Footwear for a tall chap with a bad knee carrying limited weight on El Norte

[Flynbo]

Hello all,

A quick question from a long time lurker, first time poster:

I plan to start the Norte in mid-May and drop down on to the Primitivo and on to Santiago/Finisterre over the course of 4-5 weeks. I am in a quandary as to whether to wear walking shoes like Merrel Moabs (low or mid) or a more structured boot in the form of the Salomon Campside Manilla mid. For me it is a balance between support (I have a baddish knee and am tall (6ft 3in) and hear the path is a little wilder up north) and comfort/weight/breathability as the trail is long and the sun will be pretty scorchio by the time we get to June. I don't plan to carry more than ~12kg so won't be taking a huge amount of weight.

Any thoughts and/or experiences would be much appreciated, so thank you very much.

Buen Camino!

JG

 

[Donna Sch]

Hello all,

A quick question from a long time lurker, first time poster:

I plan to start the Norte in mid-May and drop down on to the Primitivo and on to Santiago/Finisterre over the course of 4-5 weeks. I am in a quandary as to whether to wear walking shoes like Merrel Moabs (low or mid) or a more structured boot in the form of the Salomon Campside Manilla mid. For me it is a balance between support (I have a baddish knee and am tall (6ft 3in) and hear the path is a little wilder up north) and comfort/weight/breathability as the trail is long and the sun will be pretty scorchio by the time we get to June. I don't plan to carry more than ~12kg so won't be taking a huge amount of weight.

Any thoughts and/or experiences would be much appreciated, so thank you very much.

Buen Camino!

JG

What kind of knee issues do you have and what else does it affect? I injured my knee at judo about 3 years ago and it means that my left leg is a bit weaker. Don't ask me to do leapfrogs over anyone. The last time I tried I got up to 3 and then my knee buckled. So I refuse to do that exercise. When something starts to hurt it is usually my gluteus medius ie my left hip and butt. So that is the muscle I am trying to build up at the moment.
Have you seen a podiatrist to analyse your gait?

 

[Kanga]

Hi @Jamie Giles we are walking the Norte and Primitivo starting in Irun on the 9th or 10th, so we might see you along the way. My husband will be wearing Merrell Moab Ventilators (a change from his Jacoform ordinary street shoes!) and I'll be in lightweight New Balance joggers. Or sandals.

I have two bad knees from old skiing injuries but find that with two trekking sticks I can manage.

But 12 kgs is too much! You should be able to lose a few kilos from your pack.

 

[dougfitz]

@Jamie Giles, if I can extend a couple of points @Kanga has touched on, and that is if you have bad knees you need to be thinking of both reducing the weight you are carrying, and using walking poles to reduce some of the pressure on your lower joints, in your case your knees.

@Kanga and I (and many others) have contributed extensively on both these issues so you might be able to find more details on this with a simple search, but I will give you the short version of my views here.

At 1.9m, your BMI=25 weight would be around 90kg. If you use a from the skin out target of 20% (FSO20) you would have an overall weight target of 18kg. My total weight for worn and carried items (clothes, boots and poles) is about 3 kg, and I typically carry up to 3.5 kg in consumables (mainly food and water) although it is possible to reduce this to under a kg if you only carry a litre of water and no other consumables. If you were to carry similar loads, your 12 kg backpack would exceed an FSO20 target. Noting that you already know you have knee problems, a bit of work might be needed to keep your weight well under the FSO20 target. I believe that this is achievable at the time of year you are walking, and a pack weight of around 9 kg bare might be a more reasonable goal.

Poles are simple, but the effect relies on them being used properly. There is lots of good discussion on this, as well as some mis-informed blather. Its really up to you to sort the wheat from the chaff here. The results are simple. Used properly, poles can reduce the loads on your lower joints by 5-7 kg on every step. That is an enormous boon for your ankles and knees. Equally, used properly, poles can be used every step of the way from SJPP to Santiago. I have used poles on all my pilgrimage walks all the time I have been walking - from albergue door in the morning to albergue door in the afternoon. Not used properly, and you won't get the pressure relief, and you will tire out your wrists and hands. The poles will then be strapped onto your backpack and be just so much more unnecessary weight!

