Date: 2014-01-10
To: Footwear and Feet
Miles today: 0.0

Footwear and FeetThis is the most important preparation for your hike! Feet don¢t fail me now. It should be- If you fail in your foot preparation your feet will fail you. Blisters, ankle rolls, knee pain, shin splints, and many more problems will happen without strengthening and proper footwear for your feet.Unfortunately most hikers and people who sell hiking shoes know very little about selecting footwear. The high dollar brand name shoes are the common recommendation and many are good and will last a long time. But, it is a fact that most hikers have problems because of footwear that is not right for their feet.I was introduced into the world of selecting footwear as a runner. If you have the wrong shoe and run in them you find out very quickly and painfully your mistake. Top running shoe stores actually know how to fit a shoe to your particular foot and remove all of your painful problems. I¢m going to show you a little about how they do it and how to make your feet happy on the trail.Choosing footwear-¢A pound on your foot is like five pounds in your pack¢ ¢a common trail saying.The type of shoe you chose for hiking is first determined by the weight you carry. The heavier the load you carry the more support you may need on your feet. Any weakness or other foot problems may be another factor in your decision. ¢check with a podiatrist if you have foot problems to consider. But you want to select the lightest shoe possible for your support needs. ¢types of common hiking footwear¢¦boots, trail runners, running shoes, and barefoot/minimalist.Here is a great article about choosing footwear from REI-http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/running-shoes.html-I¢m hoping this link shows up on Trail Journals. Just imagine they are saying hiking when they say running. There are other good articles you can find if you research choosing running shoes. I hope someday this knowledge spills over to the hiking community.Go to a professional and find the type of footwear you need. You can get fitted at a good running store and this will also tell you what your feet need. Learning to lace your shoes for the type of feet you have is also very helpful.Socks and inserts have a big impact on your feet comfort. Ask about recommendations based on your feet and test different combos when you get to the testing phase.Test your footwear! After you strengthen your feet it¢s very important you get out and hike in a similar environment to the AT and with the weight you will carry. ¢¦About 50 miles total should tell the tale. If you have any pain, tightness, or hot spots then something is wrong¢¦change it.Strengthening your feet- Before you test your footwear you need to strengthen your feet for at least two weeks. Some ideas- walk on a slant/side of a hill. Toe raises. Calf stretches. Walk on large round rocks. Walking a balance beam or edge of a secure two by four. Walk barefoot on warm surfaces.-be careful and start slow on all of these¢¦you don¢t want to be injured before you get to the trail. You can find many good foot exercises online. Continuing foot exercises up to departure will help your feet immensely on your hike.Tip: when you get to Pennsylvania find a thick soled shoe before you get into the rocks¢¦I had stone bruising there.Tip 2: Take your shoes off on breaks and soak your feet whenever you can.I was completely blister and foot problem free, except for the stone bruising, on my entire thru-hike in 2012. I hope you have happy feet.