new pilgim..anyone off to festival of st sara? foot advice?

[eleanor sara darley]

hello hello
am extremely excited - leaving 12th May for Paris and then travelling on a little self devised journey through france...going to the festival of saint sara at the end of May in Saint Maries de la Mer and then onto Lourdes....and then joining the road to Santiago...last days of May.

I'm having footwear issues before i even start at the moment, trying to make a decision between leather heavier boots and lighter trainer types
sounds pathetic but i can't decide!!! Any help / advise???. Also want to take good sandles or maybe just them. At the moment going barefoot seems the best option!

love eleanor x x x x xx x x

http://www.justgiving.com/shewhowalks

 

[Anonymous]

Hello eleanor + sara + darley, welcome peregrinas :!: You may want to check out the equipment section on the home page. Other than that, shoot away, we're ready to share. BTW 1 pr of TEVAS works well for me. Best to u all, xm 8)

 

[Minkey]

I'm with XM on this one. Me? I just wear boots when walking and flip flops when I'm not.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, peregrinas, I forgot...FLIP FLOPS, TEVAS or..., u may want to think of ur sandals as being able to wear them when u take showers at the albergues as well as when going out to dinner, a concert, fiesta, hanging out at the refugios, et al. They should dry fasssst :!: Best, xm 8)

 

[Lora]

Welcome,
As xm said, do a search on this forum and you will get lots of different opinions and information as to what works best.

Just remember, that there are as many opinions on footwear as there are pilgrims, and what works best for one person does not work for another.

I don't start my camino for another week, however I have put in lots of training miles, trying out different combinations of shoes and socks to find out what works best for my feet.

What I am taking is a pair of Vasque high top Breeze hiking boots, they are a combination of canvas and leather designed for hot weather hiking and very breathable. They feel like slippers on my feet, even after 5 hours. http://www.vasque.com/products/w-breeze.cfm.

I tried trail runners, but found with my pack fully loaded, I wanted the extra ankle support of the Breeze boots.

A few people on this site recommended chaco hiking sandals as a back up and for evening wear and I went ahead and purchased a pair based on this. BIG Mistake, they are OK to wear and walk in, but too heavy to pack. I am taking a pair of lightweight tevas for my downtime shoes, and depending on the room in my pack, I would like to add a pair of very lightweight crocs. My total pack weight including water is at 14lbs, which was something else that had to factor into my decisions.

Socks are another issue. Some people swear by silk linners under wool socks. That drove me crazy, my feet were extremely itchy. The best socks for me so far, are the smart wool brand, but I chose the running socks over the hikers because my feet did not feel as hot in them.

As I said, everyone is different and it is important that whatever footwear choices you make, that you test it out. I have heard of people doing the camino in flip-flops and walking sandals, but those aren't choices that work for me. If you buy a new pair of shoes, wear them at home for an entire day and see how they feel. If they pass that test, go walking in them. Then decide if they are the right shoe for you.

I think boots and packpacks will be the two most important choices that you make

Have a great trip, :arrow:
Lora
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[Minkey]

I use flip flops as an all encompassing term for sandally type things... :roll: :wink:

 

[eleanor sara darley]

thanks

thank you for all the advice - i really appreciate - i feel like i have already started with all the foot problems!!!

:wink:

 

[Minkey]

Wait until the blisters start coming...! Hopefully you won't suffer many, though...

 

[Ulysse]

In 2005 I had terrible blisters problems.

In 2006 I tried a cream called "NOK Akilene" (grey plastic tube) and made by Asepta. It is made in France and should be available in UK. It really did work for me.

Everyday I washed my feet and in the morning before leaving I would massage my toes and my whole feet with that cream. I than put my very thin undersocks and my socks.

Did Burgos to Santiago without a single blister !

Buen camino eleanor sara darley

 

[ehaldenb]

Flip Flops

I would just like to recommend good old Brazilian Havaianas flip-flops for all-purpose schlepping around, even walking for a while if your feet are hot. They are the best flip-flops I've ever used, and I consider them the fine products of Brazilian beachwear engineering. They seem to be especially good for walking in sand or loose dirt. They're cheap and chic, too. I find them FAR superior to Tevas, in their own right.

 

[eleanor sara darley]

flip flops

true they are the best...took me all over central america for 6mths with a back pack bigger than me and two drums hanging off each arm...oh that's why i now have a flat foot!