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Shoe choice

ObeeOne

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2020 fell through!
now for Sept. 2024!
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
 
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Take a look at the new Topo Traverse……absolutely outstanding !
 
Shoe choice is really personal. I don't think you'll get good advice without specifying more about your needs/wants. Do you have wide or narrow feet? Do you need lots of arch support? Are you used to a zero-drop shoe regularly? Do you have really weak ankles? How did you get down to the choice between these two models of shoe already? Etc. etc.

(I say this as someone who literally loves to discuss the minutiae of gear choices - I really want to help you, but any advice I could give based on only "Hoka Transport or Brooks Cascadia 6" will not be customized or personal to your needs.)
 
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ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
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I have a pair of hoka transport and overall they are great I use them for my daily walks 10 kms +, the outsole runs out pretty quickly and I would like to have more space for my fingers… but for Camino especially 2 + weeks I will go with something different.
 
Also look at Hoka Stinson 7. Lots of cushion and stability. Great sole as well.
 
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ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6.
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What characteristics or needs brought you to focus on these two, that would help us comment in a useful way. Even so, only by wearing them yourself, can you determine if they are suitable for your feet.
 
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If they both fit well, why wouldn't you go with the Brooks? They're half the price. Personally I prefer good old fashioned leather but each to their own.
 
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Agreed, and even with providing all the ifo it still winds up being personal choice and in the end may or may not work for you.

I trained for and ultimately started my Camino in a given pair of hiking boots that I totally loved (and still do). However, about 1/3 way they started giving me headac.... er... FOOTACHES (yeah thats it!) So got me a different pair and after a short break-in period things became better indeed.

Good Luck and Buen Camino!
 
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ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Whatever you do two rules
Rule 1 don’t just shop by brand. Find out what fits.
Rule 2 don’t by online. Unfortunately there can be manufacturing difference For the same shoe, even between left and right boots.
I have different footwear for different seasons.
Buen Camino
 
ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Click to expand...

This is such a hard question.
And sadly we all have different feet, different bodies, and preferences.
I really struggled with footwear last time.
My previous three Caminos I wore Saloman Gortex lightweight boots that I loved! Loved!!!

But due to bad knees by physio said I now have to use lighter footwear.

Nothing I tried was as comfortable. Nothing.
Too narrow, too broad, not enough cushioning....

I ended up buying 5 different pairs over the last 3 years to try them out.
All well known and popular trail runners talked about here.

In the end I opted for Hoka Stinsons.
They were not perfect but the best of the bunch. For my feet.
They started to fall apart at about 600 kms, but duct tape kept them going another 500!
If they were made in Gortex I'd buy some. I hate wet feet and socks.

But as it is, they are the best I could find (for me) so I bought three more pairs on arriving home.
Why?
Because the designs are always changing.
What is a great fit this year, likely won't be next year as they try to 'improve' the design.

The other shoes I tried, suit other peoplke perfectly.
For example, I met a Pilgrim walking in Altra Lone Peaks who loved them.
They hurt the soles of my feet after only 2 kms.

So the point?

It's great to hear what others use.
It gives you some ideas of shoes to try on whenyou go shopping.
But ultimately you need to pick what works for you and your feet.

Footwear has got to be the most time consuming and frustrating purchase for a Camino!!
By comparison packs are easy.

Happy shopping.
Listen to lots of advice.
But in the end...........listen to your feet
 
ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Comfort is King. 1st, last, and everything in between. If you've followed much of the advice above and really just want help to choose between the two, here's my two cents.
Presumably you've tried both and they're both equally comfortable. Then reading some of the reviews might help.

According to multiple reviews, the Hoka Transport is designed as an urban commuter shoe, so rather for daily errands, working, and some mild hiking - not for day after day after day on the trail. Two of the three reviewers I looked at also mentioned that towards the end of the day, as their feet swelled, they felt the shoe was a little on the narrow side. Another reported that they felt it was not great for warm weather.

The Brooks Cascadia on the other hand is specifically designed for the trail. They are up to version 17 for a very good reason. They tend to have a roomier toe box, good breathability and they're quite a stable shoe. The Rock plate tends to give you a little less contact with / feel for the trail, but that's not necessarily a bad thing if you're doing the likes of the Portuguese for example and all of their cobblestones and sets!

Others have made some alternative suggestions above, all good shoes.

But to repeat, Comfort is King. Assuming you've tried them on at the end of the day, having done a couple of kilometres wandering around town, with the sock combination you intend to wear on your Camino, and you really like the Hoka Transport - go for it.
 
