best way to deal with wet shoes?

[somers515]

Ok so let's say you are hiking and your feet get all wet. It's the end of the day so you set up camp. Is there anything you do to help dry out the trail runners over night?

I ask because I just put them in the vestibule of my tent. The next morning they were still wet. I had dry socks but they just got wet when I put them into the wet shoes. After a second day of hiking with wet feet it beat up my feet pretty bad.

Should i have taken out the insoles overnight? Unlaced the shoes to really open them up more? Hung them over a nearby branch? Just stopped early the second day and taken a long break on a sunny rock? All of the above?

Just curious for the wisdom of whiteblaze! All thoughts and tips appreciated.

[MuddyWaters]

Nothing dries overnight on AT
Most time things get wetter from condensation

Usually your body heat dries things substantially during day if its not a wet day

[Slo-go'en]

I know what you should NEVER do ... try to dry them out by a fire.

[DuneElliot]

I take the insoles out and squeeze everything out as dry as I can. I've had damp shoes but never wet shoes by the morning.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Loosening the laces, opening up the tongue and taking out the insoles are about all I've found that I can do. After that it really comes down to weather, if it's breezy and fairly dry the my shoes dry out fairly quickly, but if it's still raining or foggy, everything stays wet overnight.
One big factor is the type of shoe, light weight mesh trailrunners dry fast, goretex shoes dry slower and waterproof boots can take days to dry out.

[egilbe]

Dry, sunny ledges, take a break, slap your socks on the rocks to dry them out, wring out your insoles and set you shoes out in the sun. Let your feet dry.

Wet feet won't kill you. At the most, its uncomfortable.

[garlic08]

If you absolutely must dry something overnight, you can put it under your knees outside your sleeping bag, ideally with a layer of plastic protecting your bag. If it fits under your sleeping pad, that's better.

In winter, I put shoes in a plastic bag in that position to keep them from freezing.

Many times I've set up camp in a wet spot, and then in the morning I notice a dry spot where my body heat dried the ground, even through a sleeping pad and tent floor. I often use that phenomenon to dry wet clothing under the pad.

[Odd Man Out]

On my first AT hike, I hiked through a late afternoon torrential downpour. The trail was basically a river and my should and socks were completely saturated to the point my feet went "squish squish" as I walked. They of course were still soaked the next morning. You just put them on and start hiking. At noon that day, I come to a road crossing. A guy who got caught in the same downpour had his gear spread out all over the parking area to dry. He was working on drying his heavy high top leather hiking boots that were still soaked. I looked down at my ventilated non-waterproof trail shoes and they were bone dry.

[TNGabe]

Wet feet won't kill you. At the most, its uncomfortable.

Get yourself an immersion foot syndrome and get back to us on this.

[Deadeye]

I bring extra baggies/bread bags/Walmart bags to wear between my dry socks and soggy shoes. Not ideal, but it helps a bunch, even if it's just to keep my feet dry at camp.

[Greenlight]

1. Stay away from waterproof shoes, as many have stated, they take forever to dry out.
2. Insoles - I've had a great experience with Superfeet. They aren't squishy, and they don't need to dry out.
3. Socks - Merino wool, my best experience has been with Darn Tough. Keep two pair. When one gets wet, switch out. Wring out the wet ones, and place them directly on top of your base layer, and under your pack's shoulder straps. The compression and your body heat will dry the socks, as this is a pretty non-sweaty part of the body. Yeah, your nasty, dirty, wet socks will be closer to your nose than you may be accustomed to, but they usually aren't the worst smelling component of hiker stench.

This has worked for me, it may work for you.

[egilbe]

Get yourself an immersion foot syndrome and get back to us on this.

Take care of your feet when you camp and its a non-issue.

[bigcranky]

As noted above, clothing and shoes don't dry overnight. At best they might be slightly less wet. For my feet, I do the following:

1. Wear mesh trail runners and light merino wool socks. The mesh drains any water that gets in the shoe from creek crossings, mud pits, etc., and the wool keeps my feet warm when they get wet. This combo also dries fairly quickly as I walk, if there aren't any creek crossings or mud pits for a while. :)

2. When taking a long lunch break, and as soon as I get to camp, I find a sunny spot and put my shoes and socks out to dry -- pull out the insoles, loosen everything, etc.

3. In the morning, if my shoes are still wet, I put yesterday's wet socks back on my feet, and keep my nice dry socks for camp and sleeping that night. Putting dry socks into wet shoes is no fun.

