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A while back I noted some hiking footwear contained a steel shank. I have a planter problem that crops up from time to time. I think lately it is caused by me cupping my foot on the bike pedal. I asked about it at a bike shop and they suggested footwear with a steel shank. Any ideas where I may obtain ?

Sounds to me like more of a biking issue.

I think I'd fix that and continue hiking with what you're currently using.

I have a pair of Carnacs for biking with a steel or titanium plate that keeps them from bending. Pretty much any real bike shop carries a variety of shoes for clip-on pedals. If you're not using clip-ons already you'll gain substanial power by switching. You get full power throughout the spin. Just be forwarned it's a bitch getting used to clip-ons.

Another thought, if you're curling that much you probably don't have enough rotations per minute. Simply increasing cadence or whatever it's called should help.

I've been going to Dominics in Tempe forever, but I don't know that I'd recommend one shop over another. Most are more then willing to offer advice. If you're in for a good comedy show go to Bike n Bean in Sedona. The guys that run the place are hillarious. Unfortunately it's mostly due to burnt out brain cells, after a while you realize they aren't acting and you start feeling sorry for them

Okay, I'll shut up and let somebody offer advice on hiking boots as asked!

Ohh Nighthiker, I feel sorry for you buddy. I had plantar warts (they're just as bad as they sound) on my feet about 5 years ago .. right when I was really big into mountain biking as well. I had laser surgery twice and they re-ocurred both times .. I finally started washing my feet with Neutrogena soap and they went away! I don't know if that was a coincidence but I still use a bar of Neutrogena on the bottom of feet everytime I shower ... old habbits die hard I suppose.

I don't where to get yourself a steel shank, I just thought I'd chime in with my little plantar experience!

As most people know, steel shanks are essentially the old school way of preventing a shoe from flexing in the middle - both torsion (longitude) and flex (latitude). The reason I say old school is because most boot makers now have switched to polymer shanks - just as rigid, more lightweight and able to cover a greater area for less cost. Work boots are about the only footwear being made with steel shanks anymore (I say almost - there are still people who REALLY want a steel shank, so footwear makers accomodate them as well).

As far as the necessity of having them for biking - I'm not the man to ask - I don't bike very often.

In hiking the way to tell if you need them or not is fairly simple. After you've hiked a fair distance (preferably ovrer rough terrain) - if your feet feel very tired and cramped - more so than any other part of your body - a part of that feeling can come from your feet having to conform to all of the rocks and obsatcles in the trail. A good stiff shank in the boot will keep your foot more stable and it won't fold and bend over all the little obstacles/rocks. Myself - I prefer a stiffer shank, but I also weigh in at 220 lbs (6'4" - I'm a big dude). Heavy/large hikers will tend to want a stiffer shank. Some lighter, faster hikers don't like the stiff shank and prefer to have a better "feel" of the trail.

Certain boot makers also make variable shanks - but that isn't always the best way to go. If they are removable, then they can shift around in the boot and may cause more problems than solve them.

Just remember the primary rule in footwear - don't listen to anybody. Always go with what feels best for your foot. Sometimes you may have to go through 3 or 4 pairs of boot on the trail before you find the magic fit - but the effort, time and money are worth it when you find the right fit.

Thnaks for the info, I tend to curl my foot when climbing hills on my street bike. The hiking footwear (low profile, shoe not a boot) I plan to wear while mtn. biking. I could park the bike and go on foot so I would prefer a hiking type versus a bike shoe.

At a good bike shop you can get a good bike shoe with lugged soles that will see you through a short walk of a mile or two but I wouldn't go on a serious hike in them. They don't have the right cushion or support for that. On the other hand I would not go on a serious bike ride in hiking boots either. My advice it to get a good pair of both and be comfortable.

Olesma raises some very good points. A stiff shank whether steel or a synthetic should handle your issue. There are really three issues here: The boots, the sox, and the insole. When fitting a boot, use the ramp that the store has in the boot department and jump around on it under your toes are all the way to the front of the boot. This is best done with the sox you will hike in and the boots loosly laced. When you have slid all the way forward, have someone stick a long finger, or a fat pen or something, behind the heel all the way to the insole. If you can't get at least a skinny finger (about 1/2 inch) in there, the boot is too short. If the boot is too short, you will hit your toes on the boot going downhill and traumatize the toenails and the rest of the toes as well. Sometimes if boots are too short, you will curl up your toes a bit to protect them, which raises your arch.

