WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 57

Thread: Camp shoes?

  1. #1
    Registered User Bubblehead's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-06-2015
    Location
    Port Orange, Florida
    Age
    62
    Posts
    185
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default Camp shoes?

    For LASH, camp shoes or no camp shoes? Trying to decrease my base weight. Is leaving camp shoes out worth the decreased weight? My camp shoes are 9 oz....

  2. #2

    Default

    Depends on several things IMO
    How much time are you going to be in camp vs walking? IF you are someone who spends a lot of your trail time in camp, and you enjoy having them then take them.
    If you value a lower base weight more then the enjoyment of camp shoes then leave them.

    I can think of a hand full of times I wish I had camp shoes when I did not, and I can think of many times I with I had left the weight at home.

    I have a very old pair of crocs I take frequently with me as camp shoes, that have also been known to turn into my hiking shoes when feet have gotten bad.

    I carried a pair of amazon rubber soled slippers through New Hampshire and Maine....Jury is still out on their efficiency...Not the most comfortable but quick to get on when in and out of the tent, cheap and half the weight of the crocs.
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  3. #3
    Garlic
    Join Date
    10-15-2008
    Location
    Golden CO
    Age
    66
    Posts
    5,614
    Images
    2

    Default

    What are your trail shoes? Mine are so comfortable and dry so quickly it makes no sense to bring second pair.
    "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

  4. #4
    Registered User LittleRock's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-10-2014
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Age
    38
    Posts
    803
    Images
    24

    Default

    This has been discussed at length in the past on this forum and you will undoubtedly find a range of opinions.

    I always bring camp shoes. Having a lightweight pair of slip-ons that I can quickly put on each time I need to leave my tent (esp. when I need to pee in the middle of the night) is easily worth the extra ounces, IMO.
    It's all good in the woods.

  5. #5
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-20-2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Age
    67
    Posts
    4,540
    Images
    3

    Default

    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.
    Yeah, this. When I get to camp, I loosen my laces drastically and take out the footbeds/orthotics and my hiking shoes feel like slippers.

    Just another vote for no. My wife brings crocs, I call her silly, she just laughs at me.

  6. #6
    Registered User Bubblehead's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-06-2015
    Location
    Port Orange, Florida
    Age
    62
    Posts
    185
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Never thought of that....not a bad idea....thanks.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-28-2015
    Location
    Bad Ischl, Austria
    Age
    66
    Posts
    1,588

    Default

    I've carried flipflops for years, as camp shoes and as kind of a backup if my hiking shoes would fail.

    Over the years, I used the flipflops less and less, my hiking shoes never failed and since being an older and pretty lazy guy I switched to using a night bottle, so now I'm saving space&weight of the flipflops.

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-26-2020
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Age
    49
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    Yeah, this. When I get to camp, I loosen my laces drastically and take out the footbeds/orthotics and my hiking shoes feel like slippers.

    Just another vote for no. My wife brings crocs, I call her silly, she just laughs at me.
    And if your shoes get wet during hiking, slipping bread bags over dry socks before wearing your loosened hiking shoes makes for a SUL camp shoe solution


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  9. #9

    Default

    Will you be staying at hostels or campgrounds? If so, you want shoes that you can wear in a communal shower.

  10. #10
    GSMNP 900 Miler
    Join Date
    02-25-2007
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    Age
    57
    Posts
    4,861
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    5

    Default

    What makes sense to me is if you can combine water shoes and camp shoes into one thing...
    I don't like crossing deep creeks in bare feet... too many ways you can harm you feet.
    And I specifically want a shoe that is closed toe.

    @Bubblehead 8oz is what I look for in water shoes, so if you're 9oz camp shoes can double as water shoes, I think you're good.

  11. #11
    Registered User Prov's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-29-2010
    Location
    Chicago
    Age
    49
    Posts
    46

    Default

    I love camp shoes. It feels great to change things up at the end of the day. My secret is I use a pair of old cross-country racing flats (usually a pair of Saucony Kilkennys). They fully cover the foot securely (laces), drain water, have tread on the bottom which helps going up and down some muddy slopes for water, only weigh a few ounces (less than crocs, and they pack down better), and previous years models can be found online for next to nothing.

    People that see me pull a pair of running shoes out of my bag usually think I’m an idiot for hauling them around until I put them in their hand and then they are dumbfounded by the weight. Not a lot of ex-runners backpacking, I guess.

  12. #12
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
    Join Date
    12-13-2004
    Location
    Essex, Vermont
    Age
    68
    Posts
    2,658

    Default

    Like so many things, it's a personal choice. I've never carried camp shoes.

    But I bet if I tried them, I'd like them, so I won't try them.

  13. #13

    Default

    I can't tell you how many "camp shoe" (and hiking boot, yes boot as there is only one) along the side of the trail I've come across. They seem to fall off the back of packs pretty easily.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-04-2017
    Location
    Central CT
    Age
    37
    Posts
    475

    Default

    Like a lot of people have said all personal preference and depends on your style, I wouldn't go without but a lot of people would never consider. Nice to have at camp also for water crossings and in town. I've liked these and been using for years, they also dry off in minutes. There's a lot of similar ones out there, these weigh 9.5oz for the pair.
    https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/redh...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
    NoDoz
    nobo 2018 March 10th - October 19th
    -
    I'm just one too many mornings and 1,000 miles behind

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-30-2009
    Location
    Interlaken, NY
    Age
    63
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Carried a pair of Xero sandals on my Sobo and they came in handy for wading in Maine. Once I got out of Maine though I found I rarely put them on at the end of the day. I ended up sending them home. Usually I just loosened the laces on my trail runners.
    "Ghost"
    NPT Nobo 2013, AT Sobo 2020

  16. #16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    Yeah, this. When I get to camp, I loosen my laces drastically and take out the footbeds/orthotics and my hiking shoes feel like slippers.
    This is almost what I do, I tie the laces very very loosely so I can just slip my feet into my trail runners easily when I need to get up and take care of any business in the middle of the night. That and brushing my teeth before going to bed are the only times I ever stand up in camp after setting up. I'm only stopping to camp to sleep and maybe cook dinner if I didn't stop earlier for that. Camp shoes make no sense at all to me in that context.

  17. #17

    Default

    Once carried a pair of flip flops for water crossings & camp in a wet spring on the OHT. Didn't like the fiddle factor of removing hiking shoes, crossing stream, putting shoes back on, & attaching them to the pack. All of these delays meant I wasn't walking, and the cold in the air became noticeable. The remaining crossings were done in trail runners that provided great footing & dried out surprisingly fast.

    Loosened my shoes at night to double for camp shoes (as above) & continue to leave flip flops at home.

  18. #18

    Default

    loose laced boots,,, no socks,, VOILA ! camp shoes.

  19. #19
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-06-2020
    Location
    Newport, NC
    Age
    48
    Posts
    52

    Default

    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.

  20. #20
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-25-2010
    Location
    Newark, DE
    Age
    63
    Posts
    116
    Images
    20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    I love camp shoes. It feels great to change things up at the end of the day. My secret is I use a pair of old cross-country racing flats (usually a pair of Saucony Kilkennys). They fully cover the foot securely (laces), drain water, have tread on the bottom which helps going up and down some muddy slopes for water, only weigh a few ounces (less than crocs, and they pack down better), and previous years models can be found online for next to nothing.

    People that see me pull a pair of running shoes out of my bag usually think I’m an idiot for hauling them around until I put them in their hand and then they are dumbfounded by the weight. Not a lot of ex-runners backpacking, I guess.
    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.

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •