View Full Version : Hiking in sandals
Am wondering what socks to wear when hiking in sandals? What happens when going thru wet grass in the AM? Seems like socks would get wet the first 5 minutes into the days hike. Can't imagine going without socks on cool springtime mornings.
Would appreciate experiences of others!!
Cpt. Chaos
06-14-2003, 15:15
I wouldnt wear socks period. If you are worrying about cool weather than carry some silskins. They are waterproof socks. They are a bit warm when the weather warms up but will work fine in the mornings if you just need a little foot warming material. But when it isn't too cool, I would just wear the sandals with barefeet. I am thinking of buying a pair of Chacos to hike in instead of shoes.
Good luck and hoped my opinion helped. To find sil skins just do a net search for them.
I think that your feet need more support than offered by sandels. Hense, suggest that you wear boots.
Sandels are fine around camp and town. But, when carrying the additional weight of a pack, I think that your feet need all the support that they can get.
I've seen plenty of people in running shoes, plenty of people in hiking boots. Don't think I have seen too many with sandels outside of camp or outside of towns.
Papa Bear
06-14-2003, 21:32
Hiked with a guy last year through most of New York and into Connecticut. He wore sandals. He had another different pair for camp, LOL! :) If you build up to it, your feet and ankles can get very strong.
What detered me was not the lack of support, but the lack of a warm dry footwear (I used Gortex boots which worked pretty well). The guy's feet always seemed wet and muddy. OTOH he just tromped straight through streams!
And anyway, after 3 or 4 days of rain, everyone's feet were wet and muddy - boots, sandals or barefoot!
YMMV
Pb
Virginian
06-15-2003, 08:45
I knew a guy that hiked in sandles last year. He had some Gortex socks for colder days, but I dont think he liked them that much. His only problem seemed to be that his heels would crack. He was Super Glueing the cracks in his heels daily for a while.
Avoid Sandals while hiking, please. I tried to wear sandals once and all it did was give me blisters. The terrain made my sandals slide against my feet and the velcro kept coming undone because of the stream currents I had to walk through. I think socks and sandals while hiking do not work. Try neoprene socks if you know you're going to go through water. Actually I would suggest neoprene for moderate, most likely, flat terrain that might have some good old H2O around your feet. If you are content on sandals...think of the terrain conditions first. Rock on!
sparky
smokymtnsteve
06-15-2003, 14:00
.....
MadAussieInLondon
06-15-2003, 15:25
hmm the english over here like to wear knee high white socks with sandals.. its a sad sight to see...
Virginian
06-15-2003, 18:58
Over here they wear kneehigh white socks with black loafers. Its really a sight!!
Mini-Mosey
06-16-2003, 07:56
Hmmm....here's a thought: If you hike in sandals, a snake coiled by the trail(that you might not see) would have a much greater chance of biting you on the unprotected foot, as opposed to TRYING to bite you on the foot while it is protected by boots!!! Seriously..
Cpt. Chaos
06-16-2003, 09:02
Or a bear could smell those feet a mile away and come bite a toe or two. You never know about these wild animals such as snakes and bears.;)
PushingDaisies
06-16-2003, 10:35
Hey Jeff!
I've been hiking in Sandals now for about 400 miles (Damascus to Waynesboro) and will continue to do so until it gets colder.
There are many people out here this year that are hiking in Sandals, so don't be intimidated by the people that say "don't do it." It's just that they would never do it themselves for whatever reason.
As for the socks, I hike wearing liner socks most of the time. Mostly because I don't want my feet to dry out and crack. To combat this potential problem, I carry Vaseline and rub it on my feet every night to keep them from drying out.
In the rain I tend not to wear socks IF it is warm. Until recently, it wasn't very warm.
As for the support issue of Sandals, try Bite Sandals. They are really cool, because they allow you to use your Superfeet in the sandals, allowing for more support. These sandals also have toe and heal guards, so you are less likely to stub your toes.