Most fitters recommend a sock liner, which is a thin polypropelene sock, next to the skin. This wicks moisture to the outer sock away from skin, and also provides an opportunity for friction to occur between the inner and outer sock, rather than between sock and skin.

Many boot fitters will try to sell you a pair of "Superfeet" insoles. These are much better than the insoles which come with your boots, regardless of price (mine are in the $350 range and the new insoles were still replaced with Superfeet). These are not just to mark up the sale a bit, but they really work.

A number of manufacturers use a strong shank. You'd have to check out the individual models and makers. A number of stores have boot fitters trained by Dr. Phil Oren, a podiatrist who is an expert in fitting. You may have seen the Oren Method ads in Backpacker magazine. Summit Hut in Tucson and Babbits in Flagstaff both have Oren trained fitters. (My editorial comment is that it's a shame REI doesn't use Oren as well. It's not the product, it's the fitter in many cases)

I have a problem (10EEEE) fit, so I tend to patronize the experts. Onew thing I have learned is that if you have a problem fit, wear those new boots in the store for a hour before deciding. If they still hurt or feel wrong, they probably ARE wrong, and trail wear will break-in the foot, not the boot.

Good luck-Randy

stiffer shanks or Superfeet insoles? Sometimes you guys just provide TOO much info!

olesma wrote:After you've hiked a fair distance (preferably ovrer rough terrain) - if your feet feel very tired and cramped -

Yes, this is my feet!!...but only when backpacking. I can hike all day with my daypack and my feet do just fine, but toss on that extra 30 pound load and by the time I get to where I'm going I'm wishing I could crawl the rest of the way (and would probably get there faster doing it too!) as my feet are painfully feeling every pebble I step on!!!

So I'm figuring I need a new pair of stiffer shank boots right? How do you know how which shank is just right? OR would a pair of Superfeet insoles in my existing boots do the trick? What about slippage of the insole, is this usually a problem?

Tracy: I don't know what boots you are wearing now, but given your size, an extra 30 pounds will impact your internal suspension, mostly feet, knees and hips. The reason I mention your size is that the average hiker should be able to carry up to 1/3 of their weight in gear, if properly packed with a good pack suspension. For someone the size of Olesma or I, 30 pounds is lunch....(Come to think of it, 30 pounds of his Chili would be a great lunch, and propel us both up the trail in style....)

Lighter duty footwear that feels great with no pack, or a day pack, may not provide the support needed for your feet and ankles with the heavier loads of backpacking, especially if you are carrying lots of water. They may not fit as well either. When I went through a rather lengthy Oren Method boot fitting a number of years back, my feet were measured with several pack weights on. My feet actually spread over a quarter size with a 50+ pound load, and my previous boots were too short. It is not a bad idea to carry a loaded (including water) pack into the store to try on boots, and even to have your foot measured with a Brannock Device (those metal things with the sliding gauges) both with and without a pack.

If you have been hiking with a light duty boot, I'm not surprised you would feel the need for more support, especially in places like the Superstitions where the trail surfaces are so hard and irregular.

The insoles don't slide, as they cut them to fit the inside dimensions of your boot using the factory insoles as a guide.

-R

Paintninaz wrote:Yes, this is my feet!!...but only when backpacking. I can hike all day with my daypack and my feet do just fine, but toss on that extra 30 pound load and by the time I get to where I'm going I'm wishing I could crawl the rest of the way (and would probably get there faster doing it too!) as my feet are painfully feeling every pebble I step on!!!

So I'm figuring I need a new pair of stiffer shank boots right? How do you know how which shank is just right? OR would a pair of Superfeet insoles in my existing boots do the trick? What about slippage of the insole, is this usually a problem?

Randy is correct. When backpacking you MUST have a stiffer sole on your feet. Superfeet will help a little, but they aren't made to support the kind of weight a backpack adds. You really should have a nice solid pair of very stiff soled backpacking boots, especially if you are having problems in that area. If you go out and get the right pair - you will truly be amazed at the difference it will make in your backpacking trips.

Just as a side note - most really good backpacking boots are all leather. There are a few that have leather/nylon uppers, but the best ones are all leather uppers. They allow for much stiffer overall construction. And keep in mind that if you buy a good pair of backpacking boots - they need a good deal of breaking in before they are ready for a long trip.

Randy wrote:For someone the size of Olesma or I, 30 pounds is lunch....(Come to think of it, 30 pounds of his Chili would be a great lunch, and propel us both up the trail in style....)

"Propel" - interesting word choice. Are we talking "jet propulsion"?