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Post by Coolkat on Jul 13, 2020 5:57:23 GMT -8
I'm wondering who if anyone here does or has done a multi-day hike in sandals? I'm sorely tempted to but I never do. I have a pair of Teva sandals that I think I could probably do this in but each time I'm sorely tempted to try it I always back out. So I'd like to hear the thoughts of others on this.
I know that people backpack in shorts. I've seen it a lot in pics, stories, and youtube videos but I never have simply because a lot of the time my campsites are not on the trail and the thought of walking through stinging nettles or briars sends me back to my pants.
I'm making an assumption that those here who do mainly off-trail probably never do either.
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cweston
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Post by cweston on Jul 13, 2020 6:07:52 GMT -8
Tevas: I think all questions about footwear depend heavily on the individual details of a person's feet. I *need* arch support. I did a 3-mile stretch of a BP once in Tevas, because it involved multiple river crossings and I thought the disadvantage in support would be offset by the advantage of not having to change footwear or get my boots wet. Not for me: my feet were killing me for weeks after that. but HYOH, of course: for someone with different feet, it could be fine. Shorts: I wear shorts 99.9% of the time in 3-season BPing. I run pretty hot, and to me the ventilation is definitely worth my shins getting a little banged up. And I do a lot of off-trail. I usually wear gaiters if I'll be in snow or bushwhacking. That way your legs are mostly protected, but you still get that ventilation up the shorts legs. (As in my avatar pic.) In summer, the only pants I bring are my rain pants. Honestly, hiking in long pants in temps above, say, 50 is like torture to me.
(I have thick, muscular legs--it's a family trait. So long pants are tight and bindy on me in a way that they may not be for people with thinner legs.)
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jul 13, 2020 6:34:20 GMT -8
Not sandals, but I have done a 10-day backpack in CO in minimalist shoes.
On dayhikes I'll wear what's appropriate for the route. When backpacking or bushwhacking, I almost always hike in zip-leg pants... the best of both worlds.
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balzaccom
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Post by balzaccom on Jul 13, 2020 7:07:04 GMT -8
We hike in the Sierra, where many of the trails are decomposed granite. Think tiny little crystals of quartz. Think sharp pointy grains of sand in your sandals.
I wear Crocs as camp shoes and water shoes, but every time I try to walk a bit further in them, I get something wedged between my feet and the shoe...a tiny, pointy grain of sand...
On the other hand, on our recent trip to Yosemite we came upon two young women who were hiking along a soft trail in Tuolumne Meadows in sandals. I asked them where they were going, and they told me they had just finished a section of the John Muir Trail.
In those sandals???
Nope. In boots. They had just put on the sandals for the 1 mile walk back to the car through the meadow.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 13, 2020 7:27:05 GMT -8
I sunburn easily, so I always were long pants when I am going to be outside for multiple hours at a time. At home, I wear short constantly, except when I go kayaking. If I wear shorts in the boat, the tops of my thighs burn severely enough to be more than mildly painful.
As for shoes, I seldom wear sandals, even in the boat. Trail runners constantly. Old pairs for kayaking, newer ones for backpacking.
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Jul 13, 2020 7:35:57 GMT -8
I've done one short overnight in Tevas, they worked just fine, but I have a very light pack, and didn't cover a great deal of mileage, probably about 2 miles on day one, maybe 5 on day two. On another occasion I spent 4 days in the Gila Wilderness, and the first 3 days were spent in Chacos (with neoprene socks) due to the constant river crossings. I had a heavier pack on that trip, and was surprised at how comfortable I was. Not super long mileage days, but over some pretty rough and uneven terrain. To me, the biggest drawback to sandals is what balzaccom has described--rocks and other trail debris getting into my shoes.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 13, 2020 7:53:10 GMT -8
Even if the sandals were adequate in all other regards, I wouldn't hike in them because small pebbles & various forms of grit always get between my foot and the sandals.
I do however wear sandals around camp.
