Footwear for the Primitivo..... (sorry!)

[Felice]

Sorry, another footwear thread.

I do like it when life gives you a nice surprise. There was me thinking that family commitments left me no time to walk this May, when, suddenly, things change and I have a nice 2 week gap starting 10 May.

I've walked before - SJPP to Santiago in Sept 2014, Santiago to Muxia in June 2015 and the Cami Catalan in Catalunya in May 2016. Each time I wore my beloved trainers (cheap trail runners, I think is the correct term). They were all I needed and they were so comfortable. But the weather was kind too, with very few wet days.

But what to wear this year for the Primitivo in mid May? Weather forecast via Wunderground is that the first couple of days at least will be cool and wet. I'm going to have to decide whether to use my trainers again, on the assumption that they will get wet, but will dry out again quickly once it stops raining and can be washed easily if they get muddy. Or I could take my waterproof walking shoes, but these are so much heavier, take longer to dry and will give me heat rash if the weather does warm up. I use these shoes when I'm walking in the UK in the Lake District, where the path is more likely to be natural.

So can anyone tell me about the type of path that I will be walking on. Will it be 'improved' as the Frances path was for long stretches, or will there be much more unimproved path walking, for which trail runners will be less suitable.

Anyone done the route in trail runners in May? Thanks.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The Primitivo has a bit of everything, including "improvements": road walking, but also walking on natural terrain in the woods, including two good downhill walks, amd the Hospitales route of course (which also has loose rock uphill)? I would want good grip for those.

Of it wasn't for the rashes you get I would say your waterproof shoes, but who wants to walk with a rash. Anything above and beyond what I wore would be overkill in my opinion: https://www.ladernierechasse.com/products/sal-371582

Enjoy your time off on the Primitivo. You will love it. I can still remember the scent of honey on some stretches.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I take proper walking shoes on any camino.
I also take a pair of decent walking sandals [?Ecco] for maybe evenings or when you want your feet to cool down.
To be honest, I don't think it matters which camino you're talking about. Just wear sensible and comfortable shoes/sandals.

Buen camino!

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Sorry, another footwear thread.

I do like it when life gives you a nice surprise. There was me thinking that family commitments left me no time to walk this May, when, suddenly, things change and I have a nice 2 week gap starting 10 May.

I've walked before - SJPP to Santiago in Sept 2014, Santiago to Muxia in June 2015 and the Cami Catalan in Catalunya in May 2016. Each time I wore my beloved trainers (cheap trail runners, I think is the correct term). They were all I needed and they were so comfortable. But the weather was kind too, with very few wet days.

But what to wear this year for the Primitivo in mid May? Weather forecast via Wunderground is that the first couple of days at least will be cool and wet. I'm going to have to decide whether to use my trainers again, on the assumption that they will get wet, but will dry out again quickly once it stops raining and can be washed easily if they get muddy. Or I could take my waterproof walking shoes, but these are so much heavier, take longer to dry and will give me heat rash if the weather does warm up. I use these shoes when I'm walking in the UK in the Lake District, where the path is more likely to be natural.

So can anyone tell me about the type of path that I will be walking on. Will it be 'improved' as the Frances path was for long stretches, or will there be much more unimproved path walking, for which trail runners will be less suitable.

Anyone done the route in trail runners in May? Thanks.

Felice, thanks for the thread and I'm glad that you have a chance to go this spring. I'm starting on the Norte, but will get to the Primitivo in early June, so will be interested to hear how doing it in your trail runners went, or anything else you'd care to post about your Camino Primitivo. That's what I'm going in also (trainers with good "lugs"). I'm taking lightweight pool shoes as second pair. Best wishes for a very good Camino to you!

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Say someone was going the whole way from Borres to Berducedo on a day that was warm, say around 77F/25C, and going over the Hospitales route. How much water might it be best to carry since this route is so long and has no facilities at all? I was thinking of drinking plenty before starting out and carrying 3 Liters?

 

[Nick MJ]

I did the Primitivo last May in trail shoes and was absolutely fine in terms of grip and the trail. There were some muddy paths in fields around Tineo which needed a bit of skirting around but apart from that I appreciated the lighter footwear on the longer stages. One day out from Santiago I was caught by a massive downpour and my Merrells were quickly sponges but that was nothing to do with being on the Primitivo, just a Galician welcome!

 

[Felice]

Thanks for all the replies. Sensible and comfortable shoes is indeed my goal. It's just that what is sensible in one set of temp and weather conditions is not always so in another set. As usual, it's finding the balance that's right for you.

Anemone, I tried shoes very similar to yours before my first Camino, but the footbed of Salomon shoes does not suit me, unfortunately. Gore text plus lightness is very appealing.

My trail runners have just a mesh top so let in both the wind and the wet. Their grip is absolutely fine. When the temps are in the low to mid 20s, they dry quickly if they get soaked and I don't get heat rash either.
My walking shoes are 'waterproof', and resemble Merrill moabs. They are great when it is cold when heat rash is unlikely, and they keep me dry enough when the ground is wet and muddy. But I don't like them when summer comes around.

Currently the forecast is for temps of 19 for the first 2 days I am walking. Neither one thing nor the other!!! It's going to be a last minute decision.

 

[LTfit]

After my scary experience last summer walking - or rather sliding down a mountain* in the rain with running shoes I've decided not to attempt either the Salvador nor the Primitivo without a shoe with decent grip. This is coming from someone who has done 12+ Caminos in running shoes. I now have light-weight low Salomon walking shoes which should do the job.

One of my Camino walking buddies who also wears running shoes regretted doing so when he walked the Salvador and Primitivo last June. He said that they all fell numerous times going downhill in the mud.

Good luck whatever you decide!

*I was walking the Norte but ended up taking a mountain detour and was caught in a rain storm. If it weren't for a group from a local mountain club I might still be up there. A gentleman walked in front of me and held my hand when we went through some rough patches. What an angel!

 

[Felice]

LTfit - mud is a difficult one. I slipped on a steep muddy slope when we were up in the Lake District this Easter, even though I was wearing my proper walking shoes. They definitely have a bit more tread than my trainers, but obviously still not enough!

Seriously, though, are there long downhill stretches that have the potential to be muddy and slippery on the Primitivo, or can they be avoided by road walking if need be. Also, looking at the forecast, the potential to do the Hospitales route is fairly slim.

 

[backpack45scb]

We wore trail runners in 2016 on the Primitivo in May and had no problems. Parts that are slippery in trail runners are also slippery in boots. We do rely on our two hiking poles. Our feet are cooler and more comfortable in trail runners.