- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances 15,16,18
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This comment was recently posted under a video of mine on YouTube. It was probably prompted by a clip of me lying with my shoes and socks off, feet up on my pack, airing my feet........
One problem is when shoes are removed mid day. The feet will expand. Also, if soaked in water before walking is done for the day, it can cause innumerable problems. Feet up is good but best to keep shoes on until walking is done for the day.
It left me thinking that this is probably the Camino equivalent of ancient Japanese Foot Binding
Robo, I heard that urban legend many times during my first camino in 2000. I never took my boots off during the day, and boy was that a stupid decision. In my experience, no one who recommends keeping the boots on has ever tried taking boots off during a rest, so what do they know!
But there is no need for anyone to rely on someone else's opinion, because you can conduct your own scientific experiment. Try what Robo did, boots and socks off whenever possible (and soaking in water is even better) and see for yourself that your feet will thank you a thousand times over!
I haven't tried the soaking in water yet, as I worry my feet will stay moist and get blisters......
But it sure is tempting!
I think the original comment is clear evidence.........
to read plenty before going on your first Camino.
And weigh up the advice you read.
And YOU Decide what makes sense, to YOU.
@peregrina2000, not so much an urban myth as an ancient mountaineering rule, at least in some parts of the world: Don't take your boots off during the day and don't wash your socks during the trip. I remember that we used to keep our socks in separate plastic bags under the mattress when overnight in alpine hutsI heard that urban legend many times during my first camino in 2000. I never took my boots off during the day, and boy was that a stupid decision.
I didn't really get blisters (a couple of hot spots only) on three Caminos, but the few times I aired my feet or soaked them in a stream it felt wonderful. My feet thanked and even kissed me!Robo, I heard that urban legend many times during my first camino in 2000. I never took my boots off during the day, and boy was that a stupid decision. In my experience, no one who recommends keeping the boots on has ever tried taking boots off during a rest, so what do they know!
But there is no need for anyone to rely on someone else's opinion, because you can conduct your own scientific experiment. Try what Robo did, boots and socks off whenever possible (and soaking in water is even better) and see for yourself that your feet will thank you a thousand times over!
I think all of our well meaning advise and opinions on how to care for our feet during the day walking is similar to our opinions on the "perfect" boot/shoe...one size doesn't fit all.
The no taking shoes off advice makes no sense to me. Feet swell regardless of whether you have shoes on or off. As for soaking your feet in cold water, I did this once on the Camino Frances and it felt marvelous, but I was careful to completely dry my feet before putting my socks back on. One of my walking companions wasn't so careful, and he got some bad blisters.This comment was recently posted under a video of mine on YouTube. It was probably prompted by a clip of me lying with my shoes and socks off, feet up on my pack, airing my feet........
One problem is when shoes are removed mid day. The feet will expand. Also, if soaked in water before walking is done for the day, it can cause innumerable problems. Feet up is good but best to keep shoes on until walking is done for the day.
It left me thinking that this is probably the Camino equivalent of ancient Japanese Foot Binding
The no taking shoes off advice makes no sense to me. Feet swell regardless of whether you have shoes on or off. As for soaking your feet in cold water, I did this once on the Camino Frances and it felt marvelous, but I was careful to completely dry my feet before putting my socks back on. One of my walking companions wasn't so careful, and he got some bad blisters.
My routine was to change into dry socks a couple times a day. Each time I did this, I would rub my feet with Vaseline. The sweaty socks I had just taken off would get safety pinned to the back of my pack to dry. While I had my shoes and socks off I would give my feet a good rubdown. This always felt marvelous. This routine served me well.
I know that a lot of people don't like to take off their boots and their feet are fine, and that's great. My only concern is that there are people (like me many years ago) whose feet are not comfortable in those shoes all day, but who keep them on because of some myth that their feet will not fit back into the shoes once they are off. Taking off the boots makes the source of compression go away, so swelling decreases.
So my bottom line is, if your feet are happy in their boots all day, go ahead and leave them on, but no one should think that taking boots off will have any negative impact at all.