I've used this method with great success on very wet long hikes, when my feet were always at least damp. Never got immersion foot or any other foot problems.

[Don H]

Wet shoes? Wait until you have to deal with frozen shoes.

I never use waterproof shoes, they never dry out.
I change socks at mid day and hang the damp ones off my pack with safety pins.
As soon as I get to camp I change to Crocs.
I keep one pair of dry, clean socks to sleep in. You need to dry your feet out to prevent problems.
I clean my feet every evening with a Wet Wipe. It's amazing how dirty they get.

[Bansko]

It may be overkill, but I carried four pairs of darn-Tough's on my thru-hike (two pairs full length and two quarter length) while going bare-bones on just about everything else. I dried my breathable trail runners the best I could at night and put on dry socks in the morning. Dry socks are the key.

[garlic08]

...I clean my feet every evening with a Wet Wipe. It's amazing how dirty they get.

I came to the realization that clean feet are more important than dry feet.

If you reach a stream crossing in temperate conditions, it's a good idea to stop and wash your feet and socks. (And wear them dry. That's the beauty of breathable shoes.)

[lonehiker]

Let gravity assist with your shoes at night. Remove insoles and prop both shoes and insoles up. If trying to dry shoes/socks during the day, I remove shoes then the insoles from shoes and place so as to get most direct light. Wait until it is late enough into the morning so that you have good heat. Too early and you are wasting your time. I leave socks on if trying to dry quickly. My thought being that body heat will aide from the inside while sunlight and breeze will take care of outside. Two or three short breaks usually result in dry shoes/socks.

As a couple others have mentioned, I always have 1 dry pair of socks (I only take 2 pair) that I change into for sleeping. That way I always know my feet will be dry at night.

[Praha4]

Hike the Long Trail and you'll have wet shoes every day to deal with. I used Hydropel every morning on my feet, and had to put wet socks on in wet shoes every day of the LT hike.
Now I use "Trail Toes" foot cream, never have a problem with foot blisters.
http://www.trailtoes.com/

[evyck da fleet]

My trailrunners dry because of body heat sun and/or wind. Once I've made camp they will still be wet in the morning. A breeze and a shelter with a covered area might help (I've never tried) but my vestibule usually blocks any breeze. I will take the insoles out, sprinkle gold bond powder inside the shoe and on the insoles and leave them in my vestibule overnight. In the morning it's wet socks and wet shoes until I can walk them dry while taking them off and laying them in the sun during water snack and lunch breaks. Another vote for avoiding goretex

[Tipi Walter]

On my first AT hike, I hiked through a late afternoon torrential downpour. The trail was basically a river and my should and socks were completely saturated to the point my feet went "squish squish" as I walked. They of course were still soaked the next morning. You just put them on and start hiking.

Exactly. You just put them on and start hiking. In the Southeast mountains wet shoes/boots will dry out eventually.


Get yourself an immersion foot syndrome and get back to us on this.

Backpacking in the Southeast is not like hiking thru the Mekong Delta. The AT is not a swamp jungle. Plus, on a backpacking trip we have in-camp opportunities to dry out and clean our feet.


1. Stay away from waterproof shoes, as many have stated, they take forever to dry out.


All I ever wear are goretex boots, so-called waterproof boots---and they eventually dry out once wet. You just have to get a full day of no-rain and you'll hike them dry.


As noted above, clothing and shoes don't dry overnight. At best they might be slightly less wet. For my feet, I do the following:

1. Wear mesh trail runners and light merino wool socks. The mesh drains any water that gets in the shoe from creek crossings, mud pits, etc., and the wool keeps my feet warm when they get wet. This combo also dries fairly quickly as I walk, if there aren't any creek crossings or mud pits for a while. :)

3. In the morning, if my shoes are still wet, I put yesterday's wet socks back on my feet, and keep my nice dry socks for camp and sleeping that night. Putting dry socks into wet shoes is no fun.


Yes, I always go out on a trip with two pairs of smartwool mountaineer socks---one used for hiking and one always kept dry and used for camp and sleeping.

The discussion regarding boots vs trail runners is long running but I prefer goretex boots unless I'm pulling a dayhike with minimal weight on my back. I posted this before and it comes from my journal from a backpacking trip in December 2013---

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.

