PDA

View Full Version : Foot Crisis



casey
02-07-2004, 03:05
Im going absolutely mad about finding footwear that fit my feet. I was cursed with strangely shaped fit, wide in the front and narrow heels. So most shoes that fit well are usually way too loose in the heel and i get slippage.

The only trail shoe Ive ever owned thats fit well is the merrell Mesa Ventelator, but they dont make them anymore (theres a new style, but they dont fit my feet the same)

I leave for my thru-hike in 2 weeks, and i dont have shoes. This is a problem.
I thought REI was going to have me removed from the store yesterday when i walked in and asked to try on every sneaker they have. and to no avail, I am still shoeless.

Can anyone reccommend a good outfitter that can help me propperly fit a shoe? OR have any advice on how to make a shoe work for my feet.

Another problem Im having is, Id like to use Super Feet for the arch support, but when trying them with any shoe they make the fit even harder, especially in the heel where its raising it too high causing it to slip out as I walk.

any advice is appreciated very much.

Moon Monster
02-07-2004, 04:36
Four thoughts.

1. I'm partial to Tecnica. My feet are also very narrow in the heel for their length. I may not have your same width problem in the toe box, but Tecnica was the best shoe mnfr. I found for my low volume feet after I myself spent hours in an outfitter one day going through every box they had.

2. There is a device--I don't remember the name (can anyone?)--that can be used to help draw up the volume of any shoe by fitting under the laces. Not every shoe seller has these things, but good ones should know where you can find them. These things may not help your particular fit problem in the heel, though.

3. Consider street running shoes. There are many many designs and lots of technology and study in the fit of the top brands (Aasics, Nike, etc.). A good dedicated running shoe store (i.e., one that doesn't sell golf clubs or tennis rackets or basketballs or other stuff) should have much experience in fitting a shoe to your unique feet. Here in DC, there is a local shop where the owner can just stare at your feet for five minutes to find the perfect pair for you. Also, the market is bigger for runners and there may be more options there as compared to trail shoes. Fit is key; almost every type of shoe has made it from Springer to Katahdin. Don't be shy about getting outside the realm of shoes labeled for the trail.

4. Consider sandals. I thru-hiked all 2172 miles in Teva Wraptors. Tevas have three velcro straps, including one on the heel. That's three points of adjustability instead of just one at the laces of a regular shoe. (Teva also makes a shoe that uses a velcro strap under the laces.) Other popular sandal manufacturers exist also, notably including Chaco and Bite (though Chaco heal straps on some models are not adjustable and may be too wide for you--they are for me). Search the archives here for info on sandal hiking. More info can be found in the reviews and archives at www.thru-hiker.com

Good Luck!

bearbag hanger
02-07-2004, 09:15
Im going absolutely mad about finding footwear that fit my feet. I was cursed with strangely shaped fit, wide in the front and narrow heels. So most shoes that fit well are usually way too loose in the heel and i get slippage.

The only trail shoe Ive ever owned thats fit well is the merrell Mesa Ventelator, but they dont make them anymore (theres a new style, but they dont fit my feet the same)

I leave for my thru-hike in 2 weeks, and i dont have shoes. This is a problem.
I thought REI was going to have me removed from the store yesterday when i walked in and asked to try on every sneaker they have. and to no avail, I am still shoeless.

Can anyone reccommend a good outfitter that can help me propperly fit a shoe? OR have any advice on how to make a shoe work for my feet.

Another problem Im having is, Id like to use Super Feet for the arch support, but when trying them with any shoe they make the fit even harder, especially in the heel where its raising it too high causing it to slip out as I walk.

any advice is appreciated very much.

Sorry to break this to you, but what you have are women's feet. Try the women versions of shoes or hiking boots and you just might find a fit. I have the same problem and it took an outfitter quite a long time to figure out the problem. Can't help you with a name or store, it was almost 20 years ago in a place far far away.

There is also a device (Moon Monster mentioned them) you can fit behind and a little above your heals, but I guess they don't sell them anymore. It's been over ten years since I've seen them in a store. If you can find a shoe repair place (they have also disappeared) they might have them. They are oval shaped and thicker in the center. You might also try heel cups.

Youngblood
02-07-2004, 09:47
The people that I think do the best job of fitting feet to shoes are the experts at shoe stores that cater to runners. These folks seem to understand that feet come in different shapes and that feet tend to expand when used heavily. They group shoes in straight, semi-curved and curved lasts. They also understand about wide forefoots and narrow heels. You could try finding out where the runners/joggers in your area go to get footwear and see if they can help you out.

One other suggestion is to make a templete of both of your feet and use that to find a match for the properly shaped shoe. The way I have seen it done is to wait until you have been on your feet for awhile and then stand on a piece of paper while wearing socks. Have someone trace the outline of each foot on a piece of paper. Label left/right and then cut out the shape of your feet. Use these templetes to visually see if the shape of the shoe matches the shape of your feet. (I saw this demonstated by a Superfeet rep years ago at an AT thru-hiker seminar put on by REI in Atlanta-- I have 'pretty normal feet' so I take the lazy way out and just try to match the sole of the left shoe against my right foot and see if the curvature matches up.) If the curvature of your feet does not match the curvature of the shoe, then it will never be comfortable for hiking-- and I don't care how many of the employees of the outfitter or their friends swear that they are the most comfortable hiking shoe that they have ever used.

