Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[mina]

I still don't know which footwear is the best choice for a summer Camino. I'll start my Camino in the end of May and I hope that will be in Santiago de Compostela in the beginning of the July.
Should I wear my hiking boots which are almost like this ---> http://kauppa.lassinretkiaitta.fi/files ... Upload.jpg
or are good jogging shoes better. These shoes have also steady bottoms and Gore-text ---> http://www.zappos.com/images/715/715645 ... 3579-t.jpg
I know that there will be different kind of opinions, but I will be glad to hear your opinions. Then it would be easier to me to make my decision.

[JohnnieWalker]

Mina

I suspect you will get some many different opinions amongst pilgrims the varying answers to your question might make the decision impossible!

Seriously - there is no right or wrong answer simply what works best for you. Some people like the ankle support that boots give others feel that the terrain on most routes is never so rough to merit boots. Others favour shoes as lighter and more flexible. Still others argue that when the weather is dry hiking sandals are the way to avoid blisters. In fact on the Camino Frances early in the year I met a chap who was walking with two sets of boots plus sandals for the evening - he said he couldn't decide so brought them all - this is of course a very bad idea

I'd say walk in the shoes or boots in which you are comfortable walking and have walked reasonably long distances with before.

For what it is worth and to add to the confusion I favour mid high walking shoe/boots which give the best of both worlds - but only because I wanted to have something I could use in all seasons.

Happy decision making

John

[kubapigora]

I have spoken with a man couple of weeks ago, which have walked his camino last year in leather sandals. He said, that it was his best decision regarding the equipment.
I'm planning to use my hiking shoes and take one pair of lightweight sandals to use in the shower and to walk (if blisters became unbearable). I would not be afraid to take some light walking/jogging shoes in place of hiking ones- as terrain is not so rough (as most people on the forum said)- but I haven't got any;) so decision is made!
Buen Camino!

P.S.
Don't forget the set of needles;)

[Barbara]

Personally I wear lightweight boots, or sandals when it is hot. But then I always wear lightweight boots or sandals, I don't actually own any other shoes (two identical pairs of boots, one pair of sandals, and I buy a new pair every year as the oldest ones wear out. While the camino frances is easy walking, the Puy en Velay route and the norte and primitivo can be fairly rugged. For those in UK, think Lake District. My donkey wear shoes with tungsten studs that cost more than a years supply of footwear for me

[Mercury]

I wore jogging shoes which were very confortable and had good cushioning in the heel for the streches on roads/hard tracks. But ...... I did get blisters under the ball of my foot and some pain in the bones around ball of my foot which I suspect may have been due to too much flexibility in the shoe and not enough padding under the ball of the foot.

Next time I am going to wear Merrell Chameleon which are a sort of cross between the two
http://www.fitnessfootwear.com/c-152-merrell-chameleon.aspx?gclid=CNKcrLnTh5MCFQ5MQgodxCkhfw

Mercury

[Barbara]

Ah blisters
I hardly ever get blisters, sometimes just on the outside of my little toe, but only if my feet get wet. I suspect this is because I always wear the same shoes, so they are really well shaped to my foot. I know that when I get a new pair, it only takes a week or so for them to feel as comfortable as the old pair. I see no point recommending one make or style, you have to keep trying them on till you find one that suits your shape of foot. remembering that different countries sell shoes to the shape of their local people. Yes, really! Also men's fittings may suit you better if you are a woman with a wide foot. Two pairs of socks for long walks, with the inner pair very thin silk, and the outer pair wool or one of the specialist synthetics. Not ever cotton or nylon. make sure the socks are a good fit as well or they will bunch up and rub. I knit my own, and wear them every day. 75 percent wool, 25 percent polyamide, just above the top of the boot, and knit tight in fine wool (fingering weight on 2mm needles). Clean socks every day. No need for a big first aid kit that way, so I can take my knitting needles and make more socks on the way This will work whether you use boots or shoes.

[amancio]

boots would be my first choice, undoubtedly, not as high as yours, but boots nevertheless.

ONE GOOD TRICK:

going uphill, do not tie the one or two top laces of the boots, give your ankle more freedom.
Going downhill, you can tie them to the very top laces, that will give you extra support
on flat land, do as if uphill.
that really helps!

[Javier Martin]

In my opinion, boots ALWAYS, even in summer.

