[pct-l] Footwear

[mark utzman]

Good morning, I'm reading a lot of questions from this post on footwear. I
am by no means an expert on the subject, but I have been an avid backpacker
for many, many years, and attempted a thru-hike of the pct last year. Over
the years, I have experimented with everything from heavy, traditional
boots, to mids, to trail shoes, running shoes, sandals, even hiking
barefoot. The bottom line is this: everyone is different. What works for me
may not work for you. You HAVE to experiment with different footwear,
especially if you are going to do a long distance hike. No doubt about it,
your shoes ( or boots ) are the most important piece of gear you will have.
Several years ago, I jumped on the Ray Jardine train (no disrespect
intended. He has valid philosophies), and started hiking with running
shoes. I quickly developed  Achilles tendon problems that lasted for a
couple of years. Needless to say, I don't hike with running shoes any more.
But that's ME. Today, my choice for backpacking is lightweight mids, and
trail shoes, a full size larger than what I normally wear on the streets.
And I get them in a wide. Keep these points in mind when selecting hiking
footwear: when you first try on a pair at the store, if they don't
immediately feel good, the're wrong for you. Try as many brands and models
as you can. Try different sizes. A size 91/2 with one brand might be a 9
with another brand. Take your time. Put on BOTH left and right, and walk
around for a few minutes. You should not feel ANY pressure points. Your
heel should NEVER raise up from the shoe. Shop for shoes/boots at the end
of the day. Your feet will be more spread out. And wear the socks you will
be hiking in. When you do pick a pair, you have to hike in them for at
least 50 miles. They may feel good in the store, but put 20 pounds on your
back and hike on rough terrain, your feet may start to hurt. I'm telling
the truth, you may have to go through a few pairs. Do it BEFORE your thru
hike. I literally spent over $1000 in a year before I found the right pair
for me. Educate yourself. Learn about foot anatomy and foot dynamics. What
kind of feet do you have? High arch? Flat feet? Narrow, wide? It may sound
silly to some, but you wreck your feet, your hike is over, and you may even
develop life long problems. One last point. Try to reduce your pack weight
as much as you can. Go light. The less weight pressure you put on your feet
the better. A sub 15 pound pack base weight is a good goal. My 2 cents :)