Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

It's time for new shoes

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • It's time for new shoes

      my

      My current hiking shoes are worn out and hurt my feet to walk in them. With stores closed I'll probably order something online. I've found that the Oboz. brand fit my feet pretty good.
      But it seems that the Ultra shoes are the "hot" brand right now. Can anyone tell me about Ultras from first hand experience?
    • I tried them. Very comfortable walking around town. But on the trail I found the toe protection non-existent and when walking on a trail with a cross slope my foot would slide around inside and changing the insoles did not help. I much prefer my Oboz Sawtooth, my second runner up would be Merrells Moab vented and third Hoka One One. I like the protection of the Oboz and they are grippy and do not fall apart. I've got a pair I wear around town everyday that have probably got 5,000 miles on them- barely any tread left but still holding together and comfy.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • I wear the Lone Peak Altras, everywhere, every day.

      First, 'Zero drop' is not for everyone and may get getting use to. I love it though, I cannot go back.
      The best thing about them is the wide toe box. My piggies are all spread out and happy.
      JJ is correct, these shoes do not offer much in the way of support. That is fine with me. Also, there is little cushion with the "Lone Peaks', although other models offer more.
      The different generations of the shoe can vary in quality. I have the 3.5 generation of the Lone Peaks right now, which I like. Only thing is they are sized small and I would recommend ordering up a full size from what you usually get.
      I hear there are problems with the latest generation of the shoe (4.5?).

      It is almost time for me to get a replacement pair. I will try to find the 3.5 generation in the discount bins or on Ebay until they fix the things in the current product. I might also look into something other than the Lone Peaks, because they offer a number of different models, some lighter, some heavier.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I had Altra Lone Peaks. I had no problem adapting to the zero drop. They are well known for their generous foot box. That was nice for walking on level ground, but on uneven surfaces I found they lacked lateral stability. I could feel my foot sliding sideways inside the shoe. For a couple of years now I have been wearing Oboz Sawtooth, low top, not waterproof.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      I still need new shoes, I've never bought shoes without trying them on first. I guess if I order from REI I can always return them if I don't like how they fit.
      Nothing wrong with that strategy. Conventionall wisdom says to try shoes and packs before you buy as the fit is so personal. At least with shoes I had that option (prior to quarentine, that is), but it required going to several stores to try all the brands sometimes waiting weeks until they had the model I want or size I need.

      But with packs, many of the best options are small companies you will not find in retail stores like my Elemental Horizons Kalais, which is great). Here the shop by mail/return option is your best strategy. I wish I had a nickel for every time I saw someone post "you should never buy a pack without trying it on first". If everyone followed this advice, we all would be toting Osprey or crap sold at Walmart.

      BTW, I do like my Oboz. More trail shoes than trail runners.
    • I hiked 30+ miles on the Foothills Trail this week and wore my old Cascadias. (I didn’t get a chance to test the new Hoka’s further than 7.5 miles and worried they were slightly too tight on my foot with the bunion.)

      My feet really suffered in the Cascadias. I have 5 blisters and hot spots, despite using foot powder and duct tape. The trip was enjoyable but the foot pain made it tough. I just can’t find a pair of shoes that don’t kill my feet when hiking more than 6 miles/day. It’s so frustrating.

      I am thinking about having bunion surgery this winter as it’s the cause of most of my trouble. My reservation is the long recovery time...I hate to be confined for so long, especially after recent coved-19 restrictions. But I have a lot of sick time and plan to leave my job next spring so it would be ideal to do it before then.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      I hiked 30+ miles on the Foothills Trail this week and wore my old Cascadias. (I didn’t get a chance to test the new Hoka’s further than 7.5 miles and worried they were slightly too tight on my foot with the bunion.)

      My feet really suffered in the Cascadias. I have 5 blisters and hot spots, despite using foot powder and duct tape. The trip was enjoyable but the foot pain made it tough. I just can’t find a pair of shoes that don’t kill my feet when hiking more than 6 miles/day. It’s so frustrating.