In fact, on a recent January trip I had several small creek crossings at 10F and used my leather gtx boots to get across without water getting over the ankle cuff---

39492
Don't try this in your trail runners.


Wet shoes? Wait until you have to deal with frozen shoes.

I never use waterproof shoes, they never dry out.
I change socks at mid day and hang the damp ones off my pack with safety pins.
As soon as I get to camp I change to Crocs.
I keep one pair of dry, clean socks to sleep in. You need to dry your feet out to prevent problems.
I clean my feet every evening with a Wet Wipe. It's amazing how dirty they get.

All good advice except for waterproof shoes never drying out. They do dry out---you can walk them dry. And frozen boots is a whole other thread.

[HooKooDooKu]

...All I ever wear are goretex boots, so-called waterproof boots---and they eventually dry out once wet. You just have to get a full day of no-rain and you'll hike them dry...
BINGO!

My primary hiking is in Great Smokey Mountains where (except for the AT ridge) you're constantly crossing streams and tributaries a few inches deep. So I'm always wearing "goretex boots".

[DownEaster]

After you've manually removed what water you can (squeeze the tongues, remove the insoles), stuff the shoes with dry toweling. I pack two bandanas and one "towel" (actually a repurposed cleaning cloth) . If I don't need them for something else (like washing/drying myself or dishes) they can go inside the wet shoes. After half an hour, take out the wet toweling and hang up; repeat when the toweling cloths are dry. Transferring the moisture from the shoes to the much greater surface area of the toweling gets your shoes from soggy to just damp. In the morning, the job of walking the shoes dry is much easier.

[ggreaves]

They do dry out---you can walk them dry. And frozen boots is a whole other thread.

You can walk mesh shoes dry about 10 times faster than you can walk goretex ones dry.

[Slo-go'en]

You can walk mesh shoes dry about 10 times faster than you can walk goretex ones dry.

Well, unless you submerge the whole boot, Goretex boots take 100 times longer to get wet, since mesh boots get wet instantly. Just the morning dew is enough to soak them and give you wet socks for half the day. Or step in one puddle or have to step on a half submerged rock in a stream to cross it and you have wet feet again for hours.

The whole "but they dry fast" argument goes out the window when you have a rainy spell which lasts a week or two or three. Which is not uncommon on the AT during the spring.

The only problem with Goretex boots is the liner doesn't last forever. I think it's mostly the stitching which fails and starts to leak. My Vasque boots failed after 600 miles, just as I got to Vermont and it started to rain again. Bad place for them to die. But after 600 miles, the boots were pretty much dead anyway.

[LittleRock]

Ok so let's say you are hiking and your feet get all wet. It's the end of the day so you set up camp. Is there anything you do to help dry out the trail runners over night?
Nope, fastest way to dry them out is just put 'em back on the next day and start walking.

[Bansko]

Nope, fastest way to dry them out is just put 'em back on the next day and start walking.

Much truth to that.

[Just Bill]

Ok so let's say you are hiking and your feet get all wet. It's the end of the day so you set up camp. Is there anything you do to help dry out the trail runners over night?

I ask because I just put them in the vestibule of my tent. The next morning they were still wet. I had dry socks but they just got wet when I put them into the wet shoes. After a second day of hiking with wet feet it beat up my feet pretty bad.

Should i have taken out the insoles overnight? Unlaced the shoes to really open them up more? Hung them over a nearby branch? Just stopped early the second day and taken a long break on a sunny rock? All of the above?

Just curious for the wisdom of whiteblaze! All thoughts and tips appreciated.


If you absolutely must dry something overnight, you can put it under your knees outside your sleeping bag, ideally with a layer of plastic protecting your bag. If it fits under your sleeping pad, that's better.

In winter, I put shoes in a plastic bag in that position to keep them from freezing.

Many times I've set up camp in a wet spot, and then in the morning I notice a dry spot where my body heat dried the ground, even through a sleeping pad and tent floor. I often use that phenomenon to dry wet clothing under the pad.


You can walk mesh shoes dry about 10 times faster than you can walk goretex ones dry.

If you are bear bagging or have a clothesline; hanging shoes or clothes up off the ground a decent bit so they get in the breeze is about your only shot on the AT (as many mentioned). Things don't dry at ground level... in fact oft-times they get wetter.