Hope this helps,
Youngblood

rumbler
02-07-2004, 11:20
I have a bit of the same issues with the heel. I tried both women's hiking shoes and hiking sandals, both with mixed success. Although if you do not have ankle issues and the straps don't bother you (they tended to cut the tops of my feet in the rain) the sandals may be a great solution for you.

I am also in the camp that thinks that Superfeet are over-rated. There are a number of other quality inserts that work better for many. Personally I went with cork inserts that were softer than the Superfeet. Easier on the balls of my foot, gave me the same arch support and never gave me blisters. You can get custom Superfeets, but my experience at Trail Days was that they were not worth the expense. The people who liked them loved them. The people who didn't (about 50% in my very unscientific poll) hated them, not only because they were not any more comfortable but primarily because they were really really expensive to boot.

Many people wear running shoes. If you don't need the extra protection of a boot this would be a great alternative as well. There are also differing styles of lacing your boots depending on your particular issue. I ended up wearing two sets of socks and lacing my boots in a style designed to help keep the heel more secure. Your outfitter should know how to show you this (I think my boots actually came with a flyer on different lacing techniques).

There is nothing more personal than your feet. I went through six differing pairs of shoes, boots and sandals before I resigned myself to the fact that I needed a heavy boot to walk that many miles. I hope the running shoe idea mentioned above gives you more options - The good thing with them is that you will not need to frantically break them in over the next two weeks.

Good luck on your hike. I'm envious!

kaytee
02-07-2004, 12:48
Sorry to break this to you, but what you have are women's feet. Try the women versions of shoes or hiking boots and you just might find a fit.

Sounds like interesting advice but only if you had smallish feet. Most womens's shoes only go up to a size 10. In men's shoe size that is about an 8. There are some brands that have size 11 or 12 women's but that is still only 9 or 10 in men's.

Good-luck with your shoe hunt.

casey
02-07-2004, 13:41
Thanks for all your advice, I think I'm gonna head up to a store in the city that caters to runners. I think that might be the best bet. I may even have to try going without the superfeet to get the right fit, maybe I can get a cheaper insole that is a good medium.

If only I could hike without feet.

exacademic
02-08-2004, 00:41
I have the exact same problem with my feet: wide (EEEE) toe box and insteps, but narrow heels. I've always struggled to find shoes that fit my feet. I do have a couple of recommendations for you to try that helped me.

First of all, Chris Townsend (who wrote the Backpacker's Handbook) has written the best article I've ever read about shoe fitting. It's online at http://gorp.away.com/gorp/gear/features/bootfit.htm. Townsend writes about the Phil Oren boot fitting system, and gives a number of great tips about how to assess excellent shoe fit. You can also check out Phil Oren's website (http://fitsystembyphiloren.com) for a list of dealers around the country who are trained in his system - perhaps there's one close to you. There wasn't a location anywhere near me, and I got fitted quite well at a local running store, must like the other posters suggested.

I've found, for running shoes, Saucony and Asics tend to have wider toe boxes and narrower heels, and perhaps they might work for you? As far as trail runners, New Balance were the only shoes even close to fitting my feet, as I have to get shoes in a wide size. They have wide heels, but with footbeds, they're quite a bit better. If you can regular width shoes (perhaps with some stretching in the toe box area), you'll have a lot more choices.

I'd also recommend trying out a number of different types of footbeds. Superfeet did not fit my feet well, but PowerSteps were nearly perfect. I believe that you can also have custom footbeds made, which could help to stabilize your heels better.

I hope this helps you out a bit. Best of luck with your hike...I'll be following you a couple of weeks back.

exacademic
02-08-2004, 00:48
One thing I forgot to mention: be sure to ask at a running store about different options for lacing your shoes. On an old pair of shoes I skipped the first set of eyelets (nearest the toe) to accomodate my wide feet. There is also a method of tying your shoes so that you can cinch the heels more tightly to your feet. Along with the footbeds in my New Balance shoes, this tying method keeps the heels from shifting when I walk.

Hope this helps.

Tripod
02-08-2004, 00:56
I've been using "Soles" brand insoles. They are Fantastic, even better than superfeet. If you haven't heard of them yet, go to your local outfitter and ask to see a pair. You take them home and put them in the oven, heating them up to 200 degrees, then slip them into your boots. Very quickly put your boots on and stand in a neutral position. The heated soles forms to the exact shape of your foot. The only down-side is that they are kinda expensive, about $35 (USD), well worth the money in my book!

Who knows, just might work...

Good luck.

Skeemer
02-08-2004, 13:05
While working out on the treadmill this morning (to stay in shape for hiking) I saw an ad for something that just may solve your problem. It's called the ProFoot Shoe Stretcher and they claim it can stretch either the front or heel...it also helps break in new shoes. You can check it out at the website wwwgreatbuyusa.com then click on the "seen on TV icon."

Hope this helps...Good Luck!