      I am thinking about having bunion surgery this winter as it’s the cause of most of my trouble. My reservation is the long recovery time...I hate to be confined for so long, especially after recent coved-19 restrictions. But I have a lot of sick time and plan to leave my job next spring so it would be ideal to do it before then.
      I had my bunion removed in the first week in February 2008. I was able to day hike every below the rim trail at Bryce canyon in late April. My foot would still hurt and swell a little but I would elevate and ice it.
      I'm not going to kid you it was very painful. I refused general anesthesia and took a local and read a book. They screened me off from the waist down. They thought I was nuts. Here's what they did to mine. About a 1.5" cut on the side. They then ground the bunion off. Then to realign my big toe, the surgeon grabbed my big toe and foot and broke my toe to bring it back in line.
      Extremely painful for the first week. I had to learn to walk again. First to the end of the driveway and back. Kept at it and was able to walk up to 4 miles at a time by April. I'd say full recovery is more like 6 months. I would do it again. Mine was in the early stages.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I had my bunion removed in the first week in February 2008. I was able to day hike every below the rim trail at Bryce canyon in late April. My foot would still hurt and swell a little but I would elevate and ice it.I'm not going to kid you it was very painful. I refused general anesthesia and took a local and read a book. They screened me off from the waist down. They thought I was nuts. Here's what they did to mine. About a 1.5" cut on the side. They then ground the bunion off. Then to realign my big toe, the surgeon grabbed my big toe and foot and broke my toe to bring it back in line.
      Extremely painful for the first week. I had to learn to walk again. First to the end of the driveway and back. Kept at it and was able to walk up to 4 miles at a time by April. I'd say full recovery is more like 6 months. I would do it again. Mine was in the early stages.
      Yikes! Sounds like you had that done at a Civil War medical tent. Hope they gave you a shot of whiskey and a knife to bite on.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      I had my bunion removed in the first week in February 2008. I was able to day hike every below the rim trail at Bryce canyon in late April. My foot would still hurt and swell a little but I would elevate and ice it.I'm not going to kid you it was very painful. I refused general anesthesia and took a local and read a book. They screened me off from the waist down. They thought I was nuts. Here's what they did to mine. About a 1.5" cut on the side. They then ground the bunion off. Then to realign my big toe, the surgeon grabbed my big toe and foot and broke my toe to bring it back in line.
      Extremely painful for the first week. I had to learn to walk again. First to the end of the driveway and back. Kept at it and was able to walk up to 4 miles at a time by April. I'd say full recovery is more like 6 months. I would do it again. Mine was in the early stages.
      Yikes! Sounds like you had that done at a Civil War medical tent. Hope they gave you a shot of whiskey and a knife to bite on.
      they gave me like ten shots of novacaine in my foot. What disturbing is that they basically use carpenter tools to do a bunionectmy. Grinder, chisel, little hammer. But the worst part was at the end when he held my foot in both hands and I could feel him out both thumbs in my foot between the big toe and the next toe and then a lot of pressure and then a snap as he broke my foot like a big wishbone. Yeah if I had to do it again I would but under full anesthesia. Oh and the whole time they talked shop about where they were going to golf afterwards and so on
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      I had my bunion removed in the first week in February 2008. I was able to day hike every below the rim trail at Bryce canyon in late April. My foot would still hurt and swell a little but I would elevate and ice it.I'm not going to kid you it was very painful. I refused general anesthesia and took a local and read a book. They screened me off from the waist down. They thought I was nuts. Here's what they did to mine. About a 1.5" cut on the side. They then ground the bunion off. Then to realign my big toe, the surgeon grabbed my big toe and foot and broke my toe to bring it back in line.
      Extremely painful for the first week. I had to learn to walk again. First to the end of the driveway and back. Kept at it and was able to walk up to 4 miles at a time by April. I'd say full recovery is more like 6 months. I would do it again. Mine was in the early stages.
      Yikes! Sounds like you had that done at a Civil War medical tent. Hope they gave you a shot of whiskey and a knife to bite on.
      they gave me like ten shots of novacaine in my foot. What disturbing is that they basically use carpenter tools to do a bunionectmy. Grinder, chisel, little hammer. But the worst part was at the end when he held my foot in both hands and I could feel him out both thumbs in my foot between the big toe and the next toe and then a lot of pressure and then a snap as he broke my foot like a big wishbone. Yeah if I had to do it again I would but under full anesthesia. Oh and the whole time they talked shop about where they were going to golf afterwards and so on
      You definitively earned your "Real Man" card with that one. 8o
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I’ve been testing out my new Solomon Triple Crown shoes. They are the best shoes I’ve tried but I still have pain in my left foot, even when walking in the neighborhood. It’s not only at the site of the bunion, sometimes it’s a sharp pain going up the top of my foot, sometimes it goes up to my knee. I really really don’t want to have surgery, it sounds awful, and I don’t want to be stuck on the couch for several months. I need to make a decision soon. When I think about the future and that this might make it impossible to hike, I know it needs to be fixed.

