1 size larger

[greenie71]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

 

[SeñorJacques]

This is another bit of advice on here that is stated like gospel but which I think is more dependent on the particular shoes one is wearing as well as individual physiognomy.

Some shoes, like my Altra Lone Peaks, have a good amount of "give" and accommodate whatever foot swelling I experience after many hours / days of walking. I would imagine that a stiffer shoe or hiking boot would be less flexible, though, and might require sizing up a half or full size - in which case I would think that alternating thicker and thinner socks (like the different weights of Darn Tough socks, for example) would be helpful. And then there's the fact that some people's feet swell more than others - things like weight, age, and propensity towards fluid retention are some of the determining factors.

Again, it comes down to your particular situation, which can only be determined by test walking your shoes thoroughly before setting out on a multi-week walk.

 

[simply B]

My general rule (and so it may just apply to me!) is to double sock: thin liner sock and a medium to heavier oversock...both wool.

Try on boots one size larger than one's normal size. When you find a boot that fits like a comfortable slipper, stop!

I tolerate absolutely NO compromise - there should be no "pinch points" at tops and sides of the feet. Heel and sole should feel completely comfortable with profile of the insole.

There may be some extra "give" in the toe box which can cause problems allowing toes to bang into the shoe on downward slopes. This is solved by lacing for a "heel lock". Here is an example though you can find many others on the web.:

AMC Outdoors Blog

AMC Outdoors provides high-quality coverage of outdoor recreation, education, and conservation throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

www.outdoors.org

If you find that your feet are swelling beyond comfortable fit, you simply reduce the weight of the over-sock.

Buen Camino,

B

 

[henrythedog]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

It’s often quoted like it’s the eleventh commandment. It depends.

If one is an inexperienced medium-distance walker, and doesn’t know how their body adapts to several days continuous walking on firm to hard surfaces; then it’s worth considering.

I do precisely the opposite. I virtually live in lightweight leather size 46 walking boots. I cover about 15km daily recreationally walking or dog-walking. I live in a cool damp climate where mud is common and I use a pair of thin and a pair of thick socks. My feet are about as ‘spread’ as they’re going to get.

I’m off to Spain walking in two weeks and for that purpose I’ve been ‘loosening up’ my Camino boots. Size 45. I’ll wear those with two pairs of thin socks.

You need to know your own body, really.

 

[Vacajoe]

I think it’s general advice to get folks to reconsider their current “everyday” shoe setup in preparation for the varying terrain of the Camino. Instead of “one size bigger,” the advice should be to avoid pinch points, don’t let your toes hit the shoe on downhills, and practice ALL terrains in your shoes to test them. Swelling feet is a real concern size-wise, but if you train in preparation for the Camino, you’ll know what you need before you leave.

 

[Former member 91017]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

My experience on 3 caminos confirms your intuition and the advice about individual anatomy, sweating etc also comes into play.
But indeed, my usual shoes size for dress shoes 7.7.5 DROPPED to 6.5 for all my hiking shoes.
The only blister I get is due to a broken toe if I forget to wrap it with hiker's wool. Now I never forget.

 

[C clearly]

everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..

Larger than what? If you normally wear shoes that are a size too small, then I definitely recommend that you buy a size larger! It should be considered a metaphor for "make sure your shoes are roomy."

I find that with lace-up running shoes, the extra room is not a problem. I measure a 7 in length but now wear an 8 Wide and I now call this my "normal size." I almost never wear "dress shoes" so I consider them to be the abnormal fit.

The number size mainly addresses the length, so if you have wide feet, you may need to go up a size or two if you cannot get a Wide one. That doesn't always give the right proportions, so you need to try on different models in different sizes. Err on the larger size.

I find it useful to find the right model shoe in a size 7 or 7.5, to make sure it is the right fundamental shape for my foot. That is a size I could wear comfortably around the neighbourhood and errands, with no pinch or pressure points. Then I try on the next sizes up for the bonus room for long-distance walking, buying the biggest one that isn't "too big". Then I can wear a variety of socks and allow for swelling.

With very roomy shoes, careful lacing and a heel lock technique, I have no problem with my foot slipping, and I can wear whatever socks I choose. I think people are just accustomed to wearing tight shoes, so the roomier ones feel odd.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

When trying on your walking footwear do so after a long walk and maybe wearing a pack. If not that then do it at the end of the day. The idea being that you want your foot to be the size it will be after a significant walk. Wear the same socks too if you know what they will be. Some wear a thin pair under a thicker pair.