I carry an extra set of sandals for when I get into camp. It's just been too wet and muddy not to have a comfortable, DRY pair of shoes to change into at the end of the day or in town. If the trail wasn't constantly a river, I think I could do without them though.
Hope this info helps you out!
Pushing Up Daisies
flyfisher
06-16-2003, 18:28
67 miles from Hot Springs to Erwin during a rainy week in May:
Almost 3 feet of duct tape, one large blister. If my knees had not hurt so bad, I think my feet would have been driving me crazy. I thought I loved the Wraptor 2s that I was wearing.
35 miles from Wayneboro to Montebello during a rainy week in June:
Not a single hot spot. No blisters. No foot pain. I also learned lessons that helped my knees too. I *really* loved my NB806s with coolmax liner socks and fuzzy gold toe outers.
Next section: my choice will be the shoes.
Risk
RenaissanceMan98
06-18-2003, 21:40
Due to a bad blister problem, i ended up hiking from Neel's Gap to the Smokeys in Tevas in 98, with the heel strap removed. 135miles in March, freezing rain and some sleet and snow for most of that period.
The sandals were awesome. No problems at all, and that was before i went lightweight.
If you want to try sandals, keep your pack weight low, and take hiking poles. For socks, most of the time i used none. When hiking, your feet will warm themselves. For especially cold days, i used some thorlos. Kept a pair of rag wool socks for camp, and wore the same sandals with em. Don't bother with waterproof socks, your feet will just sweat worse than in a gortex boot.
I loved it. You will too.
-RenMan
Read a review on sandals.Hiking inTevas (http://thru-hiker.com/reviews.asp?subcat=12&cid=40)
RagingHampster
06-20-2003, 09:11
I've hiked a couple hundred miles in TEVA Guide Wraptors, and have various feelings about them. Great for keeping your feet from rotting in wet boots. Poor for slippery conditions such as snow/ice and wet leaves. Great for rocks (wet & dry), poor for heavily brush laden areas (your feet can be skewered, and lets not even mention poison ivy). When your climbing step hills, it's almost impossible not to pack them with pebbles. Sometimes you can violently shake your feet to remove them, other times you have to remove and clean them. I also had a terminal breakdown of mine a month ago on a northbound through attempt of the central mass M&M trail (after about 50 miles or so of hiking and walking). They also suck on rocky train-tracks (I still have cuts to prove it).
My opinion? They're awesome for trips on/near alot of water, and for day hikes.
stranger
06-22-2003, 00:20
Hiking in Sandals...Tevas, Chacos, whatever is not a good idea. Granted there are people (there always are) who have had sucessful experiences with sandals...but they are few are far between to say the least. The concept of hiking in sandals is amusing...saying that, people on the AT crave on and seek methods of long-distance hiking that will somehow make the journey more unique. Why this is I don't understand...but it absolutely exists and is funny.
There is not a Podiatrist, boot manufacturer, shoe manufacturer or any half-competent hiker who would "recommend" hiking in sandals. It's a risk, serves no functional purpose, but again makes people feel special...so it's a current fad in the AT world.
Figure things out for yourself...let "experience" decide for you, like someone stated earlier, they had to walk in sandals due to extreme blisters...makes sense, i.e. a remedy to a problem. But to "try" to make something work when it clearly doesn't is pointless. Just an opinion and not the only.
Youngblood
06-22-2003, 09:34
Now everyone has their own opinions and I realize that people have and/are currently thru-hiking the AT with sandals (and with a variety of other footwear), but that does not mean that it is a "good idea" for everyone. There may be certain individuals where sandals are the best choice, but I am not one of them and I don't believe that most people are either.
Don't Be Stupid!!!
Backpacking... sleeping in the woods, whatever is not a good idea. Granted there are people (there always are) who have had sucessful experiences with backpacking...but they are few are far between to say the least.
If somebody said that to me, I would call them an idiot. I don't hike in sandals, yet who is to say that with the proper skills and experience that it isn't a safe and enjoyable way to hike?
Besides, WWJD?
