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colonel r
12-11-2011, 21:30
I am hiking often, twice a week, in the GSMNP. The problem is that the bottoms of my feet get sore. I am wearing Merrill Moab Ventilators, with Superfeet inserts.

The question is: do I need stiffer soles or softer insoles?

The trails vary from muddy to rocky but generally it makes no difference after about 5 miles.

Col R

Hooch
12-11-2011, 21:51
Are the Superfeet well broken in? If not, they'll make the bottomos of your feet pretty uncomfortable. Trust me, I learned this the heard way.

rocketsocks
12-11-2011, 22:13
I to have merrils and to me they are very stiff but have alot of lateral stability a good thing.The green super feet I could not wear (to stiff)and was aloud to return them,(bought at EMS).EMS and most gear stores have a great return policy,no questions asked,even if item is used.Like hooch said maybe let em break-in,I did not do that,did"nt accure to me to do that.I to have had stiff flat bottoms of the feet and got some inserts custom made from my dotor.Turns out I have "planter facieitis" and over pronation alog with some other stuff that I won't even attempt to spell.But the good news is that ther is a ton of info on the net.The one that has helped me the most at the end of a long day hiking was to take water bottle out of the freezer and roll your foot on it,it sooths and streches at the same time.good luck.

colonel r
12-11-2011, 22:15
I have almost 200 miles on these inserts. I think they are broken in. I have consulted a Doc about foot problems and there are none.

Col R

rocketsocks
12-11-2011, 22:28
I would say after 200 miles they are very broken in.This whole insert thing has become a very huge market,Over 30 years in construction I have worn many different brands and was always looking for that perfect one,as did all my friends.And the best ones to date are the ones that were molded to my feet,though not cheap,150 bucks all said and done.try some others,and do some streches and good luck hope you find one that works for you.

rocketsocks
12-11-2011, 22:29
touch down Cowboy's

rocketsocks
12-11-2011, 22:31
sorry watch the game to;)

Odd Man Out
12-12-2011, 00:34
I am hiking often, twice a week, in the GSMNP. The problem is that the bottoms of my feet get sore. I am wearing Merrill Moab Ventilators, with Superfeet inserts.

Are they the Gore Tex Moab Ventilators or the regular ones? I have found that these perform very differently. On me, the Gore Tex version tends to bend/collapse in the middle when taking a stsep and are uncomfortable. The regular ventilators are wonderful - never had a problem. But shoes are so personal. YMMV.

leaftye
12-12-2011, 02:23
Muscle (plantar fascia) soreness or bruising soreness?

ekeverette
12-12-2011, 10:55
i have the exact same problem... blisters don't bother me to much, but my last hike my feet were so sore, i could'nt half walk for about a week... someone on this site suggested putting rubber bands in the places where your foot has the most pain... this has worked for me.

bamboo bob
12-12-2011, 14:19
i have the exact same problem... blisters don't bother me to much, but my last hike my feet were so sore, i could'nt half walk for about a week... someone on this site suggested putting rubber bands in the places where your foot has the most pain... this has worked for me. Rubber bands? Good you elaborate a bit. You mean wrapped around your feet or under the soles or what?

MissMagnolia
12-12-2011, 14:23
i have the exact same problem... blisters don't bother me to much, but my last hike my feet were so sore, i could'nt half walk for about a week... someone on this site suggested putting rubber bands in the places where your foot has the most pain... this has worked for me.

Would you explain a little more about that? How do you put them on? Over or under the socks? How big of rubber bands?

Thanks!

lunatic
12-12-2011, 14:39
I had a similar problem with Merrels two years ago and reluctantly switched to Keen's on advice from another hiker, and I've never regretted it. The Keens (I wear the Voyager with Super Feet inserts) are a little heavier than the Merrels but my feet never hurt and the quality is very good. just my 2 cents.

colonel r
12-12-2011, 15:35
thanks for the many comments. The soreness is from bruising.

R

hikerboy57
12-12-2011, 15:55
in all likelyhood you need a stiffer insole. I have the same shoes, but I find my keens are much more comfortable, especially when navigating trails with lots of rocks and roots.I find shoes whose soles hardly flex at all give me the longest lasting comfort.

Echraide
12-12-2011, 16:19
How old are the shoes?

ekeverette
12-12-2011, 18:06
about the rubber bands.... you put them under the insert in the places where your feet are being pounded. it added the extra cushion....

ekeverette
12-12-2011, 18:09
as far as the size rubber band.... the middle size.... not the real small ones... and not the large ones.... sorry i did'nt reply right back... had to go to work... but this really help me.... it was suggested on this site.

leaftye
12-12-2011, 18:39
thanks for the many comments. The soreness is from bruising.

R

Thanks for answering. Since bruising is the problem, I would think that a stiffer sole is the answer. I've seen many reviewers of minimalist shoes mention bruising, and also about how rock plates are supposed to reduce it. An interim solution may be to make your own rock plate by cutting out a piece of plastic to put under your insole. I've heard of thru hikers using milk bottle plastic for this. I've never had foot bruising, which really surprises me since I switched from boots to racing flats on my hike last year while being a heavy trucker in more ways than one.

colonel r
12-12-2011, 19:09
the shoes are less than a year old. bought last Jan. I like the idea of a rock shield. Hiking tomorrow but not time to fit something tonight.