      I put a Power Step insert in my left shoe and it feels great. The one for the right shoe fits in the shoe but the metatarsal pad isn’t in the right place for my foot and feels like I’m walking on a rock. I decided to trim it to see what will happen and now I can put it in the correct place but it shifts until I can feel the ridge of the pad under my toes (because now it’s too short to fit in the shoe). I imagine walking on it for 10 miles or more would create friction and blisters. Anyway...I’m going to use the insert in the left shoe and the regular insole in the right shoe and hope the slight imbalance doesn’t cause hip problems.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      I’ve been testing out my new Solomon Triple Crown shoes. They are the best shoes I’ve tried but I still have pain in my left foot, even when walking in the neighborhood. It’s not only at the site of the bunion, sometimes it’s a sharp pain going up the top of my foot, sometimes it goes up to my knee. I really really don’t want to have surgery, it sounds awful, and I don’t want to be stuck on the couch for several months. I need to make a decision soon. When I think about the future and that this might make it impossible to hike, I know it needs to be fixed.

      I put a Power Step insert in my left shoe and it feels great. The one for the right shoe fits in the shoe but the metatarsal pad isn’t in the right place for my foot and feels like I’m walking on a rock. I decided to trim it to see what will happen and now I can put it in the correct place but it shifts until I can feel the ridge of the pad under my toes (because now it’s too short to fit in the shoe). I imagine walking on it for 10 miles or more would create friction and blisters. Anyway...I’m going to use the insert in the left shoe and the regular insole in the right shoe and hope the slight imbalance doesn’t cause hip problems.
      Have you tried a podiatrist, or whatever they call a foot doctor?
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      A good insole is more important to me than the shoe, I replace insoles with one with as high an arch support as I can find, helps the damaged nerves the rocks of north VA and WV gave me.
      How about the rocks of PA?
      No cure for those. I think gremlins put them there and sharpen them every night
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • If you're walking fast enough to do 20-24 miles a day, and one 28, you're slapping the ball of your foot hard against the ground, not bad if it's dirt, rocks eventually beat you up bad, my down sleeping bag hurt to touch my feet, I was hurting so bad one night I seriously thought of crawling away from the shelter to pee...but the ground around the shelter was solid rocks stuck in the ground...wish I could remember which shelter that was...never want to stay there again.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • My foot did better on this last hike but still hurt. No blisters though, Injini socks and a wide toe box have helped. After multiple blisters, I've developed a big callous on the side of my big toe where it overlaps and rubs the second toe and that also seemed to help.

      I guess my choices are to continue hiking, never planning more than 10 mile days and expecting to have some pain, or have surgery and a painful recovery.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      My foot did better on this last hike but still hurt. No blisters though, Injini socks and a wide toe box have helped. After multiple blisters, I've developed a big callous on the side of my big toe where it overlaps and rubs the second toe and that also seemed to help.

      I guess my choices are to continue hiking, never planning more than 10 mile days and expecting to have some pain, or have surgery and a painful recovery.
      Remember, It's not about the miles, but the smiles. :)
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • So it was time for new shoes for me too...

