[Gocamino] footwear

[peregrino at att.net]

I think that you can find a pilgrim to support almost any imaginable footwear, from sandals to heavy boots, with most people suggesting something in between.

A good boot or shoe is one that offers you the support you need, fits well, and is comfortable.  You need to walk a lot in them before you leave, break in your boots/feet.  I know that my feet only lasted two days with my expensive Rockport walking shoes.  My feet got very sore because they did not have the support I needed, so I switched to heavy boots for the rest of the trip.  There is something to be said for having two different kinds of footwear.  If one pair just does not work, you have an alternative, and sometimes it is nice to be able to give your feet a change.  I liked the walking shoes for wandering around town without a pack.  If it is true that a pound on your feet is worth 6 on your back, then it is easy to argue for a light and a heavy pair of footwear, wear the light pair as much as possible, but have a heavy pair in your pack when the trail is bad or when your feet need more support.

I agree with the suggestion to start at a point from which you have time to walk to Santiago.  Roncesvalles is no better than any other starting point.  Any starting point is ultimately completely arbitrary, unless you live in Europe and start walking from your own front door.  The routes go to Santiago from all over Europe, so you could start in Vezelay, Paris, London, Leon, Madrid, or a thousand other cities.

There is a kind of purity to just walking.  It was the longest time in my life in which I never got into a motor vehicle, and it really makes you feel like a pilgrim, not a tourist.

Richard

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Dennis Harrod <dennisharrod at yahoo.com>
> My daughter (18) and I (50+) will be walking part of the Camino in May. We
> won't have time to do it all, but plan to start in Roncesvalles and go a few
> days from there and then take a bus to somewhere west of Leon (depending on
> how much time we have) and walk from there to Santiago.
> 
> My question, oft repeated, is about footwear: can someone tell me exactly how
> to decide what are "good" hiking boots? How much does the price really tell
> you? I have some very comfortable trail sneakers (that's not what they call
> them, but I don't remember the marketers' name for them) with a good, gripping
> soul and heel, but they provide no ankle support so I doubt they'd serve.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
> 
> Dennis Harrod
> 
> =====
> Dennis C. Harrod, Spanish Language Coordinator
> 316A H.B. Crouse
> Syracuse University
> Syracuse, NY 13244
> (315) 443-5491
> dcharrod at syr.edu
> 
> 
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