View Full Version : Hiking shoes
I have finished my homemade hiking shoes! I posted them in the Backpacking Light site. So here is a link to the full writeup (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=38782).
Here are pictures:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1317/5133422763_bcab78a6cc.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/5133421845_bae96fd30c.jpg
Nice to see that those soles also are entirely flat - from looking at companies who use them w/ finished boots and the vibram website, it looked like there was some heel built in.
Do you think a midfoot strap under the padding sort-of like on http://www.rei.com/product/781272 would be a doable addition? (not quite like as shown...no heel wrap-back necessarily) A friend of mine had a pair of Teva shoes w/ that a few years ago and found it wonderful in the mud around here, and it's something I'd like to toss on when I make some, if possible...
I'd also like to do a slightly more substantial insole...maybe a thin sheet of cork and a glued-in insole. Have you seen anything like a Birkenstock blank in your "travels"? I could use cork gasket material, but it's far too thin, and I'd have more glue than cork...
You could add a strap there, sure.
I had considered a cork sole. I found different widths of cork sheeting at the hardware store. I think Home Depot has it.
The cool thing about making shoes is that you see that it's really not that complicated. Most footwear is totally over-engineered. I made these from start to finish today in about 6 hours. The real lightbulb goes on when you go out there and walk in them and find they work.
Sure, they aren't as glamorous as store-bought shoes, but it's liberating to know I can make my own shoes.
A good thing to do that I didn't mention is to get some felt and test your pattern with felt before you move on to the real fabric or leather.
I like this pair the best. One thing I'd love to add is a zipper to connect the shoes to my pants...like a built-in gaiter to keep out ticks and rocks. I may make my own shoes for that reason alone. Your projects have been an inspiration.
I tested my shoes on an 11 mile hike with 2800 feet elevation gain. I was happy with the fit of the uppers and with the grippiness of the Vibram sole. I wasn't too happy with the blue foam. It was way too squishy.
So I resoled them with 3/16" of cork sheeting and a thin layer of leather on top of the cork. We'll see if this even holds together. If they aren't cushy enough, I can always put a Spenco insert inside. They feel better already.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1257/5155633295_fa08327324.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/5155633537_e8402c6c7f.jpg
stretchin
11-10-2010, 16:27
Love the look with the cork mid-sole. Let us know how they work out!
One thing I'd love to add is a zipper to connect the shoes to my pants
Velcro ?
I wasn't too happy with the blue foam. It was way too squishy.
I tried that as an insole with my Neos overboots , same result...
BTW, there are many different Vibram compounds, some grippier than others. Generally the grippier they are the sooner they wear out.
Franco
Those are sweet. If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your Vibram outsole?
You can get soles like that at cobbler's supply websites or from a cobbler.
Have you tried them out w/ the cork? Is 3/16" enough? Are they pretty much finalized now?
Also, do you have any better pics of the inside? I'm seeing some strapping sewn inside that I'd like to see some details of, if you have pics.
Any thoughts on adding a fiberglass/carbon/steel shank? It sounds like you don't want one, but that's something I'd be looking for. Any pitfalls you can think of to watch for?
What purpose would a shank serve? I remember reading about them being added to military boots when stepping on spikes were a very real concern, but I really hope you're not hiking anywhere that that's a risk.
Most boots and many (most?) trail runners have a shank of some sort in them.
Where I hike there's lots of rocks with somewhat sharp edges I'm stepping on, so the shank helps distribute the force of that to my whole foot instead of feeling the edge through my boot. I've hiked in shank-less boots around here and it was not a feeling I wish to have again.
I added that webbing inside to help keep my heel from slipping up as I walked. I just hand-sewed it in after the fact. I goes from the seam at the middle around the ankle kind of like a sandal strap. It also covers the edge of the webbing that makes the little pull-on loop at the top. The edge of that was rubbing on my heel.
I wouldn't want a shank. You could put one in if you wanted one. My goal was something minimal. I want to strengthen my foot but I don't want to walk all gingerly over sharp rocks. I want to walk fast and not be in pain and strengthen my feet all at the same time.
In addition to the cork, which really is enough, I put in some thin, flat Spenco inserts. I don't think they are necessary though. I have worn them without.
They worked great. They look and feel like moccasins. I can feel the difference in different kinds of ground surfaces. I can feel the softness when the dirt is soft. I can feel acorns under my feet but they don't hurt. Even though they are thin and flexible the soles have excellent traction (better than any of my other shoes) and the protection from sharp things is as much as I need.
I don't think I'm going to make any changes to them now. I'm happy with them. I worry they won't last very long but that's okay. I can make another pair. I'm working on a pair made of felt. I'm worried that I made them too small so now I'm trying to figure out what I can do to make them bigger that won't look bad.
What purpose would a shank serve? I remember reading about them being added to military boots when stepping on spikes were a very real concern, but I really hope you're not hiking anywhere that that's a risk.
This past summer I was wearing shoes and stepped on a broken bottle and it went right through my shoe. The glass went about an inch in to the arch of my foot and cut the plantar fascia. I had my shoes on! It was tender for several months.
I know it was rare but if I had better shoes on ........