Senior Walking the Portuguese Coastal Route in the Rain: Advice Needed

[Raulvamir]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[woody66]

Do you walk in the rain at home?

 

[Mormon]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

I walked the Portuguese from Lisbon beginning mid-March. There was rain some part of nearly every day. Let me start by saying walking in wet socks sucks when you have sensitive feet. In addition to three pairs of socks, which I changed every time I took a break, I also took hiking sandals. Many times dispensing with shoes and socks was the best option. Less good when it's cold but you have to choose your poison. Another issue is that many Portuguese albergues are not heated, in cold damp weather even my lightweight smart wool top didn't necessarily dry over-night. Really stuffing your shoes with newspaper helps to dry them.

 

[woody66]

I took a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks and Merino socks (Darn Tough)
I wore them with a merino liner sock (merino should help keep your feet warm even when wet) !
Walked in heavy rain all day in shorts and a rain kilt for 6 to 7 hours.
(20,000mm hydrostatic head on the sealskinz socks)
I wore non waterproof trail runners!
When the rain stopped i changed out my socks and carried on walking and shoes dried in less than an hour.
Tape any areas of your feet that are susceptible before walking.
Vasaline, body glide or two toms as another barrier to the rain (but i don't use it myself)
Link:

Wretham

The original, 100% waterproof ankle length sock. For use in wet and warmer weather conditions. Premier waterproof ankle socks.

www.sealskinz.com

My feet were dry i just wanted a moan; i always say if it rains just smile and tell yourself you love it!
Well after 5 hours i didn't smile!!!! (grumpy old man syndrome

 

[Lindsay53]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Hi Raul. Prolonged walking in wet shoes can cause blisters and cold wet feet can lead to other problems. A pair of lightweight sandals or shoes to wear of an evening while your walking shoes dry out is essential. As mentioned above some albergues do not have heating so drying your footwear by a heater may not be an option. (This can also damage the shoes) Stuffing them with newspaper is the most effective method of drying them out.

 

[Raulvamir]

Do you walk in the rain at home?

I do not. May be this would be a good experience to have before the camino, Thank you.

 

[Raulvamir]

I walked the Portuguese from Lisbon beginning mid-March. There was rain some part of nearly every day. Let me start by saying walking in wet socks sucks when you have sensitive feet. In addition to three pairs of socks, which I changed every time I took a break, I also took hiking sandals. Many times dispensing with shoes and socks was the best option. Less good when it's cold but you have to choose your poison. Another issue is that many Portuguese albergues are not heated, in cold damp weather even my lightweight smart wool top didn't necessarily dry over-night. Really stuffing your shoes with newspaper helps to dry them.

So many great tips in your post. Thank you. I will try at home the hiking sandals to see how I tolerate them. They may be a great resource if necessary. I appreciate your advice.

 

[Raulvamir]

I took a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks and Merino socks (Darn Tough)
I wore them with a merino liner sock (merino should help keep your feet warm even when wet) !
Walked in heavy rain all day in shorts and a rain kilt for 6 to 7 hours.
(20,000mm hydrostatic head on the sealskinz socks)
I wore non waterproof trail runners!
When the rain stopped i changed out my socks and carried on walking and shoes dried in less than an hour.
Tape any areas of your feet that are susceptible before walking.
Vasaline, body glide or two toms as another barrier to the rain (but i don't use it myself)
Link:

Wretham

The original, 100% waterproof ankle length sock. For use in wet and warmer weather conditions. Premier waterproof ankle socks.

www.sealskinz.com

My feet were dry i just wanted a moan; i always say if it rains just smile and tell yourself you love it!
Well after 5 hours i didn't smile!!!! (grumpy old man syndrome

I may have some of that grumpy old man syndrome too. LOL. I will try my best to keep my feet dry. The waterproof socks plus warm inner socks sounds great. Weather will probably be cool to a bit cold, so warm protection is important. Thank you so much for taking the time to write suggestions.

