HikeArizona.COM

I'm not sure how to start this, but, every time we go hiking in the canyons of Utah, my wife ends up with very sore big toes. The nails will eventually turn black, like they were hit with a hammer. She's tried different boots, boot sizes, and socks. She will buy a pair of boots and wear them for months hiking around home with no issues, but get into the steep up and down of the trail, and thet're swelled up and pounding by the end of the first day!
Hopefully someone has an idea before she decides to quit going with me! Help!

trim your toenails

What type of feet does she have? If she has flat feet her big toes are a little longer in the shoe than most shoes are made for, and then she'll have increased pressure on the medial toes with each down hill step. I had that problem. If thats the case she can try inserts that might help.

Tried that too. Very short, toes aren't hitting the ends of her boots. She went up a half size in boots to increase the space in the toe box, with no change in the results. Tried boot socks, thin socks and two layers with the same results. She has a very high arch. Would inserts help?

Don't know.

Sandals.

Sandals might be the way to go! Has anyone tried those shoes with the individual toes in then? I found some tracks in a canyon of some, they looked like a barefoot until you looked closely and saw the sole indentations. I've seen them in the hiking shoe displays. We also had heard about Superfeet insoles, gut who knows what'll work.

I have seen those things but have not tried them. I wondered about chafing between the toes, and the fact they are so thin on the bottom. Might not work for me, since I don't really want to feel the sharp rocks. But a lot of people love 'em! I have hiked miles in Tevas, though, and I know that is also Joe Bartel's (owner of this website) footwear of choice... Or Chaco sandals.

And no, I don't bang my toes on the rocks. Some people say they do, but I generally don't. Have hiked many miles in Grand Canyon/Havasupai/below Mooney, very rough trail, in Teva sandals, the regular Teva sandals. Often wear heavy hiking socks with them if I am hiking with them on--prevents chafing. A lot of times, like along the Black River or at Havasupai, I am wearing them because of so many wet crossings.

Most of that comes from sliding forward in the boot on the downhill. You already know about trimming the toe nails. When I backpack the Grand Canyon, I use a midheight boot and use an alternate lacing on the ankle eyelets to hold my foot back in the heel box and prevent any sliding forward. It is sort of a cross lace. For uphill I relace to a traditional lacing for flexibility.

Another option is toe-gels. Ballerinas use them to prevent black toe when they en pointe. I see that REI has had them. You used to have to go to a dance supply store to buy them. Made it tough on guys who had trouble resisting the urge to buy them pink tu-tus

I echo the recommendations so far. I used to have the same problem, but I've largely fixed it by using thick SmartWool socks and lacing my laces pretty tight in the upper eyelets.
Don't forget about walking form. It is very easy to land flat-footed or even on the front of the foot when going downhill. Learning to walk downhill with your heel making the initial strike against the ground can really help, but it can be difficult on loose and/or steep surfaces. This involves not only how your feet hit the ground, but also training your knees, hips, back, and feet to do it effectively.
HAZ user bart01 hikes in Vibram Five Fingers, and he seems to have success. Sandals are beginning to intrigue me more now that I live in California. I see a lot more hikers wearing sandals here than in Arizona, but the trails aren't typically near-as-rocky as they are back in AZ.

@colowlkr
As Jim said I have been hiking in fivefingers and love them. Never had a blister or foot pain. There hasn't been any hike I've had to revert to regular shoes. However, they are not for everyone. No support and don't fit all foot types. I would try them on at solid nutrition/ rei before purchasing. If you don't run around barefoot a lot there is a break in period for your feet to get used to them. I started hiking in them the day after I got them, but the jury is out for Mrs. Bart01 on wether they are going to work for her.

Consider taking sandals for the downhill... and, the suggestions for relacing, tightly, is great... it is the shoes doing the damage. You need plenty of space, and if there is a pronation problem, inserts might help a great deal. You could also wear boots with the big toe area cut out?

May be the width of the shoe not particularly the size....i like walking in mens tennis cause they are wide.

Thanks everyone for all the good ideas! I guess we'll need to spend some Quality time at REI now. That always ends up costing me a lot more than I had planned! There's just way too many neat things one of us thinks we Have to Have before the next trip. I do appreciate all the good ideas.

My hiking shoes are more than a whole size larger than my everyday walking shoes to accomodate for this. I wear superfeet insoles because it helps hold my foot in place, and toe socks to further cushion to poor little abused piddies. I'm thinking of trying the silicone toe caps someone just introduced me to... But mostly, I just grin and bear it! When my hubby type asked me how long he'd have to hike before his feet stopped bothering after a backpack, I told him I still didn't know. 12 years and I'm still trying to toughen them up!

I use TEVA sandals in most flat hiking, but in hills of Arizona they suck. My toes where killing me yesterday hiking dow Escudilla Mt. but that is part of the outdoors, Bugs, sore feet, cold weather, whatever, it is all part of the trip. short nails helps, but is not a cure, so when are they going to place miny shocks in the front of shoes? Good luck with that one, and when you find the answer tell me.

