lightest camp shoes

[Bob Shaver]

I want camp shoes! Is there anything lighter than my beloved crocs? Do I have to go to stores and start weighing flip flops? I'm not going hiking in them, I'm just going to walk around camp.

[Roger Caffin]

> I want camp shoes!
Why?
What's the matter with slipping your joggers back on without socks for brief excursions?

Cheers

[royo royo]

You could make some huaraches. Plenty of instructions on the internet and easy to improvise with different materials to make them lighter or sturdier to your preference.

[Nathan F]

Check out the custom made feather sandles at unshoesusa.com. I recently purchased these and am very happy with them.

[Bob Shaver]

That is exactly what I want, except made out of bike tires.

[Nick D]

If you want something more shoe/croc-like, take a look at the Vivo Barefoot Ultra Pure's. Pull out the unnecessary tongue and you've got a super comfortable camp shoe at 7oz. Very stable rock hopping and creek crossing shoe. I really like mine.

[J K]

+1 on the Vivo shoes. My wife even hikes in them. She loves them.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Flip flops are cheap and minimal. although I have to agree with Roger on just wearing your shoes in camp. I want a light shoe I can do stream crossings with and possibly wear in camp. Other than the cost, the Vivo's mentioned are on my wish list.

[Hikin’ Jim]

Check out the custom made feather sandles at unshoesusa.com. I recently purchased these and am very happy with them.

Nice looking sandals but the site says that they average about 8 oz ea. I was hoping for something a bit lighter by half.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving
Hikin' Jim's Blog

[Valerie E]

About the same weight as regular Crocs, but you could hike and cross streams in these (regular Crocs are VERY unstable when they get wet — don't ask me how I know).

Edited to add — I have very, very sensitive feet, and the Vivos were torture for me; I felt every twig. If your feet are tough, they are a good choice, and about an ounce/pair lighter.

2nd Edit to add weight: 9.6oz per pair for a Men's 7, equivalent to a women's 8.5 (that's my size – I have no idea how much extra for a men's 13).

[Ralph Burgess]

If you really want a camp shoe, check out the Teva Mush. It's a flip-flop with a soft foam padded surface. It feels wonderful when you have sore feet. My men's 11 weigh 3.3 oz each, I think they are actually lighter than regular flip-flops, and infinitely more comfortable.

[Justin Miller]

Check out some of the options by Bedrock Sandals and Luna Sandals. Both make huarache sandals with a rubber footbed and minimal webbing. They are often around the 4-4.5 oz range per sandal depending upon model and size. I believe they quote weight based upon size 9 or 10. Luna has a pseudo slipper that is only 1.5 oz per slipper but believe that is only fabric on the bottom.

Also, Teva has a soft flipflop called the Mush that is my go to house shoe. You can find them at REI, they are cheap and I just weighed my size 12 at 3.8 oz per shoe.

EDIT: After reading Ralph's post above (that dropped in while I was typing mine), I'm now curious if my scale is off or if one of our Tevas are different. Can't see half an ounce difference in one size. Curious if mine have absorbed extra moisture over the past few months from my sweaty feet…

[Kate Magill]

My husband has a pair of Teva Mush flipflops. I have Mush jealousy. His don't come backpacking very often–a little too luxe–but wow are they comfortable. I wear them around the house even though they're two sizes so big. Which is ridiculous, because they're cheap and I could just have a pair of my own.

[Billy Ray]

Nylon Mesh Shoe… 2oz for the pair

http://sprintaquatics.com/WOMENS-NYLON-MESH-SHOES/productinfo/900/

[Ralph Burgess]

Mine are years old, tread is pretty worn, it could account for a little bit. Or maybe the design changed slightly over the years.

[Don Burton]

I went through this same quest last year. I bought some vivobarefoot ultras. I loved them but they were a bit heavy for my taste at 8oz total for the pair. I wear a 10.5/11 and found some cheap flip flops at the 99 cent store. Not for water crossings but perfect around camp. Because they're cheap, they only weigh 2.7oz total for the pair. Hard to beat and a lot more substantial than the Sprint Aquatic shoes.

[”V” (CzechClown)]

My vote is for "Bedrock" GABBRO – ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT SANDALS.

[John Davis]

My go to are the Vivo ultras. Light, packable, and great for water crossings

[Holocene .]

I'm in the same boat. Every time I print out my gear list my 8.55 oz walmart knockoff crocks are lookin at me all funny like o_O
But I can't seem to crack the sock/sandle toe thong riddle. plus I like the sides keeping the leaves and debris out around camp.
…1st world problems…

[Ito Jakuchu]

I'd also just get back into my hiking shoes, loosen the laces for easy in and out and to have them dry better in case they are wet.
If you really don't want to wear them naked, I'd rather bring an extra pair of thin socks just for that purpose than another pair of shoes for camp.

Otherwise yes, I'd MYOG some minimal sandals.

[Russ W]

I purchased some Xero Shoes specifically to fill the camp shoe/water shoe void, but at roughly 5 ounces each they aren't exactly zero. I'm actually considering taking a very thin pair of liner socks and buying a can of spray-on pickup truck bed-liner from the auto parts store and spraying a coating while on my feet. We'll see if it works…

[Derek Larson]

Sounds like you're looking for something like Sand Socks. While I haven't used them for camp shoes, I have considered the idea. I bought a pair for running an ultra on a beach, but had to cancel going to the race due to a conflict. Check these out: http://www.sandsocks.org/#

[JCH]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Sockwa X8. My size 13s weigh 7.5 oz for the pair.

That said I don't seem to pack them much anymore opting to, as others have said, simply slip my shoes back on with loose laces. If the shoes are wet I can wear a ziplock or thin plastic grocery bag over my (dry) camp socks.

[Russ W]

Sand Socks and Sockwa… Might just be better and easier than painting my feet with truck bed liner. Just goes to show you that if you can think of it somebody is probably already doing it… Now that's a potentially scary thought!!

[Steve M]

Russell, Your idea may work pretty well. I did something similar with a pair of Sealskinz socks–coated the bottoms with silicone and rubbed in some sand for traction. If you use Super Feet insoles (or similar) in your regular shoes/boots you can remove these (in camp) and slide them into your camp sock "shoes". I even use mine for stream crossings.

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