 

[Raulvamir]

Hi Raul. Prolonged walking in wet shoes can cause blisters and cold wet feet can lead to other problems. A pair of lightweight sandals or shoes to wear of an evening while your walking shoes dry out is essential. As mentioned above some albergues do not have heating so drying your footwear by a heater may not be an option. (This can also damage the shoes) Stuffing them with newspaper is the most effective method of drying them out.

Lindsay, these are really useful tips. I will definitely purchase the sandals, and carry them in my back pack. Including the previous comments it seems that a group set of thing to do and have would be:
1-Use weatherproof sucks and inner wool sucks.
2-Have multiple pair of sucks ready available to change them as needed.
3-Have a pair of light hiking sandals to wear if shoes are too wet and while they dry.
4-Stuffing shoes with newspaper to help them dry
5-Tape some susceptible areas or use Vaseline or similar. I heard once about raw wool to apply inside the socks in spots getting a bit too sensitive. The lanolin may help it said.
6-Walk in the rain at home to get the feeling of it to learn more and to prevent the grumpy old man syndrome LOL.

 

[trecile]

I used waterproof socks over regular socks with my hiking sandals this year. The waterproof socks are quite thick, so I don't know how well they would fit with shoes.

 

[woody66]

I used waterproof socks over regular socks with my hiking sandals this year. The waterproof socks are quite thick, so I don't know how well they would fit with shoes.

Very good point trecile!
I forgot this ;before my first Camino i usually wore UK size 11 walking boots but taking advice from the forum i upsized to a size 12 UK Hoka Stinson ATR6 (expensive but i love them; i wear them as my everyday shoe now at home)and that upsize helped i suppose with the wearing/fitting of waterproof socks even with feet swelling over the miles!
However while training; well walking the dog (really hard core stuff ) i found them a bit snug even with just Darn toughs on (not sure why after 3 years wearing this size) so now in UK12.5's and comfortable again!

 

[Madis]

I would also vouch for waterproof socks. I use very breathing shoes, so they are able to get dry by the next day and keep my feet happy on sunny days.

Waterproof socks without normal socks inside were rubbing my feet a lot around the achilleas. So do expect to wear waterproof socks with light hiking socks. That will take a ton on space in your shoes.

April is the rainiest time of the year in total precipitation for Spain, I assume its the same in Portugal. Its the time of the year for waterproof pants in your pack. A waterproof jacket is a given, I take those even in the Summer with me just in case. That head to toe waterproof combo will keep you dry enough to reach your destination in a more or less good mood. The coastal trail is most likely windy and rainy at the same time so do expect some not so pleasant days.

I put together a blog article (with an image of the ferry crossing in rain from Portugal to Spain on the Camino):
https://caminopilgrim.travel.blog/2023/07/05/hiking-in-rain/

Bonus note: If you hike in April and do around 10-15km daily then you can do the whole trip most likely with waterproof hiking boots. Boots do breathe enough for the first 10km of walking, they start to overheat with longer distances. So trench foot should not be an issue.

 

[Anniefish]

As an aside, if you’re starting in Baiona, I would recommend not following the official way marked path. Follow the coastal path, it’s really easy and beautiful. Just keep the sea on your left side, you can’t get lost and you’ll eventually come back to the official path. Buen Camino

 

[Lleslie]

I hate wet feet so have worn gortex boots on all of my 3 caminos (and multiple other walks/hikes/tramps) and if rain is heavy wear rain pants to prevent rain running down my legs into the boots. I change socks midway through the day so my feet stay warm and dry. Yes, I know that many on the forum will say boots, and gortex aren't necessary but this is my preference

 

[Vince Rollason]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Hello I walked the Camino da Costa from Porto in April 2019. It was my third of five Caminos and by far the wettest. On the days when the sun shines it is a beautiful walk but when the storms come in off the Atlantic you feel like building an ark. However it was always possible to get shoes dried overnight in the alberques.
Buen Camino
Vince

 

[Annw]

I'll just throw in another view. Walking the Frances, specifically in Galicia in April (2022), I ended up leaning into the rain. I wore Chaco's Z-Cloud sandals, with Injiji toe socks when it was colder. (I had ditched the trail runners that had made things worse.) For my feet the sandals were the salvation, but my sensitivity there is not to cold; if yours suffer in that way, I can see why warm and dry approach as outlined above is best way to go.

