... the day is ruined :-).
So what are the right shoes to wear for hours on the road, without blisters, without burning, without pain ...?
Questions upon questions arise:
Should I buy a real mountain shoe or just a trekking shoe? Waterproof or more breathable? Leather or synthetic? ... and so on.
The wisdom slogan of our guides is:
"A sole with good grip, regardless of the shoe, is the top priority."
For hiking towards alpine huts, in forests or on forest roads, trekking shoes are more than sufficient, as soon as you go further up, into mountainous terrain, ankle-high hiking shoes are a musthave.
You mustn't forget your socks. If you don't have the right base, the shoe is not to blame. Under no circumstances should the sock be too big, it should be very close-fitting.
Then there is the fit and the size, these two components are also crucial.
Women in particular tend to choose the fashionable and somewhat smaller model, but this is exactly where people make mistakes :-).
First of all, the foot has to fit perfectly into the shoe, no gaps, no, even slight, pressure points, etc.
Secondly, the shoe has to be big enough, usually at least one size bigger than "normal" shoes. Dear ladies, this is the key point, small shoes look nicer, but when walking downhill you always slip slightly forward, this must be taken into consideration.
As soon as you have decided on a shoe, you should approach the first hikes comfortably, break in the shoe and get used to it, a longer mountain tour is suitable after the shoe has had approx. 3 trips.