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Thread: Camp shoes?

  1. #21
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    I bring flip-flops. My baseweight is 11 pounds.

    Lots of folks seem to mention stream crossing as a additional use for camp shoes. I forded a few streams in northern Maine only. It's much safer to use your regular hiking boots (removing insoles and socks) for the very few fords you will encounter. If you wear trail runners, they'll dry out in an hour.
    Springer to Katahdin: 1991-2018

  2. #22

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    Forgot to mention another advantage to loosening your laces up at night, if you had to do a ford towards the end of the day where there is no chance they will dry out before dark, and the overnight temperature drops below freezing so your shoes freeze stiff, with the laces loosen up you can still manage to work your feet into them in the morning, tightening them up after hiking a shortways when they have regained some flexibility. Much better than the alternative of dunking your shoes in water to defrost them before putting them on in the cold morning. Of course, others will try to mumble something about water shoes, but for something that so rarely happens, it's not worth planning for.

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Miner View Post
    Forgot to mention another advantage to loosening your laces up at night, if you had to do a ford towards the end of the day where there is no chance they will dry out before dark, and the overnight temperature drops below freezing so your shoes freeze stiff, with the laces loosen up you can still manage to work your feet into them in the morning, tightening them up after hiking a shortways when they have regained some flexibility. Much better than the alternative of dunking your shoes in water to defrost them before putting them on in the cold morning. Of course, others will try to mumble something about water shoes, but for something that so rarely happens, it's not worth planning for.
    This may seem like a minor inconvenience if you've never experienced it, but it's infuriating trying to get your foot into a frozen shoe or boot that absolutely, positively will not flex or allow you to loosen the laces.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by fudgefoot View Post
    This is brilliant. I just ordered a pair and am going to give them a try. I've been using Crocs for years but they are clunky and not that light. The other nice thing abut the XC flats is they have laces which make them more secure in stream crossings. The single strap on the Crocs is not that secure and I always worry about them coming off and floating downstream.
    4.6 ounces for amazing shoes always makes me happy, and I’m not even a weight weenie. I was really happy to have them on the Arizona Trail this fall when a significant amount of water came from cattle tanks. It usually involved multiple steps through shoe sucking cow poop at the waters edge (really selling the trail, aren’t I?). Camp shoes also rinse off better.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by DougWise View Post
    I have a very old pair of crocs (Off brand). They seem to be much softer and lighter than the brand name crocs. I like to have them.....great to put on when you have to walk across a creek and dont want to get your boots wet injure your hooves. Also nice to slip on at night for a restroom run. Nice to put on while your boots are drying out beside a fire when you get to camp after a long day - Thats the long answer.

    Short answer - I like to have my old walmart crocs when I spend a few days on the trail.
    Crocs are heavy... Off brands are usually lighter because they are made with a lighter weight material. They are NOT thick enough to walk any great distance, but great as water shoes and camp / midnight run shoes.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    4.6 ounces for amazing shoes always makes me happy, and I’m not even a weight weenie. I was really happy to have them on the Arizona Trail this fall when a significant amount of water came from cattle tanks. It usually involved multiple steps through shoe sucking cow poop at the waters edge (really selling the trail, aren’t I?). Camp shoes also rinse off better.
    is that 4.6oz each or for the pair?

  7. #27

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    I used to bring camp shoes... I tried Crocs, some very basic slippers; I called them prison slippers, water shoes... I gave up.. Every time I would wear them around camp I would slip and fall because of the lack of traction. I went into a stream trying to filter water once... that was it!

    Now I just loosen the laces of my hikers and wear them, or go barefoot if I can see there is absolutely no chance of injury.


    BTW I had to google the Track Shoes... that is genius! I might keep my eye out for some on clearance shelves...
    Last edited by OhioHiker; 01-16-2021 at 08:15.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    is that 4.6oz each or for the pair?
    I’ve been trying to figure this out for years, it doesn’t help that I’m the last backpacker left on earth without a digital scale. I figure at the 4 oz listed for the women’s Saucony Kilkenny (4.6 is for the men’s) no matter what happens it is lower than the listed weight for crocs (and they are lighter in my hands).

    As a FYI, if anyone looks into XC shoes, most of the time you will see spikes. These are no problem to buy. They will come with little metal spikes and a spike key, obviously you just don’t put the spikes in. There are little holes in the bottom, worse thing that will happen is that they get some dirt in them. It’s no big deal.

  9. #29
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    Ah, good info Prov! I was skipping over the ones that mentioned 'spikes'.

  10. #30
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    I found a pair of the track shoes - 3.5 oz via Amazon for less than $20 shipped to the house.
    Thanks for the tip -
    Doug

  11. #31
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    That makes me happy. I hope they work out.

    Now I feel bad, I considered sharing this year’s ago but I assumed everyone would just shrug their shoulders and go on with their crocs.

  12. #32

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    I started without them and have never regretted adding them to my kit. It is nice at the end of the day to take the shoes off and let those puppies breathe.
    Whether you think you can, or think you can't--you're right--Henry Ford; The Journey Is The Destination

  13. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by garlic08 View Post
    What are your trail shoes? Mine are so comfortable and dry so quickly it makes no sense to bring second pair.
    What are you hiking in?? Sounds great--comfort and being able to dry out.
    ------------

    I've never brought along camp shoes because of weight and the seeming hassle of hanging crocks or some other shoes from my pack.
    But I wished I had something many times in camp!

  14. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by DougWise View Post
    I found a pair of the track shoes - 3.5 oz via Amazon for less than $20 shipped to the house.
    Thanks for the tip -
    Doug
    Per shoe or for the pair?

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffic Jam View Post
    Will you be staying at hostels or campgrounds? If so, you want shoes that you can wear in a communal shower.
    I agree. I carry camp shoes mostly for that purpose. Otherwise, it is a matter of comfort.

  16. #36
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    On XC shoes if you don't want to wear the spikes they make studs that screw in to keep the dirt out of the threads. The studs stay below the tread of the shoe so they don't impact the use. I ran XC for 5 years.

  17. #37
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    Default Track shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    Per shoe or for the pair?
    It looks like it’s for the pair. Look at Saucony Ballista Md Track Shoe on Amazon.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikerfixit View Post
    On XC shoes if you don't want to wear the spikes they make studs that screw in to keep the dirt out of the threads. The studs stay below the tread of the shoe so they don't impact the use. I ran XC for 5 years.
    I love that everyone can learn something new everyday. I just kept the spikes out when I didn’t need them (I only ran xc informally as an adult at opens).

    I never ran track (although I have run ultras ON a track, but that isn’t close), so I’m not familiar with the shoes. I always went with XC shoes because they are built for water, dirt, and grass. The track shoes probably don’t have the same tread (but you may not want that) and of course they still run in the rain and do steeplechase, so I’m really interested in hearing the verdict on them!

  19. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    I never ran track (although I have run ultras ON a track, but that isn’t close
    What was it like doing one on the track? All of mine have been trail events. Hard to get my head wrapped around a short course ultra.

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    What was it like doing one on the track? All of mine have been trail events. Hard to get my head wrapped around a short course ultra.
    I really loved it. I used to be competitive in 24 hour races and the track ones were my fav. The surface is fast and forgiving and there is an aid station every 400 meters. People think it will be monotonous but you get involved in the races of the people around you. There is always someone who is three days older than God going for a 50k American record so it becomes a welcome distraction.

    I liked trail races but I’m a Chicagoan and used to flat pavement so I would get my but kicked on trails. Plus I started questioning why I would travel somewhere beautiful and spend my time looking at the ground or seeing nothing at 3 am during a 100. I became a backpacker from that.

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