Hiking Shoes?

Go to the gear shop with the biggest shoe selection you can find and try on everything you can. It's all about fit. Make sure you try different sock combos as well.

Don't get hung up about what your buddies wear. It's your feet, not theirs.

As for the terrain in North Carolina on the AT, it's probably going to be typical hard pack trail, with tons of rocks and roots. Expect a lot of mud. Really any trail runner or boot should be able to handle it. Most road running shoes as well if you have strong feet and a lighter load.

I will say that getting something with a lot of grip will help, but blisters are more a concern that slipping, so buy based on fit!

Are loose shoes better? Or tighter fitting?

I heard to get a pair that are at least 1/2 size bigger. But what about a pair that are 1 whole size bigger or a little wider than I'd normally wear?

Would this increase possibility for blisters?

Hi John

> I heard to get a pair that are at least 1/2 size bigger. But what about a pair that
> are 1 whole size bigger or a little wider than I'd normally wear?

At least 1/2 a size bigger. Your feet will grow that much while you are walking. Most young sales attendants do not know this.
A full size bigger is good in winter – you can add an extra layer of thick socks for greater foot warmth. Very nice.
If your feet feel at all tight – your shoes are too small.
Loose boots might (or might not) give you blisters, but I don't think I have heard of blisters from loose joggers – at least, not with good socks.

Cheers

I've found for myself, friends and customers that wacky feet can benefit in a huge way from aftermarket footbeds or custom orthotics. You might consider trying an aftermarket footbed designed for flatter feet when you try on shoes–most shoes have no real arch built into them. (I've seen quasi-custom footbeds at high-end running shops–$50, but way less than the $350 customs…)

I also have absolutely no arch, and NB 811's are one of the best fitting shoes I've found yet. But once again, try lots of shoes and see what fits your foot.

On the other hand, I can't recommend arch supports enough. In general, custom orthotics are wicked expensive ($350), but once in a while you can find someone who does it for less. I found a guy near Boston who does them for $80, but it took a long time of searching before I happened upon this. Search around if you can. Otherwise, store bought insoles can be okay. I did have a pair of those cause me serious knee pain, however, so that is another product you'll want to research before buying.

John:

Biggest thing – don't worry about what your friends wear, what Adventure Racers wear, or what anyone on this board wears. Hear the options but do try them on YOUR feet, with your socks, and decide what feels best.

Having said that, I live in NC – have hiked a good portion of the AT through this state. On just about all of it you can hike with a pair of trail runners or even street running shoes. I have hiked parts of it with an 800 series New Balance shoe. I get a 1/2 size larger b/c I feel my feet swell and I like the extra room. I'd rather have them too loose than too tight. If need be add a pair of socks. I lace my shoes very loose in the toe box and then tighter towards the top of the tongue – it's what works for me and I've never gotten a blister.

Now, it isn't my first choice even on the well-worn AT. Here's my answer to you:

1) I use Montrail shoes (Hurricane and Vitesse) b/c my feet are very flat as well and wide.

2) For me, the Montrail's seem to be wider in the toe box, are pretty light, and have a strike plate in the sole which keeps my flat feet from feeling more fatigue by stepping on the occasional rock, root, etc.

3) What also helps my flat feet is I will start my day with the insoles which come with the shoe, then after lunch I'll switch to a blue pair of SuperFeet insoles (the blue ones). Yes, I'm carrying 2 insoles but they're very light and when it comes down to it – now matter how light my pack is – if my dogs are tired every step is hard. Insoles do not take up a lot of room in your pack – it's worth it for me and it gives my feet a different "feel" halfway through the day and they do not seem to tire as quickly.

