Crocs and other camp shoes?

[Pennsylvania Rose]

I don't usually take camp shoes with me backpacking. When I do, I take surf socks or sandals. And, I know I'd never rely on my (knock-off) crocs. They're very comfy to slip on to take the dog out or check the mail, as long as I wear them with a thick pair of socks. Sockless, they give me blisters on the top of my foot. And, I'll never get how people can hike or cross streams in crocs. I've about broken my ankle creek walking or just going down the steps off my deck when the steps are wet. I slide all over the place.

[rafe]

It's important to take care of your feet. Keeping them as dry as possible is always a good idea.

Funny how this logic seems to escape people.....

I agree. I managed to live w/o "camp shoes" once I switched to lightweight trail runners last summer -- but I wasn't walking on a wet muddy trail, either. Camp shoes are a nice "luxury." Ya gotta take care of your feet, and that means getting them warm and dry at night.

[bigcranky]

I go back and forth on camp shoes. I have a pair of Waldies that I bought at Neel Gap in 2003, and they're still in great shape. Waldies are softer and more comfortable than Crocs, IMO. But they're 11 ounces in my size. But they are soooo comfortable in camp and in town. But they're 11 ounces. And bulky. But it's so nice to put on dry shoes in camp. But they're 11 ounces. But they're so much easier to slip on for those middle-of-the-night trips to the woods.

So, yeah, I'm of two minds. But here's the thing -- when I bring them, I'm happy, and when I don't bring them, I wish I had. So they usually end up in my pack.

[MtnBikerGuy]

My Croc's go with me on all trips, including backpacking and vacations. Even wore them on the long flight to Paris last year. Croc's and a pair of Smartwool socks and my feet are confortable and warm.

[dessertrat]

I have some skechers croc knockoffs that are lighter and smaller, and more comfortable too, I think. They are ccf. I would not take them with me unless I knew I would be doing a lot of stream fording.

[Green Bean]

I love my CROCS

[take-a-knee]

It's not a question of how the hiking shoes fit. When I get to camp, I want something drier on my feet. It's nice to get out of wet boots and wet socks and put dry socks on. Don't want to stick dry socks in wet boots, hence, camp shoes. It's important to take care of your feet. Keeping them as dry as possible is always a good idea.

Funny how this logic seems to escape people.....

Why did you let your feet get wet in the first place, didn't you change your sox and powder your feet during the day? If it is raining and you are wearing trail runners, goretex socks work fine. If it is well below freezing, VBL socks are the ticket, under those conditions I would (and have) carried some polarguard booties. I see camp shoes as a comfortable solution to a non-existent problem.

[Peak2Peak]

I use a pair of scuba diving "booties" - lightweight, flexible, dry quickly when turned inside out, and great in water. Any scuba diving shop carries them.

[rafe]

I use a pair of scuba diving "booties" - lightweight, flexible, dry quickly when turned inside out, and great in water. Any scuba diving shop carries them.

Nylon mesh shoes (like these) do the job, sorta, and are very light (about 2 oz for the pair.) Trouble is, the soles are so thin that twigs and sharp stones can poke through. Ouch.

[Lilred]

Why did you let your feet get wet in the first place, didn't you change your sox and powder your feet during the day? If it is raining and you are wearing trail runners, goretex socks work fine. If it is well below freezing, VBL socks are the ticket, under those conditions I would (and have) carried some polarguard booties. I see camp shoes as a comfortable solution to a non-existent problem.

Why did I let my feet get wet?? Didn't I change my socks and powder my feet during the day?? when and how would I do that when it could very well be raining all day. Have you done any hiking on the AT??

The Appalachian range is the second largest rain forest in the world. It rains, a lot. Your very first question tells me you either don't hike very much, or you don't hike on the AT much.

[gungho]

My Croc's go with me on all trips, including backpacking and vacations. Even wore them on the long flight to Paris last year. Croc's and a pair of Smartwool socks and my feet are confortable and warm.

mr crocs are definetly like my american express card "I don't leave home without them"

[rafe]

Anyone actually had good luck with Goretex socks or other types of "waterproof" socks on the AT? Strikes me as improbable, but I wouldn't mind being wrong about that.

[Mocs123]

My boots are always hot and sweaty at the end of the day and I always change into crocs when I get to camp so my boots can dry out. It isn't that my boots are uncomfortable, but I hate putting on wet (or frozen) boots in the morning. If I wore quicker drying trail runners it might not be as big of an issue.

[Lilred]

Anyone actually had good luck with Goretex socks or other types of "waterproof" socks on the AT? Strikes me as improbable, but I wouldn't mind being wrong about that.

Ya that's what I thought. So your feet sweat and stay wet from sweat? Why would you want to do that to your feet?

[take-a-knee]

Anyone actually had good luck with Goretex socks or other types of "waterproof" socks on the AT? Strikes me as improbable, but I wouldn't mind being wrong about that.

Yes, when it is cold enough to matter if your socks get soaked. If it is warm enough to not matter if your socks are wet, then you didn't need the goretex anyway. They work well with trail runners, as the day warms you can take them off if your feet heat up, can't do that with goretex boots. Sgt Rock has said that he's had good luck with Sealskin socks in similar conditions, I've not tried those yet, though I have a pair I was issued. I've used the goretex socks on a couple of freefall trainups in Yuma AZ in January and I was the only guy there with warm feet.

[take-a-knee]

Why did I let my feet get wet?? Didn't I change my socks and powder my feet during the day?? when and how would I do that when it could very well be raining all day. Have you done any hiking on the AT??

The Appalachian range is the second largest rain forest in the world. It rains, a lot. Your very first question tells me you either don't hike very much, or you don't hike on the AT much.

The AT, what is that, how do I get there?

Have you ever heard of building a fire and drying your gear at night? That worked in the "Pre-Croc" era, and it doesn't weigh anything. I just don't see the logic in buying UL gear so you can carry "camp shoes". To each his own.

[Mrs Baggins]

Ya that's what I thought. So your feet sweat and stay wet from sweat? Why would you want to do that to your feet?

I love getting out of my boots and socks at the end of the day, wiggle the toes, let the feet breeeeeeeathe. Feels soooo good. And since I have to bush wee at least once, maybe twice, during the night it's just so easy to slip on my Nothinz and go....no putting on boots that I have to shake out first to make sure no one else has moved in in the dark, tripping on laces, clomping around in the night........and in town I can let the boots have a good dry out while I wear my Nothinz and let my feet have a good airing out.

[mystic]

Don't know anything about these but it is cool website.

[Tin Man]

Don't know anything about these but it is cool website.

Wow, all that coding for ... flip-flops.

[Lilred]

The AT, what is that, how do I get there?

Have you ever heard of building a fire and drying your gear at night? That worked in the "Pre-Croc" era, and it doesn't weigh anything. I just don't see the logic in buying UL gear so you can carry "camp shoes". To each his own.

I don't understand how you don't see the logic. If it's been raining for days, which I hike in every year I've gone out, how is it logical to dry my boots by the fire? Am I to walk in mud barefoot while they dry? That'll be real nice for the bag....

I seriously don't get your blindness to the fact that there just might be a need for camp shoes, crocs or otherwise, on the AT.