Pain!
The new Vasque hiking boots I bought yesterday brought my hike this morning to a screeching halt. I walked a total of ten miles, but knew after the second mile that things weren't going well: the left boot was pinching my left pinky toe, producing way too much friction. By the time I hit Fort Hunt Park (Mile 2.75 on the trail, or 4.75 miles from home), I knew I needed to stop before my little chafing problem turned into a much bigger, much uglier one.
I tromped the quarter-mile up from the bike path to the park's pavilion, dug into my wallet for some money and called home to ask my father to come pick me up. No answer, so I left a message: "It's 9:30 now... I'll wait here until 10 or 10:05 and then start on back." I wandered painfully about the park for a half-hour... 10:05 rolled around... no Dad. Probably on an errand. I had forgotten to take along Dad's cell phone number, so I had little choice but to limp on home. The whole trip went from 7:47AM to 11:45AM-- almost four hours to do a mere ten miles (3.5 hours, if we don't count the half-hour wait).
On the bright side: walking ten miles is nothing now. I feel guilty, as though I haven't even walked. I've tried to condition my legs to walking long distances since I've been home, and in that, I think I've succeeded. I haven't been so successful at testing myself over long distances while encumbered; my pack's final weight is yet to be determined, but at a guess, it's going to be mighty close to 50 pounds, which is a hefty load.
Today, I'm shopping for almost everything I still need to get. I'll also be either returning or exchanging my boots. That's a shame: the Vasque brand came highly recommended by my brother David, but David's feet and my feet aren't sized or shaped the same. My father recommended a brand called Tecnica, which used to be sold by Hudson Trail Outfitters, but when I called HTO, I discovered that they were "doing away with" that particular brand of boot. I tried on Dad's Tecnicas, and they fit me well, which makes me think they'd be a better brand for me, but Tecnicas are hard to find in general, so I may have to resort to another brand. That, or go for some size 12 Vasques instead of the 11.5-wides I purchased yesterday.
After being trapped and rubbed raw in those boots, my feet still feel as if they're expanding.
_
2 comments:
If you haven't done so already, invest in a box of epsoms salts and take a hot bath soaking your legs and feet in it for a while. It'll help take down the swelling.
As someone with very choosy feet, I've found the only way to get any kind of footware that will not hurt if worn for any length of time is to take the time to shop. Some brands may well be better than others--but that's no guarantee that a given model will work even if other models of that brand have worked in the past. Wear the boots in the store for at least 20 minutes, walking and standing, and don't ignore any tenderness that begins to develop, because it'll only get worse. Bend your toes and pay attention to where the lines in the boot form and how they relate to your feet. Take the time and be picky--it'll pay off in the long run.
Post a Comment