      I have become dependent on my wide toe-box, zero-drop, Altra Lone Peaks as my everyday, every occasion shoe. My feet are happy. The 3.5 model that I have wore out much too quickly, durability is a problem with the Altras. So I ordered a new pair of 4.0 model Lone Peaks that I have been wearing for about a week. Altra is on generation 4.5 for the Lone Peaks now, ordering the 4.0's gave me a discounted price.

      I do not know why Altra keeps changing things up with every redesign. The 4.0's do not feel as comfortable as previous versions to me, but perhaps that is the price of improved durability? Time will tell. I have not worn them hiking yet, just daily walks.

      While I was shopping I came across another shoe that I had not heard of before, the Topo Runventure 3.0. They also have a wide toe-box and are zero-drop. I got a discounted pair in an Ebay auction. Here they are...



      My initial impression... they are very comfortable and light. I like that their design is not as busy as the Altras. Just been wearing then around the yard so far, but I am impressed. They seem flimsy compared to the Altras, but if they hold up when hiking these may be my new go-to shoe.

      Anyone else have any experience with a Topo shoe?

      I
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      So it was time for new shoes for me too...

      I have become dependent on my wide toe-box, zero-drop, Altra Lone Peaks as my everyday, every occasion shoe. My feet are happy. The 3.5 model that I have wore out much too quickly, durability is a problem with the Altras. So I ordered a new pair of 4.0 model Lone Peaks that I have been wearing for about a week. Altra is on generation 4.5 for the Lone Peaks now, ordering the 4.0's gave me a discounted price.

      I do not know why Altra keeps changing things up with every redesign. The 4.0's do not feel as comfortable as previous versions to me, but perhaps that is the price of improved durability? Time will tell. I have not worn them hiking yet, just daily walks.

      While I was shopping I came across another shoe that I had not heard of before, the Top Runventure 3.0. They also have a wide toe-box and are zero-drop. I got a discounted pair in an Ebay auction. Here they are...



      My initial impression... they are very comfortable and light. I like that their design is not as busy as the Altras. Just been wearing then around the yard so far, but I am impressed. They seem flimsy compared to the Altras, but if they hold up when hiking these may be my new go-to shoe.

      Anyone else have any experience with a Top shoe?

      I
      They look like a pair of Salomans that I had.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Since I switched to Brooks Cascadia in 2015 I have been buying "last year's models" for half off every year (sometimes multiple pairs). Still have at least 2 news pairs, along with a new Goretex pair for weekend hiking. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Since I switched to Brooks Cascadia in 2015 I have been buying "last year's models" for half off every year (sometimes multiple pairs). Still have at least 2 news pairs, along with a new Goretex pair for weekend hiking. :)
      Honestly, it is smart to let others guinea pig the new models, and then pick up the tried and true ones later at a discount.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • It is time for my initial impression of my new Topo Runventure 3.0 shoes. I gave them a short workout on a 28 mile LT hike, mud, rocks, roots, rain, and plenty of climbing, hopping and jumping on trail.

      I like them!

      Incredibly light and minimalistic (zero drop).
      No hot spots out of the box.
      No evidence of wear.

      Negatives:
      I still slipped on 'slick rock.' Traction was good otherwise.
      Almost totally lacking in support, so it is not for everyone. Little foot cushioning (although it was enough for my comfort).

      Always with shoes, it comes down to the individual. I like light minimalistic shoes. I tripped and slipped many times on this hike, but with cat-like maneuvers I was always able to land on my feet because my feet were so light. I'm pretty sure if I had been in hiking boots, there would have been some face-plants.
      _________________________________

      My other new shoe are Altra Lone Peak 4.0s. So far I have just been wearing these around town. They seem a bit stiffer and cushiony compared to the 3.5 edition. Good shoe also.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Traffic Jam wrote:

      My foot did better on this last hike but still hurt. No blisters though, Injini socks and a wide toe box have helped. After multiple blisters, I've developed a big callous on the side of my big toe where it overlaps and rubs the second toe and that also seemed to help.

      I guess my choices are to continue hiking, never planning more than 10 mile days and expecting to have some pain, or have surgery and a painful recovery.
      Remember, It's not about the miles, but the smiles. :)
      Still getting a lot of pain around mile 4 (give or take) but have decided to not have surgery this winter, it doesn't fit my plans and the thought of being on the couch for two months sounds depressing and miserable. I will have to adjust my expectations and mileage.

