Breaking in a new pair of shoes

[Fernie]

So, a while ago I bought these new pair of hiking shoes for my upcoming Camino Frances, and they seemed great in the store (really great judging by the massive price tag). However, my feet keep getting sore and keep developing blisters as I am out walking. I feel that I'm not supposed to need to tape my feet just for walking these short distances.

I'm just so disappointed due to my suffocating budget, but then I thought that maybe I just haven't broken them in enough yet? How much would one need to use a new pair of shoes before realizing he made a big mistake buying them?

I hope everyone has a lovely day

 

[Dutch]

What kind of footwear did you get? Boots? Shoes/runners/trailrunners?

In my experience, boots need to be worn in properly.not sure if you can say that it is ok after 50km, 250km or 500km. I think it is more a feelimg that its ok, than a number of walked kms. Boots are usually hard and stiff and have to adjust to your feet. Shoes/runners i have never needed to break in. I put on a new pair and use them long distance from day one without any problems.

It sounds to me that maybe the footwear you have is not ideal for you, but only you can decide if that is true.

I walked my first camino in boots. They were well worn in, but after about 2 weeks i got (big) problems. I found out the hard way boots arent for me. I bought new runners along the way (after my legs forced me to have a few resting days) and from that day on i was happy again.

So i can only say, if your shoes/boots do not feel good before starting your camino, then dont take them. Foot/legtrouble is an awfull thing to have on the camino.

 

[gidivet]

Dear Fernie

I have sympathy with you over your shoe problems. It is difficult for me to get well fitting shoes.
In answer to your question: the sooner you return to the shop the better. An experienced sales assistant might be able to help find the cause for the blisters. Generally if they are too small you have no choice but to get a different pair. There is very little stretch in the types of shoe we get these days. If the shoes are too big, and your feet are sliding forward and backward or slipping at the heel you may be able to sort out the problem with different insoles and perhaps thicker socks.

This is perhaps going off topic, but just to add: See a podiatrist if you have not solved your problems, BEFORE going on the Camino. I would have saved myself a lot of pain and ongoing problems by doing this. I am now waiting for personalised orthotic insoles, which will hopefully correct my gait, and prevent the injuries I caused myself.

 

[twojay54]

Fernie, I usually throw away the inserts and buy off the shelf orthotics but you need to be carefully trimming them to make sure there are no little gaps at the side to pinch. I have also added lambs wool inserts on top. You need slightly bigger boots to accommodate these layers but it works for me. Just the lambs wool was a fairly inexpensive investment. $4aud. Good luck with it. John

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

Whatever you buy should be comfortable out of the box. If not, they are the wrong shoes for you. Return them or exchange them. What did you get? There are many companies that advertise the greatest shoe ever! Shoes or boots will soften a bit with use but with today's advances in technology there really isn't a "break in" period. Either they fit or they don't. Get rid of them!

 

[cher99840]

Fernie, this is just what I have found works for me. First I rub my bare feet with Vaseline to avoid friction. Then I put on injinji toe liners, followed by Darn Tough hiking socks. Next is the tricky part---a well fitting boot. In order to find a well fitting boot, I take the liners and socks that I will be wearing with me to a store that has a fitting expert familiar with long walks/mild hikes. I don't want a rock
climbing expert; I don't want a runner; I want someone who is an expert in the kind of punishment that my feet are about to embark upon---walking over varied terrain.

Once I have the shoes, I remove the insoles and replace with insoles that are tried and true for me, which happens to be Superfeet Green or Berry.

For the first few days I wear my liners/socks/new boots with new insoles just a few hours at a time. Then I morph into wearing them almost all of the time. My hiking boots are my shoe of choice. They are high enough to protect my ankles but no where near do they look like combat boots.

The point is, I want my boots to be an extension of my feet rather than something my feet are being forced to carry around. At the end of the day, it is nice to exchange them for my Keen sandals or Tevas.

