Boots - sore feet

On 27/03/2016 17:46, R D S wrote:
You're a sage & experienced old bunch hence I thought i'd put this to you;

I bought some new boots (Grisport Fuse) at the back end of last year,
from a long established outdoor shop and took advice from the proprietor
re size and fit. immediately did a fair bit of walking in them (up to 8
miles per day) and over the course of a couple of weeks got sore feet.

Barely worn them since but thought i'd do a bit this weekend, did a
couple of miles on Friday and 3.5 today and I have sore feet again.
The soreness is around the broadest part of the foot, in front of the
ankle, it doesn't look bruised, feels sort of like it has been crushed.

I've never had bother with footwear before beyond rubbing, can't decide
what to do ie. get some different boots or man up and see if it sorts
itself out.

One solution might lie with the insoles. I understand that boot
manufacturers supply an insole that is effectively worth no more than a
piece of cardboard because they cannot expect to know what each person's
feet are like and they expect you to replace the cardboard and use
something like Superfeet insoles which adapt to your own feet. If you
are near Whalley (Lancs), I would recommend Whalley Warm and Dry for
their fitting service and their different level of custom insoles
Website: http://www.whalleyoutdoor.co.uk/
They have various types of insoles ranging from off-the-peg, through
off-the-peg moulded on a heated pad while you wait, and full
custom-built insoles.
I have no connection with Whalley Warm & Dry other than as a customer.
I have used them to buy boots and have been impressed, and know other
walkers who have used them with similarly satisfactory results.


As another poster pointed out, maybe trail shoes would be an option
instead of boots, but it depends on your prefernece, the terrain you
walk on and the weather.

I have x-posted to uk.rec.walking as although that group is now
quiet-ish, you might get some feedback from there too.

On 28/03/2016 10:37, Allan wrote:
On 27/03/2016 17:46, R D S wrote:
You're a sage & experienced old bunch hence I thought i'd put this to
you;

I bought some new boots (Grisport Fuse) at the back end of last year,
from a long established outdoor shop and took advice from the proprietor
re size and fit. immediately did a fair bit of walking in them (up to 8
miles per day) and over the course of a couple of weeks got sore feet.

Barely worn them since but thought i'd do a bit this weekend, did a
couple of miles on Friday and 3.5 today and I have sore feet again.

Looking those up they're pretty chunky, and while it's still widespread
popular belief that you need dreadnoughts with a high cuff to go off
tarmac more and more folk have found out that the easiest way to stop
getting sore feet is have them do less work, so lighter uppers and a
more flexible sole.
The usual cry is "what about ankle support?", but ankles have evolved
over a long time in to a decent thing for the job of walking around and
not collapsing at the first sign of rough ground.

So I'd have a look at a walking shoe, or a "trail runner" (no running
required) with a decent off-road sole.

One solution might lie with the insoles. I understand that boot
manufacturers supply an insole that is effectively worth no more than a
piece of cardboard because they cannot expect to know what each person's
feet are like and they expect you to replace the cardboard and use
something like Superfeet insoles which adapt to your own feet.

I'm a happy Superfeet user, but they don't adapt to feet (unless you get
the particularly expensive custom-moulded sort), and note that different
insoles are aimed at different things. Superfeet particularly to help
against over-pronation, and as I tend to over-pronate that's why I use
them (in shoes, big winter boots are chunky enough to solve the problem
by themselves).

As another poster pointed out, maybe trail shoes would be an option
instead of boots, but it depends on your prefernece, the terrain you
walk on and the weather.

The terrain is much less of an issue than people assume. Look at what
orienteers and fell runners go over, at speed, in glorified trainers and
it's soon clear boots are not needed for rough terrain. Where they
really score is on snow, keeping feet warm and giving the stiffness to
kick steps in re-frozen snow, and the rigidity to hold crampons.
Preference is a trump, of course, but most people change preference to
lighter shoes as soon as they try them.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
NHS Tayside & Univ. of Dundee Ninewells Hospital & Med. School
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In article ,
Peter Clinch wrote:

Looking those up they're pretty chunky, and while it's still widespread
popular belief that you need dreadnoughts with a high cuff to go off
tarmac more and more folk have found out that the easiest way to stop
getting sore feet is have them do less work, so lighter uppers and a
more flexible sole.
The usual cry is "what about ankle support?", but ankles have evolved
over a long time in to a decent thing for the job of walking around and
not collapsing at the first sign of rough ground.

Quite. They need exercising, of course, just like anything else, which
can be a bit of a problem for people without easy access to rough going.
But you actually need heavier shoes for tarmac, to reduce the cartilage
and bone damage - on the advice of a physiotherapist, I use Full Strike
insoles on my sandals.

H'it h'isnt the 'eavy 'auling as 'urts the 'orses 'ooves;
Hit's the 'ammer, 'ammer, 'ammer, on the 'ard 'ighway.

The terrain is much less of an issue than people assume. Look at what
orienteers and fell runners go over, at speed, in glorified trainers and
it's soon clear boots are not needed for rough terrain. Where they
really score is on snow, keeping feet warm and giving the stiffness to
kick steps in re-frozen snow, and the rigidity to hold crampons.
Preference is a trump, of course, but most people change preference to
lighter shoes as soon as they try them.

Stiff soles do a lot of harm - they cause people's feet to weaken, they
chew up trails, and they interfere with balance. You need fairly solid
soles for sharp rock, stones, thorns etc., but traditional (i.e. Roman,
Indian etc.) sandals do fine. If it were not for the cold and wet, and
things like heather, I would use them for more walking. Going barefoot
isn't often feasible in the UK because of the cold and wet, though I do
it on occasion, and have done it elsewhere.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 28/03/2016 17:37, Allan wrote:
On 27/03/2016 17:46, R D S wrote:
You're a sage & experienced old bunch hence I thought i'd put this to
you;

I bought some new boots


Stop right there!

Boots just aren't very good in most situations.

Get some comfy walking shoes - you'll appreciate the liberation.