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Moosky
01-17-2013, 13:28
Hello WB!

Moosky here. I'm going through my gear list again to try to shed some weight. I remember some one said that he never used camp shoes. Camp shoes can be pretty heavy. A pair of cros can weigh 12 ounces I think. I'm wondering, do I really need camp shoes? What is the purpose for camp shoes? If they are necessary, any light-weight substitutes?

Thanks!
Moosky

Chuckie V
01-17-2013, 13:35
Need? No. But flip-flops can be nice, if you want to air your poor feet out each afternoon. They're light and cheap and easily replaced. But I guess it all depends on what you're wearing when walking (i.e., boots vs. shoes), and if the weight of any additional footwear is tolerable to you. I hike in well-ventilated running shoes, and so they can double their duties as camp shoes, though they suck when it comes time to go bowling.

Papa D
01-17-2013, 13:38
Having camp shoes is a very nice way to rest your tired feet, wade through a cool creek, and they are lighter on the terrain of the campsite than hiking shoes and boots and are thus have less of an impact on soil erosion and so forth. I have taken scissors to my crocs and have them down to about 8.5 ounces (size 8-9). Some folks just get an super cheap pair of vans, toms, light espadrilles, or flip flops would do fine too. I'd recommend something but no, they are not absolutely necessary

Papa D
01-17-2013, 13:42
I met a woman this summer in New Hampshire who was in her 50s that had completed more than one thru hike wearing just chacos the whole way - - she was trucking right along - - forgot her name - - HYOH

msupple
01-17-2013, 13:49
These are the best compromise between weight and comfort that I've found and they tighten up real well for stream crossings. I removed the tongue and one shoe weighs 3.8 oz. They pack down much smaller than Crocs.

http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/ultra-pure-mens.html

Cat in the Hat

G-FOURce
01-17-2013, 13:51
need, as in to be required or necessary... no
need, as in to be in want of something... personal preference

i have been carrying down slippers on my winter hikes for years and they've become a favorite in my backpack. are they a necessity? no, they're not. do they contribute to a great hike and do i want them? yep.

i guess its all in your perspective, desire, and ability. do what you like and HYOH, man.

BirdBrain
01-17-2013, 13:51
Hello WB!

Moosky here. I'm going through my gear list again to try to shed some weight. I remember some one said that he never used camp shoes. Camp shoes can be pretty heavy. A pair of cros can weigh 12 ounces I think. I'm wondering, do I really need camp shoes? What is the purpose for camp shoes? If they are necessary, any light-weight substitutes?

Thanks!
Moosky

For wearing at camp, no. For crossing streams, maybe more so. I figure if you need them for crossing, you might as well wear them at camp.

moldy
01-17-2013, 13:52
No you don't need camp shoes. Thru-hikers are more likely to appreciate them because the have a bak up to the hiking shoes and can give the feet a rest so to speak, they are also town shoes.

polechar
01-17-2013, 14:00
These are the best compromise between weight and comfort that I've found and they tighten up real well for stream crossings. I removed the tongue and one shoe weighs 3.8 oz. They pack down much smaller than Crocs.

http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/ultra-pure-mens.html

Cat in the Hat

I just got a pair of these and I can't stop wearing them around the house, I love them and think it's the perfect camp shoe

swjohnsey
01-17-2013, 14:04
No........................................

Chaco Taco
01-17-2013, 14:14
I find no use for camp shoes anymore. Something that may be nice wearing around the house and may be light still takes up space and is not essential, for my pack and has not been part of my gear for a few years. I dont miss them at all.

Dogwood
01-17-2013, 14:21
No! Umm, no!

Sarcasm the elf
01-17-2013, 14:29
Necessary? No. Useful? Yes. - It's just a matter of personal preference. In the winter/cold weather they are useful for stream crossings and as a backup when your boots get soaked. If you hike in boots, a second set of lighter shoes/crocs can provide a welcome break for our feet. I now wear trail runners for three season hiking and find them comfortable enough that I no longer have any desire for camp shoes.

garlic08
01-17-2013, 14:36
I prefer to hike in shoes that are comfortable enough that camp shoes are not necessary. My shoes dry quickly after walking in water, so I don't need other footwear for that either. I prefer not to fuss with another set of footwear hanging on my pack. But that's just me.

I have seen hikers make serviceable lightweight camp shoes with a set of stock shoe insoles and some paracord.

I just learned a nice trick for stream crossings, too--remove the insoles from your shoes, put them in your socks, tie the shoes around your neck, and cross with wet socks and insoles only. Things dry even quicker that way, and your socks may get cleaner. It worked in the muddy Gila last week on the AZT, except the cleaner part.