 

[Albertagirl]

Just once, I tried buying boots one half size larger than normal. I couldn't wear them because the were too big and ended up donating them to a shelter. If you walk regularly in the kind and size of footwear that you will wear on camino, there is no reason to change them for for a larger size,

 

[greenie71]

Just once, I tried buying boots one half size larger than normal. I couldn't wear them because the were too big and ended up donating them to a shelter. If you walk regularly in the kind and size of footwear that you will wear on camino, there is no reason to change them for for a larger size,

That makes sense to me, I’m on my feet all day at work and walking lots.
I’ve done a few training hikes with my pack and working out any pains that arise .. hopefully before I go .

 

[greenie71]

It’s often quoted like it’s the eleventh commandment. It depends.

If one is an inexperienced medium-distance walker, and doesn’t know how their body adapts to several days continuous walking on firm to hard surfaces; then it’s worth considering.

I do precisely the opposite. I virtually live in lightweight leather size 46 walking boots. I cover about 15km daily recreationally walking or dog-walking. I live in a cool damp climate where mud is common and I use a pair of thin and a pair of thick socks. My feet are about as ‘spread’ as they’re going to get.

I’m off to Spain walking in two weeks and for that purpose I’ve been ‘loosening up’ my Camino boots. Size 45. I’ll wear those with two pairs of thin socks.

You need to know your own body, really.

The comments all seem to make sense .. knowing your body and going with what you know works ..
thanks for all the advice .

 

[pasiño a pasiño]

when I was a child the shoe seller always tested with the finger/thumb if there was enough space for the feet.
according to this.... I am always fine with my shoes, when I slide all the way forward as much as I can and I still have a thumb width left....

edit: my big food measures 28cm and I bought Brooks for 30,5cm and they fit perfectly.

 

[Phoenix]

For a solid year before my 2nd Camino, I trained and hiked several times a week in Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots without a problem. Not one blister or even a hot spot over hundreds of miles on terrain much more difficult than most of the Camino. I began the Camino with a new-ish pair, same size that had about 50 miles on them; sufficiently broken in, they felt just like the original pair - great. By the time I reached Burgos, though, every step felt like a cheese slicer was removing another layer of each little toe... so I bought some trail runners (a half size larger) at a Decathlon to complete the Camino.

No matter how much one trains beforehand and believes their shoes are dialed in just right, once one begins walking 20-30 km/day, it's likely feet will swell/grow (and my feet stayed the new size afterward, a half-size larger in all shoes). It's also difficult to replicate the day after day distances/pounding on the feet prior to Camino. Like others have suggested, try on shoes after you've walked some distance earlier in the day, wearing your trusted socks that you'll be using, and be sure your toes can splay comfortably with little movement in the rest of the shoe. Some stores, REI for example, have a fake, rocky hill that you can walk up/down to see how your toes, heel, etc. feel in the shoes.

I understand advice from many sources may sound confusing, but you should be able to feel/estimate which shoe/shoe size works best for you. Best of luck and Buen Camino.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

No matter how much one trains beforehand and believes their shoes are dialed in just right, once one begins walking 20-30 km/day, it's likely feet will swell/grow (and my feet stayed the new size afterward, a half-size larger in all shoes). It's also difficult to replicate the day after day distances/pounding on the feet prior to Camino.

I agree. I had some significant distances done on my new shoes over the summer for an autumn camino. But not as long and not day after day and not enough pavement. I was collapsing to the ground about five days in with a knee giving out. Fortunately, raising an instep with wads of paper quickly solved my problem.

Try to do a simulated camino with your shoes over a long weekend. Make it close to reality, stop for a bit with a beer.

 

[JabbaPapa]

It's 1 size larger with European sizes, ½ size with UK/US ones -- unless your basic shoe size is very large to start with.

Even so, whilst probably a majority have their feet swell in this manner, for some pilgrims foot size does not vary on a long hike. So the only way to find out if yours will is to do some long pre-Camino hiking days.

Really though, make sure of the right shoe size and shape to start with -- your toes in socks should be able to spread and not to touch the front of the shoe ; and the shoe shouldn't be too tight around the bridge of your foot or your ankle & heel.