The other option is the warm rock BEFORE you make camp. Oftentimes you might catch this opportunity (the sunny spot or hot rock/pavement/etc) as you're getting close to camp for the evening. This is typically only an end of the day thing as that surface has been warmed all day and will actually help you dry things off. Trying to do this early in the day is generally pointless- the rock (or whatever) is too cold from the evening but using the ol Louisiana Laundromat at the end of the day works well. In fact even if the sun is past the surface is likely still pretty warm.

When talking shoes- put them soles up- so the fabric is against the hot surface. This is assuming a hot surface. Otherwise the sole will just insulate them from the hot rock. You can also sit on them too.
But mainly I use this for socks and clothes. Don't be afraid to sun your feet though! UV rays kill bacteria too.

I put my shoes under my head, under my pad similar to what Garlic mentioned.
Not so much to dry them but to elevate my mat and also so my shoes aren't sitting around sucking up dew. You can go to bed with dry shoes and wake up with soaking wet ones pretty easy- especially when you store them in your vestibule.

I do put my socks under me as Garlic mentioned when I have a down bag or in my bag when I have a synthetic bag.

Because.... at the end of the day having good socks is really the most you can do. Out east I carry 3-4 pairs, and wash at least two pairs a day. I cycle them so one is always dry, one is on, one or two just got washed and are drying.

Wool does the best job of keeping your feet in good condition when damp, as wool draws moisture into itself. I like the Darn Tuff cushion sock.
In theory... thin socks dry faster. In reality... thicker wool socks have more bulk and "storage" for moisture that is away from the surface. Being a bit warm also generates extra heat to drive moisture out. Some folks feel that hot feet sweat and that's where the moisture is coming from- but that's rarely true when hiking and leaving your feet a bit hot means that moisture vapor is pushing out.

In thin socks- wool is not sturdy enough to last so the synthetic count (50% or better) goes higher and higher. So the midweight/cushion type socks maintain a higher wool count, and enough thickness to draw moisture away from your foot and keep you drier... even if you are damp. They are also a bit less densely woven than a light sock needs to be- so you have more air flowing. Also- much like a sponge... with every step your sock is compressing and expanding a bit- further pumping the moisture bellows and driving moisture out. I frequently find my feet are "dry" even though my shoes and socks are still damp with this system.

Wearing liners (synthetic) actually aggravates the drying issue. They tend to trap moisture. Liners should only be worn if your feet are already macerated or you need them for a specific problem (like ininji toe socks for toe blisters).
If you think about it, synthetic liners, synthetic socks, and synthetic shoes means a bunch of hydrophobic products wrapped around your skin... which is the only water loving material remaining. So forget "wicking" since there is no where to wick to... nor is there enough surface area to make it work regardless. By contrast Wool is also hydrophilic and happy to pull moisture from your skin... and unlike synthetics since it pulls moisture into it's core... then the air filled parts of the sock remain open to allow moisture vapor to exit the sock and for large portions of the wool surface to remain relatively dry next to your skin.

Like Florida Mike mentioned- at some point if you're soaked permanently- you may need some hydropel or similar treatment to also make your feet hydrophobic so they don't keep sucking up moisture. But otherwise let them breathe.

And yes... Walking yourself dry is always the best. I find that a darn tuff cushion weight sock makes this happen blister free. An hour or so is typically all I need with good Altra's after a stream crossing even on the AT. Out west you can be dry in 20 minutes on a warm day.

So having the lightest shoes, that absorb the least amount of water, and dry fastest is still the smartest plan.
Even if Gore-Tex worked, and even if you are Tipi Walter with your boots... there is always a stream taller than your shoe.
Just as accurately... unless you are covered head to toe in rain gear and travelling slow enough you never perspire a dewy drop... rain and sweat run down your legs into your shoes.

The only thing I can figure... is that those who do like Gore-Tex shoes are taking some advantage of the extra heat generated. I like that effect in the winter- but find the thicker sock(extra wool) the better source of heat. Especially since once dry... my wool socks won't overheat me anywhere close to the level the goretex would.

I won't totally poo-poo Goretex in all scenarios nor those who swear by it. But most would find that a mid to heavy quality wool sock and a quick to dry shoe a better system.

[Tipi Walter]

Well, unless you submerge the whole boot, Goretex boots take 100 times longer to get wet, since mesh boots get wet instantly. Just the morning dew is enough to soak them and give you wet socks for half the day. Or step in one puddle or have to step on a half submerged rock in a stream to cross it and you have wet feet again for hours.


