Water crossings with or w/out footwear?

[TheWhiteWalker]

Do most people remove their socks/shoes before crossing a creek?? I am not referring to small creeks where one could easily jump from rock to rock.

I picture the AT to have a fair share of water crossings for the potential of water logged shoes. I would think people would want to keep their feet as dry as possible but I have seen some recent video footage of the AT where hikers step into water with their footwear on. I understand removing socks/shoes is time consuming and a pain but is it not worth it? Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Feral Bill]

I usually take my chances. if I know I'm going to get wet, I take off shoes and socks, replace shoes, cross, take off shoes, replace socks and shoes, and continue walking. If my feet are already wet, I just keep walking.

[evyck da fleet]

I don't remember any stream crossings where I couldn't rock hop before Maine. By that time I was used to having wet feet. I'd remove my socks and take out my insoles before crossing. I may have stopped and gotten out my crocs to cross once but since they were open toe I used them mostly for camp only.

[Slo-go'en]

The only place where you have to get you feet wet crossing a stream is up in the Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine. Having slipped off a mossy rock fording one of these streams barefoot and breaking a toe in the process, I highly recommend taking your socks off and then put the boots back on. Unless you want to risk terminating your hike due to a broken toe, or worse.

[DuneElliot]

Not on the AT, but I have a light pair of deck shoes from Walmart for water crossings and for use in camp

[GoldenBear]

https://www.appalachiantrail.org/docs/default-document-library/Safety%20Tips%20for%20Fording%20Streams%20and%20Ri vers.pdf

Note that it VERY clearly states, "Ford with your boots on." No "if" or "unless" or "but."

IMHO, this isn't even a matter of discussion -- I would NEVER consider crossing even a three inch stream in bare feet. Sharp rocks, slippery footing, possible metal or glass in the water -- it's just too much of a risk. The inconvenience of wet boots is NOTHING compared to the very real danger of slipping during a water crossing.

[garlic08]

Here's a variation that works nicely sometimes: Take out your insoles and put them inside your socks to make pretty decent water shoes. It's not the best idea for all conditions, but a nice tool to put in the toolbox.

[mattjv89]

In normal conditions you won't have to ford anything until ME but you never know when you'll get a surprise from flash flooding. When I crossed Antietam Creek down in MD after a night of heavy rain it was over my knees and 25' wide. I leave footwear on when crossing whether it's water shoes or hiking shoes. Easy to lose your balance on slimy rocks or get stuck by something sharp when crossing barefoot.

[TNhiker]

https://www.appalachiantrail.org/docs/default-document-library/Safety%20Tips%20for%20Fording%20Streams%20and%20Ri vers.pdf

Note that it VERY clearly states, "Ford with your boots on." No "if" or "unless" or "but."

IMHO, this isn't even a matter of discussion -- I would NEVER consider crossing even a three inch stream in bare feet. Sharp rocks, slippery footing, possible metal or glass in the water -- it's just too much of a risk. The inconvenience of wet boots is NOTHING compared to the very real danger of slipping during a water crossing.





screw that....

i would take boots off and put on crocs or some other waterproof sandals....

a wet boot is a wet boot...........

[MuddyWaters]

Normally shoes on
Might take socks off to keep dry in cooler weather.

I will ford sand and smooth polished riverrock barefoot

[GoldenBear]

The advice was NOT to keep your boots on as opposed to using some other footwear (which is how I've crossed streams), but wearing footwear instead of bare feet.
The next sentence states, "Crossing barefoot is never recommended..."
Which is the question asked by the OP -- footwear or no footwear.
If your boots are the only thing you have to cover your feet when you approach a water crossing, then the best advice is to get your boots soaking wet.

[Traveler]

Having pulled off a toenail or two over the years, I tend to agree with Golden Bear in the use of footwear to make crossings. Most of the information one sees on the topic makes strong recommendations for it. The only exception I may make is if its only a step or two on a soft small gravel or sand base I can see clearly, I might think about a no shoe crossing.

[JohnG10]

Is there any fishing in the area - or upstream ? Is the ANY chance of lures or fishhook in the sand?

Are the rocks slippery with algae? Will it hurt when you slip, move your foot quickly to catch your balance, and whack it into another rock?

I'd remove my socks and keep my shoes on.

[Rain Man]

Do most people remove their socks/shoes before crossing a creek?? ... Thanks in advance for your advice!

On the AT and many other trails (I backpack every month of the year) over the years, I have tried many of the options. In the long run, I have rarely found it actually worthwhile to take off my shoes and socks. Crocs are dangerously slippery to me, having tried them and fallen more than once (even on "dry ground" when they are wet). As far as wet shoes, mine get wet from sweat, rain, dew, splashes, melting snow, fog, cloud, humidity, and a whole host of reasons. When I stop for lunch and/or long breaks, I take off my shoes and socks to air dry in the sunshine if possible. If I do cross a stream, and my shoes and socks do get wet, they dry over the course of a day just as much as they do from sweat and humidity, though I might swap out socks during the day and let them air dry on my pack.