 

[Fernie]

Thanks for all the input! They are not boots, I think they would be classed as trailrunners. They're called Salomon XA PR 3D ULTRA 2 GTX. Wow, that's a mouthful. I have decided to give them one more week, with newly purchased socks for the occasion and if they still produce discomfort I will scrap them and go to plan B. I'll let you fine people know how it turns out.

By the way, does anybody know if there is a lot of gravel roads on the Camino Frances?

 

[Dutch]

Ooh, you've got goretex shoes? Not the best option for an august camino. It will be way to hot for goretex.

Not saying you cant walk in them, but any normal mesh shoe in hot summer months beats a goretex shoe.
Imo your shoe salesmen should have told you this.

 

[hotelmedicis]

I'm not sure what you call "short distances" but you should not be developing blisters before your camino. That is a very bad sign indeed. My sense is that something is wrong with the fit (obviously) so either they are too loose or too tight. The parts of your feet where the blisters are developing are rubbing up against the shoe where they should not be. I would go back to the store or perhaps test different sock combinations. Are you using two socks or a specific anti-blister sock? Try a thin sock under a thicker one, that way the socks will rub against each other and not your foot, theoretically.

Regarding Gore Tex (or any other waterproof, breathable fabric in summer), I have hiked exclusively with Gore Tex boots (Kayland and Meindl) and have never had a problem even in the severe heat of Corsica or Spain. Also, you don't know what the weather will be in Spain, and though we might tend to think that it will be hot in the summer, it might actually be cold and damp with torrential rains in many areas. Be prepared for everything.

Good luck with your shoes.

 

[Dutch]

Of course you DO know what the weather will be like in Spain in August. It's Spain, it's august.
Sure, nothing as unpredictable as the weather, but you can be damn sure it wont be cold. I don't think you will find anybody willing to put money on that chance.

And you may not have had any problems with goretex in heat, but that does not mean that goretex and heat are a good couple. Non-goretex breathable mesh is much better in heat then goeretx. Its just that simple.

 

[Camino Ellie]

Last year I walked in Blundstones and my feet were dry and blister free. Maybe not the best hiking boots and I did not see anyone else wearing them. So this year I bought a pair of hiking boots and I am not so sure I will take them. After a few km's my feet are hot and hurt. So I just might be back to the good old comfort of my Blundstones
What is important is that your feet are fitted to your shoe-or visa versa, dry footwear rules, and you will spend hours loving up those tender feet.
You are not committed to your footwear. There are places to buy new ones.
I saw so many blisters while on Camino. I saw people walking barefoot in parts, flipflops with a backpack, keens, and various other footwear. Find what keeps your feet happy, dry and fitted. And be prepared to talk about your feet, foot care, socks, boots vs shoes daily to people. It too is part of the Camino.

 

[grahamh]

I'm planning my first Camino next year - from Le Puy to Santiago. I normally walk in Innov8 trail shoes. I'm worried that they will wear out before I complete my pilgrimage - anyone got experience of walking 1000 miles in trail shoes?

 

[hotelmedicis]

Of course you DO know what the weather will be like in Spain in August. It's Spain, it's august.

What is Spain? The second most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland? Will it be warm and cozy at 900, 1,200 or 1,450 meters? Who knows? Maybe you do.... That would be a gift. I have walked through Spain in July and August and been cold. Windy, rainy and cold. This is my experience so I know it to be true. Expect everything. Only amateurs think that they can predict the weather. In 2007 in Corsica we saw two bodies of hikers being carried off the mountain from hypothermia. It was July. It was Corsica. Who would have thought that it just might turn cold? In April there have been blizzards on the Camino. Be prepared . . .

 

[GreatDane]

I worked outside on hot concrete all summer 2013 in temps up to 43C wearing coolmax/wool socks with my Keen Verdi II mid boots with Keen Dry technology and my feet breathed just fine. Also tested my Exofficio Javatech t-shirts in the heat. The shirts are wicking and quick dry. I'd say they wicked pretty darn good plus there was no sweat funk afterwards. I've purchased another pair of the Keen Verdi's for this year one size up and have added a long sleeved Javatech shirt to my camino pack.

