Boots with cushioned soles

[sfoley]

Hi,
I have walked the Camino from St Jean to Burgos and have found that my Demon boots with Vibram soles are too hard and the bottom of my feet get sore around 20km as the soles are too solid rubber without enough cushioning. Have tried different insoles which improves but doesnt get rid of the problem.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a Boot with Goretex that has good cushioning in the sole.

Buen Camino,
sfoley

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It may be heresy, but perhaps you should stop after 20 km?

 

[anniethenurse]

sfoley!
I had the same problem and even some knee ache. It started before my camino when I started to walk more to be fit for the camino and I walked a lot in the streets in my city, to and from work etc.
My boots came with Wibram with a thinner inner sole. My solution was to replace the inner soles with an extra soft and supporting ones. I got them custom-made for me by an orthoped technician and it was worth all the money it cost (about 75 Euro). During my camino from SJPP to Burgos the last two weeks in May I walked daily between 15- 35 kilometers and without pain neither in legs or knees.
buen camino
annie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Another post is a good cautionary tale of pushing too hard:

"Re: Shin splint

"Post by gittiharre on 04 Jun 2009, 05:07
"Hi, I got shinsplints and they got really bad on the descent to Ponferrada, which was brutally hot and steep and I got dehydrated. Definetely I recommend breaking that descent and staying the night half way down, you loose about 700 metres in height coming into Ponferrada and I hated it. The path was stony and you had to watch every step. I could not weightbear for 2 days after that, the pain was excruciating. I did get to Santiago eventually though. Gitti"

Read the word "excruciating" several times!! Consider respecting your personal limits.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I purchased cushioned inner soles from New Balance for my trail shoes.
They cost me $30 and the only time I had any trouble was the one afternoon when I pushed my self to do a double-day's walk after finding bedbugs in the aubergue we meant to stay in.

Taking out the innersoles from your boots and replacing them with a heavily cushioned inner sole may help a lot.

Good luck!

 

[sfoley]

Hi,
Thank you for your replies falcon269, anniethenurse and anniesantiago. I have been recommended Mendl and Saloaman boots that are lighter and have more cushioning in the sole for the hard road and i think i may get the New Balance insoles as a backup as they are light to carry. The customised insoles are a bit expensive for me.

Buen Camino,
sfoley

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - I throughly recommend Salomon boots and shoes particularly their "Sensifit" range which wraps your feet completely and are very protective and comfortable.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi here is my tuppence worth re boots:- I wore my pretty Brasher Supalites from Santiago to Fisterra and found that the though boots were very comfortable the soles were just too light for anything over 20km a day and, lacking a Vibram sole, were not as 'sticky' as I'd like on slippery terrain.
Walking from SJPP to Santiago I used a new pair of Brasher Towa GTXs these are gortex and have a much spongier double sandwich of foam between the vibram sole and the boot proper.These boots were great-light, waterproof and provided brilliant cushioning. All of which more than compensates for their vaguely 'Frankenstein' looks (I am size UK 5/Eur 38 so this would be compounded in larger sizes I'm not looking for Jimmy Choos here but it would be great if they could combine those functions but something a little less.....clumpy!)
Bonne route
Nell

 

[Tia Valeria]

Terry wore Hi-Tec Altitude IV WP boots for his Camino, and I have a womens pair ready for next year. Both of us find them so good and comfortable that we have just bought new ones (ready for 2011 in case the present ones are too worn to walk the Camino Inglés). Also cushioned soled socks help - we use Corrymoor mohair ones, available on-line.
Happy feet!!
Buen Camino
Tia Valeria and Tio Tel