[pct-l] Desperately need help for "Delicate Princess Foot Syndrome"

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (dsaufley@sprynet.com)]

The Boutenko's, a family of Russian born, raw food vegetarians who gathered some of their wild foods, hiked the trail barefoot in '98.  All of their feet were doing just fine -- no blisters.  Barefoot seemed to work (for them).   Igor carried a 90 pound pack (probably because they had three children in tow).  I think I heard that they settled in Ashland and either opened or were working in a raw food restaurant.  

Occasionally, we see feet that haven't suffered the ravages of blisters and breakdown.  It's very rare, though.  Generally, the folks with the nice feet are light weight (with their packs as well as their bodies).  Less stress on the poor dogs, I guess.  The best looking feet to arrive in Agua Dulce were wearing Chacos with socks.  They used vaseline to lubricate their toes and heels.  That's what I'm experimenting with now.  So far, with shorter distances of 10-12 miles, so good.  I have no problem with rolling, tripping, or pebbles. The real test will be the longer distances, but based on my experience so far, I think this is going to work (for me).  

The same theory is taking hold in the equine world about leaving horses barefoot.  The major veterinary institutions are beginning to recognize and teach the theory.  I took my gelding barefoot with simply miraculous results -- he went from being lame to acting like a colt again.  For anyone interested in the equine version of this, check out www.thehorseshoof.com 

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Verber <verber@gmail.com>
Sent: Aug 30, 2005 3:58 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Desperately need help for "Delicate Princess Foot	Syndrome"

One thing you didn't mention was trying barefoot. You could check out 
http://barefooters.org/ to see what people who advocate this approach have 
to say. The short form of the argument is that human foot is a highly 
effective bio-mechincal system. Shoes mess with what is a well designed (or 
if you you aren't into intellegent - result of millions of years of 
evolution) system. Or shoes aren't as well designed as the foot, and as a 
result, people who where shoes have more foot problems than people who go 
barefoot. Gives you pause.

There are a number of options which are close to barefooting. The old 
standby are classic moccasins. I have never tried old fashion mocs on the 
trail... I have always worried about traction. In recent years there are a 
number of footwear manufacturers are doing their best to produce a virtually 
barefoot experience fusing flexibility with a high traction soles. In the 
ultra-running world, the Inov-8 shoes have been doing pretty well. I have 
been using the Inov-8 310 flyroc shoes and love them. I also understand Nike 
is following Inov-8's lead and is working on a line of ultra-light, 
ultra-flexible shoes. http://www.vivobarefoot.com/ are making some expensive 
shoes that sound like they are mocs with kevlar soles. 

Good luck,
Mark
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