Backpacking Discussions

I've got about 20 miles on my new boots that I'll be using for mountaineering (and maybe heavy backpacking)... Lowa Mt. Expert GTXs. First 10 miles I was in the snow the whole time with my full pack (50 lbs) and the boots felt great.

This last weekend I went on another 10 mile (roundtrip w/ mixed terrain) with 4000' gain one way. They felt great on the way up but on the way down once I got out of snow and onto hard ground I could feel hot spots starting on both the inner parts of my shins. I had pretty good sores when I got done and they are just now getting better. My feet had no rubbing and felt great. The boots were snug, I made sure to readjust before I made my way down. I don't know what to do to prevent the constant pounding on the way down the trail. This happened before when I rented some plastic boots from REI when i was coming off a mountain, but it was much worse.

Any suggestions? I was wearing a very lightweight synthetic sock liner with a midweight merino wool/synthetic blend sock. Should I change something?

These boots fit my volume foot very well so its not like my heel is coming up or anything. I was thinking of getting a pair of superfeet anyways just to try so I don't know if the extra volume they take up will help any.

They might just be too tight, and along with your particular foot strike you could be putting extra pounding on your shins. Sounds like a perfect storm of heavy pack, down hill and tight boots. I'd play around with maybe loosing the top just a little, that way your foot is still locked in, but your ankle is able to soften it up some.

Shins? Like the front of your leg above the ankle? Or to the side at the ankle bone?

Either way, yeah, to tight at the top and not tight enough over the toes/instep area. But if it's to the inside it's likely a boot that is really too straight for the lateral curvature of your feet, so your foot is sliding past the inner portion of the foot with each strike. That is quite obvious for me when wearing flip flops, where my foot hugs the inner portion of the heel, or even off the side and they swing away as I walk. Get the right fit and everything is normal.

Raising the heel just could make it worse by bring the heel up and further out of the heel cup, especially with stiff mountaineering boots. It could solve the problem too, but don't buy them before trying it in the store first.

Colton wrote:Shins? Like the front of your leg above the ankle? Or to the side at the ankle bone?

Yeah I should have clarified this more. I guess its more toward the ankle...just on the side (front side) of the ankle bone and a bit above the ankle bone. Kind of hard to explain. Regardless it sounds like you guys are right...Too tight.

When lacing my boots, would it be good to put a surgeons knot (I think that is correct) after tightening around my foot...and then start up my ankle.

I'll just have to give it a shot. It's just frustrating because these boots fit my foot the best out of any other boot I tried on and I know any other boot would give me a lot more problems than this.

I have those boots and I'm stumped because I think they are fairly flexible up top so getting what you got from plastics sounds weird......but because it's only happening on the way down my only guess is that the spot you get the pain is banging on something in front of the boot that isn't as soft as it should be. Maybe run you finger over the inside where the pain is and see if maybe you can feel the back side of an eye or a spot that feels harder than it should and put some padding there if you can.

It won't hurt to try super feet but those inserts that these boots come with are pretty good and take up room (unlike most stock inserts) so I wouldn't expect a lot from different inserts. Also, keep in mind that a lot of the insulation comes from the stock inserts so you'll lose a lot of warmth by going to another, if that matters.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned breaking them in.

From what I am reading, you went right out and took new, stiff mountaineering boots and were putting heavy loads in rough terrain within 20 miles?

Fact is, you need to breakin a boot this firm. Start by wearing around house, work up to walking fairly mild terrain, go to rougher terrain, then add heavy loads. This breakin process should take about 40 miles with these boots. During this process, modifications can be made by your boot fitter. Particular to your issue, I would reccomend a pair of Superfeet and perhaps using a padded shin ski sock.

Your boot fitter (if you had one) should have told you this.