One caveat is late in day in winter conditions I might make an exception. Otherwise, I march on through most water if it's unavoidable.

I agree that barefoot crossings can be extremely problematic and not worth the risk and pain.

[MuddyWaters]

There arent any absolutes
Two pics of my son crossing water at age 11
first one.........shoes on

33883

second one.........shoes off temp = 25F overnight, probably 30 at time crossed the creek.
you should be able to discern why differences in approach

The colder it is, more important to keep feet dry after crossing or they will go numb in short time..

If rocks arent too gnarly, just socks may work good in cold weather. Then put on dry socks and shoes on other side.

If you really need to cross in real winter conditions, 20s in day, you may need separate shoes for crossing.

33884

[lonehiker]

I never cross water barefoot. Generally I simply cross with shoes, socks, and inserts in/on. If I take a break I may (or may not) take shoes off to dry. If trying to dry socks, I leave them on with the thought process of my body heat will work on the inside as the sun/wind work on the outside.

If I'm not in the mood for wet feet and my feet are generally dry I will remove socks and inserts and cross with shoes on. If time permits I may allow shoes to drain/dry a bit before putting inserts in and socks on.

In wintry conditions where wet feet, shoes, socks may pose a risk I will take separate water shoes. I use a generic croc.

[Wise Old Owl]

Hmm m. the assumption here is that today all of us are wearing boots. Many are in trail runners or quality low riding knobby soled footwear that are by design going to get wet. IF you don't have leather uppers or ankle support and you decide to wear a quality poly pro "polyester blend" sock with no cotton .... Trudge right thru the stream. depending on how fast, how dry the conditions are your feet will be dry 10-30 minutes later. Still not convinced - a half hour or more later wring the sock out, hang the shoes that night. Try it on a local trail near home and pack a second pair of socks in case - I tested this on a canoe trip with 15 other canoes and went 100% head to toe in Poly and half way thru the trip - we flipped on a harsh bend. I was dry very quickly.

[QiWiz]

I prefer not to get my footwear wet if I can avoid it. If I can't see a way to keep them dry by crossing carefully on rocks and logs (trekking poles help you succeed at this), then I take them off and cross with some kind of water shoe (if I packed them) or barefoot (if I didn't). If my footwear is already sopping wet, then I may just splash through. YMMV

[Gambit McCrae]

I have sliced my bare skinned feet several times and now I always take the 5 min to unlace and put my crocs on.

[johnnybgood]

The strategy I use are to take my socks and insoles out of my boots, lace them back up again and slog through. I then use a bandanna to run through the inside of both shoes before reinserting the insoles. Dry off both feet with same bandanna, putting socks back on. ---- Wading across barefoot isn't an option .

[brendathompson71]

if I don't think ill get wet i keep them on. if I think i may get wet i use my crocs

[Han Sobo]

I have some light weight (full strap) sandals, I strap them to outside of my pack. I lost count of the 'I told ya so's' warning barefoot travelers about random bits of surprise broken glass hiding out there.

Thorns, splinters, stubbed toes.. Injuries to your feet are a bit more dangerous. Harder to keep clean. Every step there after can be a constant reminder. Wet shoes are not a good thing but infected or injured feet are worse.

I like sandals over rubberized shoes for days I have nothing but dirty sweat soaked socks of varying degrees. Good for airing the feet out.

[kolokolo]

I keep my shoes and socks on. Getting my feet wet is annoying, but after hiking on a bit I can change to a dry pair of socks if I need to. Sometimes I have found that there are multiple water crossings close together, so I usually wait for some significant uphill before thinking about drying off my feet.


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[Tipi Walter]

I said this before in other posts---

THE ADVANTAGES OF GORETEX BOOTS
Okay, let's reason it out. 85% of all creek crossings in the Southeast mountains of TN, Georgia, NC and VA are easy fords between 1 to 6 inches deep and so whatever you are wearing will sink to that depth in order to do a ford or to rock hop. Try these little crossings in fabric boots or trail runners and POW you've just saturated your socks---not good on the first day of a 21 day winter trip. A good boot with a GTX liner is able to pull 6 inch deep wadings with no leaks, and of course you don't stand in the water for 20 minutes. Fabric boots soak in water like a canvas tennis shoe and so the high need for an above ankle GTX boot.

This is most relevant to winter backpacking. Otherwise, if it's warm you could stay in your running shoes or whatever else you use for backpacking EXCEPT boots as the water weight in wet boots is heavy and they take forever to dry out.

In the winter it's critical to keep your socks and boots as dry as possible for as long as possible. Otherwise they freeze solid at night.

