Poll: Footwear on stream crossings.
My choice and outlook on water crossings has changed over time. Just curious how others do it.
Last edited by BirdBrain; 04-13-2015 at 08:15.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Seeing that the poll is not filling up yet, I will take the opportunity to explain why I am asking. Hikers often debate between crocs and vivobarefoot for fording. A few choose other options. When I went through the 100 mile wilderness heading south, I used vivibarefoot. At the West Branch of the Pleasant River, I watched a guy trudge right through wearing his trail runners. My 1st day out of Monson, I hiked 17.9 miles to Moxie Lean-to. By the time I got to the final ford of the day, I was tired of changing shoes. I trudged right through. The grip was fantastic. I have been conflicted ever since. Half the time I leave my vivobarefoot behind. I am at the point where I value them more for camp then I do for fording.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
I've always used the vivo's, guess it is nice having the option depending on the situation, weather etc.
2000 miler......long sections Summited July 2015
We have all seen the trail during rainy season...when it's more like a brook than a trail? When it's like that I know I just give in and trudge right on up and into it. If conditions are like this, my feet and boots/shoes are soaked anyway I would just forge right through crossing! When conditions are NOT wet/rainy...I would be weighting if I thought the weather was going to be nice enough so that my footwear would be at least 50% dry overnight...if so I might just trudge right one through with boots on in that case also! I wouldn't want to be spending the time having to change footwear that often either myself! Now, if the trails dry and it's only one or two crossings...I would probably change footwear into my teva sandals for the crossing.
Whatever is on my feet at the time if it's nothing big and it's a quick crossing. If not, I always have some light running shoes for camp and stuff like this. I'll switch out from shoes to boots along trails as well to let em air out and dry.
Crocs if you want to break a ankle I was on Forney creek and had to cross the creek many times and learned I need to find something better. I cant recommend what just what not....
If it's warm enough I just walk through in my trail runners. They have amazing grip and i consider them to be the safest option for crossing a stream. I don't often bring other shoes or sandals, so my options are that or barefoot.
I have brought watershoes on some winter trips just in case I needed to ford a stream, but just by luck I haven't needed them yet.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
Small poll sample so far. However, it is confirming a suspicion. Perspective hikers ask about footwear for fording. Often, the question is written in a way that presumes that you need another item. Given the fact that your feet are going to get wet anyways, I am fast settling on the opinion that one need not carry extra footwear for fording and that your trail runners offer the safest option. Having said that, I am still conflicted. I love getting out of my trail runners at camp. All this assumes it is warm enough to ford. You guys can have your snow hiking. I played enough in the snow before 18 for one lifetime.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
I put use my hiking shoes but that depends on the time of year & weather conditions. On the JMT I would walk right across with my shoes since it was very dry & warm conditins & my shoes needed a good dusting. In the winter, I'll remove my shoes/boots & socks & thoroughly dry off on the other side.
Take Time to Watch the Trees Dance with The Wind........Then Join In........
One "other" option I recently learned and tried once so far is to use only your socks with your shoe insoles inside the socks.
"Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning
We've not encountered a serious ford yet. When we go to Maine late this summer, we'll have three fords, and plan to wear crocks through them. However, if we find out the trail is nothing but a wet muddy stream between fords, we may wish we'd just walked through in our boots.
Teva sandals.
I wear my trail runners and just walk them dry.
I bring cheap water shoes as camp shoes and sometimes I even put them on for stream crossings. More often, I think I can rock hop - and I'm wrong and go 'ploosh.' (Hey, Elf, how many times did I step in the Neversink trying to rock hop behind you?) Once my trail runners are soaked, I don't bother changing out of them. In that case, when I come to an actual ford, I wind up not using my water shoes.
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
What type of water shoes AK? Inquiring minds are requiring a link.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
I have a pair of Hi-Tec water shoes that are much lighter than crocs. I've used them on many trips - they've saved my butt crossing rocky, slippery, fast-moving streams many times. They double as camp shoes, town shoes, etc.
Call me old fashioned, but I hike in waterproof ankle-high lightweight boots. I expect the AT to be a new kind of experience for me (all my hiking previous to now has been in the Sierras) and I expect I may switch to trail runners when the trails are ankle-deep water (as I've heard they get). If and when I switch to trail runners, I may send my Hi-Tec water shoes home. It's all going to be a learning experience.
Years ago when I wore big heavy leather boots, I needed something else to ford a creek. But with trail runners, I just walk across. No big deal, especially with wool socks, my feet and shoes dry quickly.
Originally Posted by BirdBrain
Durned if I know. Something that the shoe store had on clearance. My previous pair were Body Glove Riptide, I think. The current pair are similar looking (and seem to be similar performing) but they're some Chinese brand that I hadn't seen before or since.
Oh, and after my experiences in October on the (very, very wet) Northville-Placid Trail, I may be rethinking these. Wet trail runners weren't too bad. I'm not sure that these are worth the weight as late-night tree-watering shoes, which seems lately to be their primary purpose.
Last edited by Another Kevin; 04-13-2015 at 22:09.
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
I am going to venture a couple guesses. If this poll was taken 2 years ago, trudge right through would not be leading. If it was taken 2 years from now, trudge right through would be above 90%. I believe views are changing. Fording views have not caught up with trail runner views, but they are well on their way.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
BB-
IMO, the trick is good socks. A nice thicker wool blend tends to make this less of an issue. If you don't blister easily a good hiking weight sock will usually squish out most of the mess and leave your feet relatively warm and dry. Like others mentioned- those long wet stretches or rainy days are often wetter than the occasional fording. In the summer I actually ford on purpose and give the shoes a good soaking to help stay cool.
Of course the trick only works if you have shoes that drain well and dry decent- most trail runners fit this. Beware some of the low top hikers- the extra rubber wrap that they put on where the upper meets the sole tends to hold water if there are no weep holes in it.
Also- as to Garlic's tip- I have also heard the flipside (mainly for boots). Take your insoles out and socks off and ford in your shoes. It works great for oiled leather boots. Probably just as well with tennis shoes, but laziness has always conquered curiosity for me on that score.
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