Teva Terra-Fi's are the only way to go for me. I've hiked 90% of my hikes wearing Teva's since late 2003 but have been steadily moving closer to 99%. The last major hike I did with hiking shoes was the day after Thanksgiving in '07 with Stiller and I lost all ten toenails after that hike. The 3,000' elevation gain (and loss on the return trip) played a major part but the elastic laces of my Merrill Chameleons were to blame (I have since cut them out and replaced them with regular laces and still wear them ONCE in a while on FLAT/SHORT hikes only. They were a TERRIBLE idea).

Anyway, back to Teva's. I'm just starting on my 4th pair averaging almost 500 miles per pair. While I've gotten fewer miles with each successive pair due I believe to trying to get the cost down for more mainstream sales, they still are the best for me. I didn't like the change of tread design to the "smooth, round bumps" of my last two pair, but now that the latest Terra-Fi's have gone back to the deeper tread with a sharper edges I'm ready to buy another pair even before I wear the current ones out.

But then I really can't complain because the ones I'm wearing are performing admirably. A 19.5 mile backpack at Aravaipa last month, two 10-12 mile hikes out to Bull Pass/Black Top Mesa area (I HATE the steep trek up & down Bull Pass no matter what I'm wearing) and yesterday's 21.5 mile :wlift: out-and-back trek (in just under 11 hrs) from First Water out Dutchman/Bull Pass/Dutchman/Peter's Trail up to Peter's Mesa with no traction issues and even better yet, absolutely no complaints from my feet during the hike or even now the morning after.

To the people who "need" the ankle support for "weak" ankles, I say "baloney!" I had weak ankles for years, even having to have special shoes for year when I was in my teens, but by wearing Teva's so much on rough as well as steep terrain, I've actually built up my ankle strength to the point I don't even worry about twisting an ankle on the trail. You can't strengthen muscles if you don't stress them, so if you keep wearing shoes that actually support your ankles (which I still think that is debatable) you won't be gaining ankle strength.

To those who worry about hitting their toes on rocks or picking up cholla balls and other such niceties I say the same thing, baloney! I purposely buy a full size larger so I have a nice buffer zone for my toes up front and have NEVER hit my toes on a rock, although the front of my Teva's are sure chewed up from the hitting the rocks. And then for the spikes... I don't know if my mind unconsciously pays more attention to where I place my feet or what, but with hiking shoes I've had spikes through the shoes (upper area) MANY times yet only 4 times I recall with my Teva's, and three of those times were from cholla balls whipped up by the hiker ahead of me and landing on the top of my foot. But because they weren't "hammered in" they were no big deal.

Wow, I didn't realize I turned this into a long testimonial (rant?) in favor of Teva's. But while the Terra-Fi's may not be cheap (don't buy the lesser expensive Teva's!), in town or out on the trails, wet or dry, they are hands-down the all-around footwear of choice for me. Oh yes, I love the compliments on the "Teva tan lines" I get as a consequence of wearing them so much.

Last note... I've NEVER gotten blisters or lost toenails from hikes wearing Teva's, no matter how steep the downhills.

I used gel toe caps for the first time on my recent Grand Canyon trip and was really happy with the result. You can either get the brand at REI, or the ones that ballerinas use (Bunheads). The Bunheads brand have a small vent at the top and come in sizes for smaller toes as well. I liked the smaller ones on a troublesome toe that I was always having to tape. Now I can just slip the toe cap on and I'm good all day.

CannondaleKid wrote:Teva Terra-Fi's are the only way to go for me. To the people who "need" the ankle support for "weak" ankles, I say "baloney!" I had weak ankles for years, even having to have special shoes for year when I was in my teens, but by wearing Teva's so much on rough as well as steep terrain, I've actually built up my ankle strength to the point I don't even worry about twisting an ankle on the trail. You can't strengthen muscles if you don't stress them, so if you keep wearing shoes that actually support your ankles (which I still think that is debatable) you won't be gaining ankle strength.

To those who worry about hitting their toes on rocks or picking up cholla balls and other such niceties I say the same thing, baloney! I purposely buy a full size larger so I have a nice buffer zone for my toes up front and have NEVER hit my toes on a rock, although the front of my Teva's are sure chewed up from the hitting the rocks. , they are hands-down the all-around footwear of choice for me. Oh yes, I love the compliments on the "Teva tan lines" I get as a consequence of wearing them so much.

Last note... I've NEVER gotten blisters or lost toenails from hikes wearing Teva's, no matter how steep the downhills.

I agree... the more shoe, the more problems... strong ankles come from putting them to use! It does take practice... and maybe not everyone could/would put in the time to perfect their use, but... they are a great way to go...

I had the same problem, but it happened over a year since I had bought and worn my Merrells. I have since bought new inserts (Superfeet Orange) and did the Callaway Trl down to Clear Creek and had no problems after the new inserts.

Jeff