So if you're with UK/US shoe size, getting shoes ½ size larger than your normal footwear won't be much of a risk, always assuming that those shoes will not fit too loosely.

And if they turn out to be inappropriate after all, then you can get new ones on the Camino itself.

 

[RJM]

I've never done the size up routine for footwear on the Camino or when I was in the army on long hikes. Never found a need to. The only time I have gotten a wider shoe was to accommodate better, thicker aftermarket insoles. Something to keep in mind when buying shoes.

 

[dougfitz]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..

Not everyone says this. For as long as I have been a member of the forum some of us have offered the advice that one should get footwear properly fitted by a competent salesperson at a retailer offering a range of different brands and styles. Alternatively, be prepared to visit several different retailers so you better understand how different brands suit your unique foot shape.

 

[OZAJ]

I mostly agree with Doug, however I have found that my feet do swell on Camino and I have lost toenails as a consequence. I have also found that my feet have grown as I get older, as have my ears and ...

It is important to try different styles and manufacturers and understand that your feet may suit a 45 in one and a 46 in another. And the 45 and 46 might transfer to a 46 and 47 after a week of 35 km per day.

 

[dougfitz]

@OZAJ, you are right to point out that proper fitting must include allowing sufficient space. Not just for your foot. but the socks you are going to be wearing and any oedema that accumulates during a long walking day with a pack.

 

[dailycamino]

It really is individual! Best advice is to put variations to the test at home. Boots and socks killed me. I had blisters on blisters. I’d only consider them again if I was going in cold months. I endorse socks n sandals.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I've never had an issue with my feet swelling. I've worn Keen and oboz almost exclusively. I prefer to have my boots snug in my feet so my feet don't move and then just learn to lace your boot properly. I'm not saying that you don't swell I just never had the issue.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

It's 1 size larger with European sizes, ½ size with UK/US ones -- unless your basic shoe size is very large to start with.

This got me curious about the various shoe sizes standards. Now I'm sorry; it's not for the faint of heart.

Shoe size - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

Larger than what? If you normally wear shoes that are a size too small, then I definitely recommend that you buy a size larger! It should be considered a metaphor for "make sure your shoes are roomy."

I find that with lace-up running shoes, the extra room is not a problem. I measure a 7 in length but now wear an 8 Wide and I now call this my "normal size." I almost never wear "dress shoes" so I consider them to be the abnormal fit.

The number size mainly addresses the length, so if you have wide feet, you may need to go up a size or two if you cannot get a Wide one. That doesn't always give the right proportions, so you need to try on different models in different sizes. Err on the larger size.

I find it useful to find the right model shoe in a size 7 or 7.5, to make sure it is the right fundamental shape for my foot. That is a size I could wear comfortably around the neighbourhood and errands, with no pinch or pressure points. Then I try on the next sizes up for the bonus room for long-distance walking, buying the biggest one that isn't "too big". Then I can wear a variety of socks and allow for swelling.

With very roomy shoes, careful lacing and a heel lock technique, I have no problem with my foot slipping, and I can wear whatever socks I choose. I think people are just accustomed to wearing tight shoes, so the roomier ones feel odd.

This is probably the best advice I've seen on the topic! It's been my observation that many hikers purchase hiking shoes that are too small to begin with, particularly in width. There appears to be some error on the side of the folks making the measurements.

In my case, going wider is very important in preventing toe blisters. Going longer (1 full size) adds more loft to the shoe to accommodate extra cushioning in the insole and the addition of custom orthotics. It's taken me many years and thousands of miles to figure out the correct sizing for me. So, experience is important. I frequently tell folks that 75% of Camino training is in understanding your body's weak points and developing strategies to cope with them on long hikes.

 

[MayDaz]

I have never understood the one size bigger as well.
I tend to wear 1 pair of walking socks and ask the same foot size as i wear on a day to day bases.
There is a bit of give in most boots and its not as if your feet are going to double in size.
I find with boots that are tight and allow little movement i have never had any blisters.
My wife wears two socks and tends to go for a bigger boot and that works for her.
I think you have to find out what works for you trying all the different recommendations

 

[howardd5]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I am a believer in the one size larger doctrine . The first thing is buy and wear comfortable merino wool socks. Wear them when you shop and buy your hiking shoes . Then add one size, so if a 10 is comfortable with the socks , buy size 11 . While you are breaking in the shoes and your feet are still 10, tighten your laces up to pull your foot to the rear of the shoe . The problem is your toes, they will scrunch / cramp and you will blacken and loose your toenails . Blisters are caused by heat and moisture . I take off my shoes and socks on a noon break to let the “dogs” air out . Also in summer I walk in Teva sandals and that works for me .