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ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Since you will walk many miles before the Camino to prepare you will likely wear out a pair of shoes because most shoes last about 4oo miles before they break down I suggest you buy both of the shoes you are considering and alternate them. I did this in training for marathons. This will help you determine which to wear on your pilgrimage.
 

SCARPA | Hiking

Scarpa designs and manufactures top quality ski boots, mountaineering, rock climbing, hiking, alpine running, and mountain lifestyle gear.
us.scarpa.com

In 2013 I had to buy new boots for my third Camino, I looked for the most comfortable thing I could find. I wanted boots that would not cause any problems, especially that would not cause blisters, were flexible, very light, waterproof, for all types of terrain and would last several trails.
My search took me to the Scarpa factory, in Italy. They are very high-tech boots. Then I found the store in Madrid where I could try them. Simply wonderful. They are little known because they are truly exclusive. They are not cheap, but they are not the most expensive either. Yes, they are worth it.
But as other friends on the forum say, it is a personal choice, and almost each of us has something that we believe is best. I just want to contribute my experience and encourage you to investigate this brand. It has models for hiking with a backpack, designed with the weight of a backpack and the joints in mind. As I said, it is a high-tech sports brand. Also, mine are apparently new after more than 1000 kilometers, without any wear even on the sole.
I added a link to one of the special boots for long distance backpacking hiking, like the Camino, to see what kind of boots they make...

Scarpa marmolada pro hd - backpacking boots - shark-octane / last bag | SCARPA

Find here Marmolada Pro HD by Scarpa, Trekking boot for alpine hikes, via ferratas and backpacking. Protective and waterproof footwear.
world.scarpa.com
 
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@gmag , perhaps it depends on where you come from? I've worn Scarpa for many, many years. Bought my first pair - leather - in London something like 35 years ago. After 12 to 15,000 kilometers and resoling them four times they finally died about five years ago. Actually that's not entirely true - they just didn't fit properly anymore, my feet have spread. I bought a new pair similar to yours, like yours over 1000 kms later they still look practically new.
I use them almost exclusively in winter now, not just for hiking but for every day use.
However, they're not what I wear for a Camino. For hiking nowadays I've swapped to a trail runner. Ironic, but there it is.
 
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Re’ scarpa’s, same here, they were my ‘go-to’ for everything from rock climbing shoes to high altitude boots for 20-odd years. They’re widely available here in the UK and their I swear they modelled their lasts on my feet! These days I use Dolomite, another very good Italian manufacturer, as my feet have also changed with age and their footwear fit like gloves. For balance, on more than one occasion I trekked in the Himalayas using whatever I could buy in Kathmandu. That was generally lightweight Merrell synthetic boots and they were fine, even well above the snow line. I don’t think any of those lasted much beyond a five or six week trip but neither did they cost that much.
 
JoroAtanasof said:
Me too , but the traverse is almost identical to ultraventure pro . It appears that the pursuit it the new Altra killer…
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The biggest difference is that the Traverse is not zero drop like the Pursuits. I had issues with the zero drop and my tendon, switched to the Traverse and am very happy. Also have more cushion.
 
ObeeOne said:
I am looking at the Hoka Transport or the Brooks Cascadia 6. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Click to expand...
If you are doing a longer route I am not sure the Transport soles will make it to the end. Great shoe, but the soles wear.
 
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Martin 888 said:
Take a look at the new Topo Traverse……absolutely outstanding !
Click to expand...
I agree. I have been wearing these for several months and planning to use on the Camino this year. They fit (my foot) very well, have ample toe box room with moderate arch support. Comfortable both on pavement and trail. I also like the strap on the back. Have to "like" green though. I would recommend ½ size larger than normal shoes size.
 
Definitely agree with the comment that shoes/boots are very much an individual choice.
In my case I use a light hiking boot for day trips and a heavier duty leather hiking boot for multi-day trips carrying a pack; both with ankle support.
The Camino however is a very different type of trip. In preparation, I put a lot of effort into footwear selection and I ended up with what I'd describe as a walking shoe; it was a 'Salomon Ortholite'. It performed very well by way of comfort, no blisters and the sole looks like it's ready for another eight hundred kilometers.
Getting the footwear right is top priority. Buen Camino!
 
happymarkos said:
Rule 2 don’t by online. Unfortunately there can be manufacturing difference For the same shoe, even between left and right boots.
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Not possible for many people who don't live in a large metropolitan area with many choices. Even then, finding the right size and style can be difficult. I order online from retailers with free shipping and return shipping so that I can try on a variety of types of shoes, then return those that don't work for me.
 
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