

    The topic of waterproof shoe seems to bring out a lot of very strong opinions. Not sure why since I have used Gore-Tex shoes hiking many trails including most of the Arles. I’ve also worn Gore-Tex gear while expedition kayaking. I have always found it to work as advertised. Gore-Tex is...
  18. Karl G

    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    🙏🏻
  19. Karl G

    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    …and yet I walked in the September heat wave in France in 2019 without problems. Can’t speak to the right rainstorm as I haven’t had that happen. The rainstorms I walked in didn’t create any problems. As others have mentioned there are always gaiters to keep rain out and I carried some...
  20. Karl G

    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    In reality everyone has different feet. Hundreds of miles in Gore-Tex hiking shoes and no such thing as “bath-tub soaked” feet for me. And, I walked through puddles of standing water on dirt and gravel roads without any water seeping in. Never a problem with them drying overnight.

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