In most cases, I believe the basic rule should be "One Camino, One Shoe".
This is an excellent first principle.
After 780km there will be little left of any sole (that is comfortable walking 780km straight with). Structural integrity will also become an issue and any special function will also not be special anymore. Outer material wear and damage will also become an issue. AND THEY ARE GOING TO STINK FOREVER AFTER.
This is not true of proper leather hiking/army boots.
These can last 2,000K+ before needing to be resoled, and good leather ones should normally smell of good, healthy leather at the other side of the Way.
Having said that, the traditional leather hiking/army boots are NOT appropriate footwear for all pilgrims indiscriminately, in most cases not IMO as lighter shoes are typically better for the shorter 800-1,000K
Caminos (or less) that most pilgrims attempt, though I would personally recommend their use for
Caminos longer than 1400-1500K, for pilgrims with ankles weakness, and/or for Winter
Caminos.
(poor syntax, apologies)
If you are carrying any backpack, except not more than 2-3 kg and without sending some of your stuff ahead, a normal running shoe will not last the entire Camino, will not be supportive enough of you (haha) and the sole is not dense enough to soak up rocks/stones.
This is an excellent point, beyond that statement.
If you are on a longer
Camino starting from beyond SJPP, or on a route in Spain other than the
Francès, then you should get footwear with a thicker sole for the inevitable sections of tarmac hiking, and for exactly the reasons that you have put forward.
The "
full Camino" as a foot pilgrim is technically from your home Parish altar and back again
via Santiago, which I'm in the midst of attempting for the first time (though sadly I'm no longer capable physically of all of it on one go), but that's just me quibbling as a "purist" ...
See :
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-full-camino.49802/
There's still nothing special about SJPP as a starting point, and pilgrims walking from
anywhere to Santiago have achieved the "
entire" pilgrimage ; as have BTW those pilgrims having travelled in Parish or Diocesan groups by coach or train or however for their own pilgrim purposes, and having walked or cycled perhaps 0K or similar.
These pilgrims have significantly fewer footwear problems !!
(PS: you don't have to get super-fit)
Your post is providing excellent starting footwear insight.
The only times in my experience where the above was not true were my 1994 from Paris, and my 2014 from Lourdes.
My 1994 required about 6-8 months training, to get ready for the 40K days that the 1994 demanded.
As to my 2014, I needed a whole year's worth of dedicated training, doing pretty much nothing else, simply to get myself physically capable again, from my new situation of disability, of walking a
Camino again.
Most of the people who complain about blisters, have horrible experiences, lot's of pain and go on and on and on about breaking in shoes, just picked the wrong shoes for their specific feet. And MOST if not all of these were just not aware of that they didn't have "nomral" feet. They were just not aware of that they had special considerations to take. (Like ME, which is now why I wear WIDE hiking shoes).
Good insight. Though the wrong socks, or overly tender skin from not enough pre-Camino hiking, can also lead to similar ...
Finisterre.....where I DID NOT BURN THEM OR ANY OF MY OTHER PLASTIC GEAR (which I find is utterly idiotic thing to do).
Indeed. Though plastic kit is itself dodgy
a priori ...