Moosky
01-17-2013, 14:54
Thanks all!
For those who said they don't carry camp shoes, how do you cross streams? Bare foot? I'm going SOBO so I'll probably ford a lot of streams early on.

Thanks garlic08! That was a helpful tip.

CarlZ993
01-17-2013, 15:20
Some take camp shoes of some sort. Others don't. I plan on taking my Crocs on my thru-hike. Nice for relaxing after a long day's hike. Can also use them in hostel showers to prevent athlete's foot.

FarmerChef
01-17-2013, 15:31
For crossing streams, if you are wearing a well ventilated running style shoe some just hike right on through (perhaps stopping to remove socks). The shoe will dry out fast enough and if you're handy with a fire you can speed it up later.

maybe clem
01-17-2013, 16:17
I've never had separate camp shoes. I use Waldies (the kind with the strap) for stream crossings and I just wear those in camp.

SCRUB HIKER
01-17-2013, 16:44
Camp shoes are a rare example of extra weight that I'd be more likely to take on a long hike (multi-week, multi-resupply) than a short one. When you live in your boots for months at a time, you really want to wear something else in town or in camp, no matter how comfortable your boots are. This is an issue on which I think WhiteBlaze drastically misrepresents real life: when you get on the AT (I'm assuming you're planning for the AT?) almost everyone you meet--95% or more--will have a separate pair of camp shoes.

Those Vivo things look awesome, but if you want to spend about $45 less and sacrifice only a few ounces, go to Target or Wal-Mart and buy the lightest pair of foam-rubber flip-flops they have. Mine cost like $8 and held up the whole hike, through many a town perambulation and many a steep shelter blue-blaze to water. Quite a bit lighter than Crocs and serve most of the same purposes. You can even cut the toe divider out so socks fit in better.

Cookerhiker
01-17-2013, 17:02
I like having them, mostly for airing and drying the feet once I'm in camp and the socks are off hanging.

Re. fords, I did a 46 mile hike on the Ozark Highlands Trail last Spring sans my camp shoes. The 4 fords reminded my why I like camp shoes.

bigcranky
01-17-2013, 17:10
If you're wearing light and comfortable trail shoes, there is no real need for camp shoes. But I still like bringing them on longer hikes. In cooler weather I bring my old Waldies (like Crocs, but they were all the rage in '03 on the trail. Now that I think about it, they are 10 years old and still going strong.) In the summer I like just cheapo flip flops.

Miner
01-17-2013, 17:24
Given that you will start the trail in worse shape then your body will be after several weeks on the trail, you might want to start without them and if you feel the need latter, add them in when you are stronger and won't mind the weight as much.

That said, I've never seen a reason for them. I wear lightweight trail runner shoes. At fords, I take the socks and insoles out and hike across the ford in my shoes and put them back in once I'm on the other side. The shoes dry faster with less things in them to aborb water. In camp, I tie the laces really loose so I can slip my feet into and out of them easily and never found them tiring to wear in camp.

Carry-On
01-17-2013, 22:28
I wore trail runners, Brooks Cascadias, and I tried a couple different camp shoes. At first I tried a minimalist barefoot shoe, but they didn't stay on my feet, so not helpful for walking around town. Then I bought some "water" shoes at Walmart and they stunk and weren't great for water, because they wouldn't dry. I kept them until Maine, though. I found a pair of crocs at a hostel just in time for all the river crossings in Maine and I loved those crocs, but they were heavier than some other crocs I saw. I did try fording in my shoes and they stayed too wet for my feet. Several hostels make you remove your wet, muddy, stinky hiking boots/shoes so camp shoes can be helpful then, and just for a break for your feet to air out. I finished the last few weeks of my 2012 thruhike in new waterproof shoes due to the snow from hurricane Sandy. I got rid of those crocs at the same time because my feet had been freezing in them. I regretted giving up the crocs, especially due to the fact that my new waterproof shoes gave me blisters after 1900 miles of no blisters and I had no way to air out my feet or give the blisters a break. Almost every thruhiker I met had a pair of camp shoes of some sort.

prain4u
01-17-2013, 22:37
I have done three different things when hiking--each method had both pros and cons:

1) No camp shoes at all. Pros: No weight and no space taken up in my pack. No cost. Cons: Risk of injury to feet while fording or wading--unless I chose to get my hiking shoes wet. Choices in camp or on the trail were use my hiking shoes or go barefoot.

2) Flip-flops. Pros: Comfortable. Great for airing our feet and letting them dry. Lets hiking shoes air out. Good for use in a shower. Lighter than some options. Cons: Adds some weight and takes up some space in pack. Better than nothing when wading/fording--but sometimes hard to keep on feet an walk safely in certain water conditions.