 

[Bob P]

I think people are trying to impress the need to make sure your toes don't EVER reach the end of shoe on downhills. If you walk steeply downhill and toes don't ever touch AT ALL,, you're probably fine.
Descending the Pyrenees and descending from Ocebreo, I felt the sensation of riding against the tongue of my shoes, but never touching toes. I saw many lost toe-nails on hikers two days after the big downhill sections.
I dropped to only 1/2 size over on a test hike near home and lost both big nails on shoes that "didn't seem to touch very much"!
Just make sure the footwear fits properly for downhill walking.

 

[Former member 92300]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I had a podiatrist who is a frequent Camino walker give a lecture about the Camino and footwear/first aid for the Camino. He says to ALWAYS wear 1 1/2 sizes bigger than what you normally wear. First - most of us will wear double socks for the Camino anyway. Why? Friction causes blisters and double socks reduces friction. It puts the friction between the two socks instead of your sock creating friction between your shoe and foot. So - your socks take up some of the space. The rest of the space you can adjust by adjusting your laces. You want to tighten your laces around the middle of your foot - but leave plenty of wiggle room at your toe area. It takes a little getting used to - but now that I have I ALWAYS wear my bigger trail runners for any walks. But if you have that extra space - it will accommodate the swelling. And if it doesn't, you can remove one of your sock layers.

 

[Alan Pearce]

I look at the discussions re buying certain size boots to wear on a camino with some amusement. My right foot is a size larger than my left, so I have to buy a size that will be suitable for that right foot. That means the left foot wears a boot that is theoretically too large. I wear my boots for hundreds of kilometres before I leave home. On the camino, neither foot gets blisters.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

The size that feels perfect for you! Make sure you love how they feel when you hike Nothing more to it, honestly, that's it. I have never had larger shoes than the size I wear, and I've had no trouble at all.

 

[greenie71]

Thank you to all of you for taking the time to answer my question ..
hopefully I have this all figured out within the next 6 weeks, before I hit the trail. I’m beyond excited and can’t wait to hit the dusty trail with my perfectly fitting boots/sandals.. ( god willing )
Thanks again
Buen Camino to you all.

 

[Canito6671]

I struggled with the same question! I've been running for several years now and I went up half a size on my running shoes, because that's the general recommendation for running — and that's always worked well. When looking for shoes for the camino, everyone kept telling me to go up a full size from my running shoes, which I thought was extreme — but it really is some of the most consistent advice you get, so I did. Consequently, I now have a pair of 8.5 (US) Salomon Cross Hikes with about 68 miles on them that I need to get rid of because it was like trying to walk in clown shoes. I ended up going with my actual size in the same Salomons because apparently those shoes run a little long anyway, and they're perfect! I think it depends a lot on how much distance running/walking you've done in the past and the fit of the particular brand of shoes. (If anyone needs a pair of lightly used women's 8.5 Salomons, let me know, LOL!)

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have average size feet for a woman and only go 1/2 size larger for my trailrunners, which are only used for hiking and Caminos. If I were to go up a full size I know I would often be tripping over my own feet.

 

[truthseeker]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

As preparation or my Sept/Oct 2018 Camino Frances, I walked about 8 miles daily in the heat of July and August. I discovered that my half-size-larger Salomon XAComp7 trail runners were too small! Heat and swelling eventually taught me that I needed tobe wearing a full size larger instead. So I bought them, and walked the Way in them, no blisters or blue toes. Socks were REI thin merino sock liners (no oversocks), which fit well. So if you get shoes a half size larger, wear them a lot in the temperatures you may expect in Spain, and you will find out what you need before you go.

