[pct-l] Foot ready, are you?

[Carol]

Hi, Josh. What a fortunate guy you are to have asked a good question before your big hike. You may not know it, but some of the folks who've given you advice are PCT and hiking royalty. They're the best, and they know the trail. Take their advice. It's golden. 

Have a wonderful thru!
Carol

> On Feb 7, 2014, at 6:23 PM, Diane Soini <dianesoini at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Before my PCT hike I was already an avid hiker that put in weekly miles 
> in So Cal. However, something about the PCT still gave me blisters.
> 
> One mistake I made was the shoes I started out with were goretex. Never 
> wear goretex shoes. They will kill your feet. Search goretex shoes and 
> Andrew Skurka if you don't believe me. He does not even recommend them 
> in wet conditions.
> 
> The trouble with the PCT is that it is too maintained. It is very very 
> smooth. There is hardly any variation as you walk. Barely any rocks 
> underfoot. If there is a slope to the tread, it lasts for 10 miles. It's 
> a perpetual motion injury machine. It starts with blisters between your 
> big and 2nd toe. Then you favor your foot because of the blister and the 
> change in your gait causes problems in your knees or your hips. Soon you 
> think you have knee problems. Then you get to a long climb with the 
> trail tilted outward to the slope. Your little pinky toe on that side 
> turns into a massive blister. Then it's 10 miles to the other side and 
> your other pinky toe is hamburger.
> 
> Not much you can do really but wear breathable shoes, stop and air out 
> your feet often, change your socks a lot, and take care of any blisters 
> and hotspots as soon as possible. It'll pass. After the Sierras, which 
> is a couple hundred miles of your feet being constantly wet, your feet 
> will be impervious.
> 
>> On 02/07/2014 06:00 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 6
>> Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2014 10:19:38 -0500 (EST)
>> From: Joshua Walsh<jpwalk38z at aol.com>
>> Subject: [pct-l] Foot ready, are you?
>> 
>> 
>> Any Solutions or advice?
>> 
>> Please respond with comments for or against. Any constructive advice is welcome!
> 
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