:)
Lone Wolf
06-22-2003, 18:48
Yeah, disregard stranger's post. I know folks who have hiked more miles in sandals by accident than he's hiked in boots on purpose.
RenaissanceMan98
06-22-2003, 23:53
Stranger's post is one that is deeply rooted in ignorance-based judgementalism. He says that no half-competent hker would recommend it, but someone who has thru-hiked the AT is far from half-competent. They are expert. And many will tell you that hiking in sandal's rocks. He then goes on to tell you to let experience guide you. This is after he tells you that hiking in sandals is stupid, without any information about whether or not his choice is made by experience. I doubt that it is. Yes, I hiked in tevas to solve a problem, and in the process learned just how great the sandal experience is. The best advice is to try it for yourself, and see what YOU think. Again, keep your pack weight low, and use 2 hiking poles. Good luck.
stranger
06-23-2003, 22:05
I am sure there are people out there who love hiking in sandals and would recommend it to everyone, but the point of the matter is most hikers would not achieve much success with them. I am speaking in terms of the average long distance hiker, not the few who love them. I may not have as much experience as some folk on here...but I do know what it's like to walk for 70 days straight, and I'm sure there are people who have done more than me "by mistake in sandals".
And if you end up hiking in sandals for a considerable length of time, due to shoe or boot problems...you may not be the best person to comment on picking the right footwear, as your footwear of choice had torn your feet apart, hence your walking in sandals to remedy the problem.
RenaissanceMan98
06-24-2003, 09:25
LMAO. Sorry Stranger, but blisters are part of hiking. If you end up trying sandals because of blisters, then you are the perfect person to comment, because you are the one with actual experience.
Think outside the box, try new things, and make choices based on knowledge, not fear. :)
stranger
06-26-2003, 02:19
Well I have had some blisters...and I have walked down hundreds of side trails and around camp in sandals, so I guess I can comment. In 12 years of hiking I haven't had blisters to the point of having to change footwear.
tygerlily
07-17-2003, 00:08
Different types of foot wear are better for different ppl. It's a matter of finding what is right for you. Each person walks slightly differently and has a different type of foot. I recently switched to sandals as a way to avoid blisters (which worked beautifully), and I love them. I usually wear some sort of sandal of flip flop year around; the combination of this and my feet already being prone to blisters makes it practically impossible for me to hike in boots for more than a few miles if that and not get blisters. I haven't gotten a single blister in my tevas. I'm flat footed, and because of this I walk a little ood when wearing inclosed shoes; I step from the outside of my foot inward instead of heel toe. In sandals I find that I step heel toe. This is better for my feet, and I am less likely to twist my ankles that way. As far as trouble with twisting of spraning my ankles, my ankles are flexible enough that I can step on the side of them in eighter direction with out even really stretching them. I also find that they are more comfortable and drier. As you can see, my reasons for wearing sandals are quite unique to me. Before judging any type of hiking shoes you should try them out for yourself, until you find what works best for you.
Moon Monster
07-28-2003, 10:58
Just finished a NOBO AT thru-hike last week. I wore Teva Wraptors the whole way (1130 miles on 1st pair, 1040 miles on second pair). I think I'll post a full review of the sandals soon, but to answer your specific question:
I wore liners and wools (Smart Wools or Wigwams) and I used SealSkinz waterproof socks. We had tons of rain this spring and the grass fields were usually as wet as they can be. Wool socks will get soaked in the sandals walking through wet grass when the grass is over the trail. In sections where the grass has been mowed, wools will get wet but not soaked through. either way, wet wool socks still insulate effectively. SealSkinz really work even in short wet grass, BUT in sections of trail through TALL wet grass, water will run down your legs and will enter the socks through the elastic cuff and will get inside the waterproofs. Also, if it is warm out, you will sweat a lot inside any waterproof sock and that will soak your feet.
