Shoe Saga

[linkster]

I posted about how comfortable my Men’s Altra Olympus 2.5 trail runners were before I left on my Camino, and wanted to share my experience with them now that I have returned home. I wore them for a couple of weeks before I left. They were super comfortable and did not seem to require any break in. I was in Madrid and walked around for miles each day, so by the time I left St. Jean I probably had a 100+ miles on them. About 5 days out of St. Jean I started to develop some foot pain in both feet, but predominantly in my right heel. After another several days the outside seem ripped on the right shoe. A tailor in Navarrete sewed them up for me, but the foot pain continued to worsen. I eventually retired them in Santo Dominingo, and got some Merrel Moabs. They were not perfect, but enabled me to finish the trip. I met a buddy who hiked the AT and used them, but he could only get 200 miles out of them before they were worn out. They just were not durable enough to last the distance.

 

[nycwalking]

Linkster,
Camino provided. Sounds like you had a Buen camino.

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi @linkster
Thanks for feedback.
Feet....... we certainly need happy ones for our caminos... we all at some point along the way, walk on some jagged or sharp rocks of some kind; so we need our footwear durable as well as comfortable..
I hope you’ve resolved the heel pain issue now.

Buen Camino
Annie

 

[Hiawatha]

I used Merrell Moabs from St Jean to Finisterre , I had worn them in for at least six months before starting and they still gave me some trouble .
I eventually solved that by making a stretcher ; a small block of pine that I would force into the left shoe after taking them off at night . This widened them enough to make them comfortable .
They are quite narrow despite their outward appearance .
The inner soles they come with are useless , these really should be changed unless you want to court serious foot pain or injury . However the uppers have worn very well , i still use them for training and dog walking .
I now have a new pair , same size , same model , identical in every visible aspect BUT they fit straight out of the box !
No two pairs are identical it seems , obviously the manufacturing process creates some variation and I was unlucky with my first pair , fortunate with the second .
Either that or my feet have shrunk

 

[james walter purdum iv]

solomon gtx mids

 

[Hiawatha]

I have Salomon XA pros James , I use these for casual wear and find them very comfortable . There is a problem with some styles though , the inner soles they come with are so specifically designed that it is well nigh impossible to find over the counter replacements that will fit .
To make matters worse Salomon ; at least here in Australia , do not supply replacement inner soles ,thus rendering the otherwise excellent shoe useless if the inner sole has worn out .
I went through two sets of admittedly soft wearing inners in the Moabs in Spain and was very glad to have carried a spare set . If I had worn the Salomons I suspect that I would have had to buy new shoes in Galicia .

 

[Sunrayrob]

Good post and heads-up for future pilgrims linkster. Choice of footwear is one of the most if not the most important decisions you will make with respect to selecting what you take on the Camino. A number of pilgrims who spoke to me of their experience emphasised the importance of having good footwear. We ultimately chose Salomon X Ultra 3 Hiking Shoes. We had not worn them before but there were a lot of good reviews of them and they proved to be were very comfortable when we put them on in the shoe store. They were not cheap however! Before we went on the Camino however we took the time to break them in and would have walked at least 200km in them during our training for the Camino. At a point we stopped training in them to protect the tread so that they would last the 800 km of our Camino. The upshot is that neither my partner or I got any blisters while walking the Camino Frances. What you ultimately choose to wear however is a personal choice but I found it useful to hear from previous pilgrims experiences and also look at the hiking shoe reviews on the internet before deciding.

 

[HedaP]

Yikes, that does not sound at all good. I am on my third pair of Altras and have never had a seam rip. I wonder if you got a dud pair or if that is the norm for the Olympus? This year I wore Altra Lone Peak 2.5 for over 800 kms with some visible wear on the soles but nowhere near enough to impact grip. In my experience the material on the tops wears out long before the soles (around about or just after Leon) but what’s a few tiny holes in the crease line on the tops of a non-waterproof shoe? My theory is this wear comes quicker than usual due to extra flexing because of buying a shoe one size bigger than my foot. Oh and then there is walking day after day in blazing sun and driving rain and thick mud and whatever else comes along! There is definitely not another camino in these shoes but I already have another pair of Altras waiting for the next one.