4) I have read that the Inov8 shoes are generally wider, are some of the lightest out there, and work great. I want to try them one day. Until then, I do like my system and esp. the striker place in the Montrails…

Good luck

Hitman, hopefully the store you go to will have an individual who has attended a fitting school and will measure and properly evaluate your feet so you can be fitted with the correct boot after trying on one or possibly two shoes/boots. Purchasing shoes/boots that are oversized with the belief that excess volume will be taken up at the end of the day by swelling feet or that extra socks will also take up the volume/fit problems of an oversized shoe and provide winter warmth (the warmth part is correct) was contrary to everything I was taught during an extensive Phil Oren Fit System Clinic that stressed a snug fitting boot/shoe with proper foot bed/Orthotics and sock combinations as needed with enough room in the toe box to accommodate swelling. There is a lot more to fitting a boot/shoe and testing the fit, but that’s another story, good luck with your search.

> don't worry about what your friends wear, what Adventure Racers wear, or what anyone
> on this board wears. Hear the options but do try them on YOUR feet, with your socks,
> and decide what feels best.

Absolutely! I would be astonished if your feet were exactly the same as mine.

> contrary to everything I was taught during an extensive Phil Oren Fit System Clinic that
> stressed a snug fitting boot/shoe

Remind me to NEVER consult the Phil Oren Clinic for ANYTHING to do with my feet.

Cheers

Thanks so much for all your ideas. I've purchased two different $200+ custom orthodics and neither worked well.

I tried on the New Balance 811s and really liked them. But the memory of pain in my arches came to mind when you mentioned the strike plate.

Good idea.

I see a pair of Hurricane Montrails on sale that are waterproof Gortex. I heard waterproof shoes aren't good becuase if they do get wet on the inside, they'll never dry.

Is this true? Should I avoid waterproof shoes?

I think the whole "never get dry" issue pertains more to boots than trail runners and I'm not going to say if it is even valid, since I do not wear boots.

The goretex trail runners that I have used have dried out fine – however, they do take longer to dry than my non-goretex trail runners. My non-goretex trail runners are much lighter and water seems to pretty much just wick out of them – I've worn them (with wool socks, which also do a great job wicking) in very wet conditions and they stayed dry feeling far longer than you'd expect them to. Whereas some of my goretex trail runners have failed in pretty wimpy conditions, now that they are older and have a lot of mileage on them. Plus, in warm weather your feet are going to get much hotter in a goretex shoe.

I've used the Hurricane Montrails – they are actually the one trail runner I've tried that rubbed a spot raw on the inside of my ankle – I had to burnish down a stiff area and even then, wasn't particularly happy with them – but that's just my experience. Anyway, they kept my very dry for the short amount of time I tried them. And when wet – they dried out just fine in the sun. But I'd say on my feet, the non-goretex shoes dry quicker.

Also, I've mentioned this website before as a good place to shop for trail runners…

http://www.runningwarehouse.com

They provide really good, detailed specs about shoes that work for specific feet. So you'll be able to see what has a large toebox, what works for over-pronating, etc.

Waterproof shoes.

If they get wet they feel the same as with any shoe – they feel wet. I'd say that any shoe that gets wet on the trail is not going to dry by the time you get to camp and take them off unless you're in a very dry climate (my Hurricanes got wet at Ribbon Falls in the Grand Canyon but by the time I got to Cottonwood to camp they were dry inside and out – so….).

When I arrive in camp and my shoes are wet I open them up and either hang them on a branch or on a rock so the air can get into them – if I have a fire I put a stick in the ground next to the fire and set them on the stick (stick going into the shoe). Depending on humidity they are oftentimes dry – or dryer. I change into dry/clean socks almost daily so unless they're saturated I don't feel it anyway….

By the way – what part of the AT are you hiking in NC? GSMNP? Roan Mtn. area? (those are the most often travelled sections I would say).

The most beautiful section in the area – to me – is the 40+ miles section from Fox Creek to Damascus, VA (just inside the NC / VA border) although the Roan Mtn., NC, area is very similar….

We're starting at Unicoi Gap and hiking about 70 miles north. The trip begins April 5th.