Youngblood
07-28-2003, 11:24
Originally posted by Moon Monster
Just finished a NOBO AT thru-hike last week. I wore Teva Wraptors the whole way (1130 miles on 1st pair, 1040 miles on second pair). I think I'll post a full review of the sandals soon, but to answer your specific question:
I wore liners and wools (Smart Wools or Wigwams) and I used SealSkinz waterproof socks. We had tons of rain this spring and the grass fields were usually as wet as they can be. Wool socks will get soaked in the sandals walking through wet grass when the grass is over the trail. In sections where the grass has been mowed, wools will get wet but not soaked through. either way, wet wool socks still insulate effectively. SealSkinz really work even in short wet grass, BUT in sections of trail through TALL wet grass, water will run down your legs and will enter the socks through the elastic cuff and will get inside the waterproofs. Also, if it is warm out, you will sweat a lot inside any waterproof sock and that will soak your feet.
Moon Monster,
Congratulations on completing your thru-hike. When did you start? I tried the Wraptors after reading a review from a SOBO thru-hiker a couple of years ago, but after using them for a little while, I went back to my NB trailrunners. Didn't seem to be any weight difference and when I sorted out all the trade-offs in my mind, the trail runners were what I preferred, mainly because of the foot protection issues. Figured you just couldn't trust them SOBO's. :D What would you use if you were going to do another thru-hike?
Youngblood
P.S. I think you are going to like this web site. It will give you a good place to share your recent experiences/knowledge.
Moon Monster
07-31-2003, 14:43
Hi Youngblood,
I started on March 9 and finished on July 26 (140 days). If I were to thru-hike again, I would go the trail runner route. Still, I'm not throwing away my Tevas, because I'm so used to them, and I'll hike in them until I completely blow them out.
The only detailed review of hiking in sandals that I ever saw was from AYCE (probably the same review you read) who hiked SOBO in the Wraptors. That review heavily influenced me.
I'd like to post my own review here pretty soon.
obviously this isn't a timely to jeff's question, but i must say that people's barriers to new ideas is amazing to me. how large of a stretch is it to go from hiking shoes or running shoes to sandals? not too far really! i would reccommend as above that anyone wanting to log big distances in sandals try bite sandals (www.biteshoes.com). yes, your feet do get wet in the rain or even in wet grass, but as soon as the ground is dry, you get into new socks (smartwools, for me) and voila. i plan on logging several hundred miles in sandals when i hike again with heidi in spring 2004.
flyfisher
08-07-2003, 12:25
When I was hiking sections of the Whites in Mid July, it seemed like at least half of the thruhikers were in Chaco Terranos.
I have previously posted a negative review of Teva Wraptor IIs, they stay wet too long and hurt the skin of the top of my feet.
I wonder if the Chacos, with their thinner straps might dry faster and do better.
My feet are different than most. I certainly hope so, anyway, as mine are a little messed up. Anyway, I tried the Chacos because I heard they gripped better on slippery objects like logs, boulders, etc., than my Wraptor Tevas. But The heel area in the Chacos always felt to low for me, even after a couple of days wearing them around the house, so I sent them back. I am sure they are an outstanding shoe and my opinion of them is only valid FOR MY OWN FEET. I might even try them again, one day, especially if I could find a pair of them size 12, priced on the cheap. But with the Tevas it is like walking on cushioned air.
I started wearing them on exercise walks when it rained and have just about decided to take them on my next section hike instead of some or other of trailrunners. They are more comfortable, at least for me, anyway.
snowshoe
02-19-2004, 13:40
I think it all depends on the person. I have stong enough ankles that allow me to go bare foot if i wanted. Others with weaker ankles need that spport. I say go for it you dont know until you try. They are much more comfy
jojo0425
02-19-2004, 16:50
Down in Fla they wear white sneakers with black socks and then put on a floral print shirt, TACKY.
Last summer I wore sandals with a liner sock. We did the Jacks River trail and were constantly in water. After that hike I decided to never wear hiking boots again. This summer I going to use New Balance 905 trail runners.