Exactly my point all along. As mentioned, many small creek crossings are two or four or six inches deep---so gtx boots are waterproof to these depths. See my boot picture. And then there's dew fields and mud puddles as mentioned.

Just Bill says---
Even if Gore-Tex worked, and even if you are Tipi Walter with your boots... there is always a stream taller than your shoe.

As mentioned, many small creeks can be waded in gtx boots. For the deeper ones I remove the boots and use barefeet in crocs. The point is to keep my socks and boots as dry as possible as long as possible, especially in the winter.

Hiking in rain of course saturates footwear, whether sneakers or boots.

Remember, mesh shoes get wet instantly, as Slo-go'en says. Gtx boots do not. And this means in the slightest puddle---oops, your socks are soaked.

Reminds me of a BMT trip I did with Amy Willow back in April 2015. She wore trail runners and anything above a half-inch and her socks got wet. Sadly it rained for one whole week and it was hard to avoid trail bogs and puddles. She did everything she could to avoid stepping in these puddles---swerves and detours and hops and jumps---just to keep her damp but not soaked socks dryish. I was behind and just waded thru the mess . . . with my mostly dry socks. Check out her trail shoes as we get water above Big Fat Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail.

39494

[saltysack]

Embrace the misery....I'd rather have wet feet than a dry arse sitting on the couch! Clean and lube feet twice daily as well as alternate and wash socks while airing out feet at every break over a few minutes....


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[ggreaves]

Both Heather Anderson (Anish - AT FKT Unsupported), and Karl Meltzer (AT FKT - Supported) used mesh shoes (Altra Lone Peak and Hoka Speed Goat respectively) on their thru's. Imagine how much better they would have performed if they'd wrapped up their feet in Goretex. I can't believe these elite athletes could be so stupid. It's amazing they finished let alone set speed records.

[Just Bill]

Exactly my point all along. As mentioned, many small creek crossings are two or four or six inches deep---so gtx boots are waterproof to these depths. See my boot picture. And then there's dew fields and mud puddles as mentioned.

Just Bill says---
Even if Gore-Tex worked, and even if you are Tipi Walter with your boots... there is always a stream taller than your shoe.

As mentioned, many small creeks can be waded in gtx boots. For the deeper ones I remove the boots and use barefeet in crocs. The point is to keep my socks and boots as dry as possible as long as possible, especially in the winter.

Hiking in rain of course saturates footwear, whether sneakers or boots.

Remember, mesh shoes get wet instantly, as Slo-go'en says. Gtx boots do not. And this means in the slightest puddle---oops, your socks are soaked.

Reminds me of a BMT trip I did with Amy Willow back in April 2015. She wore trail runners and anything above a half-inch and her socks got wet. Sadly it rained for one whole week and it was hard to avoid trail bogs and puddles. She did everything she could to avoid stepping in these puddles---swerves and detours and hops and jumps---just to keep her damp but not soaked socks dryish. I was behind and just waded thru the mess . . . with my mostly dry socks. Check out her trail shoes as we get water above Big Fat Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail.

39494

A fair point... especially for you and Slo who both hike in consistently wet areas/lower elevations... and in high tops... darn near year round. Haven't spent a ton of time there but HooKooDooKu is certainly right about the conditions off the ridge in the smokies and surrounding areas. An exception to every rule exists... but for most folks on higher and/or drier terrain the quick dry mesh is still the better bet. Actual rain is more likely than stream crossings and nothing you can do about that other than let it drain out.

I too like a Gore-Tex style in winter where melting snow would permeate my shoes and the cooler temps mean less issues with overheating... or just as accurately- the extra warmth means I don't need much more than my regular darn tough socks.

I'd like think you'd all objectively agree that your average established, well maintained trail walking blaze follower isn't walking in those conditions where Gore-Tex type shoes present any advantage.
If you are encountering enough water that damp is preferable to soaked you have a point... but when the goretex will keep you in a constant state of dampness from sweat hours after you should have dried out... tis a poor choice.
Even when I find myself puddle bound- I tend to just embrace it and slug right through as puddle dancing on the edges is not only bad for the trail but a futile gesture likely to end in falling on yer arse more often than not.

About the only time my system breaks down is in vermud type conditions where too much silty mud sludge comes with the puddles and gunks up the system. In that case I seek out as many clean streams as I can for a good washout of my shoes and socks so I don't get any abrasive issues or clogged mesh. I suppose if I was tramping in that muck often I'd reach for a tall WPB boot as well. But with a bit of decent mileage (to hit frequent enough clear water) and generally summer/fall trips it's never been a consistent enough issue to bother. An early season SOBO... perhaps more of a coinflip during a bad mud season... but for the typical hiker we're talking a week at best, or more accurately a few days here and there of bad sections.

