[pct-l] Insole-nt Question

[Michael Slusser]

Here's the short version of my story (no, really):

About a decade ago, I started having trouble with heel, toe, and knee pain
and swelling (plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia kinds of issues)--not
constant, but too often. I tried out Superfeet and had a good results with
only occasional bouts of trouble, maybe once a month. As I started prepping
for the thru-hike this year, the incidents started to worry me more, so I
tried out half a dozen orthotics. A trip to the orthopedist later, I still
hadn't found a great solution. I've had Montrails, Solomons, New Balance,
and Brooks, all of which performed about the same.

In frustration, one day I took out all the trappings and walked around in
shoes with no insole at all.

That was four months ago, and since I haven't had a single issue. I'm
afraid to be hopeful that this is a solution, but I'm willing to try it out.

The only concern is that, without an insole, I feel a lot of the rocks and
other detritus on the path. So the question is, does anyone have a good
suggestion for some sort of very, very thin padding to take the place of
the missing insoles?

Muchas gracias,

Professor Errant

-- 
*Quid sum? Nil. Quis sum? Nullus. Sed gratia Christi, quod sum, quod vivo,
quodque laboro, facit.*