Yes, I was/am planning on getting a good pair. $100-$200 range. I like the idea of shoes instead of boots. Boots also sound heavy.
So far:
REI sounds like the place to go around here. (I’ll still look at L.L. Bean though)
Wool socks.
Liner.
First aid.
Break in period.
Again, thanks everyone.
Hmmm…maybe I used the wrong word. I got a new set of fancy insoles that I didn’t properly break in, and they raised my foot up a centimeter or two. Tore the shit out of my ankle on a short day hike the day before I went into the Teton National Park’s Teton Crest Trail. Terrible, terrible idea. The only thing that kept my feet alive was liberal application of Second Skin, and wrapping my ankles in duct tape.
I was picking tape residue off my ankle for a month, and the skin on my ankles took about 2 months to recover.
I second the SmartWool socks. I was absolutely amazed at how well they allow my feet to breathe, and how quickly they dry out overnight.
Can someone link me to an example of this liner? I just did a quick search for liner on REI and nothing was foot or sock related.
It was under: “Shoes & Boots” -> “Footwear Accessories: Liner Socks”
Edit: I did a search for “liner” and it came up with 4 sock-related items. I wonder if it checks your browsing cache…
This does raise a good point - make sure to try on your boots with whatever you’ll have inside them, be it custom orthotics, replacement insoles, or your new socks (REI usually has a bin full of hiking socks to try on with the boots so you get an accurate fit).
If something doesn’t feel good in the store it will definitely not feel good after you’ve been walking a few miles.
If you want a good guide to all things foot-related I highly recommend John Vonhof’s “Fixing Your Feet” (foot care for endurance athletes).
I’ve worn thin cotton socks under thicker wool socks inside boots for years and years, in all kinds of climates and terrain, and never had a problem. :: shrugs ::
I’ve got flat feet and before I went to Peru, I got a pair of Ecco hiking shoes that had great motion control. I usually get back pain from standing/walking and these shoes were the bee’s knees. I got 'em at an Ecco store but they sell them at others too. Here’s a list in your general area.
Cotton absorbs water and sticks to skin, causing abrasion and blisters. Your feet may be hard enough that it isn’t an issue for you, but in general, wicking and non-absorbing textiles are recommended for socks and other tight fitting clothes. Cotton is great for loose robes and scarves in dry, hot climes, as it “breathes” better than other fabrics, but sucks for anything that gets stuck to your skin or may get wet.
Stranger
Ah, yes, I sort of figured it out later that you meant insoles. And you definitely want to break in the boot with your insoles.
Note for insoles: Orthodics are usually designed to go at the very bottom of a boot where they will fit flat against the bottom of the boot. You must pull out the manufacturers insole then put yours on the flat bottom of the inside of your boot. If you need to stack insoles, for example if you want to add a thin, flat thermal insole to keep your foot warm, or if you need a thin extra insole to get the shoe to fit right because you’re a bit in between sizes, those should be stacked on top of the orthodic.
Your orthodic is your foot’s foundation. It’s gotta be level to support everything just right.
Stranger’s suggestion is good for the OP too. There are a lot of hiking shoes that may be more comfortable if you don’t need a lot of ankle support. When I’m carrying weight (40 lb backpack) and doing a lot of ascending and descending steep stuff on uneven ground, I wear boots that come up and support my ankles. That’s not necessary for most of the hiking I do. I use the boots for big stuff.
Low cut hiking shoes still have fairly rigid soles that offer a lot of support to the foot, but are lighter. Heavy duty hiking boots may be unnecessarily heavy if you’re mostly touring on side-walks, well-maintained gravel covered trails, rolling woods. If your boots are too heavy, you may find your lower back starts to ache.
I use something like this for lightweight day hikes on pretty aggressive terrain. Bonus, is that I can also wear my Lowas in the office because they look like regular shoes. The soles however are pretty rigid. If you were to hold the shoe in your hand — toes in one palm, heel in the other — and try to twist it like you were wringing out a towel, you would feel a fair bit of resistance. I walk a minimum of 10k a day (ETA: if I’m not biking) getting to and from work, and these are what’s on my feet (I live in an urban setting).
Here’s an example of one of the 2-in-1 socks I mentioned. This is what I use for alpine stuff. It has a built in liner. The outer part is merino wool, the inner layer is a wicking material. You don’t need to buy a separate liner sock.
But there is only a slight benefit to getting a sock with this kind of construction vs. a two-sock system: you don’t have to worry about conflicting sock seams or your liner sock bunching up funny inside your main sock, and slightly improved wicking. ::shrug:: The only other benefits is that if I had to carry a pair of socks plus a pair of liners, I’d probably lose something.