      Adjusting my mileage is a problem that I can't figure out. A 8-10 mile day makes me arrive at my destination too early and I have a problem sitting around a campsite twiddling my thumbs, waiting until it's time to go to bed. So even if I plan for lower mileage, I can't make myself stop and will continue on in pain and misery, waiting for it to be over. I don't know how to stop doing that! There's just something about arriving at a campsite at 3pm... ugh.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Traffic Jam wrote:

      My foot did better on this last hike but still hurt. No blisters though, Injini socks and a wide toe box have helped. After multiple blisters, I've developed a big callous on the side of my big toe where it overlaps and rubs the second toe and that also seemed to help.

      I guess my choices are to continue hiking, never planning more than 10 mile days and expecting to have some pain, or have surgery and a painful recovery.
      Remember, It's not about the miles, but the smiles. :)
      Still getting a lot of pain around mile 4 (give or take) but have decided to not have surgery this winter, it doesn't fit my plans and the thought of being on the couch for two months sounds depressing and miserable. I will have to adjust my expectations and mileage.
      Adjusting my mileage is a problem that I can't figure out. A 8-10 mile day makes me arrive at my destination too early and I have a problem sitting around a campsite twiddling my thumbs, waiting until it's time to go to bed. So even if I plan for lower mileage, I can't make myself stop and will continue on in pain and misery, waiting for it to be over. I don't know how to stop doing that! There's just something about arriving at a campsite at 3pm... ugh.
      Take a long lunch followed by a nap???
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • I’m trialing a pair of Altra Timp 2.0. So far, they’ve only been worn around the house and once to run errands.

      Despite the larger looking toe box, these feel a bit narrow. At first, I thought they absolutely wouldn’t work with my foot problems but after wearing them a few times, they feel better. I’ll wear them for some short hikes and see how they feel.

      One feature I love is the “gaiter trap”, a Velcro tab on the heel that’s covered when not in use. It’s perfect for Dirty Girls.
      Images
      • 79177094-DC5F-4436-B20F-0092DC393A11.jpeg

        236.55 kB, 800×600, viewed 178 times
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TJ,
      I wear the Lone Peaks. Some people never get use to the zero drop thing, but I love it.
      Surprised you feel they are narrow, because my toes love just swimming around in that big clown shoe toe-box. Maybe it is a Timp thing?

      Hope the work for you.
      Happy Feet = Happy Hiker.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      TJ,
      I wear the Lone Peaks. Some people never get use to the zero drop thing, but I love it.
      Surprised you feel they are narrow, because my toes love just swimming around in that big clown shoe toe-box. Maybe it is a Timp thing?

      Hope the work for you.
      Happy Feet = Happy Hiker.
      Yeah, for some reason this shoe is significantly narrower than previous models and there are a lot of bad reviews about it.

      I didn’t read the reviews before my purchase. I found the shoes at 60% off and wanting to try a 0 mm drop, I snapped them up. One of my recent problems when hiking is pain/discomfort in my legs from the knees down to my feet. It’s a deep ache that is really uncomfortable. I hoped that a different shoe would help...I’m always hoping but don’t think I’ll ever find the magic bullet.

      a few reviews...

      “This model they narrowed the footbed and even with a larger size than my 1.5 they are too narrow and made my neuroma flare up. “

      “I do think others are right that the toe box is a little narrow for Altra.“


      “Can’t embrace the space because Altra reduced it in the toe box. The Lone Peak has more toe box space”
      Lost in the right direction.
    • So, I leave to hike PCT California sections E & F soon. The Mojave desert section.
      I wanted to stretch out some final miles out of my current pair of Lone Peak Altras.
      A toe flap is coming off, the tread getting thin, and most of the cushion is compressed.
      I like being frugal, but tonight driving home from work I decided I was being 'stupid frugal.'
      Why risk ruining a hike with a shoe problem?

      I hated paying full retail, though.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier