what is the right hiking shoe size......

[Dutchwalk53]

So I have been reading lots of posts here and most of them say "buy your hinking shoes/boots 1 size bigger due to swelling and walking downhill and not want my toenails to get damaged". So I ended up buying a size 10 Keen Marschall hiking shoes while I have normally a size 9 ( ps they felt great trying them on in the store) . I tried them on with my thick comfy Thorlo socks and my aetrex insoles (I have metatarsalgia) and all felt good. Now I'm trying to break them in.....the first few 5 k walks all was well but now I suddenly am getting blisters on my heels. When I walk my heels go up and down a tiny bit but aside from that all feels well. Did I end up buying them too big and should I get a size smaller ( 9.5 which is only 1/2 a size up from my normal size)...or is this just part of breaking in hiking shoes and should I stick with them due to the fact that my feet will swell during the Camino ????? I still have 6 months to try stuff out etc so plenty time

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hy , the shoes i'm walking in are a 1/2 a size bigger than my normal shoes . This is good for me , but not for everyone i think.
I wish you good luck with your shoes and a Buen Camino .

 

[scruffy1]

Shalom Dutchwalk and Greetings from Jerusalem

Boots can be a serious problem until broken in and properly fitted, a size too big is not a bad decision however, many do not realize that a size 9 shoe from a particular manufacturer may be bigger or smaller by 1/4 size perhaps even more than the same size produced by a rival producer. You may even be able to feel a size difference between different models made by the same company. Boots also stretch or shrink according to use, age, and weather Your feet may just need some more time to feel at home in the boot. Your insoles help as do the socks, in June in Spain your feet will swell in a heavy sock, count on it! What to do? For the time being, try wrapping your heels with an elastic bandage, just two or three times around, don't need the entire length so cut it, they usually are far too long, you can even wrap it around your sock since you are looking for a bit of extra padding not support. When you start walking real distance remember to keep your boots tied as you prefer but open, even remove them every few hours to rest – too much bother? Then do it at lunchtime and dry your feet. Watch those laces! Loosen them from time to time during the walk, have mercy on your feet. Buen Camino.

PS I have lived over 50 years now in Jerusalem, born and raised in Tampa though so we are almost neighbors!

 

[Houlet]

There is no simple answer as the REAL sizes vary by manufacturer.

For example in my experience Miendl are much broader fitting than Scarpa so it depends on the make and shape of your feet.

IMHO you have to try them on and maybe allow a half size bigger than what is comfortable in the shop.

 

[lettinggo]

Hola

Good answers all ready, and I can only add that a part of walking extensively, if one does not do this at a regular basis, is that the skin of the feet will harden up.
Most foot skin is not used to and worn by walking 25+ km a day, which results in blisters.
After blisters the skin will harden and make the skin more resistant to blisters, so a part of preparing for a long walk can in many cases include to have blisters.
That said, many will of course be able to walk an entire Camino without any blisters.
The individual part of what and how, is at play here.
Hope this helps.

P.S.
1/2-1 size bigger shoe/boot is generally an excellent idea.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[wayfarer]

This is the way I buy boots to fit. Wear the socks you intend to use while walking, I use the double sock method, a coolmax liner sock and Bridgedale trecking outer sock. Put your foot into the boot/shoe, I wear mid boots, push your foot forward until your toe touches the front of the boot, now you should be able to fit two fingers between your heel and the back of the boot. Laceing is also very important to keep your feet in the right position in the boot. Search the forum for laceing threads and also YouTube. The first link is the method I use.
I hope this helps Dutchwalker.

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacingmethods.htm

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Good morning Dutchwalk53- the standard half size larger can completely depend on the boot and brand. Best thing is to find a outdoors supplier, take a good hiking sock with you and go visit the store.
A good boot should not need to be broken in but more your foot should become familiar with the boot. Learn how and why you lace your boots different ways. The boot should fit like a hand is holding your foot, wiggle room in the toe box you don't want your foot to be squished. If you have heel irritation it could simply be lacing.
Hope that helps, your boot needs to be your choice.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We were told that when trying the boots/shoes we should be wearing our sock combination. Then push the foot right up to the front of the toe box. It should be possible to put your middle finger between your heel and the back of the footwear. This will allow for some spread while avoiding slipping. It has worked for us. Somewhere there is a whole thread with advice and we have found this about sizing useful. It avoids relying on differing sizing from manufacturers. Then check that you have tied them correctly, often a half tie at the top of the foot arch will prevent the laces slackening.

 

[Kiwi-family]

If you heel is slipping and you have tied the laces properly, then maybe it is a half size too big.....or maybe that style does not suit your foot.