Boots are heavy and always give me blisters. If you can handle wearing just sandals then do so. Just make sure you're strong enough and don't have ankle problems.
[QUOTE=jojo0425]Down in Fla they wear white sneakers with black socks and then put on a floral print shirt, TACKY.QUOTE]
Careful, or others less informed will begin to confuse those seasonal winter "snowbirds" we have with us "natives" or "nearly-natives". :D
But, you do bring up another condition that I have been wondering about- the "ankle strength " condition which so many people keep mentioning when they caution against the use of sandals. I am starting to develop the opinion (and it is just my opinion) that "weak ankles" or "strong ankles" is more a condition of our minds rather than an actual physical condition for most of us, and that we all keep parroting it because it just sounds so plausible.
Does a pair of low-cut trail runners really give you any ankle support? For that matter, bend your ankles in a good pair of Italian-made Montrail hiking boots and you still have full range of motion in the ankles so just how much "ankle support" are they giving you? My opinion is, not much.
Moon Monster
02-19-2004, 18:03
I am starting to develop the opinion (and it is just my opinion) that "weak ankles" or "strong ankles" is more a condition of our minds rather than an actual physical condition for most of us, and that we all keep parroting it because it just sounds so plausible.
I totally agree.
gravityman
02-19-2004, 18:47
[QUOTE=highwayBut, you do bring up another condition that I have been wondering about- the "ankle strength " condition which so many people keep mentioning when they caution against the use of sandals. I am starting to develop the opinion (and it is just my opinion) that "weak ankles" or "strong ankles" is more a condition of our minds rather than an actual physical condition for most of us, and that we all keep parroting it because it just sounds so plausible.
[/QUOTE]
There is definitely something to it. When I broke my ankles, they were definitely weaker, and I had to do a lot of strength training and balance board exercises to get them back to normal.
However, I agree that boots or shoes or sandles can not and do not give you any additional ankle support. It would take one hella-stiff boot to give you more ankle support. They do sell devices that you can strap to your ankle that keeps you from rolling them.
The one thing that boots and sneakers do give you (I can't remember where I read this, so it might not be fact, but it sure sounds plausible :) is a physical cue that you are about to roll your ankle. You feel the boot or top of the shoe on your ankle,and your body has learned to respond to that. Most sandels would give you a similar cue I would think...
Gravity man
freewheelinmilo
02-19-2004, 19:48
there was a thread about this on another forum, and i conceded that although i have hiked a few thousand in sandals, i must have strong ankles. completely forgetting that last summer as i was supposed to start training for the pct the next day, i sprained my ankle BADLY playing frisbie golf (barefoot). doh. i couldnt wait for it to heal completely and threw it right into a 5 day trek in southeast kentucky. wearing sandals. by the end of the five days there were no worries, and i went on to hike 500 of the pct in my chacos. so perhaps wearing sandals is great for weak ankles! big logic jump, but hey. but perhaps the achilles heel (yuk) of this theorum is that i have size 15 feet. if the idea of hiking in sandals appeals to you, than do it, it works for hella people. and if you think it sounds fishy, than go on with your bad self. follow your gut. its not an issue of right or wrong, simply an issue of preferance. thing is us sandal hikers can get like missionaries because we feel we have seen the divine light. so forgive us if we preach. were just walkin on sunshine-whoa whoa whoa.....
bend your ankles in a good pair of Italian-made Montrail hiking boots and you still have full range of motion in the ankles so just how much "ankle support" are they giving you? My opinion is, not much.
They don't have to stop your ankle from bending, just slow it down a little so you have enough time to react.
[QUOTE=Jeff]Am wondering what socks to wear when hiking in sandals? What happens when going thru wet grass in the AM? Seems like socks would get wet ..............
Yo Jeff:
are u kidding? you going for the "geek-hiker look"?
what's up with sandals with socks anyway?
just add some plaid shorts, an over-sized 35mm camera slung around the neck & you ARE there! hehehehehehe :p
see ya'll UP the trail (with or without sox N' sandals)
jojo0425
02-20-2004, 16:04
[QUOTE=highway]Careful, or others less informed will begin to confuse those seasonal winter "snowbirds" we have with us "natives" or "nearly-natives".QUOTE]
lol, up where I'm from, I was talking about the "natives". I won't even mention what the tourists look like, lol.
