[Gocamino] Re: Weight of boots

[Elizabeth Duran]

I found that lighter is better. I set off with a pair of boots that were
somewhat heavy and had a very rigid sole, because I had been told these
would be good for rocky areas.  Going down the mountains from
Roncesvalles, they were okay for the first day - and then they were
torture thereafter, until I finally ditched them in Logro~no and bought
a nice, light boot that improved my life enormously.  I like a high
ankle to provide ankle protection in rocky areas, but otherwise I would
have done fine with a pair of lightweight hiking shoes (such as
Merrills, in the US).  Some people did it in Teva or Merrill sandals,
but I wore my sandals only after the day's hiking was over, because I
have a tendency to bump my toes into things.  But there is a kind of
hiking sandal with a high, semi-closed toe that you might consider.

 

In short, the lighter shoe made me more sure footed and comfortable.
Because I have a high arch, I put a gel insert into them (if you like
inserts, bring your own, because they can be hard to find), and I had no
blisters or problems of any kind with my feet.  Of course, I also wore
two pairs of socks (an interior lightweight synthetic, and an external
lightweight wool), both of them turned inside out to keep the seam
outside, so that may have helped too.

 

I think it's pretty subjective, though, and you should try it out around
where you live now to figure out what is most comfortable.  Only a
little of the Camino is through seriously rocky areas, and much of it is
along roads or paths, so you don't really need mountain boots.

 

Cheers,

Elizabeth

 

Elizabeth Duran

eduran at pipeline.com