 

[Dave2525]

Mine were a half size bigger than normal. That was with thin liner socks and wool outers. I also used heel-lock lacing which helped reduce slippage

 

[Dutchwalk53]

Thanks for all the replies....I will try to "heel lock" my shoes and indeed give it some more time with some extra "taping " of my sensitive spots or evel put elastic bandage around my feet as Scruffy 1 suggested. I tried my shoes on again to see if I can put a finger behind my heel when I slide all the way forward and I can but it's snug so it doesn;t seem like they are too big. Reason I bought the Keens is the wide toe box due to my metatarsalgia. I will keep walking in them and hopefully it will become better soon. If not.....then I guess I'll get another pair of shoes to walk in. I'm happy I started the process early on....I have no problems with walking 10 miles "fitness wise" but my feet need to feel OK.

 

[wayfarer]

Thanks for all the replies....I will try to "heel lock" my shoes and indeed give it some more time with some extra "taping " of my sensitive spots or evel put elastic bandage around my feet as Scruffy 1 suggested. I tried my shoes on again to see if I can put a finger behind my heel when I slide all the way forward and I can but it's snug so it doesn;t seem like they are too big. Reason I bought the Keens is the wide toe box due to my metatarsalgia. I will keep walking in them and hopefully it will become better soon. If not.....then I guess I'll get another pair of shoes to walk in. I'm happy I started the process early on....I have no problems with walking 10 miles "fitness wise" but my feet need to feel OK.

If the fit is good try the surgeons knot as in the YouTube link above, that should help.

 

[Dutchwalk53]

Just did a trial 4 k walk with the surgeons knot....that certainly helped with the heel slipping.....just need to let my heel blister heal a bit better before I will attempt a longer walk. I ordered leukotape and hopefully that will help with some extra moleskin on my hotspots on my heels.

 

[Mark Lee]

Bring a couple of pairs of thin, lightweight synthetic running type socks with you when you do your Camino in the event the socks you now have end up being too thick and cause problems. That way you have the option to switch and possibly remedy the situation. It's almost impossible to know how your shoe/sock combination will work beforehand and it's hard to duplicate walking 15-30 kilometers a day for 30 or so days with 8-10 kilos on your back until you actually do it.

 

[MichaelSG]

Bring a couple of pairs of thin, lightweight synthetic running type socks with you when you do your Camino in the event the socks you now have end up being too thick and cause problems. That way you have the option to switch and possibly remedy the situation. It's almost impossible to know how your shoe/sock combination will work beforehand and it's hard to duplicate walking 15-30 kilometers a day for 30 or so days with 8-10 kilos on your back until you actually do it.

...but make sure that you try any socks before your Camino. Being in Spain and trying different socks for the first time is a disaster waiting to happen. I used the double sock system, boots one size larger than my other shoes and in 60 days of Camino walking, the only one where I got blisters was the day I decided to use the synthetic sport socks instead of silk liner / wool socks. I wanted to give my feet "breathing space" after they had swollen up a bit. That was a big mistake that I could have avoided by trying that during training walks.

 

[shefollowsshells]

So I have been reading lots of posts here and most of them say "buy your hinking shoes/boots 1 size bigger due to swelling and walking downhill and not want my toenails to get damaged". So I ended up buying a size 10 Keen Marschall hiking shoes while I have normally a size 9 ( ps they felt great trying them on in the store) . I tried them on with my thick comfy Thorlo socks and my aetrex insoles (I have metatarsalgia) and all felt good. Now I'm trying to break them in.....the first few 5 k walks all was well but now I suddenly am getting blisters on my heels. When I walk my heels go up and down a tiny bit but aside from that all feels well. Did I end up buying them too big and should I get a size smaller ( 9.5 which is only 1/2 a size up from my normal size)...or is this just part of breaking in hiking shoes and should I stick with them due to the fact that my feet will swell during the Camino ????? I still have 6 months to try stuff out etc so plenty time

Keens did not work for me, during my first Camino where I wore Brooks I noticed some of my friends in Keens and decided there and then the next Camino I would get those exact shoes.
They just felt big on me...I went and got ultralight marathon shoes called "Hoka Hoka Onye" and had no foot issues. Loved those shoes...though some of the ugliest shoes I have ever seen ...

 

[4d3fect]

would heel cups work?

 

[gml]

Blisters are caused by friction, and the best advice I got about foot care (and it was from people on this forum) is to apply a thin coating of Vaseline every morning to the blister-prone areas to prevent friction: on the heels, between the toes, and so on. I followed this routine faithfully, wore thin synthetic liner socks under Smartwool medium hiking socks, and walked the Camino Frances in brand new shoes without a single blister. My feet were actually softer at the end! As soon as I returned, I ordered a second pair of the same shoes and have just walked the Chemin du Puy in the new pair (no breaking in) with the same Vaseline+double-sock system. No blisters, despite several days of 30+ km in a heat wave. My shoes (Salomon) are my regular size, feel snug but not tight, and have wiggle room in the toe area. It may sound icky to apply Vaseline, but it's only a very thin coating, and it's easy to wash it out of the liner socks daily.