Like many, I find the advantage's of a low top, lighter trail runner far outweigh any disadvantages.
Not humping 100lb loads means I'd rather have my ankles free to move and roll with any trip or slip too. ;)

[HooKooDooKu]

... many small creek crossings are two or four or six inches deep---so gtx boots are waterproof to these depths....
...For the deeper ones I remove the boots and use barefeet in crocs. The point is to keep my socks and boots as dry as possible as long as possible...
Ditto

...Hiking in rain of course saturates footwear, whether sneakers or boots...
While gtx will keep the rain out... a soaking wet gtx boot does not allow moisture inside the boot to escape.
So the end result is still the same. Rather than a foot soaking wet from rain, you have a foot soaking wet with sweat.

[Tipi Walter]

Both Heather Anderson (Anish - AT FKT Unsupported), and Karl Meltzer (AT FKT - Supported) used mesh shoes (Altra Lone Peak and Hoka Speed Goat respectively) on their thru's. Imagine how much better they would have performed if they'd wrapped up their feet in Goretex. I can't believe these elite athletes could be so stupid. It's amazing they finished let alone set speed records.

I don't consider myself a performance athlete or an endurance athlete and as far as I know Somers515 didn't address this question of wet shoes to the competitive sporting crowd. Plus, I doubt Anderson or Meltzer or others make it a goal of staying out for as long as possible with one food load. They equip themselves to win a sporting event, most other backpackers do not.

[ggreaves]

Anderson did the hike unsupported. She did over 40 miles a day. She shopped in town for resupply herself and she waited in town for the post office to open to get her food drops. She didn't stop. Kept going. Having macerated or blistered feet would have stopped her. None of us are anywhere near that calibre but a good idea is a good idea no matter where you get it. My point is that mesh shoes are a fine choice for a thru. And they can keep your feet healthy over 2000 miles.

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[righand]

never ever EVER! dry them by the fire. If you do you better hope that there is a pair your size in the next hiker box!

[Tipi Walter]

never ever EVER! dry them by the fire. If you do you better hope that there is a pair your size in the next hiker box!

This guy tried to thaw out his nalgene by the fire on a winter trip---

39505

[garlic08]

One thing my father taught me was you can tell an inexperienced camper by looking at the shoes. If the leather (they were all leather back in those days) was charred, you were looking at a newbie.

And since shoes were expensive, my father made sure we kept our feet away from the fire when I was growing up.

One hiker I met in '08 was named "Meltdown." He wore his nylon rain pants too close to the fire.

[righand]

This guy tried to thaw out his nalgene by the fire on a winter trip---

39505
Yeah i have seen so much NICE gear ruined by the fire dry method... it always has bad results... always

[righand]

One thing my father taught me was you can tell an inexperienced camper by looking at the shoes. If the leather (they were all leather back in those days) was charred, you were looking at a newbie.

And since shoes were expensive, my father made sure we kept our feet away from the fire when I was growing up.

One hiker I met in '08 was named "Meltdown." He wore his nylon rain pants too close to the fire.

one of the 1st things i aways did was check out a guys shoes... shoes say a lot with no words

[Odd Man Out]

Every time I hang wet socks on the back of my pack to dry, it starts to rain. As soon as I stop to put them away, it stops. Thus hanging socks is not so much about drying them as it is about controlling the weather.

[Deacon]

I tried once to warm my feet by the fire while wearing my shoes. The sole dropped right off the bottom of my shoe.

[handlebar]

I've only had one pair of boots with goretex. Unfortunately my feet sweat a lot and I found that the insides of the boots were always damp. For the first 6000 miles of my now 14,000 miles I wore high top, leather boots with a low gaiter. I found I could often get across a creek without overflow and my boots were only damp from sweat at days end. Once, during an all day rain I had boot overflow. Wouldn't you know the temperature dropped all day to about 25* overnight. Getting those non-goretex lines, but well waterproofed boots in the morning was tough even though I'd loosened the laces before retiring. Thawing them out was really painful. I've found mesh trail runners preferable to boots as long as the total load is under 35 lbs.

