UKC

Last year I had to give up on day two of a planned coast to coast walk with severe blistering and hot spots on my feet. A fell running friend tells me that a good pair of trainers will be more comfortable than boots although,given how boggy it can be I have my doubts. If anyone has done the C to C, what footwear did you use and how did you avoid suffering !

In reply to Seldom Seen Slim:

Long distance walkers are fairly split on this, though more are heading towards trainers rather than boots, been plenty of discussion on the ldwa forum about this over the years. Whatever you chose you need to train in them and feel confident wearing them.

I come from a fell running background so only wear trainers, but I wear them for everything and hours of wet feet don't bother me in the slightest, others would hate this and suffer, whereas I cannot imagine wearing big heavy boots. But years of trainers and I have fairly strong ankles, so even a heavy backpacking sack over very rough ground and I'm still happy in trainers. At home I rarely wear any shoes all day, inside or out in the garden, so my feet are a bit rough and ready. I believe the only real way to avoid blisters is to train more in whatever your chosen footwear is - there's no magic cure!

In reply to Seldom Seen Slim:

The great debate....!

I can only speak for myself. I did a couple thousand kilometres last summer in three pairs of £30 Nikes.

I prefer doing the boggy, wet stuff with leaky trainers - for some reason (no idea why!) the water is really nice when it's constantly replaced. Think refreshing and cool rather than warm, stingy and sore. And being trainers they'll dry out pretty damn fast too, you could just bring a pair of crocs for the times in town/camp.

Again, some prefer the stability that boots give. I feel boots just knock me off balance and I get get better rhythm, stability and front-footed walking pattern in trainers.

Given that boots have caused you to have to stop, trainers are worth a shot I guess!

In reply to Seldom Seen Slim:

If you can get them Inov8 roclite 400 leather boots are sensational, I did the cape Wrath Trail in them last year used them all winter unless the conditions were really grim have just run the Lyke Wake Walk in them all with dry unblistered feet but I am told they have stopped production!