On your original point, I have used boots on all my pilgrimage walks, and will continue to do so. Many people walk in shoes just as successfully. I hear the discussion on not using waterproof boots in summer, and my only observation is that the only time my waterproof (leather) boots have retained a lot of moisture is when it has entered through the hole in the top!

 

[Rajy62]

I plan to start the Norte in mid-May and drop down on to the Primitivo and on to Santiago/Finisterre over the course of 4-5 weeks. I am in a quandary as to whether to wear walking shoes like Merrel Moabs (low or mid) or a more structured boot in the form of the Salomon Campside Manilla mid. For me it is a balance between support (I have a baddish knee and am tall (6ft 3in) and hear the path is a little wilder up north) and comfort/weight/breathability as the trail is long and the sun will be pretty scorchio by the time we get to June. I don't plan to carry more than ~12kg so won't be taking a huge amount of weight.

Any thoughts and/or experiences would be much appreciated, so thank you very much.

Buen Camino!

JG

I second the trekking pole suggestion. I used a mid height structured boots on the Norte. Although at times my boots were a bit overkill, I was able to tackle mud, wet, up, down, scree and tarmac with ease.

For my next Camino, I have been looking into lightweight hiking shoes and found the Moabs the most comfortable. Weather permitting, you can do most of the Norte with the Moabs, except the wet/muddy sections. I had 4-5 days of continuous rain at the end of May, between Irun-Bilbao. I am glad i had my boots on. If you don't mind wet/muddy feet then you can try plastic bags with the Moabs. If you dislike wet/muddy feet then a more structured boot would give a better all-round performance. The Moab ventilator is ranked #9 by outdoorgearlab.

 

[Julio Gone Camino]

I have used boots on all my pilgrimage walks, and will continue to do so. Many people walk in shoes just as successfully.

I've used boots on previous pilgrimages - Brasher fabric boots - which were OK in the main. I mainly used them because a) they were quite comfortable, b) quite light, c) because I had them already!

This year, I'll be using Merrell Moab Mid GTX's - I had to buy new as my old ones fell apart. Having walked in boots for around 45 years, I couldn't quite bring myself to go for just a trainer or running shoe which I, personally, didn't think would be quite enough. Also, after one particularly uncomfortable experience, I have grown to dislike walking with wet feet very much, so prefer to use Goretex-lined boots (or similar waterproof membrane). They may be slightly less breathable, but I can cope with that better than 30k in wet footwear!

So I'd say if you are used to wearing walking boots to walk and they are comfortable, tried and tested, this may be the best way - as long as they are not solid, heavy boots which will be hot, heavy and potentially add to your knee problems.

Light comfortable boots could be the perfect thing, and some mid-types are close to a boot in terms of construction and support - I would consider the Moab mid to be almost a boot - and there are many makes of such to choose from if you are considering buying new (besides Merrell, there is Meindl, Brasher, Saloman, Scarpa and Keen to name a few - all quality walking footwear manufacturers).

 

[Flynbo]

Morning @Donna Sch, @Kanga, @dougfitz, @Rajy62, @Julio Gone Camino-

I really appreciate you all taking the time to advise me on boots and loads. It is much appreciated. I think something lightweight like the Merrel Moab (other brands are available and all will be tried!) will do the trick for me (as well as the acquisition of polls) and I will definitely work on my weight. 12 kg is the upper limit of what I was considering bringing so will sheer it down a fair bit. The packing list is pretty similar to everyone else’s so I am sure that Is more than achievable. I wonder what your thoughts are on bringing a sleeping bag? Overkill?

Am also wavering between doing the St. James and the Norte. This will be my first Camino so the lure of doing the St. James first is strong but I am mindful that there might be quite a lot of folks on there and the idea of swimming in the afternoon is somewhat beguiling but then again it is a touristy area so… Any thoughts would be much appreciated, so thank you!

JG

 

[dougfitz]

I wonder what your thoughts are on bringing a sleeping bag? Overkill?

Both my Spanish pilgrimages have been a month or so earlier than you are planning to start, so it was probably quite a lot colder at the start than you might expect to experience setting out in mid-May. I took a +5 deg C bag and liner, and used them regularly. In some places they made the difference between staying in an albergue overflow and having to find a hostel or hotel, or push on to the next town. It is clear from discussion that on the CF at least, it is possible to just take a liner and rely on blankets being available. I wouldn't, and I know that would add some extra weight. I don't know what the situation is on the Norte.