[handlebar]

I tried once to warm my feet by the fire while wearing my shoes. The sole dropped right off the bottom of my shoe. The heat from the fire melted the glue. Best way I've found to dry soaked footwear is to use the soaked socks that I was wearing (usually Smartwool or Darn Tough). Wring the socks out well then jam them into the shoes/boots. Let the socks soak up the wet from the boot for a minute or so. Pull them out and wring them again. Repeat. This draws moisture of the lining material and even leather. When done, the wrung out socks can be placed under your sleeping pad for some drying by body heat. If there's a fire you can place your shoes or boots, with the soles away from the heat, but only if you can stand having your hand where the shoe is for a half minute and are willing to check that the fire doesn't get hotter. Otherwise, you can easily have a problem similar to Deacon's.

[Deacon]

I tried once to warm my feet by the fire while wearing my shoes. The sole dropped right off the bottom of my shoe.

This was in our family car camping days. Our kids had a big laugh!

[shelb]

I haven't had a problem since I switched to NON-waterproof trail runners. They dry very quickly. Boots are slow to dry. Waterproof shoes are slow to buy. I don't believe in waterproof shoes on the A.T. because there is no such thing... in a major rain, anything will get wet...

When my trail running shoes get wet - if it has stopped raining - I just switch into a pair of dry socks. Within an hour or so, my feet are dry...

[BuckeyeBill]

I believe some mentioned earlier, but stuffing newspapers into boots over night helps a great deal. I do this when I am in towns resupplying. On the trail, after the rain ends, I remove the insoles and use my section of a ShamWow and press the insoles dry. I then do the same to the inside of the shoes, soaking up as much water as I can. A new set of dry socks and I am off again. YMMV

[Bronk]

Avoid getting them wet in the first place. I don't care if its 15 degrees out, if I come to a creek that is deep enough, wide enough and there aren't enough rocks to tiptoe across without getting my feet wet, then I'm taking my shoes and socks off and crossing it barefoot. You can't feel your toes by the time you get your socks back on, but if you keep moving they warm back up in a few minutes. Much better than having wet feet for the next day or two. Dry feet don't tend to get as many blisters or hot spots.

[Tipi Walter]

Avoid getting them wet in the first place. I don't care if its 15 degrees out, if I come to a creek that is deep enough, wide enough and there aren't enough rocks to tiptoe across without getting my feet wet, then I'm taking my shoes and socks off and crossing it barefoot. You can't feel your toes by the time you get your socks back on, but if you keep moving they warm back up in a few minutes. Much better than having wet feet for the next day or two. Dry feet don't tend to get as many blisters or hot spots.

My point all along. Crocs were created for me to pull creek crossings, thereby keeping my boots/socks dry.

Typical Scenario---You're on a 10 day trek into the mountains of NC and TN. You leave the car in your sneakers. You step in a wet spot a quarter mile in and soak your socks. You now have saturated wool socks for the next 2 days; and even when wrung out they stay damp.

You come to a small creek 4 inches deep and 15 feet across. Oops, just saturated your socks again. None of this happens in goretex boots.

Then again, there's nothing wrong with wet socks---except they encourage blisters, are heavier---and start stinking faster.

I'm not gonna wear sneakers anyway because of the pack weight I carry---but there's another negatory with such shoes---sole tread and mud grip. Give me a good pair of leather boots with a gripping lug sole---something trail runners generally don't have. I've hiked plenty of times behind guys wearing these shoes and they leave big skid marks in the mud. I prefer better boot grip.

[George]

I use mesh running shoes 4 seasons - 100 yds past a wet crossing they are 90% dry - in an hour of walking a reasonably dry trail they dry completely

[Seatbelt]

I read somewhere on these forums once that laying wet boots/shoes on their side overnight dries them out quicker than leaving them upright or upside down.

[TexasBob]

I read somewhere on these forums once that laying wet boots/shoes on their side overnight dries them out quicker than leaving them upright or upside down.

A friend told me this also and the theory is that you get better air circulation in and out of the boot. I think my boots do dry out faster when I lay them on their side. I know my water bottles dry out faster after a day hike if I lay them on their side rather than setting them right side up or upside down.

[Five Tango]

Does anyone wear Seal Skinz?I have often wondered how they work with wet shoes and if they are breathable etc or just make your feet sweat.........

[ggreaves]

You leave the car in your sneakers.

Wet feet are the least of your concerns. You're humping a car up and down mountains.

