Topic
barefoot stream fording?
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › General Forums › General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion › barefoot stream fording?
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Oct 18, 2010 at 1:15 pm #1264528
I've spent a fortune reducing my pack weight and will leave many nice-to-have items at home for my 4-day Black Forest Trail (pennsylvania) solo backpacking trip. This 40-mile trail will include numerous very shallow stream crossings with most on rocks, but some where my boots would flood. Should I go barefoot and risk slipping or hurting my feet on sharp rocks? I'd hate to have to bring my kayaking water shoes. What to do?
Oct 18, 2010 at 1:22 pm #1655681http://lathropandsons.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/25/products_id/49
never used em, but they look cool enough…let me know if you get em.
also, i have heard of people using knotted diaper genie bags because they are tough and about the width of a wide leg. this would scare me more in winter, but i'm sure you can test them out first.
Oct 18, 2010 at 1:23 pm #1655682Crossing barefoot is not worth the risk.
Oct 18, 2010 at 1:25 pm #1655683Do NOT go barefoot! Sure way to break something or slip and rip off a toenail.
If I know I'll get soaked only once or twice a day I'll stop and take the insoles out of my trailrunners, take off my socks, put shoes back on and go.
They dry decently quick and no extra weight to carry.
Todd
Oct 18, 2010 at 1:42 pm #1655688We have no hesitation crossing barefoot when we can see that the bottom is sandy. You go to the beach sometimes, don't you?
However, feet are extremely important, and if it is rocky and just one crossing we may remove our socks first, so as to have 'dry' socks for the rest of the day.
If there are several crossings to be done, we just keep walking without taking anything off, especially in summer. We do NOT use GTX shoes when walking (outside snow conditions), so our light joggers drain very easily.
Cheers
Oct 18, 2010 at 2:08 pm #1655694I'm a barefoot runner and have very tough feet, but I'm not too into crossing streams barefoot unless I can see a sandy bottom. I've had too many bad cuts and blackened toenails.
Oct 18, 2010 at 2:10 pm #1655696either bring a pair of flip flops that youll also use for camp … or use the trail runners and dry them out as you move
i recommend the former
Oct 18, 2010 at 2:37 pm #1655705I don't use flip flops since they can come off too easily, especially when underwater.
I had to do some stream crossings when in Alaska this summer, so I constructed some knee-high wader/boots out of plastic with soles.
In Denali, the NPS warning to hikers was to never cross streams barefooted there. The glacial stream gravel is sharp and the water is cold. NPS suggested to use boots or else spare wool socks.
–B.G.–
Oct 18, 2010 at 3:25 pm #1655720I go barefoot if the stream bottom is soft or smooth rock. No socks with trail runners if it's warm enough for my shoes to dry (I put my socks back on right after the crossing).
I will occasionally take my Sprint Aquatics mesh shoes (1.8 oz for the pair) if I think my shoes will stay wet (in the shoulder season).
Oct 18, 2010 at 3:28 pm #1655723"If there are several crossings to be done, we just keep walking without taking anything off,…"
+1
Taking 10 to 15 minutes to dry your feet and put on shoes chews up a lot of time if you've got a lot of crossing to do.
Wear trail runners and thin socks and just keep going.
Oct 18, 2010 at 3:36 pm #1655730Since switching to trail runners I still haven't tried the "just keep walking" method. Greg, you're here in Colorado, how long does it take for them to dry out? I normally hike with thicker socks. What's a good thin sock for this? Thanks.
Oct 18, 2010 at 4:02 pm #1655738How long depends on temperatures and sunshine. By thin I mean your basic 1/4 crew running sock, versus a thick boot sock that will move around a fair bit when wet.
So… maybe an hour? Maybe 30 minutes. But if you're doing a succession of crossing expect to have damp feet all day. They will do fine.
On long days I can't afford 2 hours for barefooting. If it's one crossing for the day, or less than an hour before camp, I may barefoot it. It is a balance between time and safety.
Barefooting takes a lot of time, and can put you at serious risk.
Oct 18, 2010 at 9:37 pm #1655824i've seen way too many fishing hooks and broken beer bottles in creeks for me to even begin to think about taking my shoes off…
Oct 18, 2010 at 9:55 pm #1655827I cross barefoot most of the time. I do some barefoot running and have fairly tough feet. I will work my way through the stream slowly using my trekking poles as additional points of contact. I wear breathable shoes and thin socks. Ice cold water feels great on hot feet. If there are many crossing or if my feet are already wet I will keep the shoes and socks on.
