[pct-l] Fit your feet for fun... Long version...

[Phil Newhouse]

Stephen,

Thanks much for taking the time to share your thoughts...

phil
(irvine, ca)

On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 12:48 AM, Stephen <reddirt2 at earthlink.net> wrote:

> This is in reference to Hiking shoe recomendations but I got carried
> away... Good question, but also problematic.  Recomending a shoe is like
> ordering shoes on line.  The bottom line is you are going to have to take
> the time to try some shoes on, then do some miles in them and decide for
> yourself.  Look for shoes that breath well, not just claims.  For example,
> Merrel Moabs are supposed to be, but are rather hot shoes as they have a lot
> of padding between the mesh outer and liner.  They do however let moisture
> in rather well.  Some nice airy shoes I can actually feel slight draft on my
> toes as I walk and this is best for me.  A shoe that breathes this well will
> also dry faster and be more comfortable when damp.  Some of these advertized
> "hiking" shoes wear out rather quickly and can start to separate after
> repeated and prolonged wettings.  My last model Asolo Veloces are just now
> broke in nicely and the tread is already smooth at the ball of my foot, and
> the mid sole is showi
>  ng suspect signs of possible separation.  Besides breaking them in well,
> they have only made one backcountry three day hike, though a rough one over
> Taboose Pass to the Pinchot Pass area.  I'm going out to the New Balance
> store this weekend as I hear this brand mentioned a lot and the New
> Ballances I wear for work seem to last quite a while.  I feel and have read
> that some of the Vasque shoes have some issues, and the ones I tried did not
> promote the right kind of movement with my feet so I returned them.
> If you need shoes or gear when in the Southern Sierra, Wilson's in Bishop
> has a good selection of gear, and perhaps even better would be Footloose,
> Ketteridge and a couple other outfitters in Mamoth if the shuttle orride is
> available.  All have patient helpful service with someone as hard to fit as
> myself.
>
> And there is one very important issue to keep in mind also.  If a shoe
> seems to cause extra effort to walk it probably does not have the right
> pronation for the foot.  The foot should feel relaxed and not feel like
> extra effort to take each step.  This is more apprarent with hiking boots,
> but is also a quality to look for in a shoe.  Make sure the shoe holds the
> foot securely around the mid foot, feels comfortable and snug in the heel
> and room in the toe box.  Too large a volume in the mid foot and the foot
> will slide forward too much on the downhill, and angled trail.  Same with
> the heal.  If the heal has a hard plastic cup that pushes hard on the heel
> bones try a different shoe that does press hard.  Again much of the fit is
> related to how the shoe holds the mid-foot area, which holds the foot
> inplace not only on the downhills, but also releaves excess pressure back
> against the heal box.  I've never experienced any issues with foot swelling
> being a problem myself, so I don'
>  t prescribe to idea that one should get oversize shoes.  I this idea
> promotes to much mocvement of the foot and is asking for blisters.  Just
> make sure the shoe is not bottom out, and has room to loosen the laces if
> need be.  And also make sure the toes will not in any way jam against the
> front toe box with the laces comfortable but not real tight (cutting off
> circulationon the top of the foot across the bones).  Trim those toe nails,
> and use the little scissors on your "Classic" out on the trail.
> Get a shoe that makes your foot happy right out of the box, laced up and
> not, and then walk them into oblivion to make sure.  Turn the hose on your
> feet and walk around in them wet a bunch.  Hike a few miles and then wet
> them again as if you were fording another creek or walking through soaking
> grass or a downpour.  This may tell you something about your socks also
> which are as important to the fit of the shoe, wet and dry as any other
> factor.  Do this a few times to make sure wetness does not promote sole
> separation.  A lot of shoes have toes bumpers or rands that ussually start
> to peel early on to varying lenghts.  If it does, at home or out on the
> trail, get your sharp little "Classic" knife blade out and cut this off, and
> that will often be the end of it.  The begining of the toe bumper peeling
> off will continue to catch rocks and things and make it worse; it also picks
> up trail debri and tosses it in the back of your other shoe.  Very
> irritating in deep sand like out in
