excellent running shoes vs— hiking boots?

[Tanta Pennington]

Can I walk from Porto to Santiago wearing excellent runners—not hiking boots? I plan on walking late September—early October.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Can I walk from Porto to Santiago wearing excellent runners—not hiking boots? I plan on walking late September—early October.

You do not need a boot unless you truly need ankle support.

Now, when you say running shoes, do you mean a lighter shoe shaped like a running shoe, or a shoe building expressly for running?

A light shoe, shapped like a running shoe but with a better tread/sole and stiffer structure is just fine. Many people even favor trekking sandals. If it wasn't because I need to wear orthotics I would wear sandals again.

 

[Tincatinker]

Of course you can, provided that you are entirely comfortable walking between 25 - 40 kilometres a day, day after day, while carrying 5k+ in a back-pack while wearing shoes designed for running in. You may wish to practice this.

There are extensive threads on this forum discussing footwear. You will find the search facility, top right on your screen, useful.

Buen Camino

 

[Dutch]

Well, i bought great expensive hiking boots (according to mr shopkeeper) and they killed my feet, my shins, my legs upto the point where i actually could not walk anymore.....NEVER will i use 'm again.

Next camino i brought, as a test, 2 pairs of shoes: my every day runnig shoes ( i run alot) and my trailrunning shoes (these are different from normal runners).
Honestly, i did not expect my everyday runners, which i love, to give me troubles, but they did. It was a mystery to me. I run more km's on these shoes then i walk on a camino, but still got blisters and shinpains. The mystery is this: i never ever have trouble wih anything while running and again, I run alot.

Then the trailrunners: not one problem at all. I now am in love with my trailrunners for long distance walking. In combination with my toesocks

All i am trying to say is, walking and running are two totally different things. The only thing they have in common is that you put one foot in front of the other to go forward. Thats it.

People will give you all kinds of advice now on what you should do, buy, bring ect, but the only really usefull and honest advice is: Try all your options and then choose what feels best for you.
It doesnt matter how many people love boots and how many hate runners. It matters what works for you and only you can figure that out.

Feet are way to personal to just take someones advice and go with that. Your feet are not my feet are not their feet. Ive said this before and this is the only truth.

 

[Diogo92]

I tend to choose my footwear, after evaluating the following areas:
- Type of terrain;
- Weather forecast;
- Number of km walked per day;
- Backpack weight.

I know people who walk the Camiño in mountain boots, high boots, mid boots, trail running shoes, sandals, Vibram FiveFingers and even barefoot!

I second @Dutch opinion: wear what you feel comfortable with!

One thing that I can tell you for the Caminho Português, is that you don’t have big elevations to wear high or mountain boots. Mid boots or trail shoes are good for me, although once again, depending from the weather forecast (and if you manage to buy waterproof socks ).

 

[Albertinho]

On thePortugese between Ponte de Lima and Rubiães there is an off road track , climbing ,decending, big rocks.
I am glad I used strong heavy duty walking shoes with ankle protection .

Bom caminho

 

[Diogo92]

On thePortugese between Ponte de Lima and Rubiães there is an off road track , climbing ,decending, big rocks.
I am glad I used strong heavy duty walking shoes with ankle protection .

Bom caminho

Poles! Poles are the answer

 

[Albertinho]

Poles! Poles are the answer

Even with poles as we used the Alto da Portela and Labruja hill are a challenge.

 

[amancio]

plain running shoes would probably be destroyed by Portuguese cobblestones, and you will find a lot of that!

there are not many big rough slopes, a bit before Rubiaes in Portugal and once in Spain just past Arcade, the rest is pretty much civilized terrain, but I reallly think runners would be a bit too soft.

I alwasy wear boots, I feel safer in them, it is a personal choice.

 

[Diogo92]

Even with poles as we used the Alto da Portela and Labruja hill are a challenge.

It depends of how fit you are.

I'm the "boots guy", from my group of friends. I used to wear boots for everything, except for running and showering

When I started to take a more ultralight backpacking view, I ditched the high and moutain boots, and started to wear trail shoes and mid boots. The main difference it's the weight on your feet. Don't forget that every 50g extra, it's 500g at the end of 10 days.