[SkeeterPee]

is there no way to use your body heat to help them dry? I remember reading that if something is damp and you wear it to bed, in your sleeping bag, your body heat will dry it. And I have experienced this. of course shoes/boots are dirty, but any way to help them dry out with out making your bat wet/dirty?

[lonehiker]

is there no way to use your body heat to help them dry? I remember reading that if something is damp and you wear it to bed, in your sleeping bag, your body heat will dry it. And I have experienced this. of course shoes/boots are dirty, but any way to help them dry out with out making your bat wet/dirty?

The moisture has to go someplace and I would prefer it not to be into the down of my sleeping bag.

[LoneStranger]

The boot/shoe/barefoot debate is always one of my favorites to read. It ranks right up there with tent vs hammock for firm believers that everyone else is crazy for not doing what you do. My opinion is that folks should do what works for them no matter what other people say. If what you are doing isn't working then you might want to listen to those crazy people a bit because they might be on to something.

Now for those who have been touting how fast their trail runners dry after a water crossing I'd like to offer this as an example of a dry footed water crossing ;)


https://youtu.be/yKj-fRArf4M

Limmer Standards with MSR Crocs work well to keep water out until you top the gaiters. As for drying time when topped or overcome by multi day rains they go from pouring water out to functionally dry with one good day of no rain. The key is that they are fully functional when soaking wet though at risk of the leather getting dinged by sharp rocks. Other than that, combined with good wool socks, feet are totally protected and capable of big miles despite being wet. You just need to air your feet out whenever you can to prevent the skin from falling apart.

Like I said, there is no one right answer. Heavy boots are not for those who can't deal with the weight and UL shoes are not for bogging or those who are looking for more protection. Do what works for you or keep trying other stuff until you find what works. Just don't be so sure the other guy is crazy for not doing the same thing.

[BuckeyeBill]

I can remember when you were told to break in boots by getting them wet and walking them dry. I have done this with a couple of pair of cowboy boots and they fit like a glove. I then treated them with a waterproofing compound.

[English Stu]

I have used Sealskins,they do work but I found they pinch your toes together leading to hot spots as they are so strong. I sometimes use them for the first hour or so in wet brush until conditions dry out.

[Francis Sawyer]

"Waterproof" stuff stays dry until it gets wet.

[Slo-go'en]

Here's what some of the Air Line trail up Mt Madison looked like yesterday. The upper reaches of the trail was wet and muddy. The Valley Way trail was a real mess. My feet would have been soaking wet all day had it not been for my GTX boots. You will notice those who advocate shoes which soak up water quickly aren't from New England where the trails are rarely dry.
39535

[Dogwood]

Opt for faster drying lighter wt trail runners. Squeeze all water from shoe including tongue and laces. TIP opt for laces that also don't hold water. Remove insoles. Squeeze insoles and wipe. Dry on warm rock. Place dry paper or dry socks into wet shoes. Consider the pairing of a light wt low cut non WP trail runner with a WP stretchy sock. I have had good success making this pairing with HANZ WP crew ht socks. When on extended trips I'll carry two projects socks the HANZ and a ankle ht merino pair switching the two out as needed attempting to always keep one problem dry.

[Dogwood]

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Opt for faster drying lighter wt trail runners. Squeeze all water from shoe including tongue and laces. TIP opt for laces that also don't hold water. Remove insoles. Squeeze insoles and wipe. Dry on warm rock. Place dry paper or dry socks into wet shoes. Consider the pairing of a light wt low cut non WP trail runner with a WP stretchy sock. I have had good success making this pairing with HANZ WP crew ht socks. When on extended trips I'll carry two projects socks the HANZ and a ankle ht merino pair switching the two out as needed attempting to always keep one problem dry.
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[LoneStranger]

Here's what some of the Air Line trail up Mt Madison looked like yesterday. The upper reaches of the trail was wet and muddy. The Valley Way trail was a real mess. My feet would have been soaking wet all day had it not been for my GTX boots. You will notice those who advocate shoes which soak up water quickly aren't from New England where the trails are rarely dry.
39535

Exactly! Use the right gear for the conditions and your feet.
39537
This section of the Wilderness Trail in the Pemi is another example of a place where it may take your trail runners a while to dry out after a water crossing. LNT says you walk on the trail, not next to it and there isn't an exemption for not wearing the right shoes to do that comfortably. Wear what you want, but take responsibility for your choices.