 

[Lizhk]

I agree that you need to know thy feet.
I was advised to buy one size larger to accommodate swelling feet and not to buy waterproof shoes as your feet would sweat. I found out my feet don’t swell noticeably but the extra space caused my feet to slip around enough to rub into blisters.
After going through 3 pairs of slightly larger trail runners, I bought ones that fit comfortably snug so my feet wouldn’t slip around while wearing two pairs of socks. A thin, tight fitting sock like Darn Tough (guaranteed for a lifetime! I wish I started buying them when I was 18) with a thin slippery oversock so if there was any slipping, it was between two pairs of sock rather than the foot slipping and rubbing.
As to sweating, maybe I wasn’t working hard enough and I did 3 Caminos in a cooler late September and a coastal one in May but my feet didn’t sweat. But when it rained, my feet got wet and that caused blisters. But with Gortex trail runners my feet still didn’t sweat and I never had a problem.
So consider your feet—do they tend to sweat or swell?
Other lessons learned the hard way: take your shoes off at every rest stop to let everything air out; carry at least 2 pairs of extra socks in easy reach and change them if they get damp or halfway at least; use Glide to prevent rubbing; and if you don’t have waterproof shoes then think about taking an extra pair of insoles in case one pair gets wet.
Happy feet, happy pilgrim.
Buen Camino.

 

[Peregrino andante]

Perhaps I haven't looked closely enough at all the posts, but I haven't seen a comment on the relationship between swollen feet and forced hydration and extra electrolytes.

There are many threads on this forum in which posters caution against dehydration and recommend stopping every ___ hours to drink ___ amount of water even if you're not thirsty ("When you're thirsty, it's already too late!").

During my first camino (April-May), my feet swelled well beyond the larger-sized shoes that I had taken to Spain and I had to search for enormous ones; I blamed the swelling on the kind of shoes that I had brought from home. I mentioned the swelling to a doctor (my cousin), and we talked about it briefly before I left for my second camino.

When my feet began to swell on that second camino (Sept-Oct) and I had to change the tie pattern on my shoes to accommodate the increased size of my feet, I sent her a picture of them. She asked about my water and salt intake, and when I told her I was trying to drink 3+ liters/day with added salt, she suggested I cut back on the water and eliminate the salt.

I followed her suggestion, and within a few days, my feet were back to normal.

I found that if I drank water only when I was thirsty, I was perfectly fine as I walked. It turned out that I drank at most 1.5 liters per day and often around 1 L when I listened to my body.

By the way, the shoes I wore on the second camino--and that fit perfectly when I drank only when I needed a drink--were my normal size.

So, perhaps we should consult our primary care providers about the effects of drinking large volumes liquids and adding electrolytes. Although the pounding of backpack-laden body weight on our feet has a definite effect on them, perhaps the added water intake is a causative factor we are not considering.

 

[Lost Pilgrims]

I’m a little confused on everyone saying buy your shoes one size larger..
I understand the concept, that your feet will swell from all the walking . However do you just double up your socks till your feet swell ? Aren’t the larger shoes likely to give you blisters ?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I have wide feet so typically have always have had to buy shoes a half size longer. So I wore a pair of size 6.5 salomons when we walked the Portuguese camino in 2017. It was a mistake. I had many blisters in the toe box. I have since bought a pair of salomons size 6 and they fit me so much better. I'm going to wear them when we walk the Del Norte in the fall. The size 6.5 just had too much room in the toe box so my toes could move around too much so that's why I had so many blisters. I think your shoes should fit with the socks you're going to wear.

 

[truthseeker]

Clearly an individual fitting decision, and one which bases itself on one's experience prior to undertaking the actual Camino journey.

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

Is there a shoe/boot that is both breathable against sweat & waterproof enough for rainy days?

 

[dougfitz]

Is there a shoe/boot that is both breathable against sweat & waterproof enough for rainy days?

While sweat is still a vapour, waterproof membranes will transpire the vapour, and repel the rain. As your body, in this case your feet, gets warmer with exertion, sweat production increases and will exceed the capacity of the skin surface to vaporise it, and liquid sweat will form. At this point, a waterproof membrane acts the same for the liquid sweat in one direction as it does for the rain in the other - it will stop it transpiring. At this point, the sweat will be retained in your footwear. Initially, at least, a good sock combination will wick the moisture away from the skin surface, but eventually your footwear and socks will gradually become soaked.

How quickly this happens will depend upon a number of factors, but in humid conditions, it is more difficult for your body to vaporise sweat, and in hot conditions your body is going to produce more sweat as it attempts to keep itself cool. My observation, having walked in both hot and cold conditions, is that waterproof rainwear and footwear that use Goretex and similar barriers works better when it is cold and damp that when it is warmer.

