Achilles pain/strain mountaineering boots

[JasonM]

Still working on trying to break in a pair of Scarpa grand dru. I can wear them easily for 6-7 hours just doing whatever around the yard etc, no pain or discomfort. I throw the pack on (30lbs) and go for a 4-5 miler in relatively rugged terrain (western pa mountains) and I start to get some Achilles pain discomfort.

Pretty much any other boot style I use I don’t experience this. I was hoping to get these broke in for a mountain goat hunt next fall.

I’m guessing at this point I may just have to accept my feet don’t like them…..for backpacking or mountain hiking? Might have to just use them for yard work ha ha.

 

[Skerhunter]

Had this same problem before! I did not find a “fix”.

Lacing differently did help some but still caused issues. For me it seems to be the pressure of the boot on the back of my leg.

I can’t 100% blame the boots either because I also dealt with tendinitis around that time. Not sure if that was the start or something else was the cause (one year bothered me rucking the next was running).

 

[JasonM]

Had this same problem before! I did not find a “fix”.

Lacing differently did help some but still caused issues. For me it seems to be the pressure of the boot on the back of my leg.

I can’t 100% blame the boots either because I also dealt with tendinitis around that time. Not sure if that was the start or something else was the cause (one year bothered me rucking the next was running).

Ya can’t blame the boots

 

[fngTony]

How stiff is that area of the boot? There’s a trend now with many brands of implementing flex zones of softer material, might be worth trying something different.

 

[JasonM]

How stiff is that area of the boot? There’s a trend now with many brands of implementing flex zones of softer material, might be worth trying something different.

The grand dru is stiff throughout. Like walking with a 2x4 under your feet stiff.

 

[Macintosh]

You are used to your boots flexing naturally, so the pivot point of your foot is under the ball, not out by your toes. Boots like this aren’t flexible enough to bend like that, so the pivot point as you walk becomes under the tip of your toes. It puts more stress on your calves and Achilles tendon, which it sounds like is what you are experiencing. You need to work up to it and develop your connective tissue as well as muscles, connective tissue takes forever to strengthen. Don’t know where you’re going, but those are some burly-ass boots to use for anything other than vertical ice climbing or wearing crampons up a glacier. There is a real learning curve to wearing boots like that, especially in blocky, rocky terrain where it’s easy for them to make you more stumble-prone than you would be with a slightly softer boot. Most people benefit from some steep hikes and scrambling up the steepest terrain they can find, both for strengthening legs and ankles, as well as just getting used to wearing them in terrain.

 

[JasonM]

You are used to your boots flexing naturally, so the pivot point of your foot is under the ball, not out by your toes. Boots like this aren’t flexible enough to bend like that, so the pivot point as you walk becomes under the tip of your toes. It puts more stress on your calves and Achilles tendon, which it sounds like is what you are experiencing. You need to work up to it and develop your connective tissue as well as muscles, connective tissue takes forever to strengthen. Don’t know where you’re going, but those are some burly-ass boots to use for anything other than vertical ice climbing or wearing crampons up a glacier. There is a real learning curve to wearing boots like that, especially in blocky, rocky terrain where it’s easy for them to make you more stumble-prone than you would be with a slightly softer boot. Most people benefit from some steep hikes and scrambling up the steepest terrain they can find, both for strengthening legs and ankles, as well as just getting used to wearing them in terrain.

This is extremely helpful. I’ve noticed exactly what you are saying I feel more confident and stable in a softer boot especially in bigger rocks. Overall I also feel more nimble in softer boots. I’m headed to southeast BC for goat. My normal go to boot is the old lowa evo hunter extreme, which I know isn’t made anymore but I do have a brand new pair in the box squirrlled away.

Thank you for pointing all this out.

 

[JasonM]

Not sure how slick the rocks are in southeast BC but the hard sandstone we have here in western pa can be real slick after it rains and is damp for a week. The grand dru definitely doesn’t stick to these rocks like some other boots I use.