[pct-l] swollen feet

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Mar 30, 2008, at 7:59 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> Subject: [pct-l] swollen feet
>
> How many of you had your feet swell while hiking? How much did they  
> swell
> (shoe size increase) and how quickly? I may be able to get a  
> discount if I
> purchase all my shoes in one place, at home, but I am worried about  
> trying
> to purchase ahead of time since I am unsure just how much my feet  
> are going
> to grow. Additionally, I don't know if the shoes I have picked out  
> will work
> best once I actually hit the trail with them. Do you think there  
> would be
> much of a difference, in terms of hassle or $, between buying ahead  
> and
> shipping or buying on trail? Thanks.
>
> Pura vida
> Brian

I haven't hiked the PCT yet, but in training to hike the PCT this has  
been my experience:

I went to the shoe store and got measured. My actual size is  
something like women's 7EE. They had a pair of size 7 shoes that felt  
ok so I bought them. I took them on a 17.5 mile hike, the last time I  
had done this hike my two big toes turned black. The shoes made it  
two thirds of the way before I could feel my toes headed for the same  
fate and I had to put on my chacos to complete the hike.

Next I thought I would try a particular brand of shoe that comes in  
wide widths. I ordered two pairs from the Internet, a size 8 and 8.5  
in the wide width. I thought the 8 felt more like a good fit so I  
took them out on a couple of hikes. My little toes were crushed on  
the way down.

Took out the 8.5s and wore them on a 35 mile backpack trip where I  
had to carry 4.5 liters of water one day with a lot of bushwhacking.  
My little toes were crushed.

I took my crushed and sore feet to the shoe store and tried on every  
ladies shoe I could. Everything hurt my little toes. I went to the  
men's department. Even those shoes hurt my little toes. Even men's  
size 8 with E width of the same model I had hurt my toes. They are  
making all the shoes with some kind of narrowing or seam right at the  
place where my little toes are. I finally found one pair of men's  
size 8.5 that didn't hurt my feet. Thank goodness they were cheap. I  
will be trying those out today.

A men's 8.5 is equivalent to a ladies size 10.5. In a couple of  
months of training it would appear that my women's size 7 have  
increased more than 3 sizes. Most of that is outward, however. If  
these shoes still don't work, I think I'll forget about shoes  
completely and just wear my chacos. I'll have to hike a lot slower  
but I suspect that there's not a lot of bushwhacking on the PCT.

Hope this long and boring post was helpful.

Diane