To fight the question of the ankle support, I started to use exercises to strenght my ankles. This can be so simple has to walk barefoot while at home, using the stairs or using a jump rope.

Add to that a good pair of walking poles, a very good core balance (that you can get with some basic yoga exercises) and a not so heavy pack, and you don't need heavy boots for the Caminho Portuguese

I think that running shoes (flat ones) are not the best, but a good pair of trail running shoes (excelent grip and cushioning) are a good choice.

 

[Albertinho]

It depends of how fit you are.

I'm the "boots guy", from my group of friends. I used to wear boots for everything, except for running and showering

When I started to take a more ultralight backpacking view, I ditched the high and moutain boots, and started to wear trail shoes and mid boots. The main difference it's the weight on your feet. Don't forget that every 50g extra, it's 500g at the end of 10 days.

To fight the question of the ankle support, I started to use exercises to strenght my ankles. This can be so simple has to walk barefoot while at home, using the stairs or using a jump rope.

Add to that a good pair of walking poles, a very good core balance (that you can get with some basic yoga exercises) and a not so heavy pack, and you don't need heavy boots for the Caminho Portuguese

I think that running shoes (flat ones) are not the best, but a good pair of trail running shoes (excelent grip and cushioning) are a good choice.

Good tips amigo querido !
We walked on the moon ! ( the very rough north western part of Iceland )
And had all the benefits of the Meindl walking shoes and still use them.

Every other day in the sportsgym I balance on a kind of half round ball on one leg, for more strength in the knees and ankles. We use Leki poles , the Rolls Royce under walking poles and our pack weighs 7 kilos
We are prepared for another caminho Português

Um abraço

 

[Dutch]

plain running shoes would probably be destroyed by Portuguese cobblestones, and you will find a lot of that!
.

I've seen plenty of people walking on normal running shoes. Never has anyone, that i have seen, complained that cobblestones destroyed their shoes.

 

[amancio]

well, in my opinion, cobblestones require a stiff sole, and even so you get easily tired. We are talking looong streteches of uneven cobblestones, beautiful to the eye, but a killer for the feet!

 

[Diogo92]

Good tips amigo querido !
We walked on the moon ! ( the very rough north western part of Iceland )
And had all the benefits of the Meindl walking shoes and still use them.

Every other day in the sportsgym I balance on a kind of half round ball on one leg, for more strength in the knees and ankles. We use Leki poles , the Rolls Royce under walking poles and our pack weighs 7 kilos
We are prepared for another caminho Português

Um abraço

Everytime somebody says Meindle, I bow to know that someone has the best taste in boots

Leki poles, so expensive, that they should have an expresso machine on them

I bought a pair of 5 Inch Trooper, by Mil-Tec for my roughed travels in the woods. Let's see how they keep up!

 

[Anniesantiago]

If you are a person who is USED to wearing hiking boots and you have a WELL BROKEN IN pair of hiking boots, then wear them.
If not, I suggest a very flexible sole trail runner.

As for cobblestones, I see Spanish and Italian women in 3 inch heels winding their way through those cobblestones, so I don't think those are a reason for boots.

I've seen more people with shredded feet who began in boots that fit in the store, but were way too much once they were on the Camino.
There is no mountain climbing.
The Camino (even the Portuguese route) is a trek, not a climb.

 

[CaminoMatch]

I along with my other pilgrim friends I met along the way started to realize who was getting the blisters.
It turned out that the pilgrims wearing heavy hiking boots had the most severe blistering problems.
The pilgrims that wore lighter weight hiking/trail running shoes did well.
Also, using a product like Glide or Compeed helps to reduce friction immensely to prevent blisters.

The wider sole of a hiking/trail shoe as opposed to a true running shoe helps with the rolling rocks when going downhill on Camino Frances and roads that are cobblestone-like.
Good luck with your choice. Be sure to break-in whatever you choose and have good quality hiking socks.

 

[Dutch]

I walked with a guy who walked with his everyday running shoes and ended up with blisters the size of golfballs, so there goes the heavy boot theory.

