View Full Version : Do most hikers carry a 2nd pair of shoes to wear at camp??
LibertyBell
10-31-2014, 15:54
I have been reading some of the posts and it seems there are a fair amount of hikers that carry a 2nd pair of shoes/slippers/crocs to wear around the camp. Is this helpful or just unnecessary weight to carry? I have carried a pair of camp shoes that I have used in water crossings or when going for a swim but I don't seem I use them much in camp. Is the extra weight really worth it?
I rarely to never carry camp shoes when thru-hiking as I'm not in camp much more than 9 hrs per day. I wouldn't carry camp shoes for an AT hike. But, it's generally my 3 season hiking style to hike starting early and going until well after sunset so I'm routinely not in camp for more than 10 hrs. My hiking shoes are my camp shoes. I might carry fording shoes, like light wt sandals that firmly attach around my heels on some hikes though.
i carry a pair of crocs that i use for water crossings and then after i set up camp---i like to wear them.....
to me, after being in a pair of boots for 5 or 6 or more hours---they are more comfortable and help to let my feet "breathe"..........
and at nighttime----they are easier to slip into to go outside and water the bushes.........
I can't answer your question as to what other hikers do, but I find it very nice to slip out of my hiking boots and into a beat-up pair of Crocs at the end of the day or when in town. For me the weight is well worth it, but I'm not a speedy thru-hiker.
HooKooDooKu
10-31-2014, 17:00
My 2nd pair of shoes double as water crossing shoes, camp shoes, and trips in the middle of the night.
Rather than Crocs (which are pretty heavy), I've used some croc-knockoffs at wal-mart, and more recently some that were shaped more like a foot and weighted about 8oz.
I didn't but lately have carried a pair of beach shoes, nylon sides with rubber soles. It does feel good to get the boots off at night and air them and my feet. I only wish they were slide on instead of having to get the heel in.
MuddyWaters
10-31-2014, 17:43
I think the idea is absurd, but a lot of people do and like it that way. No right or wrong
Another Kevin
10-31-2014, 18:20
I carry water shoes if there's a possibility of fording (or of slipping off puncheons or rock hops into more-than-boot-deep water). My water shoes double as camp shoes for the middle-of-the-night trips, and in warm weather I might put them on as soon as I'm in camp.
Once the streams are frozen, there's no need for water shoes. If there's snow about, camp shoes aren't going to be comfortable. In that sort of weather, I bring a relief bottle to avoid some of the middle-of-the-night trips.
12trysomething
10-31-2014, 18:23
No for me. Hike in trail runners and lounge in camp with laces loosened / no sock trail runners.
mudsocks
11-01-2014, 00:29
I've never carried camp footwear but many people do.
Spirit Walker
11-01-2014, 12:38
When I hiked in boots, having a pair of light sandals to put on at the end of the day or in town was really nice, especially when it's wet and you don't want to put warm dry feet into cold wet boots. Now that I wear trail runners, I don't bother, as they dry faster and are light enough to be comfortable in town.
CarlZ993
11-01-2014, 16:31
It is a personal preference item. No right or wrong answer in my opinion. Kind of like the issue of hiking poles. I almost always carry my Crocs on backpacking trips. It's nice to get out of the often soaking wet trail runners & put on some cushy Crocs.
squeezebox
11-01-2014, 17:29
I need camp shoes. I have a cut nerve in my left calf, causes planter's fasciitis, I need stiff boots better for me to hike in, lowsy for lounging.
My feet just aren't good enough for trail runners. So I have a medical reason.
Don't judge me !!!
Crocs for water and camp. Lightweight & easy to carry strapped to the outside of my pack.
mankind117
11-01-2014, 18:35
I went thru a phase where I didn't carry them and when my feet got invariably wet as they do in the places I backpack and I missed not having something else to wear at camp. Bottom line I think having a different pair of shoes to wear around camp is worth the weight. I always carry a pair of crocs or sandals.