 

[Dutch]

If you read my post hotelmedicis then you would have seen me saying "nothing is as unpredictable as weather".

I am sure you are right and all the professional hikers here, such as yourself, take snow boots, earmuffs and ski-jackets on an august Camino. I will take my chances and leave those things at home.

Say, do you know, what the yearly average temps are in, say Leon, Burgos, Pamplona, Santiago etc in August? Or doesn't that matter at all?

 

[NicoZ]

Thanks for all the input! They are not boots, I think they would be classed as trailrunners. They're called Salomon XA PR 3D ULTRA 2 GTX. Wow, that's a mouthful. I have decided to give them one more week, with newly purchased socks for the occasion and if they still produce discomfort I will scrap them and go to plan B. I'll let you fine people know how it turns out.

If you surf over to the Salomon website they highlight durability,control etc. To me that tends to imply stiff when new.

How did you try and break them in? Short (Short!) walks?

 

[jmcarp]

...By the way, does anybody know if there is a lot of gravel roads on the Camino Frances?

I would say that more than 50% of the surfaces you'll be walking on are gravel roads. You'll also be walking on dirt roads, single track trails both smooth and rocky, concrete sidewalks, asphalt roads, and, since the CF tends to go through the heart of most of the ancient cities, you'll be walking on cobblestones as well. But from my recollection, gravel farm lanes account for at least a small majority of the route.

 

[Fernie]

If you surf over to the Salomon website they highlight durability,control etc. To me that tends to imply stiff when new.

How did you try and break them in? Short (Short!) walks?

I've basically been walking until I feel a hotspot appear, and then turn back home. And usually I don't get further than a couple of kilometers. I just bought some tape so I can walk further, I feel that should make the breaking in go faster.

 

[Kathy F.]

Loosen the laces as much as you can, then re-lace the shoes. It surprising how much you can change the "footprint" and size of a shoe by taking advantage of the lacing. Try different combinations of socks. I found the best combo for me was a lightweight sock liner and a hiking sock. Hiking socks are not necessarily thick ones. After your hotspots/blisters heal, continue walking. IMHO, you shouldn't need to tape your feet to break in your shoes. You will encounter all walking surfaces known to man.

 

[lettinggo]

I've basically been walking until I feel a hotspot appear, and then turn back home. And usually I don't get further than a couple of kilometers. I just bought some tape so I can walk further, I feel that should make the breaking in go faster.

Hola

Hotspots are not necessarily a bad thing.
Remember that you are not only breaking in your shoes, but also your feet.
After a while shoe and foot has adapted to each other which means the shoe changes its form and the foot develop hard skin where it is needed.

I dare to say that no one can walk 800 km without experiencing strange things happening to ones feet.
After 3 three weeks I discovered that the under sole of my feet where all blue.
There were no pain, but it did tell me that the walk had some effect on my feet.
It disappeared after a few days or so.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[naplesdon]

I do not wish to start a discussion about the pros and cons of Compeeds. The subject has endlessly been debated, but I think they can be a very good prophylatic for hot spots.

 

[Dutch]

I think compeed has both pros and cons. I am for it, but also against (i.e. what they do to my socks)

 

[NicoZ]

I'd consider going until you get hotspots too far. You're breaking in the shoes still. I know everybody is in a rush but rushing is rarely a good thing.

How stiff are the shoes?

 

[grayland]

Please go gently on the opinions of others.
Some posts have been edited to delete harsh comments on others.

Be nice.......

 

[Kanga]

I'm planning my first Camino next year - from Le Puy to Santiago. I normally walk in Innov8 trail shoes. I'm worried that they will wear out before I complete my pilgrimage - anyone got experience of walking 1000 miles in trail shoes?

I do walks of about 800 km in lightweight joggers (Asics) and they are usually good for a few months after as well. It does depend on the shoe. I also like Brooks but don't take them on Camino because they wear much faster than the Asics.

It is 1500 from Le Puy to Santiago, not 1000 km. So you shoes will get a workout. How many km do the Innov8 last you at home? You can probably work it out. If you don't think they'll last the distance you might be able to buy replacements along the way. I don't know if sports stores in Spain will stock them. If it's a concern you could post a pair to yourself to be collected from a post office along the way - in Pamplona or Burgos perhaps.

 

[Kitsambler]

Every shoemaker has their particular lasts (shape of the foot-box). Salomons are notorious for having very narrow heels. So, unless your own heel is equally narrow, a shoe from a different manufacturer might serve you better.

 

[Fernie]

I'd consider going until you get hotspots too far. You're breaking in the shoes still. I know everybody is in a rush but rushing is rarely a good thing.

How stiff are the shoes?

It's hard to put the stiffness in words, but they are stiff indeed. I cant remember ever trying on anything stiffer, except perhaps skiing boots.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It's hard to put the stiffness in words, but they are stiff indeed. I cant remember ever trying on anything stiffer, except perhaps skiing boots.

I don't think they will work out on the Camino. There is nothing about the terrain that requires anything more than ankle support (if you need it). A flexible shoe that rolls naturally forward will be more comfortable.

 

[NicoZ]

It's hard to put the stiffness in words, but they are stiff indeed. I cant remember ever trying on anything stiffer, except perhaps skiing boots.

You should break them in like boots then.

Walk around the house a bit.

Go for a short walk. Certainly not long enough to get sore or worse.

Slowly increase this.

 

[hotelmedicis]

It's hard to put the stiffness in words, but they are stiff indeed. I cant remember ever trying on anything stiffer, except perhaps skiing boots.

Boots have what are typically called flex ratings which indicate how much flexibility the sole of the boot has. For general walking and hiking over mostly flat and smooth trails, such as the Camino, it's preferable to have a boot whose sole has a lot of flex for comfort, much like a sneaker/trainer. For walking high in the mountains across boulders and rocky terrain, you want a stiff sole that will not transmit the sharp edges of rocks to your feet while offering more support for heavy backpacks. They may also accept crampons. Make sure that you have the correct type of footwear for the Camino.

Here is a link from REI about choosing boots. Hope that helps.

 

[rubyslippers]

So, a while ago I bought these new pair of hiking shoes for my upcoming Camino Frances, and they seemed great in the store (really great judging by the massive price tag). However, my feet keep getting sore and keep developing blisters as I am out walking. I feel that I'm not supposed to need to tape my feet just for walking these short distances.

I'm just so disappointed due to my suffocating budget, but then I thought that maybe I just haven't broken them in enough yet? How much would one need to use a new pair of shoes before realizing he made a big mistake buying them?

I hope everyone has a lovely day

I had two beautiful pair of expensive "trail shoes" I had used for a year hiking in Colorado. These hikes were elevations from about 6,000 ft to about 9,800 or 10,000. (in that range) They were about 6-10 miles. I never used a heavy pack though in CO as I could just go home at night. There was my mistake. When you ad your pack to the equation shoes don't do it. Are you using your pack to train? When you hike the long distances your feet will swell a little too. Maybe a larger size? If they are giving you such trouble now I believe it's the shoe that is the problem. You may want to try a man's boot as they can be wider in the toe box and thicker in the instep. Good luck!

 

[rubyslippers]

I had two beautiful pair of expensive "trail shoes" I had used for a year hiking in Colorado. These hikes were elevations from about 6,000 ft to about 9,800 or 10,000. (in that range) They were about 6-10 miles. I never used a heavy pack though in CO as I could just go home at night. There was my mistake. When you ad your pack to the equation shoes don't do it. Are you using your pack to train? When you hike the long distances your feet will swell a little too. Maybe a larger size? If they are giving you such trouble now I believe it's the shoe that is the problem. You may want to try a man's boot as they can be wider in the toe box and thicker in the instep. Good luck!

Sorry, I just noted that you are a male. Forgive me. Of course you already purchased a man's boot. One of my pair of boots are mens boots, just a smaller size

 

[smj6]

Slightly different topic but still to do with boots, I saw this on the CSJ website & thought it was a great idea, and one I can follow at home as well.....

