lightest camp shoes

[California Packrafting]

I bring these Shamma Warriors sandals. 6.5 oz for pair. Vibram sole, non slip footbed. I change into them as soon as I get to camp, and wear them as I explore a basin and fish on any zero days or shorter mileage days. https://shammasandals.com/collections/all/products/warriors

And these for sleep socks so I can wear them once it gets cold: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NCQHWKK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=LTXPUWMGT3EM&coliid=I1R4HLAYU2G5QT&psc=1

[Thomas Willard]

^  What size sandal are you wearing for that weight?

[Link .]

the one in his link the Samma Warrior, it says on the site the are 3oz in size 9

[JCH]

Question re: Shamma sandals…

The straps exit the bottom of the sole…doesn’t walking on them abrade them significantly?  Same question regarding the protruding “button” that anchors the toe strap?

[Jeffs Eleven]

upon arriving at camp I remove my insoles and change into fresh socks and use my hiking shoes without insoles.  The missing insole changes the pressure points and gives me room to swell.  The fresh socks feel good and aren’t sweaty.

For extra luxury: bring an different pair of insoles, some cushy gel ones or whatever.

This system gives your foot a different feel so it helps with soreness, you keep all your traction, and it weighs nothing (or the weight of insoles…)

[chris s]

I noticed on that USADawgs link, they also make sandals. Has anyone tried one of them? I would think they’d be lighter than the croc looking version., then again…

[chris s]

The blue foam ones are light, but they just don’t seem like they’ll last very long. I remembered I had some floor mats I used to cover the floor in my tent for extended car camping trips.  They sell them at walmart in the exercise aisle. The blue foam ones weighs 1.5oz and the grey gym mat ones  weigh 3.6oz and are a lot sturdier. Think I’ll be using my new gray ones until something better comes up.

 

 

[Richie S]

I was lured into the dawgs. Smite over 10oz for a pair of 12-13. Smite under with the pointless tongues cut out. You could easily go to town and poor them down to 4oz each I’d imagine.

[John Vance]

My Medium Dawgs come in at 8.4oz for the pair – nearly 4oz less than my Crocs.

[California Packrafting]

Re: Shammas

I have been using them for a while, no issues with abrasion yet. He mentions that in the FAQ, it sounds like that hasn’t been an issue. I really like them a lot. I realized I have the Jerusalem Cruisers, not the Warriors, cause they were a little cheaper and cushier and basically same weight.

[David Noll]

How is the grip.

[Brad Rogers]

Alight I got my Hounds in and the size 10/11 weighs 8.4oz for the pair.  The size 8/9 comes in at 8.6oz for the pair, go figure.

[jscott]

Lightest camp shoes: sprint aquatics nylon mesh pool shoes. 2 ounces for the pair. I’ve used them for stream crossings that weren’t so dangerous that I wanted my full on hiking shoes. And I use them around camp. Did I mention they weigh 2 ounces for the pair?

[Dave Heiss]

Yep, I use the Sprint Aquatics also – a pair will last several seasons with care.  I have added a thin foam insert to each one because in the stock configuration there’s not much between you and whatever it is you’re walking on.  Not sure if they’re still available though.

[Sam Farrington]

Was glad to see this thread come up again, despite getting my just deserts from sloshers who are obviously far more indestructible than I am.

The Cowboys and NFL sandals more recently posted on this thread appear to be much the same as the Red Sox shower shoes I found at Walmart, posted about in 2015, above, and used to make a pair of fording shoes.

The best news on the thread seemed to be the USA Dawg Hounds Ultralites. If these are at all durable, they will make great fording shoes with very light neoprene dive anklets worn for insulation against freezing cold water, and also good camp shoes wearing dry hiking socks for warmth and comfort. The lugged soles should provide better traction on stream bottoms as well as campsites, and the Velcro closure and heel pocket should keep them from being sucked off by mud. But did wonder when Christopher C did not comment after ordering a pair.

Will check the weight, reported here at 8.6 oz, try them out, and report back.

[Christopher C]

Sam,  I’ve received them and am testing them out.  12/13 size come in just over 9 oz.  Have worn them around and found them very comfortable.  Loved them for an all day drive – super airy and comfy all day.  Not at all packable, but such is life.  Plan to give them a go on the trail ASAP, and will probably order a second pair to experiment with removing material off the upper to reduce weight.  Don’t expect a review for few weeks, but I’ll definitely get back with my thoughts.  So far so good.

[Hanz B]

Someone may have already mentioned these: 21$ Aleader quicker dry water shoe with inserts removed were triple duty in Denali back county. I could run in the stream beds, climb, and wear around camp. They lasted two summers. Super comfy second shoe. Both together fit in my bottle holder. Together without soles they weighed 7.9 oz for the pair (8.7 with inserts). Due to the design you’d want neoprene or gorged socks if using for double duty as river crosser and camp shoe. They dry in dense Denali fog in about 2-3 hours

Ps I didn’t consider crocs or Sandles for glacier river crossings at the time but the extra ounces seemed very worth while.

