[pct-l] Which Book to Read ??

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

I thought Crow's review was the most honest one out there.

After my hike my feet hurt. I did a test of several kinds of shoes,  
taking a 5 mile walk on pavement, trail and beach sand in each pair.  
I tested moccasins (no cushioning, no arch, no raised heel), fake  
Tevas (cushioning, no arch, no heel), Chacos (hard cushioning, arch,  
3mm heel rise), and the shoes I wore for most of the trail (lots of  
cushioning, arch, 10-12mm heel rise).

The moccasins and the trail runners hurt the most. The fake Tevas  
hurt less. The Chacos felt great. So I decided to wear only Chacos.

I wore them on two PCT section hikes--from Bucks Summit to Highway 36  
and from Duck Pass on the JMT south to Bishop Pass. My feet were very  
happy. But after a long day those Chacos really felt hard. I longed  
for some kind of cushioning to take the edge off.

The problem I have with running shoes seems to be the way it curves  
at the ball of the foot and points my toes up. I just can't stand  
that. I was sent off the trail in 2008 because of that. The problem I  
have with Chacos is mainly the poor traction and no protection from  
foxtails. I decided to learn to make my own shoes. After a million  
trial and error attempts, I made a pair of shoes that feel pretty  
good. I still made some mistakes so I keep working on it. My homemade  
shoes have no heel, no arch, not much cushioning but more thickness  
in the sole than VFFs or Barefoot Ted's huarache sandals. They have  
Vibram Newflex soles. The traction is good. I keep working on it. I  
might end up being the first to hike the PCT in homemade shoes. We'll  
see.

Anyway, I agree that a lot of support isn't needed and might even  
hurt some people (like me). But I think protection for your toes (so  
they don't get wrenched by rocks or vines) and protection in the  
soles to allow for fast hiking and long miles is good. Oddly, plain  
old sandals, even flip-flops, provide better toe protection than  
Vibram Five Fingers. Cushioning can always be added with inserts for  
those long days.

On Feb 9, 2011, at 7:49 PM, Scott Williams wrote:

> That's great Diane, and puts some reality in the mix.  I wondered  
> whether it was really feasible for someone who's been in shoes for  
> years and years to switch.  It obviously is how we got around for  
> the 2 million years before we started flint knapping and making  
> tools, and tanning leather, but I am way far from that as far as  
> what my bones and muscle can do at this age.
>
> However, I've been suffering from PF in my left heal since WA, and  
> couldn't seem to get it to go away.  I read Born to Run, and 2  
> weeks ago, pulled out the extra cushioning I've had in my shoes  
> since my feet began to hurt, and noticed immediate relief.  After a  
> climb up and run down Diablo, I pulled out the rest of the arch  
> support and fancy insole, and the relief got even better.  So, last  
> week I pulled out the insole that came with the shoe, and am now  
> running and hiking on what is as close to a flat surface without  
> padding, as I could manage without getting new shoes, and it's  
> feeling great.  Over the past 7 days I've climbed Diablo 3 times,  
> 13 to 18 miles, 4 to 5,000 verticle foot climbs, running long parts  
> of it, and gone chanterelling for 3 more days, which is totally  
> crazy bushwacking up and down steep stuff, and my feet are markedly  
> improved.  And Mango, no vitamin I needed after all these foot  
> pounders.  I think I was over medicating the PF with all the  
> cushioning I've used in the past few months.  The relief has really  
> suprised me.
>
> My wife Katie says I definately have a terminal case of CHD.  I  
> need a psych on trail!!!
>
> Shroomer
>
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