Best option to protect your ankles.
Best option (with goretex or similar, of course) o protect against water.
Best option when you stamp on any little stones that can damage your feet.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

[andy_h]

Hi all
I just finished my Camino Yesterday and seating at nice bar in Santiago.
My opinion on the issue is BOOTS.
There is a lot of mud on the camino.
Go waterproof
Buen Camino to everybody. It is beautiful experience
Andy

[sillydoll]

Congratulations Andy!! Give old Jimmy a hug from all of us!

[mina]

I did the question "Boots or good jogging shoes?. I have decided that it will be boots. I bought a good pair of sandals and I have walked with them. Those sandals are great and I think it's possible to use them on the Camino when the path of Camino is "easy to walk".

[Javier Martin]

Yes, Mina, the yours is a good election. So, you can take your boots to walk, your sandals as your "second walking shoes" if it's necessary, and also to visit the towns where you are going to sleep after your shower.

Buen Camino, enjoy it.

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[AJ]

The Via de la Plata was very wet and muddy in a lot of places. I was very glad of my boots for this reason alone.

[spursfan]

I walk in the North Face Cedar Mesa shoes - with Vibram soles (like boots) but as light as trainers

[shell]

Got to be BOOTS

[peregrine64]

I'm really intrigued at the idea of taking knitting needles to knit socks along the way - how do wool socks do being washed and dried along the way? Do they dry fairly quickly? What's the other material you use along with wool? (And what country are you in??)

[JohnnieWalker]

Errrr...wool socks take ages and ages to dry. I use them as outer socks, wash the inner socks daily and this gives time for the wool socks to dry. See what Peter Robins says on his website:

As for socks, I would guess that these are the single greatest source of blisters. Many walking socks in the shops are wool-based yet, though wool is nice and soft when new, it soon mats from dirt or sweat after use, thereby creating precisely those unevennesses that lead to differential friction on the skin, i.e. blisters. Of course you could throw out the socks every few days and buy a new pair, but this is rather impractical. Washing them regularly would no doubt cure the problem, but regular washing on a long distance walk is also impractical as wool takes forever and a day to dry. We are always told (Tip no 4) that we should wear a pair of thick socks with a thinner pair underneath, and thinner socks are easier to dry. For this reason, I went over many years ago to wearing polypropylene inner socks on my long walks. Polypropylene’s claimed property of wicking sweat away from the skin may not be 100%, but I am certain that it dries a damn sight faster than wool; I wash these inner socks every evening and generally find they are dry by morning.

I hope this helps and isn't too controversial a view!

John

[Tonjesol]

I see that many people support boots as the optimal foot wear even in summer. I walked from Pamplona to Burgos in 2007 in my Asics Kayano jogging shoes, and that worked beautifully for me, except some blisters under(!) my toes - but I believe that to be due to poor socks. I have problems with my back and knees, so I need "bouncy" shoes, I guess.

And: Open sandals for those lovely evenings in the Albergues...

[Javier Martin]

Sometimes it depends on the weather. If it's good, it's fantastic a jogging shoes. But if it's raining, when your socks become wet you can have some blisters and problems.

And the boot protects your ankle. Usually you don't need that protection, but when you really need it the jogging shoe is not enough.

The reduce weight in your weight, for example, is good in all moments in your Camino. But boots may be necessary. You never will know it before your pilgrimage. But, to avoid a possible problem, yu need the boots.

I'm sorry, I don't feel able to explain better my opinion in english.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[Barbara]

Wool socks do not mat or become lumpy if they are knitted tightly with thin wool. It takes a long time to knit, yes. Drying in the sunshine takes about four hours if they are well wrung out. I do not make or wear thick socks. The 75 percent wool 25 per cent polyamide blend fingering weight sock wool sold by regia wears well, looks pretty, and is pleasant to knit with. It takes me about 30 this is not a typo hours to knit a pair of socks, using 2mm needles and 100 grammes of wool. They fit my feet, which is what matters. My inner socks are very thin silk. I do not get blisters. Voila!

[JohnnieWalker]

Barbara - your socks sound fabulous!

[kubapigora]

Barbara- could I order 4 pairs from you? )))

[JohnnieWalker]

well we have Forum badges....what about Forum socks!

[Barbara]

[code]Barbara- could I order 4 pairs from you?[/code]

Certainly! Now let me see.... Thirty hours at say fifteen euros per hour times four

OOOPs

I could teach you to knit


Forum socks....
Blue and gold I think, with the name tound the sock just above the ankle.

[Tonjesol]

Special made pilgrim socks, now there's a good idea! "Socks for pilgrims, by pilgrims"

Blue and yellow with an arrow pointing forwards, in case you forget which way to walk...