[pct-l] My feet are killing me!

[Tortoise]

For years now I've been wearing only New Balance shoes even though they are 
expensive.

New Balance has several different lasts (foot shaped forms) styles they use 
to make their shoes resulting in significant differences in how one's feet 
fit into the shoes.  I have feet that are wide thru the ball and toes and 
relatively narrow heels. Maybe my feet are so shaped because I supinate 
(under pronate).  I only buy models that use the SL-2 last which is shaped 
similarly to my foot -- wide and high toe box with narrower heel.  Shoes 
made on other lasts are usually too narrow in the toes for me. Ouch!

Browns Catalog Sales  (saleshttp://www.brownscatalog.com/) has a lot of 
information about foot size and shape so reading thru their information is 
a good primer. Browns are more expensive than some other sites though. But 
this is where I buy my shoes.

Tortoise

<> Because truth matters! <>

On 12/03/10 18:16, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes wrote:
>
> On Dec 3, 2010, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>
>>    Diane, you have suggested a wider shoe which makes perfect
>> since.  Can you recommend a wide shoe.  I currently wear the Osolo
>> brand.  Heavy but waterproof which works for me. I'm not rich so
>> can't afford a different brand for each season and I do a lot of
>> winter hiking.
>
> I'm afraid I can't recommend a wider brand of hiking boot. I honestly
> do not think there is a hiking boot that is wide enough. All boots
> and most shoes have a horrible taper that scrunches the toes. Boots
> really hurt my neuromas because they are stiff and force my toes into
> a hyperflexed, upward pointing angle. This is the same angle my toes
> would be in were I wearing high heeled ladies shoes. Something I have
> not been able to do since I was 16 years old and first got the neuroma.
>
> I found that my female duck foot fits pretty well into mens 4E
> running shoes. They have to be a model that has all that 4E width in
> the toe area and none of it in the heel or mid-foot area. The New
> Balance shoes I've tried seem more like the width is all over, not
> just in the toe-box. A pair of Brooks 4E width seemed to have all the
> width in the toe.
>
> I have backpacked wearing Chaco sandals. This feels great for not
> causing any neuroma issues, but is even further from something you want.
>
> Since I have had so much trouble with shoes, I've actually been
> trying to learn how to make simple shoes so that I can have shoes
> wide enough for my foot without having to be 4 sizes too long, which
> is what I ended up doing on my PCT hike. Wearing shoes 4 sizes too
> big works pretty well, so it's another option. You really do get used
> to having all that extra length. After a while, you don't notice it.
> Perhaps you can go with only 2 extra sizes.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
>