[at-l] I'm a trail shoe failure

[askowronek@mindspring.com (Amy)]

Hear my tail of woe.

I've been through four (or five, I've lost track) pair of
REI Spirit boots.  The last pair was the goretex version,
which I've had resoled once.  I had to get goretex because
they changed the last on the regular version, but not on
the goretex version.

Now they're changing the last on the goretex version.  I
tried to buy a pair before they sold the remaining boots
from this year, and they were out of my size.  So no
more Spirits.  (boots.  plenty of scotch on the shelf.)

But I'd been pondering trail runners, so I bought a pair
of New Balance 804 ATs.  I wore them with their original
insoles, some old Vasque insoles that I quite like, and
Superfeet.  No matter what, they caused a burning feeling
deep inside my foot.  Turns out they're a smidge too narrow
for me.

I went to a New Balance store, explained my problem to the
nice salesman, and tried on a bunch of other shoes.  The
904s seemed pretty comfy, so I bought them and wore them
for a while.  So far I've only worn them with the cushy
New Balance insoles I bought in addition to the shoes.
Despite comfiness in the store, my toe keeps touching the
end.  I've retied and retied and etc.

But worse than that, some bone in the top of my foot
is very unhappy with them.  It ached yesterday with the
shoe on, then all last night in bed, and all day today
while I wore my boots.  I'm concerned that if I keep
wearing them, that bone will actually break.  (Which
is what happened to me with my Vasque Clarion Highs,
years ago.)

Both pairs of shoes I tried out in the store, jumping
up and down and on the furniture and etc.  They seemed
fine there.

I am very sad.  My boots won't last forever, and trail
shoes aren't looking like an option.  Now what?

-woefully, amy