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  1. 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
  2. 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...
  3. 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. 👍
  4. 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...
  5. 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...
  6. 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.
  7. 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...
  8. 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...
  9. 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...
  10. Karl G

    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    🙏🏻
  11. 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...
  12. 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.
  13. Karl G

    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    This is a long running area of divergent opinions. I wore Asolo GoreTex hiking shoes and my feet stayed dry, they were never any damper than normal, even in the occasional rain. Perhaps it was the lower cut of shoes vs. boots that allowed my feet to breathe? Of course, shoes vs boots, is a...
  14. Karl G

    My Unconventional Trekking Pole Technique

    Without breaking out the poles I don’t know about the 2 steps but I definitely swing them forward, mostly from the wrist with some natural arm movement, arms at the side, and some minor push off. I find it allows an easy rhythm, minimizes side-to-side movement, and moves some of the load from my...
  15. Karl G

    shoes!! important

    Your post reminds me of another shoe consideration - the ability to modify your lacing pattern to customize the fit when helpful. One thing I like about my Asolo EVO GTX shoes is the section of eyelets covers a longer length of my foot. This gives me more options to use a “window lace” if needed...
  16. Karl G

    shoes!! important

    I’ve concluded that Gore-Tex is very much a personal thing. Some people complain about it making their feet too warm and sweating and others talk about it’s stiffness. I have had multiple pairs of shoes with Gore-Tex and they have not created a single problem for me. On the contrary they have...
  17. Karl G

    Primitivo - May - reducing backpack weight

    Here’s some evening and shower sandals from Croc that are only 173g (6.1 oz.) I’m planning on using these this September but don’t have any first hand experience with them yet...
  18. Karl G

    What I learned about trekking poles..

    I am lucky that I took to trekking poles like putting on gloves - so I’m challenged to relate to the many issues faced by others. However, maybe the following will help. Outside of the much greater stability going up and down hills, the two main benefits I get from poles are: more even...
  19. Karl G

    Help! The walking pole makes me feel like the walking dead!

    Interesting thread - having used poles as it were second nature and getting a great deal of benefit from them it would have never seemed possible others found them difficult to use. Now I know otherwise. So, as @davebugg says, “...do what is good for you.” It’s your Camino, travel the way that...
  20. Karl G

    Help selecting Boots for our Walk.

    This thread is very timely for me as I am struggling with shoe/boot selection. I’ve always worn shoes instead of boots and never had any ankle issues. I’ve had a good friend warning me about an upcoming hike and the need for additional ankle support so it was good to see some empirical evidence...

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