Bom Caminho!

 

[lt56ny]

As you can see there are probably as many answers as there are feet. I am 69 years old. I finished the Coastal from Porto in mid November. I walked two other caminos paths without rain before I got to Porto. It rained the day I took a bus from Leon to Porto and I mean really hard. The second day out of Porto the rain started again and it rained every day until I got to Santiago. From what I was told by some along the way and Ivar that this year was about the wettest on record in Galicia and the north coast of Portugal. The wind blew hard, the rain even harder for much of every day. It was actually better to walk on the Litoral as much as possible as when the camino went up in the hills there were times that the trail was under 5 or 6 inches of water. Thankfully it was never too cold, mid 40's F. I wore Brooks Cascadias and just merino wool socks. Nothing was waterproof. When I arrived in the albergues I stuffed newspaper in my Brooks immediately and then before bed. Took out the insoles of course and my Brooks were always dry in the morning. Didn't matter much because almost every morning within 20-30 minutes, and at times less my feet were soaked again. You get used to it. Don't fight it and just be happy you are on the camino. I watched the trees bent over, I had to throw my pack over a couple of fallen trees and crawl under to continue., but I always thought I would rather be here than anywhere and I was happy. I have no idea how sensitive feet handle this because I don't have them. Get a good pair of trail runners that you are happy with and take a pair of waterproof socks, for the times when/if it rains. Just be happy you are lucky enough to walk. The only thing you can be sure of is the step you are taking. Rain, heat, cold, snow etc etc, is out of your control and none of us have a crystal ball of what the weather will be. Just go and experience.

 

[tim winn]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Take an umbrella with you. And of course you can buy waterproof socks.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

similar. I heard once about raw wool to apply inside the socks in spots getting a bit too sensitive. The lanolin may help it said.

Yes, I call it hiker's wool, many of us here on the forum use it. As I understand it, it's a combination of the lanolin and the extra packing that works.
Whatever you do choose, if it works for you stay with it. I made the major mistake of once trying Vaseline while actually on Camino. I had a blister within 2 hours - my first in many, many years. I had absolutely no idea it was happening (zero warning signs), the first I knew of it was when I took my shoes off to air my feet during a regular break. I cleaned my feet thoroughly to remove all of the Vaseline, treated the blister, covered it, packed the area with hikers wool and had no more issues.

 

[susiem]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

I walked the Camino Frances in very heavy rain at the end of October and as well as changing socks when I could, I slipped my feet into light plastic bags then into my boots. It wasn't perfect but it did delay getting them wet.

 

[JRO]

Lindsay, these are really useful tips. I will definitely purchase the sandals, and carry them in my back pack. Including the previous comments it seems that a group set of thing to do and have would be:
1-Use weatherproof sucks and inner wool sucks.
2-Have multiple pair of sucks ready available to change them as needed.
3-Have a pair of light hiking sandals to wear if shoes are too wet and while they dry.
4-Stuffing shoes with newspaper to help them dry
5-Tape some susceptible areas or use Vaseline or similar. I heard once about raw wool to apply inside the socks in spots getting a bit too sensitive. The lanolin may help it said.
6-Walk in the rain at home to get the feeling of it to learn more and to prevent the grumpy old man syndrome LOL.

I also did some rain walking on the Camino and had wet feet. I second all of the advice so far. Merino socks really help with less blistering and warmth. I used the lambswool for my feet, a pesky shoulder strap, and gave some to others for all kinds of padding...I DO recommend it!

 

[Pilgrim Patricia]

Another tip, though not directly pertaining to wet feet: I wore zip-off hiking pants so when the bottom of the legs got soaked I took them off at a cafe stop and dried them on whatever heat source (radiator, etc.) I could find. So much more pleasant to not have the pants fabric clinging wetly to my lower legs. Obviously if the rain kept up throughout the day there was only temporary relief from the clammy fabric but those little moments of comfort were treat.

