[pct-l] Shoes

[dave@dalbey.org (David Dalbey)]

Brian,

You hit the nail on the head as to why I chose the NB shoes, Availability of
narrow widths!  For that reason the 803's I bought have proven to be one of
my favorites.  Out of curiousity, do the Montrail Vitesse come in various
widths?

David

----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Robinson <brian_a_robinson@hotmail.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 9:28 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Shoes


> Hi all,
>
> I talked to a lot of hikers this year about shoes.  The NB 800 series is
> probably the most popular shoe out there, particularly among thru-hikers.
> Since I've never worn them, I asked everyone how they liked them.  Most
> loved them of course, but some did not.  Many of the dissatisfied had wide
> feet.  I noticed this after hearing several people say that they loved NBs
> because they can be ordered in narrow sizes.
>
> It _may_ also be true that NBs don't have good arch support as some have
> said.  Wider feet tend to have higher arches, so that could explain why
> those with wider feet were more likely to have problems.  Superfeet
insoles
> were recommended to solve this problem in a recent post.  That's good
advice
> for people with narrow feet.  But I have wide feet and I learned in '97
that
> the heavy plastic Superfeet were too narrow for me.
>
> My solution to my high arch problem was to lighten my pack and strengthen
my
> arches by running.  I no longer need "extra" arch support.
>
> For those like me who have medium-wide feet, the Montrail Vitesse may be a
> good choice.  It's basically a very light-weight low-top boot.  They are
> better than any shoe this side of Vibram-soled boots at keeping me from
> feeling the sharp rocks.  When I switched to them on the CDT this year
> almost all my foot pain and swelling ceased!  For those who think boots
> would be even better, the boots I've worn in past years didn't flex enough
> and that concentrated all the pounding on the one configuration of foot
> bones the boots allowed.  The key seems to be a shoe that flexes enough to
> spread the wear and tear on the foot bones, but is stiff enough to keep
> sharp rocks from doing too much damage.
>
> Another tip for shoe fit is the socks.  If your shoe is a little too wide
> for your feet, thick or layered socks will help.  If it's a little too
> narrow, thin socks will work better.  Always use non-cotton wicking socks
to
> keep your feet as dry as possible.
>
> How can you tell if your foot is wide or narrow?  Shoes that are slightly
> too narrow will cause rubbing on the sides of your feet.  If you get a
> blister or callus on the side of your heel, try thinner socks or a wider
> brand of shoes.  If your shoes are too wide your foot will tend to slip
> forward and irritate the tips of your toes even if you get a bigger size.
> Thick socks will help, and tighter lacing will also help but may aggravate
a
> high arch problem.  Try shoes that come in widths.
>
> The bottom line has always been this.  Wear shoes that fit YOU.  Don't
wear
> somebody else's favorite.  Keep trying different shoes, socks and inserts
> until you find what works for YOU.  There's no more important comfort
> factor.
>
> Flyin' Brian
> Calendar Triple Crown '01
>
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