foot wear & care

I’ve packed crocs on my last Caminos for end of day foot relief. This time I have a few things planned (cooking one evening in San Sebastián with a gastronomy society, Guggenheim visit in Bilbao) … so I ditched the crocs for a pair of Allbird loungers. Very lightweight, closed toe slip-ons, very...

When I did the Camimo Frances in December of 2010, I met up almost daily with a young woman doing it in remembrance of her mother. We talked as pilgrims tend to about many things. Right around Portomarin she started to worry about how bad her blisters were getting. I share the tricks I knew...

I'm curious if people wear shoes one/half size too big shoes due to swelling of the feet? Heard this recommended, but I've never needed it on my long hikes (5-6 hours). But it has been in cold temperatures, so, will the heat make my feet swell? What do you think and what do you do?

I’m in Salamanca & need to replace my Altra Lone peak 6…not suitable for VdlP terrain. Any suggestions for for good shoe shops please.

I have been "blessed" (not) with "high volume" (fat lol) feet, wide feet, and chunky ankles. A such, I have a lot of trouble finding suitable socks. I wear liner toe socks, that's fine. My problem is the second sock. Most hiking socks have an elasticised band around the middle of the sock. I...

I find the Ininji liner toe socks to be fantastic for preventing blisters between my toes, but they tend to wear out quickly. Has anyone found places along the Camino Frances where these can be purchased? Thank you.

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...

Hi all, About to start the Camino Frances in may, I have purchased Altras and have been wearing them the last few weeks. I went to see a physio today and she told me not to wear Zero drop for the camino. Im just curious if anyone has experience with Zero drop and Long hikes? Debating whether to...

Greetings from New Zealand. I am starting the Camino Frances from St Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 26th of August. I have done a fair amount of hiking here in New Zealand including about 870 kms of our Te Araroa trail. I have always worn waterproof trail shoes as they have been essential hiking...

I am doing the French Way in September. I am still trying out different shoes and have just found Altra Timp 4 that are very comfy but they are quick drying mesh. I am a little nervous about it being not waterproof. Will all weather Lone Peak be a better option?

Wondering if I can buy Teva sandals, particularly Tirra sandals in either Lisbon or Porto ?

Hello, I am Anne, and in July/ August I am going to walk the Camino del Norte. I have Meindl shoes and they are doing a good job. I read a lot about trailrunners and I am curious. Are these good shoes to walk the camino? Thank you very much for any comments.

I intend to take my sandals, to be worn with gaiters and toe socks. They will be worn in the evenings , and as back up , should my feet need a break from my Altra Olympic 5s. My sandals which are a few weeks old, are quite slippery in the wet and on mossy surfaces. I would like to apply a non-...

Going through my photos and memorabilia from my CF last year at this time I was reminded of a real bright spot for me in Logrono. I was developing a very painful blister at that point. I located a friendly, wonderful podiatrist who got me right in, took care of the blister, addressed two other...

I've never owned a pair of hiking shoes. I've always just worn running shoes or even sandals in my younger days, and have only done day hikes. In preparation for my first camino in Sept. (Portuguese), I bought a pair of Oboz Sypes light waterproof trail shoes. They were on sale on line after...

Does anyone have a good experience with an off-the-shelf orthotic to correct for supination (your weight rolls onto the outer edges of your feet as you take a step)? I’ve seen lots of products for pronation, but very few for supination. The ultimate fallback is to have a custom one made. I've...

Has anyone used and found value in wearing short gaiters while walking the CF. I'm thinking more to protect against sand and rocks getting into my shoes than water or mud.

I am in need of new hiking shoes. Vasque no longer makes the Breeze GTX models I have used in the past and have not seen any Vasques lately in the backpacking stores. I tried Keene and Merril shoes, but they were not comfortable. I have also been struggling with plantar fasciitis for nearly a...

Hi all and sorry for yet another footwear topic :) I'm planning to do my first Camino My plan is to walk in my Skechers GoRun2. Although they're very old, and not really a hiking boots, I love them - they are weightless, breathing, and fit well. I did a 6-day cross-country hike (low mountains...

I’ve purchased some Hoka Challengers and love everything about them—weight, comfort/padding, trail/road versatility, except… the arch area is ever so slightly narrow. After two 4-5 mile walks, my feet have hurt some (not a ton) from where the side of my foot protrudes over the support area...