 

[WGroleau]

I used Merrell Moabs from St Jean to Finisterre , I had worn them in for at least six months before starting and they still gave me some trouble .
…[snip]…
No two pairs are identical it seems , obviously the manufacturing process creates some variation and I was unlucky with my first pair , fortunate with the second .
Either that or my feet have shrunk

No two people are identical. I took a pair of Merrell Moab Ventilators from the bin of shoes abandoned by pilgrims, and they were my only shoes for two years. They were still comfortable when I decided they had too much wear and replaced them. And I haven't had a car for seven years; I walk or bike everywhere, five to sixty kilometers a day. (average probably ten to fifteen)

 

[linkster]

I have Merrell Moab Mids in wide they have always been comfortable. I switch out the standard insoles for SOLE Ed Vestures. I made the mistake of training here in SW Florida on hard pavement it was hot, so I walked a lot in my jogging shoes. I developed a stress fracture in my left foot (over use, wring shoe, who knows for sure). So I rested and wanted something with extra cushioning ... altras. I should have just gone back to my stand by, but my podiatrist thought they were a good idea. They were comfortable for the first 200k of use. Maybe they were duds, and I am giving them a bum rap. Next time I will hit the trail with mu Moabs.

 

[Former member 49149]

Perhaps I have missed a reference, but when I buy walking shoes or boots I am always asked about insoles. My first pair of insoles, which I used for 150km and then for 800km, and then for ten years! have just cracked. The assistants in the shop tell me that the makers of the shoes and boots do not invest in the insoles, it is up to the person buying them to get a good custom fitted insole. I was sad to see the tiny cracks, those insoles have “understood” me for many years!

 

[Mike ward]

I have Salomon XA pros James , I use these for casual wear and find them very comfortable . There is a problem with some styles though , the inner soles they come with are so specifically designed that it is well nigh impossible to find over the counter replacements that will fit .
To make matters worse Salomon ; at least here in Australia , do not supply replacement inner soles ,thus rendering the otherwise excellent shoe useless if the inner sole has worn out .
I went through two sets of admittedly soft wearing inners in the Moabs in Spain and was very glad to have carried a spare set . If I had worn the Salomons I suspect that I would have had to buy new shoes in Galicia .

hmmm interesting post. I have tramping boots and my wife is using Solomon shoes. I have been finding when its hot I have had issue with very wet feet and are trying some on was thinking of wearing the XA Pro 3D for our Camino in April 2018. But going by your post you don't think they will last the distance?

 

[Hiawatha]

I have been finding when its hot I have had issue with very wet feet and are trying some on was thinking of wearing the XA Pro 3D . But going by your post you don't think they will last the distance?

Wet feet are a real bugbear Mike , the Merrells I use are Gortex lined and this makes matters so much worse .
The Salomon XA pro is a great shoe and I never get hot wet feet in them , I don't believe there are any issues with their durability either . The quick lace system takes a few days to really become accustomed to , but this is a minor issue .
My problem is with the inner sole , the Salomon footbed is highly arched , because of this the inner sole provided is very thin and has an unusual two piece contruction with padding alongside the arch of the foot .
Very comfortable and supportive .
The issue arises when the inner wears out or flattens , this happens with all shoes , but of course you can generally go to any sports store and buy a replacement that suits both the shoe and your foot . The Salomon inner is an exception though .
For what it is worth my advice would be to look carefully at the inners supplied , and if you can source replacements then the Salomons may well be the shoe for you .

 

[Mike ward]

Wet feet are a real bugbear Mike , the Merrells I use are Gortex lined and this makes matters so much worse .
The Salomon XA pro is a great shoe and I never get hot wet feet in them , I don't believe there are any issues with their durability either . The seep lace system takes a few days to really become accustomed to , but this is a minor issue .
My problem is with the inner sole , the Salomon footbed is highly arched , because of this the inner sole provided is very thin and has an unusual two piece contruction with padding alongside the arch of the foot .
Very comfortable and supportive .
The issue arises when the inner wears out or flattens , this happens with all shoes , but of course you can generally go to any sports store and buy a replacement that suits both the shoe and your foot . The Salomon inner is an exception though .
For what it is worth my advice would be to look carefully at the inners supplied , and if you can source replacements then the Salomons may well be the shoe for you .

Thanks Charles useful feedback will look some more at what you have suggested.