[pct-l] Footwear

[Ken Powers]

Really good advice!

One thing Jeff said that didn't get emphasized - pay attention to the
last of the shoes. We have found that New Balance's last SL-2 fits our
feet better because it is a straight last. Nike and many other shoe
companies use a curved last. (That means the shoe curves in on the big
toe side of the foot.) We get much less friction from the straight
lasts. Pick a last that fits your feet.

And I will also support the idea of a larger shoe size for long
distance hiking. Our feet swell by a full size during the first couple
of weeks on a long hike. Sometimes we need a larger  half size after
another month.

Ken
www.GottaWalk.com



On Thu, Jan 29, 2015 at 9:25 AM, Jeffrey Olson <philos56 at live.com> wrote:
> My feet were 12EE when I started doing long section hikes.  Now the SL-2
> last New Balance running shoes I wear are 14EEEE.  There are times when I
> wonder if I shouldn't get a pair of 14EEEEEE.  I never see those on sale
> though.
>
> http://www.aperfectdealer.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/scstore/sitepages/tekfit.html?E+scstore
>
> Also, insoles are fairly important - get insoles from superfeet or ed
> viesturs (or?).  They add a bit of volume you need to account for.
>
> I've also found that I really like the feeling of my forefoot being really
> loose in the shoe, and the laces being tighter over the arch.  I tie a
> double knot just below the high point of the arch so that the laces are
> really loose over the forefoot and I can adjust the tension over the arch.
> Tighter for going downhill, looser for flats and uphill...
>
> I've also found that when I get a new pair of hiking shoes it really helps
> to run a piece of high quality duct tape from the sole, up the inside back
> of the shoe and over the top and down.  the tape starts underneath the
> insole.  This really cuts down on heel blisters. Blisters are caused by a
> combination of heat, moisture and friction.  The duct tape gets rid of the
> friction.     It doesn't work as well if the shoe is dirty, but it still
> works.  tight socks are important too.
>
> Jeff
>
> On 1/29/2015 9:02 AM, Dan Welch wrote:
>>
>> "...it is highly suggested that I should purchase and wear shoes that are
>> a
>> size too large. I can see how this totally makes sense as my feet are
>> going
>> to swell, but are they really going to swell THAT much?? I have super
>> narrow
>> feet, so I am wondering if I really need to do this. It also makes me
>> nervous to wear shoes too big because isn't ill fitting footwear a cause
>> of
>> blisters?..."
>>
>> I didn't run into a single person last year on the PCT that complained
>> because their shoes were too large.  I ran into several who were in
>> various
>> shades of pain because their shoes were too small.  Just my experience...
>>
>> Timberline
>>
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