boots

hesinraca · Post by **hesinraca** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:08 am

Ok, so, in light of my horendous injuries this weekend, I have a question.

Background: tried wearing my Rocky brand riding boots backpacking. They fit really well, so I figured it'd be ok. Well. 2 miles in my heals hurt, and i check my feet to find the skin rubbed off. Not much option so I kept going. With a total of about 16 miles after that it got progressivly harder to walk normal. Normal walk meant my heals got shreded, but the way i started walking, basically avoiding bending my ankles, put all my weight tension on my achiles for 14 miles of walking. My tendons are veeeeery swollen, and the skin on the back of my heels is destroyed anyways(have pictures for the morbidly interested).

Question: with Rocky brand boots, or any boots where they're made of a firmer leather and formed to the shape of the feet, is there a way to avoid this blistering on the achiles tendon connection point? I've heard double socks, but they're too tight, so I'd need two thin pairs. I've heard duct tape. BUt that doesn't work after damage is done(tried it)... I was thinking of trying to soften the leather somehow? anyone?

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:40 am

Andy M · Post by **Andy M** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:10 pm

Are they actual riding boots that you wore hiking. And what was forcing you to go 16 miles on an open wound?

Post by **Peter Remling** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:59 pm

Riding boots are designed to keep your foot in the proper riding positions, they are not designed for walking. Leather work boots are another item of footwear for a specific purpose, to protect the foot from falling items, they are puncture resistant but definately not made for long walks.

If you take a hike at least once a year pick up a pair of hikers. I personally wear them every day at work because I'm constantly moving on tile over concrete floors a minimum of 10 hours every day for the past 15 years. Everyone's feet are different I can get away with Kmart or Walmart hikers and they last about 1-2 years each pair before I retire them. When I see a sale I'll pick up two so I've never paid more than $15 a pair. Even if you can't get away that cheap, a decent pair on line will average $40 and if you use it only on weekends and such they will last at least 5 years.

If you find out have a problem with your feet once your on the trail, immediately put on an ointment, bandage the foot and loosen your laces and try to change the way you walk. A walking stick will help reduce the about of weight you put on your foot.

As for altering the boot to make them more comfortable, don't bother it won't work, it just isn't designed that way.

If you really want to wear riding boots, get a horse and listen to everyone else complain about their feet.

Take care of your feet, rest and recover.

hesinraca · Post by **hesinraca** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:22 am

Ok, well, technically they're Rocky brand riding/working/ranch boots, so I figured they'd work for hiking, but clearly I was wrong, that and they weren't warn in. I will probably just finish remodeling my current boots and make a new pair and just avoid wearing these for long walks, but I was hoping they'd work, because they say they're "built for comfort and shock absorbant for long days on your feet".

the 16 miles on an open wound was hiking way up into eagle creek in oregon with a group of 14 people and not really having an option to not, since we were out there, they had all the food, and i couldn't have done anything but sit in the car. I was considering gong bear foot, but the majority of the trail was cliff rock... so, not so much. Mostly, my stubborn persistance to not let it stop me from camping with my father made me hike 16 miles. Oops...

had poor bandages, no ointment, and a walking stick, so 1.5 out of 3. Didn't loosen the laces though, cause they rubbed more that way, tried to get them tighter down so the movement would lessen, which it did, but the 16 miles still did it.

Haha, well, the getting a horse plan is on its way, need to save some money first but I'll probably be getting a 2nd gen dom. mustang or possibly a marchalarga marchador.

Feet resting, recovering slowely. THe swollen tendon is the hard part, the sores are easy.

So i guess I need to get hiking boots, because that whole "long days work on your feet" apparently doesn't apply... they fit really well though... grr.