Camp shoes or no?

[Type38]

A quick question about camp shoes. Are they worth it? I can survive with wet trail runners for a 2-3 day trip, which is normally all I have time for, but am planning an AT thru hike in the next couple years and was wondering if they are worth the added weight for longer trips. I discovered unshoes and I can get a pair that isn't a flip flop (hate flip flops) that was about 3 oz. Thoughts?

[bobtomaskovic]

It was worth it for me. I even hiked in them some when boots were giving me problems.

[rocketsocks]

I like camp shoes...your gonna find though, the ratio of likes to dislikes is....well I'll just say 50/50 to be safe...it's very subjective, bring em if you want em.

[Firefighter503]

I used to carry Crocs (13ish oz... big feet) when I wore boots while hiking. Since then, I have switched to trail runners and ditched the camp shoes all together. I just take the insoles (Superfeet) out when i get to camp and wear them loose. If it is cold/wet I get in my sleeping bag, so I am not wearing shoes anyways.

[HooKooDooKu]

I carry camp shoes that double for water crossings. Even if I find myself still wearing boots around camp, it's nice to have camp shoes handy for a trip in the middle of the night.

If I did trail runners, my attitude might change. But for now, I still like boots because in GSMNP where I do most of my hiking, you seem to cross lots of shallow creeks, so boots keep you from having to rock hop the smallest streams... just plow thru them... and help with rock hoping as you can step in about 4"-5" of water and keep your feet dry.

What I use is some cheap plastic shoes I found at walmart. They are about 8oz and I just clip them to the side of my pack. They dry real quick after deep creek crossings. They are sort of like cheap knock-offs of vivobarefoot ultra pure (which weight about the same).

[Deacon]

A thru hike is just a series of 2-3 day hikes. If you're ok without camp shoes for : days, you should be ok for a thru.

[swjohnsey]

I didn't use camp shoes, hiked in running shoes.

[Type38]

Thanks guys!

[Wülfgang]

Check out Xeroshoes.

A DIY sandal kit that weighs under 4 0z.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Personally I decided that if my shoes were uncomfortable enough that i had to change into something else at the end if the day, then I should find different shoes. So I generally don't carry camp shoes.

The two exceptions to that: I do like to have a cheap pair of flip flops to use while showering at hostels. I also like to have down booties to wear in the dead if winter. YMMV...

[Kraken Skullz]

Depends on where you are camping. If it is a sandy area then I typically don't bring them. In rougher areas a simple Wal-Mart flip flop should do. They cost less than 5 bucks and weigh about 8 ounces.

[Mags]

All depends on personal preference. I don't carry then. I have friends who do.

[Hoofit]

You can't beat crocs...cheap , light and strap to your pack.
Sure feel good when you kick a hard ass rock in the dark too.
Just a personal preference I guess...

[garlic08]

You ask if they're worth the weight for long trips, and I have the opposite mentality. I might bring something like that on a shorter trip, but if I'm going to be hauling it for months and months, I look very carefully at the weight. Just a different way to look at things, and like Mags says, some of my friends are different, too.

You need to find your own way. The AT has easy access to post offices. You can try something for a while, then mail it ahead for a couple of weeks and try without it. Repeat, then keep it or send it home.

[12trysomething]

All depends on personal preference. I don't carry them. I have friends who do.

Same same. Well said.

[Miner]

When I get into camp, I tie the laces on my trailrunners very loosely so I can slip my feet in and out easily. Never felt the need for another pair of shoes to wear around camp. Certainly never felt the need to carry the extra weight of them. Then again, I stop to camp to sleep and maybe eat so I'm not doing much walking in camp except to go to the bathroom or brush my teeth. Someone using heavy boots might appreciate having some "light" shoes in camp.

[fadedsun]

I think camp shoes are worth it. As others have said, you will get different opinions on this.

If you think you may want them I recommend that you pack a pair until your first mailstop. Then mail them forward and go without until your next mailstop. Repeat until you see what works for your hike.

[Coffee]

I've never used camp shoes and have typically loosened the laces on my trail runners in camp. But on my current Colorado Trail hike, I've sometimes wished for some type of camp shoe as my runners have many times been soaked at camp and overnight. When I have my dry camp/sleep layer on, it sucks to have to change back into wet socks before putting on my wet shoes when venturing out of my tent, such as a midnight call of nature. Bad enough to add weight of camp shoes? Probably not, I'd rather take more food weight.

[lemon b]

Never used any type of extra shoe.

[rocketsocks]

One thing I notice slip on shoes are good for is when nature calls, especially first thing in the morning...doing a pee pee dance and fooling with laces can have disastrous results that can follow you all day long.