Celly, dear, the brand is Keen. You’d know that if you stopped wearing those nasty Lowas. 
Cotton is Ok as a liner, you can also use thin wool, artifical fibers, and silk. I like the ones with silver fibers. Fox River X-static. Or silk. Cotton socks are no good for extended heavy use.
Remember when fitting the boots to be wearing the socks you will be using. I suggest Smartwool (there are other Merino wool socks as good, REI merino socks are also good, but Smartwool is a standard).
One good idea for the break-in is to wear them all day to work, around the house, etc. For a couple of days.
I haven’t read the thread, and stopped scanning here.
A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Merrell water shoes from REI. Just under a year of use, one of the nylon straps that hold the laces broke. The same one on the other shoe was about to break. I took them back to REI, and they gave me a full refund. I didn’t have my receipt, but they looked up my member number and saw that I did buy the shoes at an REI store. I bought a new pair of Keens that I’m wearing now. I’m very impressed by REI’s return policy. In my case, I feel they went ‘above and beyond’ reasonableness.
I’ve been a member of REI since the early-'80s. (NB: You don’t have to be a member to shop there.) I have the REI credit card. I can’t tell you how much I’ve made in dividends. A small sampling of things I’ve bought with my dividends include a Yakima rack system for my Jeep, two pair of Vasque hiking boots, two Pendleton wool blankets, a titanium spork, and loads of camping gear and apparel and gifts for other people. And I’ve also taken the cash. It cost $5 or $10 for a lifetime membership when I joined. It’s been a good investment for me.
I’ll also echo the knowledge and helpfulness of the staff I’ve dealt with. I’ve received many helpful suggestions and information from them.
I got into just wearing a single layer of nylon liners from Ray Jardine’s ultralight book – I highly recommend the idea and have been going that route for a couple years. It’s kind of a minimal approach, but I find it simpler and plenty protective against blisters, cracking, at least in the summers. For winter/spring/fall I use a lightishweight smartwool-type sock.
Word to the previous comment about just grabbing some lightweight sneakers and forgoing the boot thing – I’m using now some Vasque Blurs and find them to have a sturdy heel cup, lots of room for the toes, and generally sturdy. It looks like they might only be good for 800 miles or so – they started to degrade in the padding after only a couple hundred, but they’re still OK for around town and so forth. It’s hard to judge how much lessening the weight on your feet might make the difference without trying first hand; it’s worth a really close look and maybe some research (cum grano salis).
Annnnd another plug for REI. I buy most of my shoes there. I would buy all my shoes there if they sold dress shoes. If the style is made in a size US14/Eu50 they will stock some. It is not uncommon for me to find that shoe store has not one pair my size in ANY style or type. For a given need, I often have several styles to choose from at REI. IME the staff are knowledgeable, helpful, and not pushy at all. REI has a very liberal returns policy. (mentioned above) Beyond the direct benefit, it also means they have strong incentive not to sell crap.
Sorry to hear about your foot problem. I have bad feet myself and trust Merrell. IMHO, they are the best. I’m a size 13 and medium width and low arches.
Also, a lot of folks seem to talk about liner socks and such. I don’t believe there is any need for them (a liner sock) if you get a few good pairs of socks. Only wear one pair. Just make sure they are good socks. Double socks can bunch up and basically be a pain in the ass, er foot.
SmartWool socks. Is my recommendation.
I would leave the hiking poles at home unless you have problems with balance. They are just extra weight IMHO. A good pair of boots and your attention to hiking should alleviate any need for polls unless you are talking about very extreme conditions.
AND. Trim your toenails before the trip, and then do it again. A small pinky toe that has just a little bit of an edge on it can cut into another toe and make a walk an exercise in slow torture.
I walk in hills that are boggy and soft underfoot, with lots of ankle-grabbing holes that you can’t see because the ground is covered in heather. It hardly qualifies as “extreme conditions”, but especially when walking up or down a steep slope, the pole saves your life (or at least your ankles) multiple times on any hike.
OK. But the OP is talking about a guided walking tour. Not bogs or such, as far as I know. That is what I responded to.
I think that with today’s materials and boots a double sock is not necessary. Also see previous posts about Smartwool socks. And IMHO, Merrell boots.
Yes, I should have said I agree with the other points you made. I just wanted to point out that a pole may be worth having, depending on the kind of terrain you are walking (and not necessarily extreme). But I agree that if you are walking on a hard flat surface and can see where you are putting your feet, a free hand is worth more than a pole.
I like to walk in Seattle. My Merrell water shoes were very comfortable for this, and cool in the Summer because they were mesh. Were it not for the lace strap issue I’d still be wearing them. The Keen shoes I have now are also good for city walking.