If you wear heavy boots, camp shoes might be nice. But wearing lightweight trailrunners, I don't see the attraction. I just tie the laces very loosely in camp so I can slip my shoes on and off without having to play with the laces. I think that's plenty of comfort, but I also don't spend a lot of time in camp walking around. I tend to start hiking early and only stop to eat and sleep at night so once I've setup camp, I'm sitting in my sleeping bag or sleeping. If I get up during the night to go to the toliet and my shoes are still damp from earlier rain, I take off my dry socks that I sleep in and put the shoes on my bare feet (why bother putting wet socks back on which I've read that some people actually bother?).
I know some people like to carry shoes for water fords, but just how often do you really need to wade across water anyway? There are a couple of places in Maine on the AT and the High Sierra on the PCT, but most other places you can usually rock hope or find a log to cross on (even in the High Sierra along the JMT during the spring snow melt off, I only needed to get my feet wet a handful of times due to not finding a log and with your shoes wet from snow, it doesn't really matter anyway). I just cross in my trail runners and walk them dry. Non-gortex trailrunners dry pretty fast on a sunny day. Now waterproof shoes take forever to dry so I could see why some people might need extra shoes.
So you need to decide what type of camper you are. Do you stop at 3pm and hang out in a shelter for hours or do you spend most of the daylight hours actually hiking? That will determine your need for extra comfort items in camp. The more comfort you have in camp, the more discomfort you have while hiking. It's a tradeoff that only you can answer.
mankind117
11-01-2014, 18:53
I also saw that several people have said you don't need camp shoes because trail runners dry fast. That is hogwash. Yes they dry faster than say goretex boots but they still take a lot longer to dry than your shirt for example. I've been on many trips where my trail runners got wet either due to rain or extremely wet trails. And you know what,even in summer they stayed wet the entire trip because when it is humid out it takes them quite some time to dry if they get soaked. Personally I find sitting around camp in soaking wet shoes on a cold evening miserable. My guess it people who are opposed to the idea either hate camping so they walk all day so they don't have to lounge around camp at all or they hike in the west coast where it never rains. Here on the east coast there are lots of places (think West Viriginia) where you will probably get wet feet. If you want to sit around in wet shoes then HYOH, it seems silly to me not to.
saltysack
11-01-2014, 19:23
If you wear heavy boots, camp shoes might be nice. But wearing lightweight trailrunners, I don't see the attraction. I just tie the laces very loosely in camp so I can slip my shoes on and off without having to play with the laces. I think that's plenty of comfort, but I also don't spend a lot of time in camp walking around. I tend to start hiking early and only stop to eat and sleep at night so once I've setup camp, I'm sitting in my sleeping bag or sleeping. If I get up during the night to go to the toliet and my shoes are still damp from earlier rain, I take off my dry socks that I sleep in and put the shoes on my bare feet (why bother putting wet socks back on which I've read that some people actually bother?).
I know some people like to carry shoes for water fords, but just how often do you really need to wade across water anyway? There are a couple of places in Maine on the AT and the High Sierra on the PCT, but most other places you can usually rock hope or find a log to cross on (even in the High Sierra along the JMT during the spring snow melt off, I only needed to get my feet wet a handful of times due to not finding a log and with your shoes wet from snow, it doesn't really matter anyway). I just cross in my trail runners and walk them dry. Non-gortex trailrunners dry pretty fast on a sunny day. Now waterproof shoes take forever to dry so I could see why some people might need extra shoes.
So you need to decide what type of camper you are. Do you stop at 3pm and hang out in a shelter for hours or do you spend most of the daylight hours actually hiking? That will determine your need for extra comfort items in camp. The more comfort you have in camp, the more discomfort you have while hiking. It's a tradeoff that only you can answer.
Try bread bags for those late night potty breaks...slip on over socks....weigh nothing...
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freightliner
11-01-2014, 20:21
I use Tyvek booties like to type you use when you finish a house but the waterproof type. They weigh next to nothing and work just fine when you need to go to the bushes to look for blueberries. This time out I'm going to bring extra to try and see if they work while hiking in wet muddy areas or during rain. It's doubtful but I won't know if I don't try. At this point I'll try anything to keep my shoes dry.