 

[Kanga]

@Dutchwalk53 sounds like the heel might be too wide. Different lasts suit different feet; I have a very wide forefoot but a narrow heel. Makes it hard to find the right fit in boots. I now wear runners. Comfortable out of the box.

 

[wawpdx]

I have a very wide forefoot but a narrow heel. Makes it hard to find the right fit in boots. I now wear runners. Comfortable out of the box.

Kanga, can you tell me what brand you wear with this wide toebox/narrow heel combination? I am a reluctant convert out of the boot camp but this sounds worth a try next time.
Thanks, Nancy

 

[Mark Lee]

Kanga, can you tell me what brand you wear with this wide toebox/narrow heel combination? I am a reluctant convert out of the boot camp but this sounds worth a try next time.
Thanks, Nancy

I have the same type feet; wide forefoot, narrower heel, and subsequently the only time I have had any type of blister issue, it was on my little toes where the outside of the toe contacts the shoe/boot. Never had a blister issue with running shoes. I think because they are more forgiving where the toe rubs and I wear New Balance runners with a wider toe box. As far as hiking shoes/boots go, I have heard that Keen is known for a wider toe box.

 

[Kanga]

Kanga, can you tell me what brand you wear with this wide toebox/narrow heel combination? I am a reluctant convert out of the boot camp but this sounds worth a try next time.
Thanks, Nancy

Nancy, I've been wearing Asics for years (men's sizes to get the width). I'm currently in a pair of Nimbus.

The other shoes that fit me well are New Balance.

I agree that runners are softer and so mould around the ankle more easily than boots.

If you are inclined to try runners make sure they have plenty of padding underneath, to protect from rocks, and that the tread will last the distance. Runners should, because they are made for pounding on roads, but other gym shoes are not. Brookes also fit me but I'd never wear them on Camino - the tread wears down too quickly.

Interesting that people say Keens have a wider toe box - I can't even get my foot into their sandals - my arch is too high.

 

[DurhamParish]

My boots are 1 size larger that what I usually wear and they don't give me any trouble AT ALL. Liner socks, smartwool socks, and a liberal application of body glide.

 

[kmrice]

So I ended up buying a size 10 Keen Marschall hiking shoes while I have normally a size 9 ( ps they felt great trying them on in the store)

1. For me, if they feel great in the store, or hiking around the neighborhood, they will definitely not be right for the Camino. I made this mistake on the CS and suffered.

2. Don't forget width. Keenes are said to have a wide toe box, but I had a major problem with the width of my Keenes (although I've never worn a wide shoe). For the 200 mile Cammino di Assisi, I wore Keenes a size larger than on the CS and did better, but still had toe box width problems.

Some brands sell wide sizes. I'm now wearing an 8w Vasque on one foot and an 8.5 regular Keene on the other, and think I've got it nailed.

3. A lot of people have different size feet, myself included. It does't matter much normally, but is has, for me, on very long walks. I' resigned to having to buy two pairs of boots in the future. Expensive, but on the Camino, few things matter more than the comfort of your feet.

Karl

 

[Dutchwalk53]

So I taped my heel blisters with moleskin today and wore my regular Brooks shoes. They felt great for about 2 miles and then my blisters were still too sensitive to be covered so I ended up walking another 6 miles (to complete my 8 mile walk for today) in my old sketchers flip flop style sandals that I brought along in my backpack just in case(not the best sandals to walk in but it felt great to have nothing against my blisters). For now I will give my feet a few days of rest so my blisters can heel . Then I will try again my regular Brooks.......I think I will just wear my Keens around the house for now to see if I can break them in a bit better before I make another attempt to walk I them for a longer walk. Hey if it turns out it is not my shoe...I may just get some runners and a sturdy sandal for back up.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For now I will give my feet a few days of rest so my blisters can heel . Then I will try again my regular Brooks

This points to the reason that the Camino is not the right place to be surprised. Test everything at home. On the Camino you really do not have the option to give your feet a few days of rest. It is very wise of you to do this learning at home where you can test some different corrective actions. I hope you can find the remedy. I advocate shoes that fit, not shoes that are too big or too small. Fit your footwear with the sock combination you will be using.

 

[Dutchwalk53]

Thanks Falcon....and yes I WILL try everything before leaving.....obviously I may still run in to problems but at least i can try to minimize them. ...

Ps it's SO GREAT to able to "talk to" everybody on this site about this "crazy walk" ......yes at home they kind of understand it....but then again not really ha ha I'm going with my 20 year old son so he is into it , but won't start the training until 6 weeks prior to leaving....he's young , very fit and has broken in boots so hopefully this will be enough prep for him. I warned him that walking 15 miles every day is different that regular work outs

 

[Kanga]

@falcon269 is spot on. @Dutchwalk53 my children laugh at me too, walking the bush paths round here with fully laden pack and dorky poles - but who needed and was grateful to borrow those dorky pokes to descend the Alto del Pardon when her knee gave way? My very fast and fit daughter.