I walked with my everyday runnig shoes and got blisters. No golfballs , but still annoying...

 

[Albertinho]

I walked with a guy who walked with his everyday running shoes and ended up with blisters the size of golfballs, so there goes the heavy boot theory.

I walked with my everyday runnig shoes and got blisters. No golfballs , but still annoying...

So this endless discussion is a hole in one

 

[Utgaard]

plain running shoes would probably be destroyed by Portuguese cobblestones, and you will find a lot of that!

This actually came up during my walk. I met a couple who walked from Lisbon in running shoes. By the time I met them outside of Caldas de Rei their soles (and inserts) had worn thin and they said they could feel every sharp corner on every cobble. Another couple who were wearing toe shoes also had problems with the cobbles. Both couples hated walking on the cobbles, while I and a couple in boots didn't mind them.

I don't know anything about the quality of the running shoes, I just know that those of us with a stiffer sole had an easier time on the cobbles.

 

[Kanga]

Stiff soles give me foot pain so I can't wear trail runners (or boots). I wear lightweight runners with a good thick (but flexible) sole that is made for pounding the bitumen. Asics have seen me walk six Camino's. I started each with newish pairs and never once did they get too thin or give any problems with rocky paths. In contrast I find Brooke's comfortable for walking at home but the soles wear through too quickly to wear on Camino.

My Asics are now made with too much plastic on top and they get sweaty, so I've just bought some New Balance runners. It was my intention to walk in those but I don't know if the soles will hold out as well as they did on the Asics. I'm currently so in love with my Ecco sandals I'll probably wear those instead.

For walking on cobblestones nothing beats Skechers. I love them as a travelling tourist. But they are far too flimsy for a long distance walk (and the smell - phew).

No two feet are alike - even our left foot is different to our right foot. And then there is different weather, different manufacturers, different lasts, different materials, styles of shoes/boots/sandals. You have to find what suits you best and what works for you. It really is a "best guess" situation until you are on Camino. If the answer were easy then no-one would get blisters or have foot problems. Which is patently not the case. Unfortunately it really is largely a matter of trial and error.

Go with your best guess. Give your choice a good workout with a couple of serious walks (with full pack) before you leave home. Don't get too hung up on making the "perfect" choice. Stay adaptable. Spain and Portugal have chemist shops with various shoe inserts and shoe shops and sports stores. And mankind walked for thousands of years barefoot before shoes were ever thought of.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I walked with a guy who walked with his everyday running shoes and ended up with blisters the size of golfballs, so there goes the heavy boot theory.

I walked with my everyday runnig shoes and got blisters. No golfballs , but still annoying...

You can not wear "everyday running shoes."
You need specific shoes called trail runners which have a heavier but flexible sole.
You also need to buy your shoes 1 to 1.5 sizes larger than normal.
I stand by this advice.

That said, there are exceptions to every rule.
I walked one year with a Mexican young man who wore cowboy boots the entire route.
Whatever works for you is the best choice in the end...

 

[Dutch]

When i say "everyday" running shoe, i mean a running shoe that is used for actual long distance running, not a sportsshoe. Big difference. Of course you can walk in these. Plenty of people do.
Exceptions to a rule implies a minority and people on running shoes arent a minority.

I've seen countless people walking in i.e. nike free shoes without any problems and i've seen just as many counting their blisters in combination with trailrunners or boots.

You wear what you know or hope that works for you and hopefully it works out well.

You just cant say 'you have to this' and 'you must that' and 'you cannot' ect. It just doesnt work like that. Feet are too personal.

 

[naplesdon]

My ankles need the support that the boots offer on loose rocky paths and steep descents. I wear lower cut trail shoes on flat terrain unless there is ankle deep mud, yuck!
I totally agree to using pole, I wouldn't walk without them to share the load on my back between my arms and feet. The CP cobblestone issue is real in my mind, I can still remember every single one I stepped on in Portugal and have no memory of them from the CF.

 

[Dutch]

We called the cobblestones on the CP the blister massage.

 

[naplesdon]

We called the cobblestones on the CP the blister massage.

Ivar, I think we need to initiate an award for "Best Quote of the Year" and this one is definitely in the running.