Sarcasm the elf
11-01-2014, 21:32
I used to carry watershoes back when I hiked in goretex boots, but I switched to lightweight trail runners for three season hiking several years ago and haven't found the need for separate shoes. They get wet, but they're more comfortable when wet than boots are and they really do dry much faster.
Now for winter camping I still do use goretex boots and do often carry down booties and sometimes crocs depending on what kind of trip it is and whether I expect to encounter stream crossings.
I carry pool slippers for camp. They're seriously lightweight, maybe 1-1.5 ounces for both shoes, total. They're just enough to protect the soles of my feet if I'm padding around camp. It's just nice to let my feet relax outside of my hiking shoes. That's just me though.
saltysack
11-02-2014, 16:55
I use Tyvek booties like to type you use when you finish a house but the waterproof type. They weigh next to nothing and work just fine when you need to go to the bushes to look for blueberries. This time out I'm going to bring extra to try and see if they work while hiking in wet muddy areas or during rain. It's doubtful but I won't know if I don't try. At this point I'll try anything to keep my shoes dry.
Where u get those tyvek booties?
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I know some people like to carry shoes for water fords, but just how often do you really need to wade across water anyway?
depends upon the trail.........
down in my parts----there are quite a few trails that have over the top of the boot water crossings.......eagle creek, snowbird, jacks river, north/south fork citico, slickrock........the list could go on.......
If you need more comfortable shoes for camp, you probably just need more comfortable shoes?
It depends with me. If I know I am having a long day with minimal time moving around at camp, I don't. I get to camp, set up quickly. Find water source for food and night's hydration. Cook food. Get in tent.
If I know I am only doing 10-13 mile day, and I will have hours at camp, then I do. If it is hot I am more likely to bring them than if it is cold. My feet sweat a lot so being able to take off shoes ASAP is great. Allows my feet to air dry and relax. Allows socks and shoes to dry, albeit only a little.
And I assume you mean light camp shoes like sandals.
WILLIAM HAYES
11-03-2014, 22:55
I carry crocs they feel good at the end of a long day and are convenient in town its a personal preference for me
I carry some knock-off Crocs. I really like something slip-on, but I do not feel comfortable walking around in open toe sandals in the woods...
Another Kevin
11-05-2014, 18:10
I used to carry watershoes back when I hiked in goretex boots, but I switched to lightweight trail runners for three season hiking several years ago and haven't found the need for separate shoes. They get wet, but they're more comfortable when wet than boots are and they really do dry much faster.
Now for winter camping I still do use goretex boots and do often carry down booties and sometimes crocs depending on what kind of trip it is and whether I expect to encounter stream crossings.
You're more sure-footed on the rock hops than I am! How many times did I step in the Neversink on our last trip? :(
When I hiked in boots, having a pair of light sandals to put on at the end of the day or in town was really nice, especially when it's wet and you don't want to put warm dry feet into cold wet boots. Now that I wear trail runners, I don't bother, as they dry faster and are light enough to be comfortable in town.
+1
Found them more comfortable after a days hiking when i used to wear boots, now i wear trail runners there is no need as my trail runners are as comfortable as my slippers anyways
vamelungeon
11-11-2014, 18:57
I carry flip flops or some light moccasins to give my feet a rest. Both are extremely light.
LittleRock
11-13-2014, 17:15
One of my favorite parts of the day is getting into camp and changing into my camp shoes. I have lightweight moccasins that don't take up much room in my pack and only weigh ~2 oz. Also nice to not have to put on your hiking shoes when you have to get up to pee in the middle of the night.
lsylvain
11-23-2014, 14:17
What about going barefoot to really give your feet some air? I wear boots for work, heavy tall boots 16 hours or more a day. Up until about a week ago they were the only shoes I owed.
Night Train
11-23-2014, 19:10
La Sportiva trail runners on the trail, barefoot in camp. Works best for me.
I used to carry a 2nd pair back when I wore heavy boots hiking. Now that I hike in trail runners, I don't bother.