Interesting idea I've never quite heard of before. If you try it out on some training walks at home with your loaded pack weight and like the results, then why not.?I will be doing my first Camino in October and this thread is exactly what I need to get an answer from. Can I walk with my boots for about 8km, then with my Crocks for 2km, and then again boots for 8km, replacing the boots with cocs for 2km after every 8kms of boots?
Ha. I totally changed my foot regime this year after a fairly disastrous first Camino and taking my boots off as often as possible to air and dry my feet was a huge part of it along with the use of vaseline. I guess everyone's feet behave differently but I'd suggest that in most cases if your feet expand sufficiently during a rest break that it's a problem getting back into your boots your footwear is probably too small.
My brother in law walked in crocs on several occasions, sometimes all day when his blisters got bad. Not in the rain or on rough terrain but there are plenty of places where the walking is easy.I will be doing my first Camino in October and this thread is exactly what I need to get an answer from. Can I walk with my boots for about 8km, then with my Crocks for 2km, and then again boots for 8km, replacing the boots with Crocks for 2km after every 8kms of boots?
I will be doing my first Camino in October and this thread is exactly what I need to get an answer from. Can I walk with my boots for about 8km, then with my Crocks for 2km, and then again boots for 8km, replacing the boots with Crocks for 2km after every 8kms of boots?
Hola @Robo - another posting that raises almost as many responses as there are pilgrims. Me I am in the take boots off during mid-day stops camp. On hotter days even the outer socks come off to allow the built up sweat/heat to evaporate. The method worked (for me at least) no blisters between Pamplona and Santiago and that included two or three days or walking in rain (thankfully not consecutive days) and more than a couple of occasions walking more than 28 km in a day.
But as the saying goes - to each her/his own. Cheers
I can easily walk 2km with full pack with my crocks, but I do not want to stretch it to far.Are your feet used to walking that far in Crocs?
Terrain not always conducive to the thin soles. I wore mine at nite but never on the trailsI can easily walk 2km with full pack with my crocks, but I do not want to stretch it to far.
I was totally surprised when Google provided me with a link to an April 2017 article in a (smallish) magazine for hiking in the Alps with advice on how to care for one's feet when hiking in mountains, i.e. tours of a few days maximum, which says something like this:But Kathar1na did say that this is an old saw from the world of mountaineering.
Yes it's a strange one and its common among mountaineers, I once had the pleasure of discussing this with our very own legend, Edmund Hillary - yup that Ed. We were at a posh do at Government House and we shared a long chat over a cold beer discussing blister care. He thought it came from the old days when it was important to keep your leather boots in the right shape. He also explained that it was hard to wash socks at high altitude and the old woolen socks they wore had lanolin in them so keeping them on and not washing them meant that you ended up with a good greasy build up to keep your feet lubricated and blister free, though his concerns were more about frost bite.So I've been scratching my head trying to come up with some theory about how this "don't take off your shoes" advice could have possibly developed... But if mountaineering legends are like urban legends, they die a long slow death, and that may be what we are dealing with here.
I observed pilgrims changing into sandals or other alternative footwear during the day to give their feet a break from boots. It seemed to work for them. If it works for you, then I'd go for it.I will be doing my first Camino in October and this thread is exactly what I need to get an answer from. Can I walk with my boots for about 8km, then with my Crocks for 2km, and then again boots for 8km, replacing the boots with Crocks for 2km after every 8kms of boots?
That's why I will do most of my walking in boots. I just want to wear the Crocs for short distances for my feet to rest from the tight enclosure of the boot,Terrain not always conducive to the thin soles. I wore mine at nite but never on the trails
That's why I bought boots in half a size larger. Worked for me.This comment was recently posted under a video of mine on YouTube. It was probably prompted by a clip of me lying with my shoes and socks off, feet up on my pack, airing my feet........
One problem is when shoes are removed mid day. The feet will expand. Also, if soaked in water before walking is done for the day, it can cause innumerable problems. Feet up is good but best to keep shoes on until walking is done for the day.
It left me thinking that this is probably the Camino equivalent of ancient Japanese Foot Binding
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