Oct 19, 2010 at 12:24 am #1655852I'm a big fan of hiking in Keen Newport H2s unless the a trail is very uneven and I need the ankle stability from a boot. I like the protection over the toes and they retain very little water after a soak. Pretty good traction except on steep smooth rock.
Oct 19, 2010 at 10:12 am #1655925I thought of a lightweight solution. Pull the inserts out of my boots (some sort of closed cell foam that won't absorb water) and put them inside a pair of sub-ankle-length synthetic running socks and wear those socks with the liners inside as a minimal water shoe, both for a wee bit more traction than barefoot and also for some foot protection. Thumbs-up or thumbs-down vote on this, my brothers and sisters?
Oct 19, 2010 at 2:34 pm #1656005"No socks with trail runners if it's warm enough for my shoes to dry (I put my socks back on right after the crossing)."
+1
Got away with barefoot many times when young but stopped because of sharp stone discomfort. Since then I've seen broken glass in water so do as Mike W does.
Oct 19, 2010 at 3:00 pm #1656008I did the BFT loop over the 4th of July weekend and I only remember one wet-foot crossing. I started at Mile 0 and it was less than a mile from the trailhead (hiking counterclockwise). I just walked right through, then wrung out my socks and hiked on.
Maybe things are different at other times of year.
Oct 20, 2010 at 12:10 pm #1656316we did a trip in the Gila (NM) this spring where there were close to 100 stream crossings in a 20 miles stretch- clearly the "just keep walking" method was the most efficient. we were using relatively meshy trail runners and never suffered any ill effects, in fact after a few hot/dry stretches it was actually welcome :)
since then we've done several other trips which had significantly fewer crossings, but we still employed the "just keep walking" method- if we can't hop/jump across the stream, we don't even hesitate anymore
Oct 20, 2010 at 1:11 pm #1656340On the PCT I just walked through the creeks in my trail runners. If it was a really super cold glacial stream, sometimes I would take a minute after crossing to take my shoes and socks off and warm my feet in the sun.
Here in So Cal in the San Rafael wilderness I often do a hike down the Sisquoc River. The water is not cold but there are so many creek crossings that it makes no sense to take off shoes. I walk right through.
I did test using Keen sandals on this hike and found them to be extremely unsatisfactory. They were the worst possible shoes I could ever use to cross streams in. I don't know how people can recommend them.
First of all, they have no traction at all for general hiking. I fell twice, once landing on a yucca bush receiving numerous puncture wounds. Secondly, when crossing streams that have sand or sandy gravel on the bottom, the shoes fill up with sand and gravel that never comes out. Then the shoes rub that sand into your feet leaving them bloody stumps. Worst shoes ever, in my opinion.
I recommend wearing trail runners and just walking them dry as the lightest and most versatile option.
Oct 20, 2010 at 1:30 pm #1656345> in fact after a few hot/dry stretches it was actually welcome :)
+1
Cheers
Oct 20, 2010 at 3:15 pm #1656392I have used neoprene socks, climbing shoes, wool socks etc
I had with me for other later use.Oct 20, 2010 at 5:05 pm #1656437I hiked much of the BFT last week of August and at no time did I feel compelled to ditch my boots what with the low water and stream crossings pre-engineered with strategically placed rocks. If push came to shove though, I would never risk my boots becoming soaked. Hope you have at least one hiking staff for stabilizing stream crossings.
Pic
Oct 20, 2010 at 6:53 pm #1656466Depends on the temperature. Above freezing I slog through with trail runners & socks on. Near or below freezing I change to crocs with no socks.
Oct 21, 2010 at 9:56 am #1656649didn't look up to see what kind of boots you wear, but if they don't dry out fast, I'd take them off for crossings, but not go barefoot. If they dry out quick, I'd jsut leave them on.
I wear softstar runamocs to hike with wool socks. I can cross in those and they stay pretty warm. In really cold temps i use sealskinz with the a liner and the wool on inside or outside, I haven't decided which is better yet.also, how much do the kayak shoes weigh? doesn't seem like it would add too much weight, and better than soggy blister foot (which I used to get with goretex boots).
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.