3) Water shoes / Water socks. Pros: Good for wading/fording. Comfortable. Closer to a "real" shoe and can be used as a semi-backup pair of footwear for hiking. Cons: Heaviest of the three options. Not as good for airing out feet and letting feet dry. Not as good as flip flops for shower shoes.

I once developed a group of very bad blisters which quickly became very painful open sores (my only trip where this happened). My water shoes did not rub in the same spots as my hiking shoes. Thus, I put on my water shoes and I slowly and carefully hiked in them for the last two days of that hiking trip. Glad I had the water shoes with me.

Mike2012
01-17-2013, 22:38
No.

Ref: 2012 thru hike

4Bears
01-17-2013, 23:06
Needed?? Not really, but can be handy. I don't like the way flip flops cut between my toes, so I like to use a pair of slides only slightly heavier than flip flops but lighter than crocs, good in the shower as well.

Mike2012
01-17-2013, 23:44
Better to make that .36 oz of Oklahomas finest

pbr
01-18-2013, 03:13
Foam Ladies Beach Wear Sandals (bright blue) from walmart! They weigh absolutely nothing and have toe protection for those wonderful rocks. I saw 3 ladies with them on last years hike.

Good luck finding them anymore though, and especially in your size- I took the last XXL pair :p

leaftye
01-18-2013, 03:35
Need? No. But flip-flops can be nice, if you want to air your poor feet out each afternoon. They're light and cheap and easily replaced. But I guess it all depends on what you're wearing when walking (i.e., boots vs. shoes), and if the weight of any additional footwear is tolerable to you. I hike in well-ventilated running shoes, and so they can double their duties as camp shoes, though they suck when it comes time to go bowling.

Agreed. I like having flip flops or slides to walk around in when I'm airing out my feet, shoes and socks during breaks. Even after a couple months on the trail, my feet are still too sensitive to walk on the course rocks littering the trail around here. Plus flip flops keeps my feet cleaner.

They're VERY nice to have on nero or zero days. Blistered feet will really appreciate the extra ventilation. They're nice for showering at hostels and public showers too.

If the weight is a concern, replace the straps with fabric straps or cords, and then plug them into form fitting holes in your foam pack or pack.

daddytwosticks
01-18-2013, 08:18
Some folks (me included) have made ultra-light flip flops from shoe insoles and thin cord. Only use them in warmer weather on short hikes. :)

leaftye
01-18-2013, 08:32
Some folks (me included) have made ultra-light flip flops from shoe insoles and thin cord. Only use them in warmer weather on short hikes. :)

I kind of went the other way. I made flip flops from a foam pad. The flip flops are small enough to fit into my shoes and make them extra cushy. I put them under my pad for extra insulation. I haven't gone so far as to have them fit into cutouts in my pad. If I went that far, it'd only be to minimize bulk.

mtnkngxt
01-18-2013, 09:13
Nope, don't mess with them.

Don H
01-18-2013, 09:25
Reasons for carrying Crocs:
1. Nice to air out the feet and they feel great after hiking all day
2. Crossing streams
3. Wearing in public showers to avoid athlete's foot.
4. Back up for hiking shoes (yes people have hiked the entire AT in Crocs)

Turk6177
01-18-2013, 10:18
I started a week long hike without them, and will never leave them at home again. I really wanted to just strip my shoes off at the end of the day and let my feet breathe. I did the same at lunch, drying my socks a bit and letting my feet breathe. When you are in camp, you walk around a lot getting water, cooking, visiting, etc. The last think I wanted to do was put on shoes to do those little chores. IMHO, they are worth the weight.

Lyle
01-18-2013, 10:26
Necessary? No.

Desirable? I think so, so I carry something light (Crock knock-offs from Dollar General)

Back when we wore heavy leather boots, they were more "necessary". Today with light weight hiking shoes, many folks are happy without them. They are still comfy and convenient to have around camp, plus gives an emergency option if your shoes suffer a catastrophic failure - not likely, but has happened.

wornoutboots
01-18-2013, 10:33
I've hiked with & without them. Personally when I haven't had them I really regretted it! I hike a lot of 15+ mile days & my dogs are really barking when I pull up at camp. Nothing like letting them properly air out & recoup while your at camp. I carry wannbe crocs

poopsy
01-18-2013, 10:38
It looks like everyone has an opinion and some go for it and others don't.

