Phil Oren fit, was [at-l] Boots and Blisters

[janl2 at mindspring.com (Jan Leitschuh)]

> He explained that hiking tends to punish the feet, increasing foot size, 
> smashing arches and other nasty things. He was very clear that wearing 
> loosely fitting comfy sandals, Topsiders, moccasins, slippers and loafers 
> would only make matters worse. He felt that keeping hiking feet in more 
> constricting boots and shoes would be more functional and comfortable over 
> the long haul. In other words, he likes foot binding.
> 
> I'm not buying that either. I think the insoles are valuable, but that you 
> might try going up a half size above his recommendations, especially if you 
> catch him in the morning for a fitting. Then again, he might be right.


Phil Oren and his people saved my thruhike - plain and simple.  I had 
two pairs of shoes fitted by other knowledgeable and reputable 
outfitters, but they were damaging my feet. I still show that damage.

The snug fit of the shoes they fitted me with was very comfortable 
once they had opened up space for my bunions (sides) and crossed toes 
(top of toebox). I don't believe they would have sold me a pair that 
was too short in the toebox - in any case, they had me jump and stamp 
on a slant board to see if my toes stayed off the front of the shoe.

Nor does Oren believe in "foot-binding." I know you were being flip, 
OB, but for people who are just checking out their options, they need 
to know that. The snug fit I got eliminated the slop and rubbing that 
was sloughing the skin off entire toes, leaving them as pink and raw 
as skinned baby mice.

The snug fit is for that purpose, to eliminate friction, not to "bind 
the feet." Oren does promote stabilization of the footbed via insoles, 
so that the foot doesn't stretch/expand over time. But upon examining 
my orthotics, he pronounced them not only fit for the job but actually 
"doing the work of the shoe." He proved it to me by bending my shoe at 
the arch and showing my how that over-stretch there was contributing 
to my serious plantar fascitis.
"You want this," he said, bending another shoe at the back of the ball 
of the foot, when a true joint is. Mid-shank support is what folks 
needed to check for.

Good shoe fit is a combination of factors, esp. if foot oddities 
exist. There is no need to hike in pain. And I can't help but feel 
gratitude for an expert who finally got it right after others in the 
field had honestly tried but failed. You gotta love a guy who saves 
your thruhike.

WeirdFootShoe
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