shoes for fording

[treesloth]

agreed... i am still embarassed that i said a pair of crocs were cool....did i say that outloud??!!?? are you sure it was me?!? did i mention i was abducted by aliens about 20 mins ago??!!?

It's already documented on WB servers that you said that. ;-) Well, we abused the threads here pretty good, but that's ok, it was your OP anyways, G-bear! Thanks to you and everyone else who chimed in, I definitely learned a few things.

[gizzy bear]

It's already documented on WB servers that you said that. ;-) Well, we abused the threads here pretty good, but that's ok, it was your OP anyways, G-bear! Thanks to you and everyone else who chimed in, I definitely learned a few things.

i like learnin and laughing...and not necessarily in that order...it was fun

[AjR]

Yeah, just take off your socks and ford the stream in just the shoes. With trail runners, you can put your socks back on immediately and yes, the shoes will get your socks a little damp but not soaked.


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I had a fording situation in my merrel's, I didn't even take my socks off, and it was about mid 50's high sixties, and my feet dried quick, never got cold, and never blistered. That's why I swear by those shoes....

[Blissful]

Bring crocs. I had no issue at all fording in Maine both times. The only way I can see them falling off is if you are in white water, and that is PCT stuff.
The idea of getting your boots wet and having them stay wet day after day (and they will), no fun.

[gizzy bear]

I had a fording situation in my merrel's, I didn't even take my socks off, and it was about mid 50's high sixties, and my feet dried quick, never got cold, and never blistered. That's why I swear by those shoes....

LOVE to hear that!!!! my merrell hiking boots are like wearing velvet and just about as light... love them... but you were talking about the shoes, right?

[gizzy bear]

The idea of getting your boots wet and having them stay wet day after day (and they will), no fun.

blissful...EXACTLY what i am hoping to avoid...when i can...

[Feral Bill]

[QUOTE=
The idea of getting your boots wet and having them stay wet day after day (and they will), no fun.[/QUOTE]
I've done this. The squishy reality is no fun either.

[hikerboy57]

try one boot and one croc and see which works best

[colorado_rob]

Crocs are great, but they do weigh 11 ounces (well, mine do). Doesn't sound like a ton, but it adds up, and if you have comfy hiking shoes there is no additional need for crocs (like in camp). So my recent M.O. is two-fold, depending on how gnarly the water crossing is. (I simply cannot cross anything but smooth sand or mud in bare feet)

For a relative gentle one, I simply take the opportunity to launder my socks, meaning take shoes off, leave socks on and cross. On the other side, rinse out socks, wring, hang to dry on back of pack and put on 2nd pair of (dry) socks and hike on. It is suprising how much "support" and traction I get just having socks on.

For more gnarly crossings where great traction is important, I simply remove my socks and the foot beds / liners, put bare shoes on and cross, get as much water off the shoes as possible, then put dry liners back in and dry socks back on then Hike On. Much less water absorbed this way and my lightweight boots dry fairly well and fast, of course depending on the weather and such.

so bottom line: no extra water shoes. It ain't worth the weight IMHO. Just my way.

[Namaste]

Crocs have worked for me in deep, fast flowing waters but I've worn boots many times especially in Maine.

[Feral Bill]

try one boot and one croc and see which works best

No way! You'll end up going in circles.

[hikerboy57]

No way! You'll end up going in circles.

that changes nothing. ive been going around in circles for years. somebody point me north!my stupid compass needle keeps pointing south instead of north!

[YohonPetro]

I hated Crocs, sent them home after a few weeks. I went barefoot on the fords. It's all a matter of personal preference... Just like 99% of other gear choices!

[cabbagehead]

The swim shoes are worth the weight because I often hike in them. Get a thin pair of water shoes and remove the insoles. Mine are lighter than Crocs. I also carry regular shoes. Right now I have Merrel Geomorph Stretch shoes. I hike barefoot, in water shoes, or in hiking shoes depending on the terrain.

[wnderer]

I have neoprene scuba socks. I don't usually carry them in the summer but I use them in cold weather. I don't think they weigh much more then normal socks.

[hikerboy57]

have you tried soaking your feet in tea first?

[swjohnsey]

Unless you are gonna stop and put on your Crocs every time you get to a boggy spot your boots/shoes are gonna be wet, 'specially the first couple of days of the 100 mile wilderness. The rivers bottoms are rocky and very slick. I wouldn't risk goin' barefoot. It would be nice if the folks in Maine could figure out this bridge thang.

[Darwin13]

not a good idea. the rocks are slippery, and you will stub your toes.
instead of crocs, i used vivobarefoot shoes for camp shoes, had intended to use them for crossings, but ended up just weraing my shoes.

well i would argue that I have been using this technique so I am assuming you are specifically refering to the rivers in Maine and in that case I would say thank you because I have no knowledge of those rivers.

[hikerboy57]

well i would argue that I have been using this technique so I am assuming you are specifically refering to the rivers in Maine and in that case I would say thank you because I have no knowledge of those rivers.

these are not sandy bottoms. maine is like one giant glacial moraine with roots bogs and streams thrown in.the footing on"dry" ground is bad enough.

[LDog]

4 ounces..........

I'm pretty sure I have these same shoes - Vivobarefoot ultra w/o inserts - and on my scale they weigh 4 ozs each. Still damned light but not 4 ozs/pr ...

I left them home after hiking through GA and NC, and wished I had them in Maine for the 7 or so river fords there ...