Growing Feet & Dream Gear

imported
#1

OK, just for a bit of info/fun mix:

  1. How many long distance hikers find that their feet permanently grew? I gained over one full size, and still retain that gain today, five months after leaving the Trail! One of my hiking buddies gained almost two full sizes. Needless to say, this was a real bummer in terms of having to get new shoes/boots, etc.

  2. Now, on the fun side - when I hiked, we often dreamed up new food/gear ideas that we wished someone would perfect and put on-line at REI! :slight_smile: My two favs from this year’s AT hiking are: Dehydrated beer [wouldn’t that be great!??] and helium bag inserts for your pack, to render it weightless no matter how full of crap you’ve packed it. Any other crazy ideas out there?

p.s. I’m still trying to get up with METRO ['01] if anyone knows how to drop him a line, let me know!

Thru-Thinker

#2

Oh yeah…we could barely fit into our sneakers. I got new ones before we’d even made it home. And don’t even talk about dress shoes. I tried wearing some heels and gave that idea up. Not only were they tight, the balls of my feet hurt walking in them. Guess it’s flats for me for a while!
I also went to a podiatrist after the trip and now have some custom orthotics…ones I should have gotten BEFORE the hike. Oh well, live and learn.

Bramble

#3

I am only a short distance hiker (mostly day and weekend hikes) and, I, too, have experienced what seems to be permanent foot growth. For years, I wore a size 13, however, after a couple of years of semi-regular hiking, I cannot even think about wearing anything smaller than a size 14. Of course, I had to learn this the hard way by stubbornly trying to cram my feet into size 13’s until the blisters were darn near crippling.

Ken G

#4

My wife and I went to Old Sturbridge Village, MA, over Memorial Day weekend and had a delightful time talking to the cobbler. Turns out that the difference in sizes is so small ( an eighth of an inch ) that it does not take much to grow from one size to another.

I went from a 10 and a half to a size 12 at least. I usually just grab either a 12 or a 13 at the REI, EMS, or Campmor sales.

These are often the overlooked sizes since most who buy there want to look like they hike, but don’t do anything more than a gentle walk in the park ( the truth is that they are ‘Urban Hikers’ – Mark my words, John Travolta will do a film about it and ,in it, he will conquer a stairmaster while all the girls and guys look on! )

Mr. Boo

#5

What really tightens my waste belt is that outfitters don’t carry any boots in wide sizes. Vasque has about the only on shelf D size. I went up to an 11 by Hanover and nothing fit in five stores. And I just needed and E. At the price of boots I hate to gamble and custom order some. I just get them soggy wet and walk to fit. My bud Raindog I truely felt sorry for. How about a womens 18! Talk about girly feet.

Bushwhack

#6

No growing here. This basketball crazy hoosier ( turned boilermaker) has been abusing her feet for all of her 23 years on hardwood courts. I think that those people who are already running don’t spread as much.

windex

#7

Windex, so being a Hoosier has driven you to drink boilermakers which has stunted your growth for 23 years and has led you into the courts and a hardwood life? ( GRIN --CHUCKLE ). Another sad college basketball fan story.

Go Wildcats! ( and I don’t mean Kentucky! )

Sometimes the hardest thing about being on the trail is missing March madness, not just the feet.

Mr. Boo

#8

Yes, for most of my adult life, I wore an 8/12. After some serious hiking, I went to a 9; then a 91/2. Now I wont’ even look at anything that isn’t a 10. MY chiropractor said, “Your feet haven’t grown, your arches have fallen.”

bluevist

#9

Time, added weight, pounding on the trial, jogging, etc. all
take a toll on your body. Fallen arches may be the answer.
My feet appear to have good arches still, yet my old hiking
boots were 9.5 while the new ones are 10.5 . The old Rockys
still fit with athletic socks, but the new boots were necessary
for use with thicker hiking socks. Also, I was a 10 in new
Merrell boots but a 10.5 in new Vasques. The shape of the
boot compared to the shape of your foot makes a difference.
(There’s a bootmaking term for this-(last?))
The Merrells fit my thin foot well, but cramped my toes(width) a bit. The Vasques have enough width for my toes
and are only slightly loose otherwise. A 10 in Vasque was too
short for my toes.

I hope to change out of the Vasques for the Rockys in warmer
weather. The Rockys have sewn on soles and can be resoled.
I’m not sure if the new Vasques can be resoled by a cobbler,
since they are a ‘modern’ molded sole. Does anyone know if
soles can be replaced on newer style boots?

Ken J

Ken J