Blood under Nails and Shoe Size Question

[Delmar O’Donnell]

After a recent PCT hike (30 miles in two days) I noticed “blood blisters” under the nails of the second and third toes of my left foot. They don’t hurt; I would not know they’re there except for seeing them. Do they indicate my shoes don’t fit, or something else? I’m about to buy a new pair (have my eye on Merrell Moab Ventilators) and I’m wondering if I need to size up.

Background info:
Current Shoes: Merrell Radius Size 10 (fit feels good but they’re hot, all leather)
Socks: Smartwool Outdoor Light Mini (Large)
Size: Brannock Device for my feet: Left 9.5, Right 9.25 (a pre-hike measurement)
Me: Not a high mileage guy, not a through-hiker. A 15-mi day is a lot for me.
Feet: All nails were closely trimmed.
Terrain on this hike: Up and down. Not much level.
Baseweight of pack: 12-13 lbs.

Note: My left foot’s a quarter size larger, and the blisters appeared on the left foot. Would that indicate my current shoes are undersize?

[Roger Caffin]

Yes, your shoes are seriously undersized for your feet! Seriously!!!

You have measured your feet on a Brannock Device: that is good. But you have ignored the width measurement the device gives: BAD. I suspect the Merrells may be not only too small but also too narrow for your feet.

Cheers

[Greg Mihalik]

…or the toe box is to shallow.

My toenails point upward.
I require shoes with a high volume toe box – height as well as width, in the appropriate length.

[Delmar O’Donnell]

> But you have ignored the width measurement the device gives: BAD.

Just didn't report. My width is D which I understand is normal/typical/average. I've tried on Merrell Wides and they feel like swimming pools.

So: Having a Brannock-sized left foot of 9.5 and a Merril 10 boot on it is cramping my foot eh? Interesting, thanks.

Are Merrells known for having small toe boxes?

[Jennifer Mitol]

The common answer is that your shoes are too small – but it can also happen if your shoes are too big, or you have some weird movement inside your shoes. This is MY problem – I tend to make a fist with my toes to grip inside my shoes, regardless of how big or small or narrow or wide they are. I've tried for 20 years to try to find shoes that don't make me lose my toenails during marathons and longer hikes. Unsuccessfully.

So for me it has nothing to do with my footwear, mine has to do with what my feet are doing inside my shoes. YMMV, of course.

But the first place to look is shoe size….

[Delmar O’Donnell]

Well darn it. These Merrell 10s feel correct in the store and feel correct just wearing around on the job. Maybe my foot is swelling considerably as I hike. Maybe my toes need braces to straighten them out.

I do find it suspicious that the left (larger) foot is showing the blood blisters under the nails and the right is not.

[Rick M]

del

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Delmar

> These Merrell 10s feel correct in the store and feel correct just wearing around on
> the job. Maybe my foot is swelling considerably as I hike.

Your diagnosis is very much to the point. If the shoes feel fine at home they will be too small at the end of the first day. Figure on at least a half size of swelling, if not a full size.

A more sophisticated analysis would look not only at the width but also the Last. You will find lots of interesting info on the New Balance web site about the various lasts they use. Note that while NB can make the same shoes with different width and use different lasts for different shoes, smaller shoe companies (eg Merrell) very often make only one width (average) and use just one last (average). Funny how serious walkers often need much wider fittings and larger toe boxes :-)

I find thick Darn Tough wool socks help a lot too.

Cheers

[rowan !]

What catches my attention here is the terrain on the hike, mostly up and down. I've noticed that I get this kind of bruising sometimes if there is a lot of downhill hiking and I forget to relace my shoes accordingly. I need to tighten my shoelaces over the instep (but not across the toes) when hiking downhill, to keep my feet from sliding forward and my toes from banging into the end of my shoe. But this becomes uncomfortable eventually, so I loosen the laces going uphill or walking on fairly level ground. Something like that could be happening even if your shoes are the right size.

[Stephen Barber]

On most of this, I agree whole heartedly with Roger.

Except for the sock thing.

I find that wearing thin nylon biking socks results in fewer insults to my feet than thicker socks. I do pack a pair of thicker merino wool socks, but for sleeping in!

[Delmar O’Donnell]

Great info, thanks folks. I'm going to take your advice and get a half size larger than normal, likely 10.5, depending on brand.

Did not know the "tight over instep but not toes" trick, very helpful also. Thanks.

RIck, I will check your recommended models for sure.

[Michael Gartman]

I believe when you properly use the Brannock device, you use the larger of the size shown by the length of your foot, or the size shown by the heel to ball measurement (this is a part of the device I never knew existed).

I found out that I am a 9 1/2 length at best from heel to toe, but my heel to ball measurement is 11, so I need to wear 11's. It works too. I always wondered why size 9 1/2's were so tight.

The reason I found when I googled it, it's because you want the shoe size to be fit so that the break in the shoe at the ball of your foot is in the correct place.

http://www.brannock.com/cgi-bin/start.cgi/brannock/instructions.html

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I have better luck with thinner socks, too.

I also have good luck with shoes that feel like my feet are swimming in them. In fact, it is only when shoes feel like slippers at home that they won't hurt me on the trail. I usually remove all the insoles inside to get that extra loose slipper feeling. And no, I don't seem to have any problems with my feet actually slipping forward and jamming my toes.

[Roger Caffin]

> it is only when shoes feel like slippers at home that they won't hurt me on the trail.

I had some light single-layer leather shoes from a Boot Survey for another mag once, which stretched a bit when they got wet for several days. There was no fabric lining in them at all. I used to call them my sloppy bedroom slippers – but they were very comfortable!

Cheers

[Dave Ayers]

Yes, very important to use the Brannock correctly. Many shoes have features that allow more flex under the ball of the foot (and less elsewhere). You want these to actually line up with the ball of your foot …

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