Wearing trekking shoes on the Camino de Santiago
Choosing the right footwear is probably the most important decision you'll have to make before making a pilgrimage to the The Way of St. James. It's easy enough to remedy mistakes in things like an inappropriately sized backpack, uncomfortable trousers, or a heavy pair of trekking poles. But you can't go wrong with your footwear, and I'm sure you're asking yourself the question, do I wear boots or boots? trekking shoes?
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If you make the wrong choice of footwear, you will probably be forced to fight against the blistersThe result would be foot fatigue and possibly injuries that would force you to stop, or even abandon the path altogether.
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Gore-tex boots vs. trekking shoes
Like car tyres, your trekking shoes and poles are the only pieces of equipment that come into contact with the actual trail. You will rely heavily on your footwear for many kilometres to provide you with the grip, traction, comfort and protection you need. Choosing the wrong pair of shoes for your feet can easily result in an early return home.
Given the conditions of the route, we do not recommend any option that is a high-top boot and/or has Gore-Tex. Why? Boots are too heavy, do not breathe well and are not necessary for a simple, non-technical walk such as those found on the Santiago routes. Boots are also more likely to cause blisters and other foot problems.
This is a view shared by many hikers on the Camino, as well as by the vast majority of walkers on similar trails.
So why do we footwear with Gore-Tex® is not recommended. (GTX)? Because, GTX will soak your feet from the inside out. GTX will trap heat in your shoe or boot on hot days, causing you to sweat through your socks.
Of course, everything will depend on the time of the year in which we undertake the Camino. In the case of tackling it outside the summer season, in the rainy season, if it makes sense to choose a lightweight shoe that has a waterproof fibre such as Gore-Tex. It will prevent us from having our feet soaked by rain, puddles or mud every day.
Tips to find your trekking shoes on the Camino de Santiago
The best thing to do is to take a look at some important facts about the many routes of the Camino de Santiago before starting:
It is a non-technical trail consisting of asphalt, concrete, dirt roads and a single track. No digging, off-trail or climbing is required.
Seasons matter. The daily temperature and weather will vary greatly depending on when you walk. The weather will be reasonably warm in the summer months, and very wet in the winter months. However, you should expect rain throughout the year.
Most hikers walk between 15 and 30 kilometres a day, so comfortable all-day footwear is very important.
On longer, hotter days, your feet will swell and your skin will become dehydrated. It is important to remember this when thinking about size and fit.
Many hikers will carry a backpack with a base weight of 5-10 kilos. Remember that walking with a lighter pack will make your experience on the trail much more comfortable and enjoyable.
It is often said that 1 kilo on your feet is equal to 10 kilos on your back. For this reason and many others, I would suggest you to wear lighter trekking shoes for walking on the trail instead of heavy boots.
Experience matters. Don't leave home without training in the shoes of your choice, doing at least 5 long walks in them.
Nothing beats training and fitness. No matter how much time and money you spend on buying the perfect equipment. If you are not physically and mentally fit, your chances of completing a hike will be lower. pilgrimage numbers on the Camino de Santiago will drop dramatically.
The best trekking shoes for the Way of St. James
You will probably be interested to find out at this point, what to look for. Now that we've ruled out some options, here are some others criteria to look out for when selecting your trekking shoes.
- Low weightThe shoes should be as light as possible.
- Breathablefeet should be allowed to breathe and dry quickly.
- Foot protection, frontFind a model that can protect your feet from the rocky trail with a rubber plate and/or a large inner cushion.
- Lower fall: A drop of 4-8mm is recommended for stability.
- In formYou will prefer shoes with a toe box in the shape of the foot and without heel or midfoot jumps.
- But we definitely recommend try on several shoes and choose the one that fits the shape of your foot.
- DurableFootwear must be able to withstand more than 1,000 kilometres of walking per pair.
- ComfortableNo hot spots or rubbing points, with an almost seamless inner top
- StableNot necessarily with insoles or built-in support, but we do not recommend narrow or flimsy shoes when you have to carry a backpack in addition to your shoes.
- Drainage (for summer): With storms and rain, you'll need your shoes to drain and dry quickly.
- Waterproof (for rainy seasons): as we have already mentioned, shoes with waterproof textile such as Gore-Tex are suitable for rainy seasons and bad weather, in which, although our feet will overheat more and will have less perspiration, if it were not for the waterproof capacity of the footwear we would be wet all day long.
- AdaptabilityIt is important to be able to try on shoes to see what fits your foot best.
Whether you are an experienced outdoors person or someone who likes to hit the local trails from time to time, the last thing you want is sore, blistered feet.
Analyzing these criteria we present you a selection of the best trekking shoes to do the Camino de Santiago:
