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  1. #1
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    Default Problem Foot Wear/Hiking Shoes

    OK gang ,

    I'm back into it (backpacking) after 15 years of a health related hiatus . It was one thing after another and I guess part of getting old (66 years old). This might sound fool hearty but I'm not ready to stop what I love doing . About 3 weeks ago I decided that I was breaking free once again and back packing after 15 years . I've been out on trails getting used to them and getting past the pain in my feet . I suffer from Neuropathy . I walk with the feeling of walking on stones bare footed . I won't complain about that as I'm working past the pain blocking it out of my mind as much as I can .

    The real problem is a compounded one . I can not find comfortable hiking boots OR ones that fit me as well . The big hurtle is my foot is a #16 wide and the boots are very hard to find . when I do find them , regardless of the quality of the boot , none of them are as comfortable as my NB Cross Trainers I've been hiking in . It's like throwing money out the window comfort wise . Running shoes are just as bad . Soooo , I'm living with these cross trainers which lack traction but they get me down the trail .

    If any of you have a similar problem , please give me your advice / findings .

    Regards ,
    Gonzo

  2. #2
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    Yes. I have size 15 feet (way easier than 16 to find). I have still given up on finding shoes that work for my foot problems. I have gone to finding trail running shoes that are as close as I can get and then rebuilding the insoles to support my foot as needed. After failing with a year of work with a podiatrist, custom orthotics, and physical therapy, I have read up on feet, foot support, foot issues and now I have lots of sheets of foam and contact cement and with lots of experimentation have created working insoles. In reality, I mostly started with an insole that had some appropriate structure, stole the good ideas from my doctors, modified them where they failed, kept experimenting, and now have some insoles that work well enough. My feet still hurt, but, they hurt less and it's manageable. I also do lots of experimenting with different lacing patterns to find what works best with each pair of shoes.

    Good luck. Sore feat suck!
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  3. #3
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    I suffer from Mortons Neuroma which can be very painful especially on the trail. I have recently switched to Altra Lone Peak 2.5 trail runners. While they took a little getting used to due to the toe box shape and the zero lift, these things have been the perfect answer. I've only put approximately 100 miles on them but so far, the most comfortable trail shoe I've tried. A little expensive but my feet appreciate them. I know they go to size 15 for sure. Might be worth checking into.

  4. #4
    Registered User Grunt's Avatar
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    Feet issues and backing packing don't jive! Went to trail runners last year and loved them BUT.... wasn't long before my left foot reminded me of an old bone spur. Not enough bottom support, so I am going away from TR. I've used Columbia, Hi-Tec, and Merrell boots over the years and they all do... just OK. Fit is so important and the size differences in manufactures don't help. This is not an endorsement but I'm tried on Keen shoes/boots and very much like the wide fit... especially in the toe box. I am probably going to buy their Kloven (non-water proof) shoe but before I go I take along my hiking socks and inserts (Ener-Gel) that I use to insure a good fit. Market is flooded with insores.. some good some bad, some cheap some expensive... but they cannot be underestimated. These work for me and are reasonable.

  5. #5
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    Great that you're back on the trail. I would definitely stick with the New Balance shoes. I have used many weights of boots over the years and I've never been happier than in trail runners and won't go back. So, if the shoe fits...

    Two suggestions to make hiking in trail runners easier:

    1. If you don't already use trekking pairs, get a pair!
    2. Reduce your pack weight. You only need a heavy super supportive boot if you're managing a lot of weight.
    Springer to Katahdin: 1991-2018

  6. #6
    Registered User ChuckT's Avatar
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    Somebody tell me why shoes seem to be made for long thin feet.
    Isn't there supposed to be American lasted shoes that will fit us better?
    Miles to go before I sleep. R. Frost

  7. #7
    Registered User KDogg's Avatar
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    I have a weird shaped foot and have trouble finding shoes that fit. I've probably spent $500 this past year trying different hiking and running shoes before finding a style of Saucony's that worked. Some of the most popular brands didn't work for me at all. I purchased four pairs once I was sure I had found the right one for me.

  8. #8
    Registered User Vegan Packer's Avatar
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    I need foot orthotics, and that requires even wider footware. I am vegan, so it is even more limiting. So far, I can only narrow it down to the least bad choice out there.

