A new take on shoes

[Former member 49149]

I have just read an article on the (current) ultimate in green running shoes. Not totally relevant, but an interesting approach to recycling wearable items. Could come to walking shoes yet! I attach a link to the shoe company, not the article.
on-running.com/en-us/cyclon

 

[Arn]

I applaud any person , or company, that recycles waste (or perceived waste) into usable products. Rather than go into a rehash, here is a link I have found to be useful when judging if a product is truly low impact on the environment.

There Is No Such Thing as a Green Product (SSIR)

Touting products like LEDs and recycled plastic packaging as “green” is misleading, because it fails to account for their effects on markets and consumer behavior and for the resulting environmental consequences. The authors offer what they say is a better approach: measuring the overall "net...

ssir.org

The title may sound harsh, but the devil is truly in the details.

 

[verutum]

I was waiting in Pamplona for some new boots from the USA, as my feet were hurting from my current boots. They got to Madrid, but Madrid would not send the boots to Pamplona! Why? I don't know and never found out. So I went to a shoe store there in Pamplona and the nice lady brought out a pair of Columbia low top walking shoes for me. I take a 9-91/2 shoe but the pair she handed me was 11-1/2-three sizes too big. I thought, "wow, this is wrong." But she wanted me to try them on and walk around the store. So I did. They felt great. snug around heel and arch but LOTS of toe room. So I took her advice and am I glad I did. No more blisters.
Everyone thinks their shoes or boots are great until they take that downhill trail to Roncesvalles and then again the next day down to Zubiri. I have never seen so many blistered and bloody feet than at Zubiri. Not even in the Army did I see feet that bad. I felt so sorry for all the poor ladies with their beat-up feet. The moral of the story is wear shoes with lots of toe room!
I forgot to add that I wore those shoes on the Via Francigena, from Aosta, near the French-Italian Alps, down to Rome. So they lasted another 750 miles on top of the 500 or so miles on The Camino de Santiago.

 

[Steven Light]

I walked the CF with On-Running shoes the entire way. Super comfortable, great fit (I know that's personal), great support, no blisters and they dried really fast after rain. I have a new pair that I wear now for all my long walks and hikes. It would be great if they converted all their shoes!

 

[lt56ny]

Another discussion about our feet! What to wear? If it works stick with it. If it doesn't I am truly sorry and better luck next time.

 

[NorthernLight]

I was waiting in Pamplona for some new boots from the USA, as my feet were hurting from my current boots. They got to Madrid, but Madrid would not send the boots to Pamplona! Why? I don't know and never found out.

Stuck in customs.

 

[Sue127]

I walked the CF with On-Running shoes the entire way. Super comfortable, great fit (I know that's personal), great support, no blisters and they dried really fast after rain. I have a new pair that I wear now for all my long walks and hikes. It would be great if they converted all their shoes!

 

[Moorwalker]

I have just read an article on the (current) ultimate in green running shoes. Not totally relevant, but an interesting approach to recycling wearable items. Could come to walking shoes yet! I attach a link to the shoe company, not the article.
on-running.com/en-us/cyclon

Interesting. But there is no point in me looking any further because like all shoe manufacturers they have followed the stereotypical thing of making different fittings for the smaller sizes which are far too narrow and far too pointed at the toe. I have hobbit feet

 

[Eve Alexandra]

Interesting. But there is no point in me looking any further because like all shoe manufacturers they have followed the stereotypical thing of making different fittings for the smaller sizes which are far too narrow and far too pointed at the toe. I have hobbit feet

I have hobbit feet too. It’s taken me years to find one trail runner that doesn’t give me blisters and I’m *still on the hunt for hiking sandals. I swear, finding the right long distance walking/hiking shoes is like finding a unicorn!

 

[Moorwalker]

I have hobbit feet too. It’s taken me years to find one trail runner that doesn’t give me blisters and I’m *still on the hunt for hiking sandals. I swear, finding the right long distance walking/hiking shoes is like finding a unicorn!

I found the perfect shoes - Inov8 Roclites. Then last year they changed their last and the new ones are much narrower. Adding to the difficulty of finding shoes, I have a sensitive Achilles tendon which doesn't like the "ears" on the back of many shoes. So currently I'm desperately looking for something else that I can actually wear before my last pair of Roclites wears out.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

I found the perfect shoes - Inov8 Roclites. Then last year they changed their last and the new ones are much narrower. Adding to the difficulty of finding shoes, I have a sensitive Achilles tendon which doesn't like the "ears" on the back of many shoes. So currently I'm desperately looking for something else that I can actually wear before my last pair of Roclites wears out.

