nehiker
08-25-2011, 17:31
I have been trying to get a pair of ``lightweight backpacking" boots (as EMS categorizes them) that fit. The most common problem I encountered was pinching of the joints on the right foot where the toes are attached. I feel it walking level, on carpet and hardwood, as well going up the stairs, but not down the stairs (when the toes do not touch the floor). The pinching seems to be from below, not from the sides, but the only explanation for this I could see is that the toebox is too narrow. Is this likely to be the case?
I currently own Timberland Chocorua, size 12 medium, which I purchased at Dick's Sporting Goods 3-4 years ago and have done 300-400 miles in. Unfortunately, they are dying, plus my foot seems to have expanded a little since. So, I have been using them for occasional trail work recently, but I need to get something else for hiking. This is the only pair of shoes/boots in the past 20 years I bought in this size; all the others have been 12.5 (back when such things existed) and 13. Size 13 in these boots felt way too big when I tried them in the store (after walking 3 miles on asphalt, while it was in the 90s and no shade). I normally wear them with Ultimax Ironman Triathlon socks (CoolMax, a bit thicker than regular white cotton socks). With liner socks under SmartWool mediums, I feel pinching in these boots also, but only under the two right toes (I tried this only recently for comparison).
Unfortunately, the EMS near me and Campmor do not have many boots in big sizes in stock, so I have had to order some of the boots online. In particular, I have tried Asolo FSN 95 in size 14 wide and now Timberland Chocorua, size 13 wide (b/c the DSG near me did not have any large sizes in stock).
I felt this pinching in both of them, even with just the liner socks (as well with my usual Ultimax socks). I measured the width of the outsole at the widest part in the front half of the boot. Asolo's size 14 wide are about 1/3'' narrower than my old Timberlands size 12 medium, while the new Timberlands size 13 wide are 1/4'' narrower the old size 12 medium!
While at my local DSG with nothing of what I had intended to try in my size in stock, I tried Merrell Moabs size 14 (regular; I don't think they come in wide). They felt really nice and light. They did seem to provide some ankle support, though less than what I am used. I would have been willing to try them out, but again I felt that pinching on my right foot, with liner and smartwool socks on. It was quite a bit milder with these boots though, and the width of the outsole was only slightly less than on my old Timberlands.
The only boots I have tried recently that did not have this were Vasque Breeze XCR and Wasath, 13 wide. Unfortunately, both hurt the bone on my right ankle which points inward. In fact, I purchased the Breezes in May and took them for a 35-hike on the AT in PA, after a few miles on the road. That bone started hurting on the second day, which I attributed to doing 19 miles with lots of rocks. So, I took them on the Long Trail, where they failed badly (got soaked every time they came into contact with any significant amount of water from the very beginning, and the outsoles started to detach after about 100 miles on the LT). After a few days, that bone started hurting again. I dealt with this by leaving the shoelaces on the right boot fairly loose. This greatly reduced the ankle support, so the part of my right ankle behind the bone started to hurt (this got pretty bad at some point, but Advil seemed to control this, and after a few days I was able to cut down on the Advil). I was going SOBO, so replacing the boots was not an option (there is not an EMS on every corner in northern VT). I tried the Wasath shortly after finishing the LT; so, that bone may have been more sensitive than usual and I could feel
the pressure even in the store (unlike what happened with the Breeze). To make sure it was not overly sensitive, I tried my old Timberlands and felt no pressure on that bone (the Asolos did not hurt there either).
Any advice on what boots might work for me? I'd like ankle support, so I do not want to go to low-cuts.
Sorry for the long post.
I currently own Timberland Chocorua, size 12 medium, which I purchased at Dick's Sporting Goods 3-4 years ago and have done 300-400 miles in. Unfortunately, they are dying, plus my foot seems to have expanded a little since. So, I have been using them for occasional trail work recently, but I need to get something else for hiking. This is the only pair of shoes/boots in the past 20 years I bought in this size; all the others have been 12.5 (back when such things existed) and 13. Size 13 in these boots felt way too big when I tried them in the store (after walking 3 miles on asphalt, while it was in the 90s and no shade). I normally wear them with Ultimax Ironman Triathlon socks (CoolMax, a bit thicker than regular white cotton socks). With liner socks under SmartWool mediums, I feel pinching in these boots also, but only under the two right toes (I tried this only recently for comparison).
Unfortunately, the EMS near me and Campmor do not have many boots in big sizes in stock, so I have had to order some of the boots online. In particular, I have tried Asolo FSN 95 in size 14 wide and now Timberland Chocorua, size 13 wide (b/c the DSG near me did not have any large sizes in stock).
I felt this pinching in both of them, even with just the liner socks (as well with my usual Ultimax socks). I measured the width of the outsole at the widest part in the front half of the boot. Asolo's size 14 wide are about 1/3'' narrower than my old Timberlands size 12 medium, while the new Timberlands size 13 wide are 1/4'' narrower the old size 12 medium!
While at my local DSG with nothing of what I had intended to try in my size in stock, I tried Merrell Moabs size 14 (regular; I don't think they come in wide). They felt really nice and light. They did seem to provide some ankle support, though less than what I am used. I would have been willing to try them out, but again I felt that pinching on my right foot, with liner and smartwool socks on. It was quite a bit milder with these boots though, and the width of the outsole was only slightly less than on my old Timberlands.
The only boots I have tried recently that did not have this were Vasque Breeze XCR and Wasath, 13 wide. Unfortunately, both hurt the bone on my right ankle which points inward. In fact, I purchased the Breezes in May and took them for a 35-hike on the AT in PA, after a few miles on the road. That bone started hurting on the second day, which I attributed to doing 19 miles with lots of rocks. So, I took them on the Long Trail, where they failed badly (got soaked every time they came into contact with any significant amount of water from the very beginning, and the outsoles started to detach after about 100 miles on the LT). After a few days, that bone started hurting again. I dealt with this by leaving the shoelaces on the right boot fairly loose. This greatly reduced the ankle support, so the part of my right ankle behind the bone started to hurt (this got pretty bad at some point, but Advil seemed to control this, and after a few days I was able to cut down on the Advil). I was going SOBO, so replacing the boots was not an option (there is not an EMS on every corner in northern VT). I tried the Wasath shortly after finishing the LT; so, that bone may have been more sensitive than usual and I could feel
the pressure even in the store (unlike what happened with the Breeze). To make sure it was not overly sensitive, I tried my old Timberlands and felt no pressure on that bone (the Asolos did not hurt there either).
Any advice on what boots might work for me? I'd like ankle support, so I do not want to go to low-cuts.
Sorry for the long post.