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Shoes

AnnaVerhoek

Anna
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino del Norte July/ August/September 2023
Hello,

I am Anne, and in July/ August I am going to walk the Camino del Norte.
I have Meindl shoes and they are doing a good job. I read a lot about trailrunners and I am curious.
Are these good shoes to walk the camino?
Thank you very much for any comments.
 
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Are they comfortable? Do you like them?

Everyone has a different opinion on the perfect shoe. For most of the trails on Camino a hiking boot is not needed and so a trail runner or hiking shoe will do. If you have hiking boots and you like them, wear them.
 
AnnaVerhoek said:
I read a lot about trailrunners and I am curious.
Are these good shoes to walk the camino?
Click to expand...

Meindl shoes are very good quality. I walked my first Camino in Meindl boots and realized that boots are kind of “overkill” on the Camino. I then switched to Meindl shoes and found them very comfortable but still a bit heavy. Then I switched to trail running shoes and found that they are adequate for Caminoes, they are light and comfortable, well cushioned and have good traction and they dry quickly if they get wet.

This is only my personal experience and we are all different. I believe the best advice is that given by @K_Lynn above: If you feel comfortable with the shoes you have, those are the ones to go with *).

Buen Camino.

*) But, of course, if you don't try something different, you won't know if you're missing something
 
Last edited:
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If you are used to hiking or distance walking in your Mendl's, you are certain they have a good fit with the load you decide to carry, and they are comfortable, then use the Meindl shoes you have.
 
AnnaVerhoek said:
I read a lot about trailrunners and I am curious.
Are these good shoes to walk the camino?
Click to expand...
Maybe, but the footwear you are familiar with would be my recommendation if it is working for you and has sufficient life left in the outer and mid-sole.

If you do decide to change, give yourself enough time to confirm that what you choose is going to work for you at the distances you intend to walk on the camino, carrying the load that you are planning to take. You want to have time to make and check out any changes you might need to make to any of the footwear, inserts, socks etc.
 
Yes, trail runners are great shoes for the Camino. Like a regular running shoe but better traction on the bottom. That said - try a pair out and compare to your current shoe. See what works best for you. Best to do some long distance walking in both pairs of shoes. I find most shoes are fine for a few km, but the longer distance I walk - the more I find most shoes don't work. Altra Lone Peaks work best for me. Doesn't mean they work best for you though. And make sure you practice in the socks you intend to wear on the Camino. In fact - you should be wearing them when you get fitted for shoes. I wear Injinji Toe Socks with a cushioned Merino Wool sock (Darn Tough of Injinji brand). With these - I do size up my shoes.
 
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Hi Anne
As someone who's first decades of walking were confined to mountains and rugged coastal terrain you'd have never got me out of boots, these days things have moved on and I must confess I'm a convert to trailrunners. Considering the months you are intending to walk I would look for something that doesn't have a gore tex ( too hot ) but does have a vibram sole. ( Better grip) . Hoka and Altra are makes I would recommend though Altras are not for everyone ( zero drop ) . Hope this helps ;-)
 

I bought a pair of Altras recently they're wide enough, very cushy, but there is just something not right...I think that zero drop may be it. Thank you Martin B. Anyone know how to figure what drop works best for your feet?
 
I don't know those shoes. What I know is lots of folks will advise about shoes. I can tell you what I wear. But it won't be advice. I've seen just about every kind of shoe I can imagine on the Camino. A story. Once I was in REI shopping for something else for my upcoming Camino (I had already walked two times). The guy asked, "What shoes did you wear?" I said, "The ones I have on--lightweight Brooks running shoes." He was shocked, called another shoe guy over and exclaimed about me walking in something like that! The other guy said, "That's exactly what I would wear." The bottom line: you have to wear what works for you, which means, walk enough in them before you go to be sure. I've seen people in heavy leather hiking boots, in sandals and flip flops, running shoes, and I've seen two people who walked barefoot. So, there you have it! Buen Camino!
 
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When I was walking my last Camino, the people with really bad blisters mostly walked in heavy hiking boots. The problem is, they are quite stiff and your foot tends to be pressed in boot shape, not the other way round. So unless you had good experiences on long trails and have walked them in very well, I would always recommend light trail runners with a very good cushion. For my next Camino I bought Altra Olympus 5 trail runners, my toes have so much space to spread out and the cushion is amazing! On my last Camino I had Salomon trail runners with not enough cushion. Didn't get blisters, but my soles and knees hurt unfortunately.
 
purpledugong said:
When I was walking my last Camino, the people with really bad blisters mostly walked in heavy hiking boots.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I remember making a similar observation after my first camino that those wearing boots seemed less likely to have blisters, and by far the worst blisters were suffered by those wearing various forms of sneakers and trail runners. I know the only blister that I got on that camino formed the day that I wore sandals. I have continued to wear boots since, and up to last year, never suffered a blister again, while watching plenty of people in shoes suffer.

That said, I never set out on any camino with a plan to consistently collect statistics on this or any number of the many other interesting things that happen to others. Nor do I expect others to either. More, I think we see what we want to see, and there is a confirmation bias in what we observe along the way. As a result, I treat ancedotes such as this, even mine, as being highly unreliable.
 
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Did my Camino (from Porto, Costa way) in early March. On the second day realized that my trekking shoes that were good for one day tours turned out to be not soft enough, that ended up in blisters. Had to switch to Crocs classic glogs and need to say it was pretty comfortable. Having plastic bags between two socks helped to survive on rainy days and keep on going. Whatever you choose as your main "shoes option" - take a second pair for emergencies like this additionally
 
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