I swear by Xero shoes (replacing the insole for a little bit more padding) for my trail runners. Altras killed my toes on my camino (impossible to get a decent lace lock). I have xero z trail sandals and wear them at home but I need a thicker sole for long distance hiking. I don't like feeling every single pebble on the trail. I tried chacos. 3 different pair. My feet hate chacos. I'm trying an extra large teva sandal this week (as soon as it arrives). Like many, I'm hoping to get on the camino again this fall, and I'm sorely tempted to not even bring trail runners if I can find a sandal I like. I need my toes free.

 

[BookGirl305]

I am going the opposite direction- I too have hobbit feet. 8 wide, 38 wide - almost as wide as long. I tried the trail runners and felt like I was walking on a flip flop - every step hurt and my arch tendon was brutal. I found I need the padding in a shoe/boot. I had the same experience with the different size lasts, even within a company. I liked the Oboz sapphires but too narrow. Bridgers, same thing. The nubuck wouldn't stretch that last little bit (the red boots were cute though- I kept trying to make them work because they were cute)I have found joy in an Oboz Sawtooth II shoe and a La Sportiva Nucleo boots, both in an 8 wide.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

I am going the opposite direction- I too have hobbit feet. 8 wide, 38 wide - almost as wide as long. I tried the trail runners and felt like I was walking on a flip flop - every step hurt and my arch tendon was brutal. I found I need the padding in a shoe/boot. I had the same experience with the different size lasts, even within a company. I liked the Oboz sapphires but too narrow. Bridgers, same thing. The nubuck wouldn't stretch that last little bit (the red boots were cute though- I kept trying to make them work because they were cute)I have found joy in an Oboz Sawtooth II shoe and a La Sportiva Nucleo boots, both in an 8 wide.

Finding wide shoes is so hard. I’ve tried men’s shoes several times but they don’t fit right in the ankle and I end up with my foot sliding forward. It’s so annoying that men’s shoes come in such varied size ranges but women’s shoes are limited.

 

[Moorwalker]

I am going the opposite direction- I too have hobbit feet. 8 wide, 38 wide - almost as wide as long. I tried the trail runners and felt like I was walking on a flip flop - every step hurt and my arch tendon was brutal. I found I need the padding in a shoe/boot. I had the same experience with the different size lasts, even within a company. I liked the Oboz sapphires but too narrow. Bridgers, same thing. The nubuck wouldn't stretch that last little bit (the red boots were cute though- I kept trying to make them work because they were cute)I have found joy in an Oboz Sawtooth II shoe and a La Sportiva Nucleo boots, both in an 8 wide.

Whereas I dislike heavily padded shoes, I feel as if I'm walking on a squishy mattress.

 

[howardd5]

I swear by Xero shoes (replacing the insole for a little bit more padding) for my trail runners. Altras killed my toes on my camino (impossible to get a decent lace lock). I have xero z trail sandals and wear them at home but I need a thicker sole for long distance hiking. I don't like feeling every single pebble on the trail. I tried chacos. 3 different pair. My feet hate chacos. I'm trying an extra large teva sandal this week (as soon as it arrives). Like many, I'm hoping to get on the camino again this fall, and I'm sorely tempted to not even bring trail runners if I can find a sandal I like. I need my toes free.

I wear Teva open toe sandals, light , easy dry & no blisters . Sometime with socks if cold or real gravely

 

[Kanga]

I swear by Xero shoes (replacing the insole for a little bit more padding) for my trail runners. Altras killed my toes on my camino (impossible to get a decent lace lock). I have xero z trail sandals and wear them at home but I need a thicker sole for long distance hiking. I don't like feeling every single pebble on the trail. I tried chacos. 3 different pair. My feet hate chacos. I'm trying an extra large teva sandal this week (as soon as it arrives). Like many, I'm hoping to get on the camino again this fall, and I'm sorely tempted to not even bring trail runners if I can find a sandal I like. I need my toes free.

Eve, if the Tevas are no good (and they are too narrow for me) try Ecco OffRoads. They are what I wear. Possibly have a different name in other countries.

 

[trecile]

Eve, if the Tevas are no good (and they are too narrow for me) try Ecco OffRoads. They are what I wear. Possibly have a different name in other countries.

I'm thinking that with a wide foot that Eve will probably need a men's sandal. Ecco has the Offroad and the Yucatan.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

I've got new tevas on order to try (turns out buying directly from them you can get more sizes than with REI and other vendors). Ecco is next on my list to try if they don't work. I try really hard to avoid buying men's hiking sandals if I can because they never fit right. I have a wide foot but its still shaped very much like a female foot...the heel and arch spots on men's sandals are never right and I end up getting blisters. It's a process, trying to find the right footwear. lol

 

[Kanga]

My Ecco’s are lovely!

 

[Eve Alexandra]

My Ecco’s are lovely!

Those are so cute! My tevas are supposed to arrive Friday. I'll report back.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

My Ecco’s are lovely!

Wow, they are beauties, Kanga! I love the multi-colors.