  9. #9
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    I too suffer from neuropathy, and a flame up stopped me dead on the trail in Maine a few years back. After reading suggestions in this forum, I got rid of the boots and invested in Salomon trail runners with Superfeet inserts. Also added a cortisone shot at beginning of each section hiking season. Have been hiking pain free since taking these measures.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vegan Packer View Post
    I need foot orthotics...........So far, I can only narrow it down to the least bad choice out there.
    Same for me plus my right foot is size 9.5 and my left is a size 10. Life is not fair!
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChuckT View Post
    Somebody tell me why shoes seem to be made for long thin feet.
    Isn't there supposed to be American lasted shoes that will fit us better?
    Feet are basically long and thin.....unless someone is really overweight and then they are fatter, just like rest of body. Big people often have hams for feet, crammed into shoes that barely lace.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChuckT View Post
    Somebody tell me why shoes seem to be made for long thin feet.
    Isn't there supposed to be American lasted shoes that will fit us better?
    People with truly long thin feet, like my wife and son, can barely find shoes that sort of fit. Presumably for marketing reasons, shoes are made in a small selection of the most common sizes, rarely even having choices in width at all. Of course, in hiking shoes, there is an endless variety of functionally identical styles and colors, all in medium width sizes 6-12. New Balance does a bit better.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  13. #13
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    I am also a size 16 and I do my hiking in warmer weather in Teva sandals which are more comfortable than any boot or shoe I have tried and are also quick drying. The most miles I have covered in one day was 19 on foot and about 30 by bicycle on mixed pavement and dirt roads. I wasn't carrying the pack for 6 of those foot miles but I had the whole kit on the bicycle. My feet did fine that day, though I haven't tried doing that many miles consistently. Some of the Teva sandals have very good traction soles, others not so much. I get mine on eBay where they are a bit cheaper.
    Zach

  14. #14
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    Unless finding a good option , I'll stay with the NB Cross Trainers . Thank you all for your input .

    Now , I'm going to start a new thread on adding traction to the soles of the shoes .

    Gonzo

  15. #15
    Registered User WILLIAM HAYES's Avatar
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    Try Aceytl L Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid , B12 Vitamin D and evening primrose oil for peripheral neuropathy . They all are effective in relieving the symptoms .If you are taking a statin drug be aware that prolonged use has several bad side effects one of which is erosion of the myelin sheath which protects nerve fibers which leads to neuropathy. If you are taking statins make sure you take coenzyme Q10 which helps protect the myelin sheath of your nerves. Alpha Lipoic Acid has been used for years in Germany as a treatment for neuropathy. Been there done that this worked for me maybe it will help someone else.

  16. #16
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    I have "hammer toes" on my right foot which is also a half size smaller than the left, all due to a bad compound fracture of the tibia and fibula back in 1968 which did a lot of nerve damage. I manage short hikes and running with homemade pads that fit beneath the arched sections of each hammer toe. I'm worried that this will ruin and shorten my thru hike attempt. Does anyone else out there with similar foot problems and long distance hiking experience have any advice for me? Willing to try anything.
    humor is the gadfly on the corpse of tragedy

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by greensleep View Post
    I have "hammer toes" on my right foot which is also a half size smaller than the left, all due to a bad compound fracture of the tibia and fibula back in 1968 which did a lot of nerve damage. I manage short hikes and running with homemade pads that fit beneath the arched sections of each hammer toe. I'm worried that this will ruin and shorten my thru hike attempt. Does anyone else out there with similar foot problems and long distance hiking experience have any advice for me? Willing to try anything.
    I have a similar hammer toe issue. A visit to a podiatrist prescribed a set of orthopedics that I have used ever since (first pair was 2007). They generally last between 2 to 3 years and I do about 500 to 800 miles a year in them on various trails. Good orthotics require a podiatrist with the right equipment to "see" where the orthotic elements have to be. The orthotics themselves are about $500.00, which seems high until you get them into your shoes/boots and walk 10 miles before you realize you don't have that annoying pain anymore, at that point they become reasonable or even cheap.

    Good luck!

  18. #18

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    I too suffer from huge feet (I'm only a 13 4E, you're saying you're a Size 16 2E/4E?). I bought a pair of New Balance "Dunham Cloud" boots which are very comfortable:

    http://smile.amazon.com/Dunham-New-B...s=dunham+cloud

    They're available up to size 18.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traveler View Post
    I have a similar hammer toe issue. A visit to a podiatrist prescribed a set of orthopedics that I have used ever since (first pair was 2007). They generally last between 2 to 3 years and I do about 500 to 800 miles a year in them on various trails. Good orthotics require a podiatrist with the right equipment to "see" where the orthotic elements have to be. The orthotics themselves are about $500.00, which seems high until you get them into your shoes/boots and walk 10 miles before you realize you don't have that annoying pain anymore, at that point they become reasonable or even cheap.

    Good luck!
    Thanks Traveler, I'll be following up for an appt. with a podiatrist as soon as I can.
    humor is the gadfly on the corpse of tragedy

  20. #20
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    Have you checked largefeet.com? There was an article in the Atlanta Journal about Friedman's Shoes which specializes in large shoes in sizes up to size 22. They have been supplying proFessional athletes since the 1970s.

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