[pct-l] swollen feet

[Tortoise]

check out NewBalance.  they have wide widths. Perhaps others can recommend 
other brands that come in widths.

I buy 9.5 2E. also pay attention to the shoe last; NB offers various ones 
to better fit one's feet.


Tortoise

<> He who finishes last, wins! <>


Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes wrote:
> 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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>