 

[JerryStroebele]

I start with an ultralight umbrella, overlapping a Gore-tex rain jacket, overlapping a rain kilt, overlapping lightweight gaiters, overlapping Gore-tex light boots (La Sportiva). Think of overlapping shingles on a roof. Works. Merino wool under all that. If it is too windy the umbrella goes into my backpack side pocket and I button up the rain jacket, with the hood covering a baseball cap to keep the water off my face. The rain in Spain falls ---- abundantly in green Galicia. Buen Camino

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

Take an umbrella with you. And of course you can buy waterproof socks.

I find the hands free telescoping trekking umbrella sold in the Camino Forum store amazing for rain or sun. I used it for the first time in April and now I wouldn’t leave without it.

 

[Gary94123]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Yes, two pairs of shoes and both waterproof. One with a lot of cushion for the pavement and one as a backup. I hiked it starting April 11 after 3 weeks of daily rain. Expect mud in parts. Buen Camino.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

It rained the day I took a bus from Leon to Porto and I mean really hard. The second day out of Porto the rain started again and it rained every day until I got to Santiago. From what I was told by some along the way and Ivar that this year was about the wettest on record in Galicia and the north coast of Portugal. The wind blew hard, the rain even harder for much of every day.

What a trooper! Congratulations!

 

[Lydia Gillen]

If your feet are wet for a long while, in between your toes would be dark and wet and warm, ideal conditions for a fungal infection.
I suggest that you bring some Miconazole powder, sold here under the trade name Daktarin. No need to bring the whole tub of powder. Pour some into a small ziplock bag, like the little one that spare buttons come in. Using your finger put some in-between your toes after you have dried them well after your shower. Buen Camino

 

[pa’delante]

Yes, I call it hiker's wool, many of us here on the forum use it. As I understand it, it's a combination of the lanolin and the extra packing that works.
Whatever you do choose, if it works for you stay with it. I made the major mistake of once trying Vaseline while actually on Camino. I had a blister within 2 hours - my first in many, many years. I had absolutely no idea it was happening (zero warning signs), the first I knew of it was when I took my shoes off to air my feet during a regular break. I cleaned my feet thoroughly to remove all of the Vaseline, treated the blister, covered it, packed the area with hikers wool and had no more issues.

Hiker wool rocks, 2 camino trip with hiking boots which kept my feet dry and changing socks if needed during the day helped keep my feet blister feet. Also during the day listening to your feet, cooling them off on the many streams to keep the heat and swelling down,

 

[dougfitz]

I hate wet feet so have worn gortex boots on all of my 3 caminos (and multiple other walks/hikes/tramps) and if rain is heavy wear rain pants to prevent rain running down my legs into the boots. I change socks midway through the day so my feet stay warm and dry. Yes, I know that many on the forum will say boots, and gortex aren't necessary but this is my preference

This is my approach as well. I walked from Lisbon, taking the Central north of Porto, and again this year from Valenca, with several days of rain both times, sometimes for a few days at a time. If it did, I would get some newspaper packed into my boots to assist dry them out when I arrived at my accommodation. I carried a water sports shoe the first time, and a beach shoe the next time, for casual and emergency wear. Never had the emergency, but the beach shoe was far less effective, and let water through the holes in the sole. Great for the beach, perhaps, not for walking wet streets.

 

[pelerine]

Take an umbrella with you. And of course you can buy waterproof socks.

I start with an ultralight umbrella, overlapping a Gore-tex rain jacket, overlapping a rain kilt, overlapping lightweight gaiters, overlapping Gore-tex light boots (La Sportiva). Think of overlapping shingles on a roof. Works. Merino wool under all that. If it is too windy the umbrella goes into my backpack side pocket and I button up the rain jacket, with the hood covering a baseball cap to keep the water off my face. The rain in Spain falls ---- abundantly in green Galicia. Buen Camino

I akways use a handsfree umbrella, even in fairly windy conditions. An umbrella of course does not protect your feet, but here at last someone, sometwo have mentioned gaiters. I use goretex boots plus kneehigh gaiters. No special socks, just the thin kneesocks I use at home. Works for me…

 

[Former member 112842]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Wet feet, especially for long periods, can be a problem. Two suggestions come to mind for me. The first is Gore-tex, or otherwise waterproof shoes. These can be great in less than intense rain, but if walking in a downpour for extended periods of time, your feet will still get wet. Another bonus of Gore-tex in a cooler climate is that they will help to keep your feet warmer as they don't breathe so much. Another remedy that I have used with success is waterproof socks. You can search for them on Amazon, there are a number of brands. I purchased a pair by a brand called DexShell and they worked great - handwash only! Hope this helps.