The solution is to have wading shoes like crocs for deep creeks when it's 20F or god forbid 0F. For 5 minutes of hellish pain you keep dry socks and boots for the duration, unless . . . . . You're hiking in wet snow. Here again, in wet snow up to 10 inches deep, a good goretex boot will stay dry and keep your socks dry. There are some backpacking boots out there which are as dry as Baffin or Sorel packboots without the bulkiness or impeded clunky hiking.

The real test in winter is wearing crocs on a long creek trail with numerous crossings, like the Jacks or the Slickrock or the Conasauga or Snowbird Creek. It's 10F, there's some snow on the ground, you have 12+ crossings spaced a quarter mile apart. Now have fun. You will seriously consider buying and wearing neoprene socks after such a trip.

[macdaddy]

Here's a variation that works nicely sometimes: Take out your insoles and put them inside your socks to make pretty decent water shoes. It's not the best idea for all conditions, but a nice tool to put in the toolbox.

Quite possibly the best solution I've heard in a while. Thank you.

[rafe]

I crossed the HMW fords barefoot the first time through. A bit tricky but I made it. That was back in the days of leather boots so I wasn't about to get them wet. Second time, years later, I just walked across in my trail runners and let them dry out while walking the next few miles.

Not too many other places I can recall where that was necessary.

[Moosling]

I like dry shoes and socks so I normally bring some cheap flip flops with meI know I risk cutting my feet up but I've grown up fly fishing and using this method and haven't had too many problems, I wonder if anyone has tried using felt on the bottom of some crocs or flip flops? That will surely keep you from slipping on algae covered rocks.


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[VITCHELO]

Hi, i think this might help you :)

Here are some few options


Change your route or find a dry crossing up/down stream.
Barefoot (Pros: keep shoes/socks dry. Cons: time consuming and can injure your feet on rocks)
Change of shoes – Crocs (http://%3Ca%20rel%3D%22nofollow%22%20href%3D%22http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BLPT7O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003BLPT7O&linkCode=as2&tag=lotsafreshair-20&linkId=64K77K6YVIBMSF3C%22%3ECrocs%20Men%27s%20Yuk on%20Sport%20Clog,Khaki/Coffee,10%20M%20US%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lotsafreshair-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003BLPT7O%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%2 0border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:non e%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E), Teva (http://%3Ca%20rel%3D%22nofollow%22%20href%3D%22http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005672X5W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005672X5W&linkCode=as2&tag=lotsafreshair-20&linkId=HCU7OSPDVNPUEVGG%22%3ETeva%20Women%27s%20Zi rra%20Sandal,Black,8.5%20M%20US%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lotsafreshair-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005672X5W%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%2 0border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:non e%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E) style sandals, Scuba Booties (http://%3Ca%20rel%3D%22nofollow%22%20href%3D%22http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QJWU8Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004QJWU8Q&linkCode=as2&tag=lotsafreshair-20&linkId=ETJ4KMCRYWBAVK5H%22%3EAkona%203.5mm%20Low%2 0Cut%20Boot,%20booties%20for%20Scuba%20Diving,%20k ayaking,%20spearfishing,%20snorkeling,%20boat%20sh oes,%20deck%20shoes,%20water%20shoes,%2012%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lotsafreshair-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004QJWU8Q%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%2 0border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:non e%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E), Volleys (http://%3Ca%20rel%3D%22nofollow%22%20href%3D%22http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007CYH708/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007CYH708&linkCode=as2&tag=lotsafreshair-20&linkId=4UVCUXUNDUUQBQC5%22%3EVolley%20Men%27s%20Vo lley%20International%20Sneaker,Denim/Grey,10%20M%20US%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lotsafreshair-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007CYH708%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%2 0border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:non e%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E) (Pros: keep shoes/socks dry, give feet some protection from rocks. Cons: time consuming unless you can continue in these shoes for a large part of day depending on terrain, additional item to carry.)
Don’t worry about it – just walk on through (Pros: fast, especially good for multiple crossings, protect your feet, nothing extra to carry. Cons: Your feet are wet – suck it up Princess!



Full article : http://lotsafreshair.com/2012/11/02/river-and-creek-crossings-dealing-with-wet-feet/

[fabianscorpio]

I bought a pair of aqua socks for those situations...light weight, and can be used as camp shoes too...

[Spiffyguy]

Have not hiked the AT but I used to go barefoot but nicked my feet up a few times. Now I carry some crocs as camp shoes and I use them. They stay on, they float, and they dry quickly. Fit my needs and worth the weight.

[Hikingjim]

If it's not that intense or long of a crossing, I just use whatever light sandals I brought for camp. A lot of my hiking is in places where it's wet, and soaking your boots all the time is not ideal. I just go slowly... it's not like I'm going to drill some rock with my toe.