>  the desert or in the abrasive lava sand around Lassen.  Remove your shoes
> often and dump out any debri, pull out the insole to do this and brush it
> off also.  If you have junk in your shoes get it out imediately, don't wait
> for the rest stop up the trail.  Same goes for any issue like maybe I have a
> hot spot or could be a problem like a blister maybe?  Check it out ASAP,
> which is imediately, unless the only place to sit is in Poison Ivy.
> Another issue I have had to address when hiking long miles was rubbing on
> the top of my toes.  This is more of an issue with leather shoes and boots,
> but hair on the top of the toes can create irritation and soreness.  One can
> simply shave this hair off, and problem solved.  I've never had this problem
> with lighter hiking shoes, but keep in mind.
> Toes rubbing against each other constantly for miles can get quite raw
> inbetween.  Attend to this imediatley.  Band aides work well until they
> sweat off. See if it is just a toe nail rubbing under the next toe and trim,
> and band aide or tape.
> If you develop a small hot spot and suspect a blister, cut out a pice of
> mole skin large enough to surrend the tender spot.  Before removing the
> backing, fold inhalf and use you little scissors to cut out a small hole the
> size of the area. Clean the area as best you can, and place the patch so
> that the cut out is over the hot spot and surrounded by the mole skin.  This
> is the key to using mole skin for preventativemeasures and small devleloped
> blisters.  It is supposed to create a space so the skinno longer rubs.  I
> have been able todo all sorts of creative pathces using tape, mole skin and
> band-aides.  And never be affraid to ask for some help if you can't
> alleviate your problem.  I seem to have to fix my friends feet for them, but
> can never seem to get them to attend to a problem before it becomes a
> blister.  I've since become more assertive about it as bandaides and
> moleskin aren't free. I've seen experienced back country skiers use entire
> sheets of moleskin on thier heels
>  before they install those nasty plastic boots.
> So, while I can't recommend a particular shoe except one that fits and
> promotes positive comfortable foot movement, holds the mid foot like a hand
> gripping the foot (try this, grip your foot with the opposite hand around
> the bottom with the thumb and  fingers wrapped around the top and see if you
> catch my meaning. Good analogy?), I can recommend socks. I like smartwool
> hikers.  I think its the mid-weight hiker or light hiker I get, not too
> thick.  When I go to trying on some shoes I take a pair that has seen the
> trail a few times, not a new pair.  The material is still too thick and soft
> with new socks to tell much.  The light hikers seem to have a nice even
> weave so they aren't real thin on top and too thick in the toes like thier
> regular hiker socks.  Ilike the wool.  My feet don't get as smelly, they
> feel good when wet, and seem to retain shape reasonably well ,and rarely
> bunch at the toes.  I think my only complaint is they seem to dry rather
> slowly.  But socks like shoes
>  are a personal choice.  In my mountain hiking boots I use a smartwool
> liner and a Thorlo synthetic basic "Hiking Sock" combo.  I have found that
> using a silk or woll liner with a wool outer sock allows a rather slippery
> feeling allowing the foot to move uncomfortably unless I hammer the laces
> whichis not good. On the other hand, mathing poly liners with poly outer
> socks smells bad.  I had good results with poly liners and wool blend Thorlo
> mountaineering socks for a couple years before I got the wool liners back
> when I was using GTX boots and tromping around in a lot of snow.
> As far as GTX shoes and boots.  Maybe yes in the snow, but, they take a
> long time to dry if fording creeks, and most don't breath half as good as
> they'd have you believe if at all.  I actually just got a pair of ACU GTX
> boots that do breath rather well, but I didn't get them for distanceor
> desert trekking.  Shoes that don't breath well is asking for problems.
> Wet shoes can freeze over night, esspecially like last June in the Sierra.
>  If exceptionally cold out I will put my boots in my pack next to me, and or
> in the sleeping bag stuff sack which will also help.  It may also help, and
> I highly recommend this, to massage the feet before going to sleep, and
> before rising.  I've had my feet in such a condition that I actually had to
> massage the tendons along the bottom of the foot so I could get up.  I
> remember one time getting up only to sit back down quickly. Not hurting a