There have been many forum discussions about waterproof footwear in the past. My view is that it has been dominated by some of the more aggressive ultralight aficionados who are pretty one-eyed in their outlook. You can use the search function to find these, but read them with an open mind.

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

While sweat is still a vapour, waterproof membranes will transpire the vapour, and repel the rain. As your body, in this case your feet, gets warmer with exertion, sweat production increases and will exceed the capacity of the skin surface to vaporise it, and liquid sweat will form. At this point, a waterproof membrane acts the same for the liquid sweat in one direction as it does for the rain in the other - it will stop it transpiring. At this point, the sweat will be retained in your footwear. Initially, at least, a good sock combination will wick the moisture away from the skin surface, but eventually your footwear and socks will gradually become soaked.

How quickly this happens will depend upon a number of factors, but in humid conditions, it is more difficult for your body to vaporise sweat, and in hot conditions your body is going to produce more sweat as it attempts to keep itself cool. My observation, having walked in both hot and cold conditions, is that waterproof rainwear and footwear that use Goretex and similar barriers works better when it is cold and damp that when it is warmer.

There have been many forum discussions about waterproof footwear in the past. My view is that it has been dominated by some of the more aggressive ultralight aficionados who are pretty one-eyed in their outlook. You can use the search function to find these, but read them with an open mind.

Thank you!

 

[malingerer]

I look at the discussions re buying certain size boots to wear on a camino with some amusement. My right foot is a size larger than my left, so I have to buy a size that will be suitable for that right foot. That means the left foot wears a boot that is theoretically too large. I wear my boots for hundreds of kilometres before I leave home. On the camino, neither foot gets blisters.

what about the odd leg ? ( NO not that one) my left is a fraction shorter than my right which is why I am very careful when sizing up my pacer poles , yes my left foot is also quite different from my right and I wonder if the amount of vino collapso has anything to do with it. Are old blackened big toe nails bio-degradable?

This thread is a wonderment!

Walk soft

Samarkand.

 

[trecile]

The question is "one size larger than what?"

Some people naturally wear shoes with plenty of toe room, while others wear shoes that "just fit."

Then there is the issue of what are "sizes?" A size larger in the US will be different than a size larger in the UK or Europe.

The best advice is to purchase shoes with sufficient room for your feet to spread out and to keep your toes from hitting the end while walking day after day, regardless of the size.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Then there is the issue of what are "sizes?" A size larger in the US will be different than a size larger in the UK or Europe.

US and UK sizes are more or less 1:1 -- a US shoe size is very marginally shorter than a UK size, so my French size 50 army boots are size 14½ UK, size 15½-16½ US -- but smaller, more normal sizes are near identical.

The "one size larger" advice I've heard has always been relative to European sizes (because it first became current long before there were that many US pilgrims, and decades before the release of The Way !!), which would translate to ½ size larger UK or US ; and in the UK, "one size larger" is often used as equivalent to "the next size up", i.e. a half-size. (Clothes sizes are the other way 'round -- so a US 2XL t-shirt is equivalent to a European 3XL one.)

Expressing it as "the next size up" might be less confusing.

 

[Former member 94614]

This is another bit of advice on here that is stated like gospel but which I think is more dependent on the particular shoes one is wearing as well as individual physiognomy.

Some shoes, like my Altra Lone Peaks, have a good amount of "give" and accommodate whatever foot swelling I experience after many hours / days of walking. I would imagine that a stiffer shoe or hiking boot would be less flexible, though, and might require sizing up a half or full size - in which case I would think that alternating thicker and thinner socks (like the different weights of Darn Tough socks, for example) would be helpful. And then there's the fact that some people's feet swell more than others - things like weight, age, and propensity towards fluid retention are some of the determining factors.

Again, it comes down to your particular situation, which can only be determined by test walking your shoes thoroughly before setting out on a multi-week walk.

on Altra’s - i have lonepeaks and have had to go up a full size due to swelling on training hikes and now they are not comfortable. with less than a month to go i’m now comparing other shoes. another pilgrim i met out here while training said to try a hiking shoe instead since there will be a lot of tarmac and gravel whereas the Lonepeaks are better for soft wooded trails such as the AT or PCT (he’s done camino many times as well as the other.). looking at used keen targhee vent low. otherwise i know my keen newport H2 sandals are good so may end up with those after all!