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  1. #1

    Question Choosing the right hiking shoes/boots,

    Hi,

    Problem:

    A few weeks ago I was on a 4 day hike totalling 90 miles, thus hiking about 20 miles every day. I carried a 50 liter backpack weighing about 12kgs. I got serious blisters already on the first day, it started to hurt after 10-15 miles. The remaining 3 days I had to "deal" with the blisters. I never in my life had blisters occurring so fast!!!

    History:
    I have a set of Meindl Perfekt leather boots that served me well for 20 years, but they are very rigid (almost like walking with ski boots) and I easily get blisters because my feet slide inside the boot (especially the heel and the toes) - basically the boot is not a perfect fit. For that reason I never used these boots for multi day hikes.

    A few months ago I bought some very comfy New Balance running shoes. The sole is very soft and flexible. I have been running 3 mile runs in these shoes and hiking 15 miles however WITHOUT a backpack. They are perfect - almost as walking on clouds. No blisters at all. When I put these shoes on, my feet stay put and dont slide at all anywhere - they give me a very good feeling. A much better feeling than my "professional" highly expensive leather boots.


    The reason why I bought these running shoes is a result of my internet readings that most people use some sort of trail runners, lightweight shoes - and most often NOT a heavy leather boot weighing 6 pounds for a pair. For doing a thru hike.

    Result:
    When I left on day one with my 12kg backpack and my New Balance running shoes and a merino sock liner and a merino 2nd layer sock I was VERY confident that this 4 day hike would be a breeze since I was walking on clouds from the first mile. I had also trained with these shoes and had a very good feeling about them (no backpack). However, after already 10 miles I could feel my feet were aching and blisters were on their way - I was VERY surprised since the shoes were so comfy at the beginning. When setting up camp after 20 miles I had a huge blister on my "ball of the foot", a zone without sliding but only vertical pressure. I have never had that in my life before - only blisters on the heel.
    As the days went by, my feet would always hurt more after a 10-15 min break (I always plan a small break after 1h) - comparable to small needles poking the zone of the foot in contact with the sole. I also noticed that the comfy, flexible sole of the running shoe turned into a problem, a small pebble on the road/track could be felt directly on my feet resulting in more pain (since the soft sole would yield): Had my sole been more rigid (like the heavy leather boots) my feet would not be able to sense the pebbles.


    NOTE: I feel I was ready for 20 miles on the first day since I had done these stretches before without any problems (multiple 15mi hikes), however without a backpack. So the added 12kg somehow resulted in the blisters.


    Does anyone have some ideas on how to improve my "shoe situation" without having to buy shoes/boots for 1000s of dollars and go on multi day hikes with each pair?


    The terrain was flat (Denmark, Europe) and there was no hilly terrain.



    Regards, Lucas

  2. #2

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    I've reached a compromise for backpacking between a light tennis shoe and a heavy full leather boot---the Zamberlan Evo Lite---


    It's actually super light.


    And it's goretex so it can do this without wetting my socks---unlike most trail running tennis shoes.

  3. #3
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Get larger shoes and boots.
    I bought a pair of really nice all leather Pivetta boots size 9 back in the late 70s or 80s.
    Blisters and more blisters. I put them on the shelf.
    For a couple of decades I bought the size boots or shoes that the PROS measured me for. Size 9
    BLISTERS!
    Finally. The light bulb went on!
    Get a larger size!
    Now I’m in 91/2 shoes and 10 Wide real Boots. No Blisters!
    I got some really thin Darn Tough socks and I can wear the Pivetta boots again.
    Go big or get blisters!
    Wayne

  4. #4
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    While the Meindls are perfect boots, they oviously don't fit for hiking in the flat lands of Denmark.
    There is a rule-of-thumb that the weight and sturdiness of your footware should be selected, amongst others, according to the weight you are carrying (your body plus the pack's weight) - so thats the main reason why Tipi Water is wearing boots rather than trailrunners (not that he himself is too hevy, but his pack is, at ~45kg <G>).

    I'd guess for your hiking conditions any choice of low-cut sport shoes or even trailrunners should be good. Which specific model to choose is up to you, Wayne's advice about going half a size up is a good one, especially after you've done hundreds of miles your feet will become bigger, esp. wider.

    My personal trick to get through a kind of hiking that I've never done before and I'm in doubt if the footwear suits me well, is to carry a spare pair of shoes.
    Once I did a 20hrs, 50km, 3000m vertical non-stop hiking challenge with a friend, and I used my usual desert boots for the rocky main part and some trailrunners for the longish road walks inbetween.
    While my friend suffered a lot from foot pain towards the end, I did just fine without any pain or blister swapping the footwear according to the conditions.

  5. #5

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    Its probably not the footwear as much as it is lacing not doing its job. Google "Lacing techniques for hiking boots". There you will probably find the answer to a lot of foot movement issues in boots and hiking shoes that will help prevent blisters and accommodate other foot issues that can be painful during long walks.

  6. #6

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    Everyone is different, but in similar ways. Keep trying the familiar options to find what makes your feet and the rest of you happy. They make trail shoes that range from flexible to solid shank and the same is true of boots. Socks can range from a single thin one to double layered and thick. Fit is everything and socks finalize the fit.

    My personal solution is a pair of Limmer Lightweights, well actually I own two so I can hike when one is being resoled. Solid shank with a little rocker. Full leather so avoids the issues that GTX boots or trail shoes have with moisture. Inside I use a thin wool liner sock with a thicker wool sock on top. Feet stay dry even in 90°f heat when the rest of me is soaked in sweat and the double layer takes away most of the friction, though there is little of that given the form fitted leather and socks.

    Will that work for you? Odds are not. Most people here will tell you they would hate what works for me. All you can do is figure out what will work for you and do that. Keep trying until you figure out what that is. Good luck!
    “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait until that other is ready...”~Henry David Thoreau

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  7. #7
    Garlic
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    12 kg may be a little heavy for the light shoes, as you're now aware. I didn't try trail runners until I got my pack weight significantly below that, more like 8 kg. And it then it took over 2000 miles and four different pairs of shoes to find the right shoe. As mentioned above, size was a critical part of that, and I agree lacing is very important.

    And aftermarket insoles may make a difference. Those are available with several arch heights. Once I tried a higher arch and that caused a certain amount of pain. It's amazing how much difference a minor adjustment can make on a long day.

    My perfect shoe ended up being New Balance because of their EE width availability, but others think the box those come in is more comfortable than the shoe.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by bikemaniac View Post
    Hi,
    comparable to small needles poking the zone of the foot in contact with the sole.

    This pinprick sensation is one of the hallmarks of plantar fasciitis which I had after a long section on the PCT in 2015 where my feet were so numb that I had no feeling for long periods of time and did a lot of damage without realizing it. For months after that, my left foot was plagued by plantar fasciitis which had a huge impact on my ability to run (my main sport when not hiking). Eventually, I got over it through rest and substituting biking. But it came back in 2018 and only after a period of professional physical therapy in 2019 was I completely rid of it. I would advise getting your feet checked out by an orthopedist and possibly getting x rays to isolate the cause. Diligent PT will likely help a great deal.

    I use trail runners for all of my lightweight hiking but never again will I use trail runners when I know that I'll be hiking through snow or for prolonged periods in subfreezing temperatures. Having wet and frozen feet for extended periods of time is not only uncomfortable but a hazard since the normal pain sensation is unavailable to alert you to when you're injuring yourself. It's kind of like when you get numbed up for a filling at the dentist and, later in the day, find that you've gouged the inside of your mouth with your teeth since you couldn't feel anything. For winter day hikes I use heavy leather Asolo boots which keep my feet nice and dry. I rarely backpack in winter, and I don't use trail runners in winter if there's snow to walk through!

    Good luck - foot and shoe issues are very personal and I'm not sure specific advice online is going to help, but physical therapy will help isolate what's wrong.

  9. #9
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    When I first started hiking, I researched a lot about footwear and how not to get blisters. Fit and keeping feet dry were the two key points. I tried on several pairs of hiking boots at an outfitter, asking NOT to be told the prices. The appearance of them also had to be disregarded. Fit was king. I wore my (full) pack around the store with each candidate and felt for ANY rub or discomfort, then tried the next. I settled on the Keen Targhee 2. With these, I wore Darn Tough hiking socks. To keep my feet dry, I spray them with Aarid xx dry anti-perspirant spray for a week prior to my section hikes. I went 500 miles before I got my first blister, which came after doing 19 miles in the rain.
    I did notice that the soles break down before the shoe appears to be worn out, and I felt the stones I stepped on poking the bottom of my feet. Time for a new pair when this happens. For me, that took a few years of section hiking and about 500 miles.

    After several years using these boots, which although "waterproof" will get wet - and take two dry days of hiking to dry out again - I decided to try trail runners that seem so popular.
    I patiently went through the same lengthy try out period in the outfitter and settled on a pair. I did the Shenandoa Nat'l park in a week, no blisters, but sore and swollen feet for weeks afterwards. See thread linked below for more info. The short version, however, is that I will go back to the lightweight hiking boots for section hiking because I believe it takes several weeks of hiking to "toughen up" the feet enough to be able to flex and bend as much as the trail runners allow.

    Altra Trail runners, first section hike: (whiteblaze.net)

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by MtDoraDave View Post
    When I first started hiking, I researched a lot about footwear and how not to get blisters. Fit and keeping feet dry were the two key points. I tried on several pairs of hiking boots at an outfitter, asking NOT to be told the prices. The appearance of them also had to be disregarded. Fit was king. I wore my (full) pack around the store with each candidate and felt for ANY rub or discomfort, then tried the next. I settled on the Keen Targhee 2. ...
    Keen has made some nice boots over the years. I also found the uppers being in great shape after I'd walked the soles off of them. That is what led me to the Limmers I wear now, because they are made to be resoled multiple times. Just seemed so wasteful to have to throw out boots after a year or two of use.
    “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait until that other is ready...”~Henry David Thoreau

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by LoneStranger View Post
    Keen has made some nice boots over the years. I also found the uppers being in great shape after I'd walked the soles off of them. That is what led me to the Limmers I wear now, because they are made to be resoled multiple times. Just seemed so wasteful to have to throw out boots after a year or two of use.
    Oh, I don't throw them out. I continue using them for trail maintenance days, yard work, and whatnot. For me, the degraded souls don't bother me for regular footwear type days, only long - hiking with a pack - type of days.

  12. #12

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    As someone who has hiked long distance for over 50 years, and also run 45 ultramarathons, I've had every foot problem in the book.
    I found the book "Fixing your Feet" quite helpful, especially the detailed section on blisters.
    First, make sure the shoes are big enough. My feet grew two sizes in my 40's, from 10.5 to 12.5. Expect this.
    Second, if you skin is soft, apply wide 2" athletic tape to your heels to avoid heel blisters, you can also do this with toes. Prevention is critical. Once you have blisters you are in trouble. I used to also apply alcohol to my feet to toughen up the skin. Past a certain point hiking you won't get blisters any more.
    Choose shoes for your trail/purpose. If off trail, you need better support like Limmers or other good leather boots. Also if you are heavy, with a heavy pack, you don't want piddly shoes as your foundation. If trails are pretty easy and your pack is light, trail runners are the ticket. But buy better insoles like Superfeet or similar because even those $150 trail shoes come with crummy insoles.

  13. #13

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    Update: Today I was 16 mi hike with my backpack wearing Altra LonePeak 4.5. It went considerably better compared to my NewBalance runners. I "only" got a blister on my left heel even though I was wearing 2 liner socks. After about 5 miles (from start) I could slowly sense that the blister was about to come and after 16 mi it was fully there. No needle sensations but the Altras have an outer sole that is slighty more robust than the New Balance runners.

    Lucas

  14. #14
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    I wore boot when I first got into backpacking and constantly had issues with ankle pain and blisters. I made the switch to trail runners. First Brooks Pure Grit, and my last 6-7 pairs have been Altra Superiors then Lone Peaks. The larger toe-box and unrestricted ankles were what I needed. But everyone is different, so that may not be the answer for you. I would definitely check your lacing method as well.

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