> tendon just to pee on stiff feet isn't worth it two days from anywhere.
>  Somtimes I'll keep my socks in the bottom of my bag and put them on warm
> feet inside the bag, which helps with cold shoes, or if too grimy, put them
> in the bottom of the bag before getting up.  When I am having trouble
> warming up I'll resort to a hot water Nalgene bottle at the foot of my bag
> which is soooo nice, but perhaps not an ultra light concept.
> As a side note, I suffer from artheritis in my right foot, hips and lower
> back, and have a problem bunyun on my left foot.  When I cross a cold creek
> I can feel my feet tighten up, and the cold water will become a painful
> experience ussualy by have way accross the average ford.  I'll dry my feet,
> and massage and let them warm back up a little before shoeing backup and
> taking off up the trail. The tendons need to warm and loosen up before I can
> get back into stride.  If you've ever had achilles tendon pain, this seems
> the most common after icy creek crossings for me, so I am extra careful if
> the trails goes up steeply within a few minutes after leaving the creek.
> Same goes for stopping for prolonged breaks.  Start out easy and let the
> feet and legs get warmed back up.
> And it's not just the feet Iam considering.  The feet are connected to the
> lower leg and strong calf muscles, the thigh and hips, and back, not to
> mention the neck and shoulders etc...  It's all connected and in part
> affected by the motion of the feet.  For me it is somewhat exagerated
> because of the artheritis, but it also makes the pronation of the foot that
> much more important.  A foot movement that causes a dissasgeerable movement
> will ussually be felt not only in the extra effort to take steps, but will
> cause discomfort and a stiffening of my lower back.  A positive fit and
> movement will create a sittuation wherein hiking is enjoyable, and I tend to
> feel better and experience less pain because of it.
> Superfeet; I liked for awhile until I realized the little rock in the heal
> of my shoe always ends up being the end of that thirty dollar insole as the
> foam brakes down and one comes in contact with the hard plastic mold in
> about a hundred miles.  Also the enhanded archsupport combined with the
> existing suport built into some shoes can creat too much arch and hram the
> joints in the top of the foot, what my doctor refered to as walking ona roll
> of quarters.  Also, if you try these, keep inmind that the Superfoot has
> often an unwanted tendency toraise thelevel of the heel placing in a
> position in the shoes heel box that promotes imporper heel rub,blisters, and
> tendon presures that might have been avoided without the modified insole.
> And while the Superfoot lowers the volume inthe mid and rearof a shoe or
> boot, it has a thin forfoot and makes for a bigger roomier toe box; not
> necesarrily a bad thing, but what I'm saying is it has poor for foot
> padding, and changes the entire fit
>  of a shoe.  I used them with some success for while with an Odor eater
> underneath the Superfoot for a little necessarry padding under the ball of
> the foot with mid weight hiking boots. I haven't bothered with them in years
> and now just try and get a good fit to begin with and spend the thirty bucks
> on gas to get to the trailhead.
> If you've read this far then you appreciate how important I feel it is to
> take care of the foot.  After all the planning, training, and arranging of
> lives to get out on the trail, it is then to our feet that we ask the most.
>  With a pack full of food, guns and ammo, mothballs, bear cans, alcholic
> cooking devices, special poison ivy and wildlife avoidance devices, permits
> and green cards, prescribed but unmarked controlled substances, spare 3D
> glasses, official Morton salt umbrella, hacky sack, man overboard whistle
> (oops that's sailing), flare gun, grenades and U.S. flag, it will probably
> be the feet which have the last say in direct proportion to the level of fun
> expressed in the daily attitude.  Of course, food and diet are really
> important too, so don't forget the freeze dried mayonaise popsicles and Tang
> !!!
>
> I hope I'm not up for too much of a thrashing, but I'd like to hear some
> comments on the subject I've knocked around here.  Was this helpful,
> hindrence, waste of space, or good practical experience?
> It's just how I think about it.  All the planning in the world wont get me
> one step along the trail wihtout I take it putting my best foot forward.
>  The other one's not so good so it gets the second step, and besides I'm
> left footed...
>
>
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