The best piece of advice I ever got for the end of a day and you don't want to carry extra footwear, is TAKE OUT YOUR INSOLES! I don't know why it feels better but it does. Maybe it gives your feet more room, maybe it lets your feet restructure themselves a bit, I don't know. But it really does work.

rusty bumper
01-18-2013, 10:53
No camp shoes for me....I just loosen the laces on my lightweight hiking shoes when I get to camp. For stream/river fording, I just plow on through with my shoes and socks on my feet. They usually dry out pretty quickly and even if they don't, walking in wet shoes and socks is no big deal.

VTATHiker
01-18-2013, 11:00
Do you need them? No. I didn't use them at all going sobo this year. Had I heard about garlic08's technique back in August, I might have tried that out. I felt very comfortable fording streams barefoot - especially since I had trek poles. If it was already a wet/rainy day then I just forded with shoes on. I hiked in trail runners that were comfortable - comfortable enough that I didn't feel the need to take them off in camp.

I like Miner's suggestion - start your hike without and then decide after you get your legs under you. I thought about getting a pair of sandals while on the trail a few times, but every time I held them in my hands in a store I couldn't think of enough times when I needed them to justify the purchase and the weight.

colorado_rob
01-18-2013, 12:43
The best piece of advice I ever got for the end of a day and you don't want to carry extra footwear, is TAKE OUT YOUR INSOLES! I don't know why it feels better but it does. Maybe it gives your feet more room, maybe it lets your feet restructure themselves a bit, I don't know. But it really does work. Yep, this works great for me as well. Take out the insoles, and remove your socks... my hikers then feel like slippers to me. I cross creeks this way too (w/o insoles and socks), because the shoes dry faster that way. I used to carry a 10oz pair of Crocs, then I figured out they were basically dead weight.

markc7
01-19-2013, 10:10
As others have said, they may not be strictly necessary. But for the minimal weight that they add, I certainly find them a good trade off. When leaving the hostel in Gorham I left behind my flip flops and hiked the whole Whites without camp shoes; that is not something I'd like to repeat.

shelb
01-19-2013, 11:54
duplicate post delete

shelb
01-19-2013, 11:55
For weekend hikes, I don't bother with camp shoes. For anything over a week, camp shoes - even if just flipflops- are SO nice to put on at the end of the day! Plus, if you spend any time in town, it is great to be able to get out of the hiking boot/shoe and socks!

Don H
01-19-2013, 14:47
"plus gives an emergency option if your shoes suffer a catastrophic failure - not likely, but has happened."
Tell that to the guy who left his shoes outside at Lake of the Clouds Hut and a fox ran off with one of them!

Big Suave
01-19-2013, 16:34
Very nice to have, especially when your shoes/boots inevitably get soaked!

MyName1sMud
01-21-2013, 10:34
I met a woman this summer in New Hampshire who was in her 50s that had completed more than one thru hike wearing just chacos the whole way - - she was trucking right along - - forgot her name - - HYOH
I've been debating if I want to do it in a pair of Chacos.

I hiked from Bryson City, NC to Clingmans Dome and back in a pair. Actually had less problems with my feet on that hike than I ever had before.

Or you could always just go barefoot like Cody Lundin/The Barefoot Sisters

Chaco Taco
01-21-2013, 12:24
Thanks all!
For those who said they don't carry camp shoes, how do you cross streams? Bare foot? I'm going SOBO so I'll probably ford a lot of streams early on.

Thanks garlic08! That was a helpful tip.
I just crossed in my trailrunners. They will dry out. I did take off my socks and removed insoles and crossed in just shoes. No problem

snickersbar
01-21-2013, 12:27
Thank you!

QiWiz
01-22-2013, 12:20
Hello WB!

Moosky here. I'm going through my gear list again to try to shed some weight. I remember some one said that he never used camp shoes. Camp shoes can be pretty heavy. A pair of cros can weigh 12 ounces I think. I'm wondering, do I really need camp shoes? What is the purpose for camp shoes? If they are necessary, any light-weight substitutes?

Thanks!
Moosky

I hike in trail runners. When in camp, I loosen the laces - instant camp shoes! No extra weight. If I expect to have to do wet-foot stream crossings, I either go barefoot, or use some mesh pool shoes that are less than 2 oz the pair. Not sure these are still available, at least in my size (mens XL). They look like these without the bow: http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/16539.htm

hauptman
02-02-2013, 01:56
No...:rolleyes:

MuddyWaters
02-02-2013, 03:26
No, not needed.
If you wear heavy boots that hurt your feet, you will appreciate them though.

There is also no reason to fear wet feet, in lightwt shoes that drain well.
At least not in temps above freezing
In the summer, walking thru cold streams feels great, cools your body down, cleans your socks of dirt.

poncho
02-03-2013, 19:09
socks and shoe insoles great idea thanks SLO