[pct-l] shoe size question

[Eric Lee]

Ben wrote:
>
It seems that if you buy a shoe that is too big you risk extra movement and
slippage which could lead to blisters etc. I know I am over thinking this
but if anyone can offer some wisdom about choosing the right shoe size to
account for the inevitable swelling of a long distance hike that would be
very much appreciated. Thank you all in advance!!
>

Feet are one of those things that are so individualistic that what works for
one person may be horrible for another, so it's really up to the particulars
of your own body.

That said, I think the majority of blisters you'll see on new thru-hikers
are caused by shoes that are too small, not shoes that are too big.  I know
that it's a long-accepted piece of conventional wisdom that shoes that slide
around on your feet are the most common cause of blisters, and I don't know
- maybe that's true, or was true in the boots-built-like-a-battle-tank era.
But in my own experience of wearing lightweight boots and in meeting lots of
people wearing trail runners, I don't think I've ever personally heard
someone complain that their shoes were too big.  Too small - oh yeah, plenty
of times.

If you've an avid runner or have a lot of long-distance hiking under your
belt already then your feet might not spread out at all on your thru-hike
(because they've already done all the spreading they're likely to do.)  If
this is your first major foot-powered adventure then you might see some
significant increase in the size of your feet; or maybe not.  Not everyone
does.

Since you still have a year to go, I'd suggest buying one pair of shoes that
are maybe half a size larger than what you normally wear then start doing a
lot of training hikes in them.  Even if you live in an urban environment and
can't easily hit the trails, you can still hike the sidewalks.  See what
your feet do and how the shoes feel.  Once you wear out those shoes, decide
if another half-size bump would be a good idea or not.  I wouldn't buy
multiple pairs of anything until you get closer to your departure date.

Eric