 

[trecile]

If your feet are wet for a long while, in between your toes would be dark and wet and warm, ideal conditions for a fungal infection.
I suggest that you bring some Miconazole powder, sold here under the trade name Daktarin. No need to bring the whole tub of powder.

I used Sportslick on my feet this year for friction, and it also contains and antibacterial and antifungal.

Sportslick - The Ultimate Skin Protector

www.sportslick.com

 

[gittiharre]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

I would wear gortex shoes. I always do, as I don't like wet feet. It works well for me.
I walked the route from Porto last year aged 67. It is very easy.

 

[ukjohn99]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

I suggest Goretex boots and two walking poles. Plus good socks and sock liners to keep your feet dry and healthy. You should also have your boots fitted at the shop. That way I found that my boot size is 11 against my shoe size of 10. Im fact I now have size 11 and a half as that prevents any blisters when going down a hill. Good luck and Buen Camino.

 

[Lowtide]

I walked from Lisbon to Santiago last October and had 3 weeks of rain. Some of the paths were under water. Forces you to slow down, but no problems with blisters etc. I was wearing trail runners, and found they did dry well at night. Stayed in private hostels with heat!

 

[Bill905]

I keep 2 pairs of spare socks in separate ziplock bags in my pack to ensure a dry pair is always at hand. A few ziplock bags come in very handy for wet weather for many items! I walked the CP in the spring of 2022 at the age of 69, from Porto, plenty of wet weather, and I found the walk quite easygoing, moreso than the CF. A lot less mud than the CF! I wear Merrell MOAB shoes, and 2 pairs of socks works for me - one ankle high, and one regular length on top. Bom Camino.

 

[BikeHikeChai]

I was wondering if anyone has some experience about how to walk the Portuguese Coastal route when it rains. I am 70 and have healthy but highly sensitive feet, and I wonder if wet shoes can cause any kind of problems including cold or blisters. I am scheduled to start walking on April 4 2024 from Baiona Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Should I bring two pairs of shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

Excellent question and I’m glad to see some excellent replies. For what it’s worth (and at the risk of any duplication) here’s my tuppence worth.

Footwear (or rather Foot Care) is pretty much the number 1 priority for a hiker (arguably only second to maintaining a good mental attitude). But footwear and fit is also intensely personal. It is very much the case that “one size does not fit all” - metaphorically and physically.

That said, if the weather is “warm” (or at least not cold) and wet, I prefer to be in sandals with no socks and shorts and just let stuff dry on the body. Shorts (Quechua from Decathlon) have been comfortable, quick drying and long lasting. Other more expensive options are available.

The sandals in question for me are Keen and very well worn in so no risk of rubbing. Also good for cold river crossings (not a Camino issue admittedly). The less you have to get wet the easier life is.

However when it’s cold I go to another level.
I walked the Camino Portugués Coastal route this year (8th-22nd October 2023). The first half was warm the second wet.

I used the same high end La Sportiva boots that I’d used in Nepal earlier in the year because a) I already had them b) they had a few hundred km of use without any issues and c) I could trust them to do the job through a wide range of temperatures (it was from +30° to -10° in Nepal).

These were married with high quality inner soles (SIDAS high arch running ones) and a generous selection of high percentage merino socks. And then these were laced up once per day with meticulous care.

Overkill for a Camino? Certainly. But amongst my acquaintances over the two weeks I saw some horrendous blisters (that I cannot now unsee) while I didn’t have uncomfortable feet for an instant.

Most people I met were battling awful foot problems. Most people wore either poor quality footwear or a poor fit or had failed to appreciate that it’s the entire package that must be right. Including foot hygiene and careful nail clipping.

