View Full Version : Shoe desperation
strollingalong
01-27-2012, 14:46
in brief as I've said all this before. live in mexico. some trail shoes. merrell and salomon shops. sales staff no F-all about shoes and feet. There are NO wider models available!!!!!!!!!!! ther guy in the merrell shop just said..... "no....asi vienen, no hay de ancho mayor" bloody idiot, how on earth were you employed?! no one would possibly be able to fit me here. I was hoping just to slip into a perfect pair of trail shoes like I did a few years back.
IF i went to a decent fitter in the states - say mountain crossings only a day before starting the trail how stupid would this be? I'm kind of gettign desperate now, all the shoes i've tried on here have some major negative.... tight sides, too small heel bit, too high blah blah blah....
feeling pretty helpless about this as obviously shoes are the most important thing and I've already messed up with one purchase.
rocketsocks
01-27-2012, 15:30
in brief as I've said all this before. live in mexico. some trail shoes. merrell and salomon shops. sales staff no F-all about shoes and feet. There are NO wider models available!!!!!!!!!!! ther guy in the merrell shop just said..... "no....asi vienen, no hay de ancho mayor" bloody idiot, how on earth were you employed?! no one would possibly be able to fit me here. I was hoping just to slip into a perfect pair of trail shoes like I did a few years back.
IF i went to a decent fitter in the states - say mountain crossings only a day before starting the trail how stupid would this be? I'm kind of gettign desperate now, all the shoes i've tried on here have some major negative.... tight sides, too small heel bit, too high blah blah blah....
feeling pretty helpless about this as obviously shoes are the most important thing and I've already messed up with one purchase.Yo dere,slow your roll stroll,gotcha coverd babe.Go see my man/woman @ "million $shoe" thread and ask for "Outdoor 76"he/she might be able to help.The situation is only this big not that big.And don't let the thread name fool ya,asking don't cost a thing.
Tenderheart
01-27-2012, 15:35
Yes, the staff at Outdoor 76 is exceptional, or you could go to Mountain Crossings right before you hike, as you stated. Trail shoes need no break-in.
If you're having that much trouble in Mexico, why not start with what you have then let the folks at Mountain Crossings fit you. You'll get there 3 days after leaving Springer. Be warned you can get some nasty blisters in 3 days- ouch!
Once I discovered my "go-to" boot (and just before I needed new boots on the trail) I ordered them off Zappo's and had them drop shipped to the next hostel I'd be at (if there wasn't an outfitter close by). Simple.
If you do that, be sure to call the hostel to give them a heads up and to verify they'll accept and hold your package. Most will bend over backwards to help.
Cheers and good luck!
rocketsocks
01-27-2012, 15:45
If you're having that much trouble in Mexico, why not start with what you have then let the folks at Mountain Crossings fit you. You'll get there 3 days after leaving Springer. Be warned you can get some nasty blisters in 3 days- ouch!
Once I discovered my "go-to" boot (and just before I needed new boots on the trail) I ordered them off Zappo's and had them drop shipped to the next hostel I'd be at (if there wasn't an outfitter close by). Simple.
If you do that, be sure to call the hostel to give them a heads up and to verify they'll accept and hold your package. Most will bend over backwards to help.
Cheers and good luck!Whada!:eek:
English Stu
01-27-2012, 15:51
I thing you should be okay. I am from the UK and have had no option to seek advice and change shoes during an AT hike. Another time I did the John Muir Trail and needed new shoes on route in DC before travelling to Harpers Ferry to do a section of the AT. Risky but doable with good advice,US outfitters are the best.
strollingalong
01-27-2012, 16:55
yeah. cheers mate! I might just wait unless i find the shoe. Last time I bought shoes was at the base of Snowdon and even they didn't have much of an idea if I remember correctly. luckily the shoe I first picked up worked a charm
Did you say WIDE shoes?
Love Vasque, only issue has been durability, the AT seems to shread footwear, comfy out of the box...............
Any new balance stores down there? New balance sells shoes for a lot of purposes, but the store near me always has 4-5 Trail worthy styles in stock. The great thing about new balance is that they stock a great variety of widths. This makes it much easier to find a shoe that fits properly, because you aren't stuck with generic "wide." They also have superfeet in the store so you can try on your new shoes with the insoles (to make sure they don't take up too much room). I recommend getting superfeet because the stock insoles do tend to be pretty crummy, they expect you to replace them.
A pair of new balance shoes with superfeet is likely to be $120 to $140 from a dedicated retailer, but that's comparable to other manufacturers and I consider it well worth it for shoes that fit just right.