Author Topic: Advice on walking shoes  (Read 1401 times)

jimbob

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Advice on walking shoes
« on: 16:52:20, 19/10/16 »
Hi, I bought some Merrel Moab Ventilators as light walking shoes. They are quite comfortable for normal everyday wear, like getting up to put the kettle on etc. but for walking I'm not at all happy with them. After 4 miles or so they seem to be squeezing my toes together. I bought a full size larger than my normal shoes so I can wear thick socks  + liners and have space for my toes, but they seem quite tight even with just one pair of normal socks.  I am reading in the forum that a few of you think that Merrels sizing is on the tight side so maybe I will just use these for dog walking. (Luckily I don't have a dog)

I am thinking, again, from recommendations on this forum of getting  some North Face Hedgehogs. They get a good write up in general and my normal "heavy" boots are North Face and I think they are great.

My question is, from those of you who own then, what are they sized like ( Large, normal, small) and do they have much space in the front for my wide toes?.

I am hoping to take them as my second pair of footwear on the Camino Frances next year, which as a lot of you will know is mainly on tracks and about 50 miles of roadwork, though that seems to be mainly on tracks next to roads nowadays. Also the relentless nature of the walk means that I may be grateful to wear something lighter on my feet every now and then.
Too little, too late, too bad......

Islandplodder

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #1 on: 19:02:32, 19/10/16 »
I bought some this summer, partly because I really like the sandals.
My impression is that they are comfortably roomy round the toes, but at first they felt a bit tight on the ankle.  After the first week I thought I might have made a mistake, but three months in I find them really comfortable and will walk 5 or 6 miles or so in them no bother (longer walks I tend to wear boots anyway).  I use the thinner 1000 mile socks in them.
Nothing is as comfortable as my 4 year old salomon trainers, but I seem to remember they took a bit of walking in as well.

Liz S

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #2 on: 20:27:24, 19/10/16 »
You could get those Merrells stretched at the cobblers you know, I've had loads of boots and trainers stretched over the years as I have a wide foot.
 I've got a pair of TNF Hedgehogs shoes and I would say they are average fitting, I wear a 7 mans and they have been fine and they are definately waterproof. However the sole wears down really quickly, within a year of average use like 1-2 x per week mine have no tread left on them,the sole is smooth, so I now just use them for gardening or going to the shops etc.
 In my opinion they are not worth around a hundred quid, I got mine for £60.00 in a Blacks sale and  thought that was about right.

 

jethro10

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #3 on: 12:14:26, 24/10/16 »
I bought Merrel Moab a few years ago. Didn't take long for them to feel tight and I thought I'd made a mistake.


Howeve after a while they "loosened" up and now they are the most comfortable.
I use them for city holidays now, 10 miles per day, every day for a week, 3 times a year.
Swear by them.
By what I'm reading here, they seems to start tight.


J

jimbob

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #4 on: 13:40:42, 24/10/16 »
Thanks folks, Following your thoughts that they ease off with use, I will persevere with them. I have time to have a good go in them to see if they stretch and get another pair broken in before next April., if not.  I may change the footbeds I put in to see if I can get more volume that way, I use superfeet but will look to see if there is something that does the same job but uses less volume.
Too little, too late, too bad......

Bhod

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #5 on: 15:50:39, 24/10/16 »
For day to day stuff I normally wear Merrel Chameleon Wrap and the sizing of these is spot on for my feet, I bought a pair of the Moab Ventilators a few weeks back and was quite surprised at the different feel and fit of them, they are indeed slightly tighter than what I'm used to and am hoping it is just their newness rather than a sizing problem.
I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake.

sunnydale

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Re: Advice on walking shoes
« Reply #6 on: 19:13:13, 26/10/16 »
I used to wear TNF Hedgehogs and remember recommending them to others on here in the past....
But....when I started wearing my last pair, I soon realised that they had changed quite a lot, even though they were supposedly the same style/type as the first 2 pairs I'd had.
They were wider, the foot bed was different and they were generally really uncomfortable. 


I tried them at home for a while with different socks/using different lacing techniques etc....but nothing made any difference.


I took them back, got a refund and went out and bought some Scarpa Vortex instead.


Now they are one comfy pair of walking shoes!  I've had 2 pairs so far and both have been fab O0



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