I can’t speak highly enough of the use (from top to toe in fact) of merino layers including socks.

When (speaking as another older man) I get up in the night to go to the bathroom, I used the opportunity to change the newspaper in my boots in the rare event they got damp (just from the volume of water flowing down my bare legs - I was going relatively light and did not bother with trousers let alone over trousers. I used shorts).

Changing the newspaper 2-3 times in the night extracts significantly more water than just doing it once. If enough paper is available of course.

For a lightweight alternative that I use for day walks a Salomon hiking shoe (Goretex in winter non-Goretex in summer) does the job. But also paired with proper inner soles and merino socks of the appropriate thickness for the time of year (feet being generally smaller in winter and larger in summer). I choose these principally for the speed lacing system in addition to comfort/fit/durability/value.

Lastly an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of medical intervention after the event.

People have reported favourably on the walking wool, but so far the combination of attention to foot care and a good fit have prevented me needing this.

However I do carry Compeed to offer to others and wound management stuff in my first aid kit, including scissors for toenail maintenance.

Buen Camino.

 

[Raulvamir]

Excellent question and I’m glad to see some excellent replies. For what it’s worth (and at the risk of any duplication) here’s my tuppence worth.

Footwear (or rather Foot Care) is pretty much the number 1 priority for a hiker (arguably only second to maintaining a good mental attitude). But footwear and fit is also intensely personal. It is very much the case that “one size does not fit all” - metaphorically and physically.

That said, if the weather is “warm” (or at least not cold) and wet, I prefer to be in sandals with no socks and shorts and just let stuff dry on the body. Shorts (Quechua from Decathlon) have been comfortable, quick drying and long lasting. Other more expensive options are available.

The sandals in question for me are Keen and very well worn in so no risk of rubbing. Also good for cold river crossings (not a Camino issue admittedly). The less you have to get wet the easier life is.

However when it’s cold I go to another level.
I walked the Camino Portugués Coastal route this year (8th-22nd October 2023). The first half was warm the second wet.

I used the same high end La Sportiva boots that I’d used in Nepal earlier in the year because a) I already had them b) they had a few hundred km of use without any issues and c) I could trust them to do the job through a wide range of temperatures (it was from +30° to -10° in Nepal).

These were married with high quality inner soles (SIDAS high arch running ones) and a generous selection of high percentage merino socks. And then these were laced up once per day with meticulous care.

Overkill for a Camino? Certainly. But amongst my acquaintances over the two weeks I saw some horrendous blisters (that I cannot now unsee) while I didn’t have uncomfortable feet for an instant.

Most people I met were battling awful foot problems. Most people wore either poor quality footwear or a poor fit or had failed to appreciate that it’s the entire package that must be right. Including foot hygiene and careful nail clipping.

I can’t speak highly enough of the use (from top to toe in fact) of merino layers including socks.

When (speaking as another older man) I get up in the night to go to the bathroom, I used the opportunity to change the newspaper in my boots in the rare event they got damp (just from the volume of water flowing down my bare legs - I was going relatively light and did not bother with trousers let alone over trousers. I used shorts).

Changing the newspaper 2-3 times in the night extracts significantly more water than just doing it once. If enough paper is available of course.

For a lightweight alternative that I use for day walks a Salomon hiking shoe (Goretex in winter non-Goretex in summer) does the job. But also paired with proper inner soles and merino socks of the appropriate thickness for the time of year (feet being generally smaller in winter and larger in summer). I choose these principally for the speed lacing system in addition to comfort/fit/durability/value.

Lastly an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of medical intervention after the event.

People have reported favourably on the walking wool, but so far the combination of attention to foot care and a good fit have prevented me needing this.

However I do carry Compeed to offer to others and wound management stuff in my first aid kit, including scissors for toenail maintenance.

Buen Camino.

Great collection of tips BikeHikeChai. I have been very grateful for all the answers to my request. I am very excited to do my first camino. It seems that for the path I am taking the most relevant thing is moist control. It will probably not be extremely cold, so I can travel light. I will be particularly watchful of my feet. Without them in good health it would be very difficult to succeed. Thank a lot.