 

[chris s]

I can only find the sprint mesh shoes in women’s. Have a link?

[Sam Farrington]

Thank you, Christopher, for the feedback. Look forward to your review. While not super packable, the Dawgs look a lot less bulky than Crocs.
The Aleaders also sound good, and their Amazon page has links to a number of other brands, some of which appear a bit flimsy in the uppers, like the ‘Wave,’ which is reported to fall apart. Wish Amazon was better at posting weights.
Because the Dawgs appear to be made of an EVA-like foam, am hoping they can be wiped dry and used as a warm camp shoe over dry trekking sox. Many of the other shoes on Amazon do not appear capable of that. But durability, especially in the Dawgs’ aggressive sole, will be critical. Breaking apart during a rough stream crossing is not acceptable. Have a pair on the way, and should know more soon.

[Brad Rogers]

The Dogs Hounds are crocs like material so it could be wiped clean.  The soles are the Hounds at least, are similar to Crocs so not super aggressive.

[Christopher C]

They are pretty much exactly as you imagine.  A lighter weight version of crocs – most because the uppers are a bit thinner but still seem durable.  Definitely up to rinsing/wiping off.  The soles seem plenty capable of dealing with general camp use and even some light river crossing.  Also (and this is why I love ’em so far) they are PERFECT for throwing on over your puffy sleeping socks and tootling ’round the camp site while your feet breath easy.  I’m not super concerned about the lack of packability.  They are the only thing un-packable in my pack, and if I wanted to, I could easily use the holes in the uppers to string some shock cord through and string ’em to the outside of the pack.

[Alexander S]

http://www.gofastandlight.com/Ultralight-Camp-Slipper-for-Men/productinfo/CL-C-SLIP/

http://www.gofastandlight.com/images/campslip2.JPG

These worked great on the JMT for 1 oz of weight. Dirt cheap. Didn’t fall apart for camp lounging but eventually get dirty. They are essentially disposable.

[Nick Smolinske]

Bread bags are my new favorite. I find that in dry, warm conditions I don’t feel the need for camp shoes per se. I just let my feet air out and my socks dry when I get to camp.

But for wet conditions it’s nice to keep your socks dry around camp at night, so the bread bags work great. New socks + bread bags is like a nice pair of slippers!

[Christopher C]

My thoughts on the USA Dawgs Hounds Ultralight (weighing in at 9oz plus for size 12/13).  These thoughts are after the first trip out, an overnight in Ocala Nat. Forest’s Juniper Wilderness Area:

If you are looking for lighter weight Crocs, these are for you.  They are just as breathable, just as comfortable, but weigh about half as much.  They appear to be injection molded rubber, and will clean very easily (wet paper towel, sponge… soapy water if you want to get crazy).  They feel so light and comfy, I wore them on the long drive to FL and the long drive back and was very happy.  They are not packable – don’t expect to bend them, fold them, or even substantially crush down the uppers; however, they sat well in the top of my pack on the way in, and hung quietly and unnoticed from the back of my pack on the way out.  The were too large to slip in the net pocket of my Catalyst, but with the velcro straps and all the holes in the uppers, it was easy to hang them from the shock cord.  Overall pack weight including food and a full 2L water bladder was about 27 lbs and these were well worth the extra half pound for the significant added comfort at camp.  Also of note, the soles are thick enough that I think they could stand up to an easy day’s hiking in them if you wanted to give your feet a break from your normal shoes on a long trip.  These could work as stream crossing shoes, but be wary.  The tread and grip are not great for that use and the fit is loose so they won’t give you much help, and you might just lose them in a moderate current.

In short, they are a great solution to *my* particular desires in a camp shoe – light, airy, and will fit over my puffy possum down sleeping socks.  Plus, they are very reasonably priced (purchased for $9.99 on sale at the manufacturer’s website a few weeks ago – regularly priced at $29.99).

All that said, I will perform surgery on these before taking them out again.  First off, the strap across the instep is very light but completely useless – first thing to go, along with the velcro closure.  Second to go will be the “tongue” that doesn’t add much of anything.  Next, I will cut out material along the pattern on the upper.  This will drop weight and increase ventilation, making them almost more like a sandal than a shoe.  I may go crazy here, but if I overdo it, a replacement pair is cheap enough.

It may be a while before that next trip, but once the surgery is done, I’ll post a pic of the end result and give you the change in weight in case anybody wants to duplicate results.

[Lawrence Crowley]

I have these Adidas Climbacool Boat Breeze and love them. They are fantastic for creek crossings and then after around camp…. and with all the ventilation let your feet dry out after a day hiking. However they are getting harder to find… I think they are discontinued…Perhaps this summer Adidas will release a replacement..

An alternative might be the Under Armour Men’s Kilchis Water Shoe at just 6.6 oz… I’ve never tried, but the appear to fit the bill.

The Adidas are highly recommended. Hope it helps,

Lawrie

 

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