But if the water is deep/intense or a very long crossing, I will wear my shoes for safety. Or if my feet are already soaked from deep mud or other crossings... then obviously I just keep on trucking through them!

I have also used just socks through smaller crossings, because socks grip a lot better than bare feet on rocks. then I just throw them on my pack to dry and for the next crossing

[Secondmouse]

take off shoes, remove socks and insoles, ford wearing shoes...

[Dogwood]

This is an even numbered yr so I would not take my footwear off to cross streams on the AT. Next yr, an odd numbered yr, I will take my shoes off on the AT at every water crossing. Where the rules become ambiguous is on Dec 31.

[Secondmouse]

This is an even numbered yr so I would not take my footwear off to cross streams on the AT. Next yr, an odd numbered yr, I will take my shoes off on the AT at every water crossing. Where the rules become ambiguous is on Dec 31.

are we forgetting leap year?..

[Rex Clifton]

Going barefoot is nuts, even in non rocky streams. I used to use Crocs but found a knockoff on Amazon that works better. The fit is more snug and the strap actually grips your heel. Crocs tended to slip off in a swift current. The name of the item is Sunville Men's Perforated Garden Clog and, the best part is, they only cost nine bucks.

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[Casey & Gina]

It depends on what "footwear" means to you. Some footwear will dry quickly. Some will not.

It depends on the temperature. In summer it doesn't much matter - footwear will dry much faster and your feet won't freeze even if they are soggy.

It depends on the current of the stream. A faster and deeper current makes slipping more likely.

It depends on how much weight you're carrying (including body weight). Much as I enjoy walking around barefoot, I'm quite hesitant to do so with a 50+lb pack.

It depends on the toughness of your feet. Some have hiked the entire AT barefoot - if your feet are conditioned to walking around without shoes in general, you will be fine fording barefoot. If you have never walked around in nature outside of cushy socks and thick boots, it's a bad idea.

There is a learning curve to walking barefoot, which involves having more awareness of the ground and transferring weight between feet more carefully than you would clomping around in heavy boots. The same learning curve is there with any more minimal footwear like trail runners, just to a lesser degree. If you don't want to think about it, just get a pair of heavy boots and rest assured that you'll be well-protected. But with practice, you can be agile with minimal footwear or barefoot, with very low likelihood of injury, and less likelihood of slipping/falling than with boots as you are walking more attentively.

I have done all of my non-winter hiking so far either barefoot or with Vibram Fivefingers (Trek Ascent LR). However I have a pair of Zamberlan leather & gore-tex boots that I will be taking with me on the trail. Will I end up wearing them? Who knows! But I will take them anyways, along with the Fivefingers. I have concern about how long a pair of Fivefingers can last when hiking a lot of miles, or that would be all I'd take, and they are light enough that I could carry an extra pair without much thought...I just don't want to burn through 10 pairs or something ridiculous on the trail. I also have only hiked on relatively easy portions of the AT so want to be prepared for rougher terrain, particularly since I'll be starting in Maine. However my plan is to try hiking barefoot wherever terrain is easy, at least a couple miles daily to toughen my feet. My next choice will be the Fivefingers. If terrain is rough or the Fivefingers otherwise prove insufficient, I will switch to the boots. When fording rivers, my preference is to do it barefoot - feeling the difficult-to-see riverbed is very helpful in my opinion. However I'll have my Fivefingers out of my pack and hanging somewhere easily reached, so if I feel it is needed, I can slip them on, even midstream if need be. They dry quickly and I wouldn't wear socks while in the water, and I'd take them off as soon as I was back on dry land. I would never wear my boots into the water unless it was so shallow it wouldn't get into the boots.

[Leo L.]

I do a lot of barefoot walking here, and would feel way more comfortable to cross streams barefoot than in flipflops, crocs or similar.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

I always take my socks off and put my trail runners back on. Its often too slippery going bare foot. Unless you are wearing gore tex shoes your shoes will dry fairly quickly just due to walking

[Leo L.]

Almost every time I got completely soaked sport shoes and hiked them dry they started to develope a terrible odor I could not get rid of by any means any more.
Not sure how you guys handle this? (might as well be a separate thread here).

[Elder]

www.xeroshoes.com (http://www.xeroshoes.com) Great barefoot feel, seriously secure. Camp shoe, shower shoe, river shoe and recovery from boots by going barefoot in the evenings.
1/3 the weight (5.6 oz pr. size 9) of Heavy sandals, i.e. Chacos, Tevas, Keens? Pack flat, or roll up.

[BonBon]

I had water shoes sent to me for the 100 mile wilderness. Before that I crossed in boots. Once I just took off my boots and crossed in socks- somewhere around the beginning of the whites where a little footbridge was washed out. Crossing in socks was great-not slippery, then I hung them on my pack to dry and put on a dry pair. I heard that somewhere, don't know where-here probably- and it worked out fine. And my boots stayed dry.