Be Healthier, Wealthier, and Happier

Ever since I decided to start hiking again after many years of not hiking, I’ve seem to have a hard time finding a hiking boots that fits me.  I’ve tried every single possible pairs at local REI; I’ve consulted with endless “experts”.  Inevitably, the hiking boots I end up choosing would crunch my little toes and/or shaft the top of some of toes, or cause endless problems for me after a few miles of hiking.

Following are brands I have personally tried and failed:

1. Merrill
2. Keen
3. Montrail
4. Vasque
5. Garmont

 Thanks to REI’s generous return policy; I returned quite a few pairs until I felt so embarrassed and guilty that I decided to just stick with the last pair I got – a Vasque women’s 6 wide leather hiking boots. 

 I was very hopeful that this pair will work for me.  But as usual, after a while, it was causing me problems in different areas of my foot; most noticeably the skin around my little toes gets all rubbed, red and tear.   I cannot believe it. Are my feet really that wide?! In any case, I wore it to Mt. Whitney anyway; I had no choice.  But see the picture below on all the tapings I had to do on my feet before I can wear the boots.

 This year, I decide to give finding a perfect boots another try.  This time around, I decided to really learn and analyze my own feet first.  Following is what I discovered:

1. REI measured my feet as size 5.5, width: B (regular)  -  Humm I’m not a wide?
2. Oh, I’m mistaken my need for volume as I need wide shoes; big mistake. High volume feet DOES NOT EQUAL to a wide feet.
3. My feet might swell to close to a C after a lot of walking, so roomy toe box helps.
4. I have a narrow heel. (As most women’s feet do)

Now, knowing more about my own feet, it started to make sense why some of the shoes I tried before wouldn’t work for me.  For example, I mistake my needs for volume for needing a pair of wide shoes.  So, I bought Keen.  Yes, Keen shoes probably have the widest toe box I’ve experienced.  Yet, why do I still feel the rub?  After consulting with REI specialist, I realized, Keen shoes are actually considered a low volume shoes.  The Last is wide (fit size D) but low volume.

 I found, for the most part most of the women’s hiking boots at my local REI seems to leaning toward lower volume or having Last that don’t really suit women’s feet that well.

 Since I’m out of options, I ended up having to turn to online stores for possibilities.  The problem with online stores though is that it is a MUST that I try the boots on for fit; yet I would hate to have to pay for return shipping if a boots that doesn’t fit.

 Thanks to zappo.com, they have fairly big selections of hiking boots and they have the free, no hassle return policy.  After some research, I decided to order a pair of Garmont sitka XCR because from what I can tell, people are raving about Garmont’s roomy toe box.

 I was excited to try my Garmont on after it arrives.  Yack!  My little toes still feel “something”.  How can this be?  After some adjustment with the laces, it seems to feel better.  OK, I’ll give it a shot.  Humm, “something” is just off for me.  A little pinch on the toes; some pain on my sheen,…  After trying the shoes on for 3 consecutive days, I sadly had to declare that Garmont won’t fit me either.  Back to square 1.

 Half discouraged, I went back online and read some more on other options.  I stumble on some articles written about Salomon have shoes that is designed and made specifically for women.  Their Last is different than most other shoes because many hiking boots vendors’ Last are really design more for men? Can that be the issue?  I ended up ordered Salomon Mission GTX at zappo.com.  I figure why not?  I’m out of option.

 So, the shoes came.  Wow, this is different.  Immediately, I see the boots has a shape of fairly roomy toe box (not wide but higher in volume), yet has much narrower heel.  I put my feet in them.  I don’t feel pinched on my toes yet I feel my heels really stay in place.  Since the soles for these shoes are pretty stiff, I figure it will still need some break-in period for my feet to get use to the boots, but now I am hopeful again that I may finally found a pair of hiking boots that I can really love.

 Treading carefully this time, I made sure I wore my Salomon in the house for few days; then I took it to my brother’s house and try walking stairs with it before I took it to a local trail (Once I wore it on the trail, I can’t return it).  I started with just a couple miles, and then I went up to about 5 miles; so far so good.  I am really happy that I found my Salomon!  It’s the best fitting hiking boots for me so far!  I am totally ecstatic that my over 2 years of searching are over!

 The biggest lesson I learned from this experience is that in order to find a hiking boots that really fit us well; we must first understand the shapes of our feet.  Without knowing our own feet and the proper terminologies, we can be asking the wrong questions and therefore getting the wrong answers from the experts.

 Also, it’s important not to settle; there is a right pair of shoes for us, we just need to be patient and keep trying different pairs until we find it.   Online shopping is a great option because it would be difficult to find a store close by that carries all brands.

 Finally, do not buy shoes that are too big thinking that would solve your fit issue; it won’t because the arch won’t be in the right place to give you the right fit. Remember wide shoes doesn’t equal to high volume shoes, so watch out and keep looking.