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Need trail shoe recommendations with heel lift


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  • #1304183
    Curtis B.
    BPL Member

    @rutilate

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    Contrary to many here, I'm looking for trail shoe recommendations with heels. Due to a bone defect (can't remember the scientific term) I have limited flexibility, making it difficult to lift my toes. To help compensate I wear 3/8" heel lifts in my shoes. The doctor laughingly told me that high heels would be perfect for me, but 250lb guy in heels is more than I can subject others to.

    Can anyone recommend lightweight trail shoes like the Innov8 lines that will have a heel and a taller heel cup so that it'll continue to hug the back of the heel even with an orthotic?

    Thanks!

    #1996546
    Steve Meier
    BPL Member

    @smeier

    Locale: Midwest

    I just ordered some Salomon mid's and am taking them back due to the heel lift, signicately more than their normal hiking shoe. Still very light and comfortable.

    #1996586
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Curtis, worn out knees have me crying for more cushion in my shoe and thus a somewhat higher and cushier heel. If you can find them take a look at Adidas Terex Fast, the low cut version.

    #1996630
    Marko Botsaris
    BPL Member

    @millonas

    Locale: Santa Cruz Mountains, CA

    Curtis,

    Have you considered having the soles altered instead – the soles are cut, the changes made by adding a custom intervening layer, and then glued back together. There are places you can mail the in the shoe and they will do this – its on he order of $40-50 per shoe. The downside is it is more expensive, but the upside is you can chose almost any shoe you want. Another upside is the shoes will work much better physically. I have used these guys many time, but there are many others:

    http://www.orthopedicshoelift.com/test/index.htm

    The can do any kind of alterations, not just level ones, but you have to spell out the dimensions to them.

    You are going to be even more limited in your shoe choice if you look only for one that have the right lift to start, though they will probably function better than internal lifts.

    Although 3/8" is on the borderline, any insert will degrade the way the shoe works somewhat. I maybe off-base here, but I'm guessing that the problem might possibly be a bit worse, and your doctor told you that number because that was the biggest lift you typically you put *inside* your shoe. Is that the case?

    I pretty much have to do this on all of my shoes as I had a surgical ankle fusion due to an injury – apparently there were leftover parts since that leg is now a bit shorter than the other.

    Unfortunately in my experience doctors, especially surgeons, but even podiatrist often are woefully lame in suggesting long term adjustments, especially for people who want to be active, and not just need orthotics to get them from the couch to the refrigerator. You may need to be more proactive in getting a good solution for you. I would a least try getting your soles modified instead once, and see if the improvement you get is worth the extra money. Another benefit you can get going that route is that the alterations can be contoured specifically for you, so there might be a much wider and subtler range of shapes as well as lifts that could help you specific conditions.

    Talk to you doctor first, but you can experiment to see what works best for you. Frankly if I had not finally designed and tested my own sole modification for my condition, I never would have been able to get back to 10-15 mile backpacking days.

    #1996727
    Rick Reno
    BPL Member

    @scubahhh

    Locale: White Mountains, mostly.

    The rise is either 4 or 6 mm., I think.

    I have about 200 miles on mine and love them: plenty of tow and forefoot room and they cinch down well for rough scrambling and big descents. They're cool, vent and drain well, and seem durable.

    Just two caveats: even though they drain well, they take a long time to get really dry- like, longer than overnight if it's cold. Also, they run a little small. I ordered up a whole size (from 13 to 14), and am glad I did.

    Check 'em out!

    #1996877
    J C
    BPL Member

    @joomy

    La Sportiva Wildcats have a 12mm drop. Great shoe. I wear orthotics in mine with no problem although mine don't have a significant heel lift.

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