I bought a pair of Salomon two months ago and I still get blisters after 5 km of hiking. I've tried special insoles and everything, but nothing works. Is it normal that you really have to break them in for months, or should I just look for a different brand?
Two months is not normal, you should really try another pair. Some shoes need a bit of breaking in, okay, but if you're getting blisters after 5 km every time, it means they're not right for you. Salomon can be excellent for some foot types but super aggressive for others - it's often a matter of foot shape, width, or heel height being too high or too low.
Before you buy elsewhere, try to figure out what's wrong. Is it rubbing at the heel, on the sides, or everywhere? The blisters tell you exactly where the problem is. Go to a specialized hiking shop (not just a generic store) and ask to try several brands - Asolo, La Sportiva, Scarpa, whatever. The advantage is being able to walk around in them a bit at the shop and really feel the difference. And honestly, some brands have wider or narrower models, so it's worth testing them out.
Another important thing: size. A lot of people buy hiking shoes too tight because they think it stabilizes better. No. Your foot swells going uphill and you need a bit more space than you think. And switch your socks if you're using cotton - synthetics or merino wool are really much better for avoiding blisters.
The thing people often forget is that breaking in shoes is mainly about loosening them up overall, not about making yourself suffer on every hike. If you're getting blisters consistently after 5 km, it's probably a fit or volume issue, not just a matter of patience. Before switching brands, try going to a specialist store late in the afternoon when your feet are swollen like they'll be on an actual hike, and ask someone who really knows what they're doing to look at your gait. Sometimes the problem also comes from poor heel friction or not enough toe space, and a different size or even a different shoe shape from another brand can change everything for not much cost.
Your Salomon shoes probably just aren't made for your foot shape. Two months is way too long to still be getting blisters every time - that means there's abnormal friction somewhere, and no amount of breaking them in is going to fix that. Hiking boots that actually work for you should be comfortable from the start, with just a little softening as a bonus. If you're systematically hurting after 5 km, they just don't match your foot's shape.
Before you chuck the pair, try a simple test: put them on without socks and walk around your place for a few minutes. You need to figure out exactly where the rubbing is happening. Often it's at the heel or on the sides of your foot. Then try other brands - Scarpa, La Sportiva, Danner - they all have different shapes. Some are wider, others narrower, some have a deeper heel cup. The key thing is to really test them in-store by standing around for a bit, ideally late in the day when your feet are slightly swollen like they would be on a hike.
And invest in good hiking socks (merino is great), it can genuinely make a difference. But honestly, if you've already tried all that and it's still not working, it's really time to look elsewhere. No point in stubbornly sticking with a pair that doesn't work for you.
Before you give up on them, try having a specialist cobbler adjust them - sometimes it's just a pressure point issue that can be fixed. But if that still doesn't work, yeah, switch brands, because two months of constant blisters is clearly not normal.
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