Heel Pain in Mountaineering Boots

by **tequilaboom** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:00 pm

Hi folks!

I've combed the internet for a solution, but haven't had much luck. I recently purchased my first pair of boots (NEPAL EVO GTX).

I followed the advice on their website, and wore the boot at home to make sure it fits well. I walked on the treadmill for weeks without any problems. My toes don't touch the front, and I had no heel lift at all. Very comfortable.

After weeks of making sure the boots are good, I finally decided to take them outside on the local trails.

Unfortunately, on the uphill, the top of my heels were hurting a lot. I can't say that there is heel lift though: it seems to be just the pressure from the top of the heel cup. Now, as soon as I stand on the front edge, the heels immediately hurt very badly (without lifting much). It's as if the skin of my heel is being pulled or something.

I tried different sock thicknesses (merino wool), liners, the removable tongue inserts, and even duct tape and superfeet insoles.

I am extremely concerned as I have a mountaineering trip in August.

Do my feet just need to get used to it? Will this go away as the boot breaks in?

Could you please recommend any solution to my problem? I'm hoping that I can somehow fix this issue.

Thank you all!

by **adventurer** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:08 pm

There is a condition called Plantar Fascilitis that causes severe heel pain. If you have it, the cause may not be related to your boots. Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic website which will give you specific info.
Good Luck.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... n-20025664

by **Tonka** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 6:45 pm

Do you have the same pain while wearing other shoes or boots? If it's your planters you'll notice more pain in the morning. I've dealt with this in the past and it can hang around a while. Your new boots may have been the trigger as I'v had it come around after switching out my running shoes. Lot's of info on the web.

by **outdoorabstract** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:21 pm

I learned about these on this forum. They work to eliminate my heel pain.
Bungapads.com and examine the ones for hockey skates.

by **Marcsoltan** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 10:10 pm

tequilaboom wrote:
Not familiar with these, but are they double boots with Evozote inner boots?

After weeks of making sure the boots are good, I finally decided to take them outside on the local trails.

Great.

Unfortunately, on the uphill, the top of my heels were hurting a lot. I can't say that there is heel lift though: it seems to be just the pressure from the top of the heel cup. Now, as soon as I stand on the front edge, the heels immediately hurt very badly (without lifting much). It's as if the skin of my heel is being pulled or something.

Just a shot in the dark, are your socks tight? Loose socks can bunch up and change the fit of the boots. I use Smart Wool socks that are tight. Never have any problems.

I use a method of tying my boots that are different from anything I've seen. Very simple, I lace up the toe area up to the top of my arch with standard tightness, comfortable. Then I put a square knot. Then, I make the upper part of the boots, around the ankles, tight. This way the tightness of the upper section does not travel to the lower toes area.

Do my feet just need to get used to it? Will this go away as the boot breaks in?
The boots should feel comfortable without having to break them in. Of course you will get used to the way your new boots feel after a few trips.

by **tequilaboom** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:41 pm

Thank you all for the advice. I definitely don't have this pain in any other footwear. Because of that I'm thinking it's not plantar fasciatis.

Is there something a cobbler can do to remedy this?

by **Luke Swanson** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 8:29 pm

I have the same or similar problem with hiking in mountaineering boots and many other boots. Something about the shape of my heel makes it difficult for me to find boots to hike up hill in. I only have the problem when I’m hiking up hill, so I also didn’t notice until I got out on a trail hiking up a mountain. It doesn’t seem like my heel slips at all, but there is a lot of pressure and it is terrible over a long hike. It certainly did not go away as I hiked and it took weeks before I could run again after without a lot of pain.

I have also had planter fasciitis, and it is a totally different issue. Planter fasciitis hurts on the bottom of the heel. What I believe you are describing is pain on the back/top of the heel, where the boot puts pressure on your foot. I have tried many different boots, but have never totally solved the problem. Now I only hike in low top shoes or mountaineering boots. When I use the mountaineering boots, I have a particular way of lacing them to take the pressure off of my heel. It took a lot of experimenting with how to do this. I tape some padding around my ankles, just above my heels. Then I tie the boots very tight around my ankles (I use an extra set of laces to do this). This way the pressure goes into my ankles and not my heels. This has worked for me on some long days climbing up mountains.

Not sure if you can get your boots modified or something like that. Could probably work, but I haven’t really tried. Good luck

by **Fletch** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:00 am

Send the boots back and try a size bigger and another size smaller... I did this 4 times with a pair of boots until I got it right. Pain in the ass for all involved, but if they don't fit, they're basically worthless. Hopefully, your retailer will oblige...

by **fruitflyman** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:34 pm

I second the advice to get bigger boots. That was the trick for me: find the right boot (I have wide toes and narrow heel) AND get them 1/2 size bigger. This way, I do have heel lift on the uphills, but never any blisters.

by **surgent** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:41 pm

by **JHH60** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:17 am

Don't forget that there are other manufacturers than La Sportiva that make comparable boots to the Nepal Evo. I had similar heel problems with Nepals and after trying a couple different sizes, various insoles, inserts, and lacing strategies on Shasta and Rainier ascents, decided the last wasn't ideal for my feet and decided to try Scarpa Mont Blancs. That solved the problems.

The following user would like to thank JHH60 for this post
Domon

by **clmbr** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:05 pm

I get this pain more or less frequently depend on the boots, especially if crampons are attached.

Base on my experience and observation there are two main factors: the boots are too tight and/or too rigid (usually the combination of both).

The only good solution is to get the right boots. If your feet are sensitive like mine, it’s very difficult to find the right boots. The other way to limit the pain is to use French techniques rather than "climbing straight up." While mountaineering, any pain or discomfort you start feeling has to be eliminated right at the beginning; otherwise, it will get worse as well as may remain for the whole duration of the trip.

I had the top line of (old fashion) mountaineering leather boots which were perfect for (almost) any type of climbing/hiking for quite a few years. Unfortunately, after using them too much on snow they shrank due to the moisture from outside and inside. (Same thing happened to my backpacking boots). At the beginning I was getting pain only after attaching crampons but later regardless. That was one of the reasons I traversed glaciers without crampons, to leave my suffering only when safety was in stake (e.g. too steep and too icy). One time my tissue was ripped off practically all the way to the bone in both heals, very painful.

Mountaineering is suffering! Why to suffer more?

by **Domon** » Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:28 pm

I have exactly the same issue with the same shoes.

After reading this thread, I tried Scarpa Mont Blanc Pro and felt comfortable in the shoes.

To be honest, I like Nepal Evo more because my crampons (Grivel G12) fit a little bit better on them.

I was wondering if the issue would disappear after some break-in.
But since I haven't heard about that, I think I will wear Mont Blanc Pro instead.

by **gitrinec** » Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:47 pm

I ended up with Achilles tendinitis after wearing some boots, so it could be that as well.

by **peninsula** » Fri Feb 26, 2016 4:50 pm

tequilaboom wrote:Thank you all for the advice. I definitely don't have this pain in any other footwear. Because of that I'm thinking it's not plantar fasciatis.

Is there something a cobbler can do to remedy this?

You have two choices, imo. Either go for a different boot altogether or have a boot maker modify the heel. I've done the later two times and with complete success. The key is finding someone that knows what they are doing. Custom boot makers would generally know how to make the fix. Best of luck!

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