Good morning all,
As mentioned in my intro I was an outdoor activity instructor over 30 years ago.
Having got back into the sport/hobby this year, you won't be surprised to know there have been a few changes!
Since starting again I have discovered I suffer with Mortons Neuroma in the right foot. For those who don't know, this is a pain in the ball of the foot, caused by inflammation between the bones of three middle toes, around the middle of the foot. The inflammation traps nerves and can send shooting pains around the feet. At times this can be excruciating, at others a horrid stabbing pain.
Generally this is caused by the feet being squeezed together due to ill fitting shoes. In the main it is a Woman's illness due to the often badly fitting shoes they wear - being general here!
Treatment is by easing that pressure - new shoes/boots, taking ibuprofen and using a silicon pad under the foot which spreads the bones of the toes, just a tiny bit.
I upgraded my boots which were already Salomon, to 9 1/2, which was 1/2 size larger than my previous ones. The Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX are very comfortable and nothing else at Go Outdoors seemed to feel right.
It definitely eased the pain, but didn't get rid of it.
After much research I went to see Taunton Leisure in Bristol and bought a pair of Altberg Tethera size 9 with a wider fitting. I was eager to try them out, so set off on a 12 miler, only to realise I was flopping around in them! Had to find a shorter route back at 9 miles. For the next two days everything hurt, my back, buttocks, thighs, calves, shins and feet. I am certain this is a lot to do with a high arch on my foot.
I took the boots back and they gave me 80% against another pair.
After much trying on and walking around the store I bought a pair of Meindl - cannot remember which model. Took them home and tried them around the house. They didn't feel comfortable! The following day, I put one of the Meindl on and one of my Salomon's on. The Meindl definitely didn't feel comfortable. So I took them back and Taunton Leisure gave my 100% refund as they had not been worn outside. Great company!
Back to the drawing board!
I then bought a metatarsal pad. This is a thin silicone pad that fits over your first toe and sits under and across the front of the foot. Sounds uncomfortable but believe me it isn't.
This along with two ibuprofen before I set out works very well. Not perfect, but I can do up to 12 miles, which is about all I can do in the time I allow myself in the mornings.
However, I would like to find a good boot to solve the problem and am still looking.
Which brings me to my second problem!
When walking in long grass covered in dew, it seems impossible to find a boot that is waterproof. Wet grass gets into boots more than rain can. I have treated my Salomon's with water proofing, but nothing seems to solve the problem. I use gaiters every morning. In the end, the only solution I could find was SealSkinz socks. They are amazing! My boots can have loads of water in, but my feet stay dry. Nothing worse than 4 hours of sopping wet feet.
Every day, I use scrunched up newspapers to dry my boots out, ready for the next onslaught!
Back in the day, we had welts in our boots that gaiters would fit into, thereby totally protecting your feet from any water, including walking in streams.
I have read posts on here with interest, talking about waterproof boots actually working. I also see that full leather is better. I get that, as we often forget that Gore Tex does not necessarily stop water getting in, but is one of the best products for helping you dry out! It is the water proofing on the boot that should stop the water getting in, but it doesn't!
Any advice gratefully accepted.
Regards
Chris