R

Gunslinger
12-12-2011, 19:14
I hike with Moabs as well. I tried super feet and was not happy. I bought the much cheaper Dr. Scholls gel inserts from Walmart and had much better luck.

malowitz
12-12-2011, 20:03
Colenel r --- I'll share my experience and maybe it can help. Especially if the problems are more in the ball of your feet:

I thru'd in 2010 wearing Moab Ventilators the whole way (and they're still my day-to-day shoe). I had such foot paint at the balls of my feet that I zeroed just to ice them one day (turned out to be the best zero of the trail at the Free State Hiker Hostel in MD, but I digress). I started the trail using some heat-molded insoles from Sports Authority and in Daleville, VA switched to superfeet. I kept thinking the issue was padding and added "gel" insoles and "gel" pads under the balls of my feet. After limping down to Palmerton, PA, I saw a podiatrist. My problem wasn't lack of cushion but lack of arch support. Even though the superfeet had arches, they didn't have enough. He gave me some Spenco insoles that I wore until Manchester Center, NH. I switched out to Soles that I finished the trail in. It seemed counter-intuitive but the insoles with the higher arch made the difference. When the arch isn't high enough the force of the impact isn't properly spread over the front of your foot and it suffers more impact than it should.

So, my suggestion to you to try higher arch/stiffer insoles. I really liked those Sole ones, but now have some other brand that was in stock at a local independent shoe store.

Good luck.

Echraide
12-12-2011, 20:17
I should have specified... how many miles are on your shoes? For me 400-500 miles is pushing it for my hiking shoes, I try to replace them sooner than that.

sbhikes
12-12-2011, 20:38
Some shoes leave me in agonizing pain in less than 10 miles, but others don't. I can never figure out what it is about the bad shoes that is any different from the good ones shoes. Sometimes the stiff ones are torture. Sometimes the softer ones are torture. Sometimes shoes that advertised rock plates hurt the most on rocks. I think all of it is total B.S.

I haven't had any success with supportive insoles, with spenco insoles, with superfeet or the moldable kinds. I have had some success with cheap foam squishy inserts, sometimes two layers if I had to do any road walking.

Basically it has take a lot of money, a lot of shoes sent to goodwill and a lot of trial and error to find shoes that don't hurt.

Nowadays I wear Altra Lone Peak running shoes. No arch support, no heel rise but there is cushioning. I wear either those or Chaco sandals, which oddly enough have lots of arch support and are hard as a rock. See what I mean? I have no idea what the issue is and it takes a lot of trial and error. Once I find something that works, I hang on to it.

WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2011, 21:08
try massaging the bottom of your feet with alcohol at the end of each day on the trail ife your shoes and inserts are ok giv this a try i try to do this each night before i turn in it has helped eliminate soreness in the bottom of my feet
hillbilly

hikerboy57
12-12-2011, 21:15
the stiffer the sole, the more miles I can hike.with softer soles on rocks and roots, your feet keep contorting to the ground underneath,feel more of the ground. a stiff midsole helps reduce the impact on your soles. arch support may help as well, but i havent found this to be the issue. +1 on foot massage at the end of the day.i think theres like over 100 bones in your foot.massaging helps.

rocketsocks
12-13-2011, 00:11
try massaging the bottom of your feet with alcohol at the end of each day on the trail ife your shoes and inserts are ok giv this a try i try to do this each night before i turn in it has helped eliminate soreness in the bottom of my feet
hillbillyand that will help to toughen the skin.

SassyWindsor
12-13-2011, 00:46
High quality, proper fitting, non china made Boots will solve your foot problems. This is the main reason I only do light day-hikes in trail runners.

Nitrojoe
12-13-2011, 01:19
I dont know how much you hike on a consistent bases, but if you havent your feet will respone to the pounding. You dont have to put in big mileledge to get the soreness on the undersides of your feet. I do a thru hike once a year and in preperation for my long hikes which take several weeks or months I start out by conditioning my feet for the task. I hike with Merrills also and depending on the type of trail I wear either a boot or a trail runner with an insert inside them. I use an insert called Sole that I bought at REI and find it slightly thicker than Superfeet. Iam off the trails for several months so my feet become use to city life and they get out of condition. This is where the conditioning comes into play. When I start out my feet hurt all over just after five or six miles. Ill rest the next day and keep with it untill the soreness gradually goes away. Check your feet to make sure any thick buildup of skin around the toes and sides of feet are filed down for this can make your feet very sore in a short tme hiking. After three or four weeks of conditioning your ready for the trail.

Wags
12-14-2011, 01:39
other thoughts:

-is your pack too heavy? a heavy pack will put extra weight on your feet. can you shed some pounds from there?

-watch your step. especially if coming from boots. i take care to make sure i'm not stepping on sharp stones or things that will cause my feet to hurt...

kevperro
12-21-2011, 00:12
A trip to the podiatrist is probably money well-spent if you are doing a lot of hiking. Other options.... experiment with insoles and footwear (like everyone is suggesting) or try using medical marijuana to help with the pain while hiking.

Lando11
12-21-2011, 01:05
I used super feet for about 1000 miles on my thru hike this year, and don't really like them. I had less to no foot pain using stock insoles in my scott trail runners, that i switched to in manchester center, vt from montrail at plus's with superfeet. it could be as simple as a change in footwear (different brand, not a new pair of the same) or a trip to the podiatrist probably won't hurt either if you feel its a chronic problem.

Feral Bill
12-21-2011, 01:28
Obvious question as yet unasked: What socks are you wearing? Quality (not necessarily expensive) wool socks make a huge difference. Cotton socks can cause the soreness you describe, especialy when wet.