To Walk Far, Carry Less : Camino de Santiago by Jean-Christie Ashmore

I’ve found that boots that are too heavy and stiff make my feet ache after walking long distances on tarmac. I’ve heard other pilgrims offer the same complaint.
    Lightweight boots, made with a combination of fabric and leather, have enough sole and flexibility to endure a variety of Camino surfaces. Being lightweight, they’re also easier to lift with each step.
    I’ve had success with boots made with a Gore-Tex fabric that makes the boots both waterproof and breathable under most conditions. That technology has kept my feet dry, warm in cold weather, and even reasonably cool in hot weather.
Choosing What’s Best for You
    While I make the case for boots, others will just as emphatically make their case for sport sandals, hiking shoes, running shoes, or an old pair of skimpy sneakers.
     
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    Pilgrim Stories
    I once tried a pair of lightweight hiking shoes for a Camino journey. They were not waterproof (I’m embarrassed to say!). Day one: fine. Day two: I walked on a grassy trail covered with an early-morning dew. My feet got wet, and within an hour I had huge blisters on the bottoms of my feet that took days to heal. I had to buy other footwear in France—and break it in on the Camino journey—not the best way to test new footwear.
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    Choose your Camino footwear based on what you know about your feet—and the rest of your body, as footwear also affects the knees, hips, and back. Also consider these factors:
When you’re going
The terrain for the route
The kind of weather you’ll likely experience (for example: sandals or sneakers would be uncomfortable during a surprise spring snow, or during hours—or days—of rain)
How far you’ll be walking (several weeks of daily walking will have more impact on your feet than walking for several days)
    If you choose to wear light footwear, especially sandals, which don’t offer a lot of support, make sure your backpack is also lightweight—a heavy backpack puts enormous pressure on the feet and ankles.
    On all of the Camino routes, the terrain often varies from day to day. To help you decide what footwear will work best for you, here are just a few of the typical situations you’ll encounter on nearly all Camino routes.

    A dirt road

    A steep and rocky trail

    A country lane (looks easy, but hours of walking on pavement, day after day, is actually quite hard on the feet)
    Most Important: Test Your Footwear
    Before you leave home, wear your fully loaded backpack while testing your footwear. Do it every day for a few days to test a variety of conditions. Walk in the rain. Walk on muddy trails. Walk on steep, rocky paths. Walk down slippery, muddy hills. Walk for long distances on paved surfaces. If you’re headed to Santiago, these are likely the conditions you’ll experience.
    It’s also helpful to break in new footwear by wearing it every day for a few weeks, even when not carrying a backpack.
     
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    Pilgrim Stories
    An experienced pilgrim fellow I know once bought some fancy new boots in London before heading to France to begin another pilgrimage. Of course, that didn’t allow time for testing the boots, and it turned out to be a painful journey: he discovered the heavy boots made his feet swell and pinched and jammed his toes too. To add to his misery, it was a spring season with unusual amounts of rainfall, and the unseasoned boots (not yet fully waterproofed) allowed his feet to get wet, which then led to foot rot—a nasty condition. He completed his journey, but had to pamper his feet back to health long after returning home. It’s important for me to repeat: test your footwear before going on a pilgrimage.
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Footwear Shopping Tips
    Shop Late in the Day
    Shop when your feet are warm or, even better, when they’re hot. That’s how your feet will feel while walking long distances. You’ll be more likely to choose appropriately roomy footwear if you shop when your feet are naturally swollen at the end of an active day.
     
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    Gear