What’s the purpose of camp shoes?

[James Reilly]

My wife makes and carries some and I really like using hers when I have to pee at night.

[Rusty Beaver]

Because people are addicted to "stuff" in their everyday life which is then carried over to their backpacking?

Otzi and Ishi didn't need special camp shoes. Just say'n……

;-)

[Patrick O’Neil]

Yeah right a pair of flip flops are indicative of social decay and all thats wrong with society today. Pretty ironic that your plugged into the matrix rather than out living a hunter gatherer lifestyle. If that was tongue and cheek i apologize some of the posts on this site are strange lately . . . People going off on hikes without shelter, sleeping bags or rain gear. A few years ago that was widely considered irresponsible on this site, now its par for the course and of course a book or camp shoes are considered glamping now. I could easily walk barefoot and sleep under a driftwood shelter on a beach with great weather and lap water from fresh inlets without any bottles or treatment and a grocery bag for my food but its just not the conditions i hike in.

[Tanner M]

"… lap water from fresh inlets without any bottles or treatment and a grocery bag for my food but its just not the conditions i hike in."

Oddly… It seems the places that have relatively (or just plainly) safe water to lap up are the places that are more… gear intensive or less hospitable. Maybe?

[Rusty Beaver]

Patrick….take a deep breath and relax, man. Didn't you see my little winky face??? Just having a little fun during an idle moment.

"Pretty ironic that your plugged into the matrix rather than out living a hunter gatherer lifestyle."

What I find ironic is the assumptions people make on forums. Assume nothing about my lifestyle.:-)

No foul.

[Patrick O’Neil]

Cool no foul then like i said some posts seem a little off lately.

[afterdarkphoto]

When I was young we didn't have these things called "Camp Shoes" we wore the Salisbury steak MRE bags over our feet lashed with boot bands and we liked it!

FAH LIP EH TEE FAH LOOOOO!

[BlackHatGuy]

"we wore the Salisbury steak MRE bags over our feet lashed with boot bands and we liked it!"

You had it good! We wore the salisbury steak itself on our feet lashed with 100-mile-an-hour tape!

[Ian]

Oh yeah?!? Well they cut our feet off and we had to fight our way onto the battlefield without. You earned your stripes but cutting the feet off of the enemy and 100mph taping them to your stumps and THEN you had to kill a cow with a P38, make a sauce using nothing but blood, tears, and mud to make your own salisbury steak and THEN you would put those on and hump a 200lb….. no wait…. 275lb ruck.

And you know WHAT?!? WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR OUR STUMPS, STOLEN WAR CRIMES FOOTSIES, AND SALISBURY STEAK SANDALS!!!!!!

[afterdarkphoto]

"You had it good! We wore the salisbury steak itself on our feet lashed with 100-mile-an-hour tape!"

I dub thee BPL Sir Quick Draw McDraw for a cunning and speeded reply…witty, to the point, and only the brave know what 100 mph tape is!

For your efforts Ian:

"Oh yeah?!? Well they cut our feet off and we had to fight our way onto the battlefield without. You earned your stripes but cutting the feet off of the enemy and 100mph taping them to your stumps and THEN you had to kill a cow with a P38, make a sauce using nothing but blood, tears, and mud to make your own salisbury steak and THEN you would put those on and hump a 200lb….. no wait…. 275lb ruck.

And you know WHAT?!? WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR OUR STUMPS, STOLEN WAR CRIMES FOOTSIES, AND SALISBURY STEAK SANDALS!!!!!!"

I dub thee BPL Sir SNL Rerun lover and Part Time Comedy Writer…I actually snorted out loud at the P38 and cow homicide.

[Ken Thompson]

Doesn't anyone like to pretty up once in camp?

like Doug?

[M B]

? Why do people pack in camp shoes."
.
.
..
If you have to ask, you dont need them.

If the shoes you walk 10 hrs per day in arent comfortable enough to sit around another 2-3 hrs in, you really should consider a change.

[Mark]

Sometimes i take a pair of light shoes for the camp, other times i don't.

As a 44 year old adult that's been hiking and backpacking since i could walk, i find i'm in a position where i can make my own decisions on what's best for me.

If i intend to have a few lazy days on the trip then my feet feel a lot better if i wear different shoes on this lazy day.

Also had trench foot many years ago, so in my own personal experiences a few grams extra from a pair of comfortable camp shoes is well worth it.

Other times my plan means covering as many miles as i can, so it's late pitching and no lazy days, in these instances i sometimes don't take cap shoes.

So it really depends on the season, the trek and what i intend to do.

That being said when i do take them the reasons are:
Comfort
Lets my boots and feet dry out
Safer for the dog (i'm less likely to stand on her feet and damage them with thin camp shoes)
Comfort

Back in the days of heavy boots i would always have camp shoes, gave my feet a chance to recover.
Now days with modern lighter boots or approach shoes i don't find it AS important to take camp shoes.

[Larry De La Briandais]

"Keep in mind, poison oak is not something you are immune to, it's something you slowly over time and exposure lose resistance to."

I'd have to say that my Grandfather was immune to it. He burnt it and wandered through the smoke breathing it in without getting it. My Dad was not so lucky. He wasn't immune, but fortunately had a high resistance.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled thread…

[Robert Atwood]

I bring along a pair of camp/water shoes and find them to be quite useful while backpacking. Most trips I probably spend more time in them than I do in my big heavy boots.

I've had two major surgeries on my foot/ankle, one of which included rebuilding my foot with a piece of my shin. Trail runners are not an option for me.

I also primarily backpack with my wife and two young kids (5&6), so our trips include less hiking and more down time than most.

[Mike Farrell]

For me it feels so good at the end of a day of hiking to take my shoes and socks of and let my feet breathe. I either wear Oneal sandals or Roc Soc water shoes. The 14 oz is a non issue for me. I wear my Oneals everyday at home and around town so it makes sense to wear them in the woods too.

[Author]

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