Foot fatalities

[daway8]

HELP! My feet are killing me! Or more accurately, my mountaineering boots are killing my feet!

Key problem: my feet are mismatched; my left foot is a half size larger than my right.

I got the best fit I could find for a pair of Scrapas and I've tried heel inserts plus some Nexcare tape on the heels to try to customize the fit/deal with the differences but after my latest adventure on Longs (where I decided the mountaineering boots were needed again) I ended of with a wicked blister on my right heel (smaller foot) and a painfully smashed, blackened big toenail on my left (larger) foot.

Anyone else deal with foot woes due to mismatched feet? What solutions have folks found?

P.S. I can generally find summer hiking boots that are comfortable enough but on the rare occasions that I'm doing something extreme enough to feel the need for secure crampons (like crossing the Narrows at the moment) I've found that my floppy summer boots don't do the job. The stiffer boots that work so well with crampons are what seem to really kill my feet.

[Scott P]

I have the same problem. I also have flat feet. As far as blisters go, the only solution I have found is duct tape and it needs to be replaces frequently.

For the bottom of my feet, I use Superfeet in almost all footwear..

For the most part, mountaineering boots and my feet don't get along and it's at least somewhat a sufferfest on a lot of days. As time goes on I enjoy the desert more and more.

[Embercleave]

The most obvious thing here are poorly or ill fitted mountaineering boots for your feet. I.e. the lack of heal lock in one boot caused your heel or the back of one foot to rub and produce the nasty blister and the same problem in a slightly different form caused the toe. The solution are a different brand or make of boot.

I mean personally, on my first pair of mountaineering boots I probably went through 4 to 5 different setups in the store with cubes and scarpas with different lace patterns and inserts before saying screw this, this sucks, and trying the salewa vulture vertical boots they had.

And they fit. I’ve had them for the past two years and they probably need to get resoled soon but they fit like a glove for me. One has an insert (left foot since it’s smaller) and right food doesn’t need it.

Thus far I’ve done multiple 12+ hr days and 14 mile+ days and numerous winter and spring trips in these boots including a similar longs adventure you had and they have been fine. They still suck since mountaineering boots are so rigid but I can do long mileage and long time periods in the boots and they don’t give me problems at all in terms of blisters or blackened toes. I get a really nice lock on the heal and so I have no sliding and no rubbing.

[k_fergie]

Key problem: my feet are mismatched; my left foot is a half size larger than my right.

Probably not the most helpful, but I'll throw it out there anyways.

My left foot is a US 12 and my right is a US 11.5, on average. My brother is the opposite. We'd buy the same model shoes in 12's and 11.5's and switch accordingly when we were younger sometimes. Nowadays I don't bother since we live in different states and don't share the same proclivity for the outdoors. Come to think of it, I have been having terrible non-blister foot issues in my left foot the past 2 years....

Maybe if you're lucky you could find a foot match?? A foot fairy perhaps.

[derekpetrie]

I wonder if custom fit orthotic insoles would help? With stiffer boots sometimes the anatomy of your foot and ankle may complicate the mismatched size even more. I overpronate and until I got insoles made, ski boots caused similar issues with hotspots and general pain.

It’ll set you back a couple hundred dollars. I haven’t had mountaineering boot insoles made so unfortunately couldn’t recommend a specific brand/place.

[XterraRob]

1 - Liner socks (thin layer)
2 - Light vaseline for blister areas
3 - Moleskin

Trying to find the right mountaineering boot can suck though, thankfully REI can let you try some out to get a real feel for them. Took me a couple before I settled on Lowas.

I have one foot that's 1/2 size bigger, so I bought what fits my larger foot, and compensated the smaller foot with a different sock combination.

You can also experiment with different ways to lace your boots, that also helped the mismatching.

[mtree]

Buy 2 different sets of boots of different sizes. Problem solved.

[TomPierce]

OP: OK, before you make any $ignificant decisions, I'd call Bob England at Boulder orthotics. That guy is an absolute wizard for all boot fitting issues. He was a consultant in the design of some ski boots, does custom hiking and cycling orthotics, etc. What got me to thinking about your situation is that I had a similar issue a few years back with some mountaineering/ski boots (Arcteryx) and he had a machine that would bump out the shell to account for some problematic heel & bunion issues. Horrendous blisters. Not sure he can do the same for your mountaineering boots (sounds like you need the over-big boot bumped in?) but it's worth an email/call to inquire. He is in Niwot, fwiw. There's also Steve Komito up in Estes Park, but I'm not sure he's still in business. He fixed some plastic mountain boots for me years ago, roller buckle on a no-longer-made Asolo. His knowledge of boot issues is encyclopedic.

Good luck!

-Tom

[sooshee]

I don't have mismatched foot size, but I did struggle with comfort of my mountaineering boots until I got some very good insoles that helped support my high arches. From then on the boots aren't torture (to me mountaineering boots will never feel like heaven after 12+ hours in them, but there's a big difference between actual pain and "I just wish my toes could bend" discomfort). I also do a couple of surgeon knots when tying them to help lock my heels in.

I do tape the back of my heels anytime wearing them as a precaution with Leukotape P. That stuff is amazing at preventing blisters, and it is also a stiff strapping tape which is helpful if you need support for an injured ankle, for example.

[supranihilest]

I don't know if they're actually manufactured anymore, but La Sportiva at one point sold velcro tongues you could stick in your boots. I have a pair in the Batura 2.0s I use for all of my ice, winter, and spring climbing. They changed my life. I don't have unequal feet, but prior to using the tongues I had a little too much room in my boots, which meant lots of rubbing and blisters. They keep my foot and heel a lot more locked in. If Sportiva does still make them you could buy a pair and try one in the smaller foot's boot. Much cheaper and lower tech option compared to custom orthotics and such. The version I linked is different from the ones I have, but you get the idea.

[DaveLanders]

...
There's also Steve Komito up in Estes Park, but I'm not sure he's still in business. He fixed some plastic mountain boots for me years ago, roller buckle on a no-longer-made Asolo. His knowledge of boot issues is encyclopedic.

Good luck!

-Tom

+1 for Steve Komito, and yes, he's still in business. He's pretty busy this time of year, so you might have to wait a while to get work done. (I just gave him a pair of boots to get resoled and it will probably be 6 or 7 weeks until I get them back.)

[justiner]

First, did you break in your boots before your trip?

Have you considered a lighter, more flexible pair of shoes for the approach?


Getting two different sized boots also seems like a good idea. You could always look for your boot-bizarro twin on Mountain Project and see if there's a perfect mis-match.