"Smelly boots:
Do yourself and your fellow-pilgrims a favour by rubbing out your boots with wild fennel or mint whenever you get the chance."

Suzanne

 

[Bajaracer]

Regardless of what footwear you use, the best time to get fitted for new footwear is in the late afternoon/early evening when you've been on you feet all day and are swollen or after a long walk. Also bring the socks that you'll be wearing as well.

 

[Fernie]

So, I did bring the stiff shoes I initially planned on (Salomon XA PR 3D ULTRA 2 GTX) and they worked okay, all in all. I got some blisters, which I guess is to be expected when you are walking 20-30 kms a day in 30 degrees Celsius, but nothing too bad. They were however warm (gore-tex), so eventually I switched to my sandals instead for the latter half of the camino. And that, my fellow peregrinos, was the best thing I ever did!

 

[Roxane]

Great conversation! Thanks. Question about size. I've heard it is wise to buy boots/shoes 1-1.5 sizes larger than regular size. Which is it? 1 or 1.5 sizes larger? Anyone walk the way with regular size successfully? Thanks in advance. Camino 9/15.

 

[naplesdon]

I have tried out 4 boot companies. I will not comment regarding which companies I have tried so I will only say your Camino foot health depends on your own personal physiology. That being said, some boots are too rigid, some boots have poorly constructed interiors, some boot make you are walking in cardboard even after adding quality inner soles and some boot have really poorly made rubber soles.
Certainly breaking the boots in is important and acclimating your feet to that pair of boots is very important. The climate including heat, rain, etc. impacts performance; climbs and descents are a factor and how you care for your feet during the day paramount.
Your feet need to be toughened, being supple just begs for blister development.
The size issue is also personal but if you fitted your boots with liner socks and thick wool socks that is the right size, if your feet are not snug and sliding around inside the boot, it is "too large" and you are asking for problems. Other people have other ideas.
I wear only boots because I need the ankle support, if I were healthier a great pair of hiking shoes would fill the bill as long as I didn't have to walk in ankle deep water or mud.
I think $150USD is the breakeven point between a good pair and a lousy pair of boots. I'm sure the marketing folks love my endorsement.

 

[hotelmedicis]

Great conversation! Thanks. Question about size. I've heard it is wise to buy boots/shoes 1-1.5 sizes larger than regular size. Which is it? 1 or 1.5 sizes larger? Anyone walk the way with regular size successfully? Thanks in advance. Camino 9/15.

I have heard that as well, and certainly many people will swear by it. I have never, however, bought boots or walking shoes any larger than I normally wear. I buy whatever fits me well and is comfortable for my foot and that's it. The only thing that I do is buy boots while wearing a thick sock, one that I would normally wear on the trail.

 

[gidivet]

Regarding size: I see the size printed on the shoe as a guide. Every manufacturer and even different models within a brand will fit you slightly differently. For me the best was to wear my usual walking sock combination, and go fitting the shoes in the summer and in the afternoon, when I know my feet are swollen. For my first Camino I had well worn in shoes that fitted perfectly, but I didn't realise just how much my feet would swell. My latest pair is a size bigger and a slightly looser fit. I tested this out on a "quick" Camino in September, between Pamplona and Navarrete. That was perfect.

 

[JohnMcM]

Great conversation! Thanks. Question about size. I've heard it is wise to buy boots/shoes 1-1.5 sizes larger than regular size. Which is it? 1 or 1.5 sizes larger? Anyone walk the way with regular size successfully? Thanks in advance. Camino 9/15.

Hello Roxane,
Good question to which there is probably more answers than types of shoes, boots, sandals and socks available.

However, if I may offer some information to consider.

Whenever I buy new walking boots or shoes I always try them on wearing the socks, or sock combination I intend to wear with them. If I can't wiggle my toes in the boots or shoes, they are too tight for my me. If my heel slides up and down, they are too loose for me.

Never failed yet for me. Might work for you too