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leafwalker
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Post by leafwalker on Jul 13, 2020 7:54:56 GMT -8
For me, I almost always hike in long pants to avoid leg scratches, ivy, and insects and to keep debris out of my boots. I wear boots and long pants almost all the time unless the trail is some city/state park pea gravel hardly could be called a trail thing. Then I might wear gym shoes. Sandals would be something I would never wear on a trail. Little support and too much debris and irregular surface could make my feet hurt. And, the fewer ouchies the better.
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almostthere
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Post by almostthere on Jul 13, 2020 8:01:20 GMT -8
I knew a guy who wore Tevas all the time. I tried it - sticks, rocks and junk underfoot pretty much constantly. It's all fun and games til you get a stick jammed in between your toes. Never figured out how the guy managed it. Maybe he could walk on air and never touched the trail?
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Jul 13, 2020 8:07:51 GMT -8
Sandals: I just repaired a 30 year old pair of Teva Hurricanes. Their only function in life was for water crossing while hiking. I have had to hike a few miles in them when confronted with multiple stream crossings, and did okay but it was not pleasant for me. I never ever conditioned my feet to be bare or in sandals. I think that is key. If you are a bare footer and sandal wearer everyday, right now and have history, I would not be surprised if you could hike trails, at least good trails, in them. And present day, I carry my failed experiments in trail runners as crossing shoes, because I can when pressed, use them for a full day of hiking if necessary if they have decent fitted insoles.
Shorts and kilts: Cannot do it. Bonus I have tightly wound chicken legs and can wear pants and still have most loose and floppy. It is the best bug and sun proofing I can manage. I even bike in long parts.
Last Saturday a friend and I were hiking game trails and some outfitter/hunter tracks up a beautiful alpine canyon. Crossing a little bentonite flavored bog, I spun out on tetter rock and went down on a knee, then hip into almost bottomless muck. I went to the nearby stream, stripped down, and rinsed long pants and shirt out. Friend: you shorts (long leg briefs) look like shorts, just wear them. Me: okay until the crossing on way out. (two hours away and pants should dry) I did not last a mile back when my friend suggested I put the pants back on as she was trying to listen for birds and my yelping at every black fly bite was distracting.
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Post by burntfoot on Jul 13, 2020 9:17:49 GMT -8
Asking for trouble with the sandals for a multi-day trip.
As for shorts, I see many people doing this, but I won't. I've tried shorts from time to time. But sunburn, thorns and pricklies, wet in the morning from the dew, and stinging nettles cured me of that.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Jul 13, 2020 9:45:11 GMT -8
I'll wear shorts most of the time when hiking or even around town. I never wear sandals while hiking or backpacking. Protecting your feet should be one of the most important goals when hiking.
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balzaccom
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Post by balzaccom on Jul 13, 2020 10:22:10 GMT -8
Oh, we do shorts, when it's hot and we're on a maintained trail? Of course. Bushwhacking off trail? No thanks.
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jul 13, 2020 12:12:51 GMT -8
I’ll go with sandals on highly-maintained trail in forested areas. Think northern part of the PCT, or where the CT intersects with the CDT, etc.. I’ve used Chacos but switched to the hiking versions of Tevas. Thing is I’ll wear with synthetic socks.
Also some thru hikers have hiked the desert parts of the AZT (Arizona Trail), Grand Enchantment Trail (GET), or south parts of the PCT with sandals. Not sure I’d want to chance the desert in them.
Shorts almost always but again on maintained trail. I’ll go with a longer inseam (9 inch) of a mesh design.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 13, 2020 12:23:26 GMT -8
Like Zeke, I sunburn easily, and probably 15 years ago switched to always wearing long pants. Before that, I hiked in shorts. Once in a while I dayhike in shorts, but the need for tons of sunscreen, and the risk of poison oak, bug bites, etc., makes it less fun than I expect. My ventilation compromise is to wear zip-off pants, and unzip the legs about 1/3 to 1/2 way. That lets in a surprising amount of air and very few mosquitos or bits of sun.
As for sandals: nope, nope, never could. My feet, even when I used to go barefoot way back, have always been very thin-skinned on top, so sandals rub them badly. I can’t even wear them barefoot around town. For stream crossings I carry croc-like-things or very light sneakers. The latter could be hiked in in an emergency, though I’d have to be very careful of foot placement.
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