No, trail runners wouldn't give you ankle support so if this is what you need (if you get sprained ankles frequently you have weak ankles) then opt for boots.
I run a lot, and I've seen that some people are just prone to ankle sprains more than others. I don't have this problem, so I feel comfortable in runners. There are exercises you can to do strengthen ankles if you do have "weak" ankles and running or lots of hiking will help strength as well.
I find my feet feel better in sneakers than they do in boots or hiking shoes...that's just me. Plus, I can always use my runners for trail running and cut back on costs of buying activity specific shoes. I want the most use I can get. (I'm not a thru-hiker so I won't wear my shoes out from the A.T., yet anyway) :D
QUOTE=Jeff] Yo Jeff:
are u kidding? you going for the "geek-hiker look"?
what's up with sandals with socks anyway?
see ya'll UP the trail (with or without sox N' sandals)[/QUOTE]
Well, no offense meant but, I am also of the opinion that my sandals and socks are considerably more "stylish" than your boots and "goofy" gaiters :D
Anyway, taking the "strength of ankle" concept a little further, I hazard that most participating on this forum have at least done some (if not a lot) of backpacking and therefore probably would not qualify for having "weak" ankles, if there is such an anomaly. Certainly not to the point of excluding their use either in trail runners or sandals. Hey, if you really consider it, the only apparent difference between the two is the top covering of the shoe- trail runners have it so your feet don't get quite as dirty wearing them.
I still fell we "parrot" the term as a deterrant, without really considering its consequence.
jojo0425
02-20-2004, 17:24
In sandals...do you ever stub a toe? That would be my one concern on a really long and grueling hike. I hiked in sandals once and my one gripe is that they didn't fit my feet well and my foot would slip around in them...that's why I like runners. I'm sure better sandals would not have had this problem, but if I have to spend $90+ on shoes, then I want more fabric! lol
hmm the english over here like to wear knee high white socks with sandals.. its a sad sight to see...
Well you should see what the AMERICANS wear in the UK when they are on holiday!!! :D
Before anyone flames me, I am American, I just happen to live in the UK.
About sandals...When my husband and I hiked the Pembrokeshire coastal path in Wales, I wore my sandals for about 10 miles of the whole 186. The only reason I switched to my sandals were that my feet were too swollen to go in my boots (another long story...boots were too small...).
I wouldn't hike long distances with them (personal preference), but they are nice when you need a break.
Last summer on the West Highland Way in Scotland they were great for the sections that were a hard road like surface. For the section by Rob Roy's cave (light scramble) they were great! Would not have wanted to try that section in my Raichles!
Moon Monster
02-20-2004, 21:58
In sandals...do you ever stub a toe?
Yes, all the time. But, it only hurts for a minute or two. Folks in shoes stub their toes and it hurts them, too. Many trail sandals have designs that minimize the amount of impact your toes take. Teva Wraptors are curved like running shoes and the underneath of the sole takes most impacts. The occasional tree root or rock can stick up high enough to get your toes anyway. Bite brand sandals have a plastic toe guard up front. Shaka brand sandals have an entire front made of straps. Even Chacos have a long enough footbed to take impact. On my thru-hike, I think I broke the tips of my big toes. A year later, I can still feel soreness when I walk barefoot on hard surfaces.
are u kidding? you going for the "geek-hiker look"?
what's up with sandals with socks anyway?
When did fashion become important on the Trail?
Well, no offense meant but, I am also of the opinion that my sandals and socks are considerably more "stylish" than your boots and "goofy" gaiters :D .....................etc.etc
Yo Highway:
No offense taken................i don't wear "goofy gaiters!"
hehehehehehehehehehehehe :D
seeya UP the trail!