The Sneakers that you just stroll the Camino de Santiago with is an important gear determination you’ll make in your Camino de Santiago Packing checklist. Strolling within the incorrect footwear may end up in horrible blisters, drained toes, and different accidents that may even finish your Camino.
There are such a lot of opinions, everyone is totally different, each route is totally different so sadly there is no such thing as a ‘greatest shoe for the Camino’. Alya has walked 9 totally different Camino de Santiago routes and I’ve walked 7, in addition to many different treks everywhere in the world. On this submit I offers you our experience with footwear on the Camino de Santiago.
Boots vs Sneakers for Strolling the Camino de Santiago
The fast reply – our favourite footwear for the Camino de Santiago are climbing footwear.
It is a very fashionable matter to debate on Fb teams and in on-line boards and you will discover loads of discussions if you happen to search a bit. Here’s a fast abstract of our experience with totally different sorts of footwear.
Path runners on the Camino
Path runners are a very fashionable possibility for strolling the Camino de Santiago. Path footwear are just like highway trainers, however they’re constructed extra rugged to guard the footwear and your toes from objects like rocks, and sticks, so they’re mild and difficult. I’ve learn so many discussions with pilgrims praising path runners, the logic is they’re mild, get dry fast and supply sufficient assist for the type of terrain that you’ll experience on the Camino.
Our experience with path runners on the Camino was not nice. We walked two shorter routes in path runners, the Camino de San Salvador (120 km/74 mi) and the Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria (67 km/41,6 mi). We hiked in nicely worn in path footwear that we use for path operating. The footwear have been comfy on the path, however we each had issues with blisters strolling in path footwear.
Within the Protection of Path Runners
You do get many various manufacturers and fashions of path trainers, perhaps a distinct path runner would work higher on the Camino. We’ve nevertheless not had any issues operating with our Adidas or Asics path runners whereas operating. Since we purchased these footwear for operating they the place a snug match, however not massive sufficient to put on with our thick merino wool socks. We swear by merino wool socks, they’re incredible!
Well-liked Path runners on the Camino de Santiago
- Hoka Velocity Goat 4 (Velocity Goat Four Girls) – You see Hokas all over the place on the Camino these days. These tremendous cushioned, path runners have develop into extraordinarily standard on the path. Most pilgrims stroll within the Hoka Speedgoat, with a lot of cushioning; grippy outsole, and a high quality higher. The Velocity Goat 5 is the newest launch.
- Altra’s Lone Peak 6 (Lone Peak 6 Girls) – a operating shoe that has since develop into a thru-hiker favourite. Very fashionable on the Camino, recognized for excessive consolation and thick padding. Apparently the novel design takes time to get used to, so ensure you stroll them in earlier than hand.
- Brooks Cascadia 16 (Cascadia 16 Girls)- very fashionable with via hikers, appears like a snug highway shoe, with good underfoot safety. Mild high quality constructed path runners.
Strolling the Camino in Mountaineering Sneakers
Mountaineering footwear are designed for climbing. With a decrease reduce they’re extra agile and light-weight than climbing boots. Many boots are additionally obtainable as a decrease reduce climbing shoe. For Alya and myself we discovered climbing footwear to work the most effective and have worn a number of totally different footwear within the 16 Camino de Santiago’s now we have walked between the 2 of us. We discovered footwear to be pretty light-weight, comfy, keep comparatively dry and don’t take to lengthy to dry when getting moist. Mountaineering footwear have a stiffer sole which we discovered to be nice on Camino’s the place you spend lots of time strolling on cobble stones such because the Camino Portuguese.
Well-liked Mountaineering Sneakers on the Camino de Santiago
Sporting Mountaineering Boots on the Camino de Santiago
The 2 largest issues many individuals have strolling the Camino de Santiago in boots are weight and breathability. The upper the reduce of the shoe the heavier it is going to clearly be. Leather-based boots are usually heavier and fewer versatile. Waterproof materials doesn’t solely hold water out, but additionally retains water in. In case your toes sweat loads, leather-based or Gortex is much less breathable and your toes might be moist in any situations.
The Camino de Santiago just isn’t a single route, however a community of community of pilgrimage routes ending in Santiago de Compostela. The route and season undoubtedly influences what footwear might be appropriate. I can’t advocate sporting heavy, waterproof boots on a sizzling dry Camino in summer season (July/August). Strolling in shoulder season (Could, June, September), might be good, however rain is feasible. We walked a really moist Camino Primitivo throughout this time and waterproof boots labored incredible.
With boots there are various totally different decisions, the peak of the boot and materials used for building makes a large distinction. Outdated type, heavy, leather-based boots don’t work nicely for us. We each love our Salomon X Extremely three Mid GTX (LADIES) mid size, Gortex boots. Fashionable, mild and tremendous comfy now we have finished a long way in situations various from snow to sizzling dusty trails and have solely had a fantastic experience! Mild and athletic with a mid size design. I discover them very comfy and should not have an issue with breathability. I put on them with thick merino wool socks.
Sandals for Strolling the Camino de Santiago
Most individuals pack sandals to put on across the albergue after a protracted day on the highway. I like my Havaihana flip flops and have walked lengthy stretches in my flip flops on sizzling days on the Camino. I’ve met individuals strolling the entire Camino in climbing sandals and saying after switching from footwear to sandals they are going to by no means return! Packing sandals to alternate together with your footwear just isn’t a nasty thought to maintain your toes dry and blister free. Strolling your Camino in sandals is principally an possibility if you happen to stroll in dry season. Some standard sandals now we have seen are made by KEEN and Teva; Eager Girls Whisper Sandals, Eager Males’s Clearwater CNX 2 Light-weight, Teva Hurricane Xlt2 and Teva Hurricane Xlt2 girls.
Strolling in Operating Sneakers
I walked my first Camino after coming to Europe following an climbing season in Nepal. It was summer season and I made a decision to somewhat stroll in my highway trainers than my trekking boots. I’ve finished lots of operating within the footwear (greater than 1000 km)blister free. I walked in my operating footwear, skinny operating socks and my Asics highway trainers. I bought the worst blisters I’ve ever had and by the top of the Camino the footwear have been fully destroyed.
Good Socks for Mountaineering the Camino
We’re agency believers in Merino wool socks, this can be a sport changer. Mountaineering many hundreds of kilometers on quite a lot of budgets now we have used most likely about each type of sock you may think about. Nothing comes near merino wool socks. They’re merely incredible at maintaining your toes dry and blister free. They only take for much longer to begin smelling unhealthy than even the fanciest artificial climbing socks. DARN TOUGH and MERIWOOL make glorious high quality merino wool socks.
Please comply with and like us:
The robust half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that may be glad to spend all his life within the water diving, browsing and spearfishing however typically has to compromise with Alya and go climbing as an alternative. Campbell is chargeable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), purple wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.
