So I had a lovely time at Darach Pirate Tourney yesterday, and now I have a question. Rather, I'm soliciting for recommendations.
I need good fencing shoes.
Here's the thing. Nothing hard about good fencing shoes, right? Twenty dollars at Payless, right? Right. EXCEPT for this damn back of mine.
I've been wearing my New Balance sneakers (by far and away, the most back- and hip-friendly sneakers brand for me), and am often given shit for them. It annoys me to get commentary about my footwear, but I can't really complain because period appearance really is important to me, it's recommended in the marshallate handbook, and I definitely look down on those dudes at Estrella who walk onto the field in wolf furs and black jeans. I can't just turn my nose up at them while lacing up my sneakers... especially since I usually have to kneel down to lace up my sneakers, making it hard to look down on anything but my knees. :)
The reason it annoys me to get commentary about them, however, is because I've tried three different versions of more acceptable footwear on the field, and none of them work. They've all thrown my back or hips out within a few hours of wearing them. My hiking boots worked fine for awhile (and while still obviously out of period footwear, they look better than sneakers... and, for some reason, garnered me less criticism. Go figure), but when I tore the ligaments in my foot, they were too heavy to wear long-term, especially when running around.
I have fairly limited options for long-term footwear right now, and the more physical activity I'm doing, the more careful I have to be about them. I do need to get some more back musculature to keep everything in place, which will improve the problem somewhat, but this really is an ongoing complaint--not only are the sneakers more comfortable, they keep my chiropractic bill down and keep me walking and having a good time after I come off the field. Usually wearing the wrong shoes will end with me flat on my back waiting for my joints to realign properly. I'd really like to fence all day and still be able to run around afterwards with my friends, not have to pop some Advil and call it an evening early.
Sigh. It feels stupid to write about this, because I feel like I'm whining, and I really don't mean to. I just want to articulate myself and my complaints accurately, and I really want some advice.
It's been suggested that I make some leather or fabric covers for the sneakers, which I think is a great idea, but would probably take a lot of upkeep and trial and error before I got them right. I'm certainly willing to do it, but I'd like some other options, too. ...Not to mention a pattern. Anyone got a good pattern for spats or slipcovers for sneakers?
So, what do y'all like to wear on your feet when you fence? I've done a couple different kinds of period-oid boots, and they don't give me proper arch or heel support. The hiking boots worked, but won't do right now for reasons mentioned above. I've tried both the generic Dr. Scholls gel inserts and more expensive athletic inserts, and they add a couple hours of comfort, but still aren't ideal (at Lyondemere Anny two weeks ago, I tried them with a pair of thick socks in one of my pairs of period-y boots and while the fencing wasn't uncomfortable, I was flat on my back before the end of court).
So, what have I tried so far?
- Different boots (hiking boots, a shitty cheap pair from Payless, and a nice pair from Clarks)
- Inserts (generic and athletic)
- Socks (thick or thin socks can affect the fit of a non-lacing shoe, like a boot, so I try to mix it up and see what works best)
- Stretching before and after fencing (durrrrrrrrrrr)
What have I not tried so far?
- Custom-made boots (OMG money)
- Custom-made orthopedic inserts (can these be swapped between pairs of shoes, or are they specific to one pair? Can anyone tell me approximately how much they cost? Do they actually help, or are they no different from over-the counter athletic inserts?)
- Building up the muscles in my back and hips and transitioning over to nearly-barefoot footwear (slip-on ballet flats, jazz shoes, or what have you--also not terribly periodoid, but better looking from afar). I think this might be the best option just for my long-term health, but it doesn't solve the immediate need-to-fix-ugliness-right-now kind of problems.
I really need something that fits, well, a lot like a New Balance sneaker and doesn't weigh too much. I'd like to keep the cost down, but at the moment I'm more interested in collecting some useful vendor names and links so I can do some more research. Lay it on me, folks!
