Camino Pilgrim

The best shoes to wear on the Camino are the ones that you feel most comfortable with.

Hiking boots

These sturdy boots give a lot of protection from the elements. These come in extremely handy if you hike during the off season. Off season for most trails is November to March. Then on most trails a lot of the albergues are closed, but many still remain open for those who like a more colder climate.

If your boots do happen to get wet then getting them dry again will take forever, so be wary.

Since your feet do not breathe at all in waterproof boots, then change your socks at least once per day during a hike. Make sure your feet are not boiling inside the boots or you get blisters and worse.

Hiking shoes

Great option for those moderately warm, but very rainy months like April and October. Every third day it will rain most likely, sometimes very heavy rain. Still most of the days you will have warm weather and its best to have your feet breathe as much as possible.

Remember to change your socks once a day. Three pairs of socks is a must for a good rotation, so there is always at least one dry pair to wear in the evenings.

Camino Frances is mostly soft terrain, so these will feel fine even during Summer months, altough I suggest to wear something even lighter.

Trail runners

This is the best choice for all Camino trails in my opinion. Feet get so much air and pushing longer distances still feels comfortable. There are usually hiking protection plates in the midsole, so no need to worry about injuries.

Camino trails are a mix of natural terrain and road walking. Especially in the cities you will be thankful for having comfortable shoes on. Boots will hurt like hell there.

Best shoes for very warm months like May, June, July, August and September. It hardly ever rains and even if it does, then these shoes dry quickly. Just use some toilet paper or the albergue bathroom dryer to get the shoes dry faster after a heavy rain.

Since you will be wearing these during very hot months then still at least air your shoes out at every cafe or other stop where possible. It will not hurt changing your thin socks once per day either.

Sneakers

Your regular old sneakers are also a great choice during Summer months. Since they are so soft to walk on then on most terrain you will be faster than any other pilgrim. You will be the king of road walking and passing large cities. Getting fresh air constantly makes very long distances easier.

You will have a hard time when in mountains with natural terrain. Stepping on stones will hurt. Camino Frances has very few days like that, Camino Portugese and Camino Finisterre even less so. If you are doing the Camino on a budget and it will be very warm outside, then sneakers are a solid choice.

Hiking sandals

There are some crazy people out there, who like to do barefoot walking. Unless you have trained your feet for several years to handle zero drop shoes with minimal protection, then do not even think about this option. You will be better off with trail runners.

Best months for hiking sandals is July when its extremely hot and it barely ever rains.

Flip flops

These are a must for every Camino. You need a pair of these in your backpack for the evenings to have your feet recover. An ideal choice is something extra soft like foam padding. Pick a pair where your toes can breathe.

Keep in mind that your feet are swollen up in the evening, so rather buy a size larger than you would normally wear. On chillier days you might need to wear socks with your flip flops while walking to the local village restaurant.

You will no be getting style points from the villagers, but your feet will be thanking you the next day.