Light stream-crossing / camp shoes?

What shoes are you planning on hiking in? Most people, at least in this forum and myself included, generally don't carry camp shoes and just let their shoes and feet get wet. Lightweight trail runners are comfortable enough that you don't mind wearing them around camp and they dry quickly. If you are doing long days then you probably aren't spending much time in camp anyways and wouldn't have to worry about camp shoes. If you really want some camp shoes/water crossing shoes, I think that some people will use huaraches (tarahumara style).

Time-wise, it is often easiest to just walk through the stream crossings without removing shoes or socks or anything. Some shoes are quicker for drying out than others.

If you have the extra time, then you can pull off your shoes before you cross. With your socks on, you don Tyvek "booties." I made some that are held together with packing tape, and they are held on the foot with some big rubber bands. Then on the other side of the stream, you can remove the Tyvek and wet socks, don dry socks and shoes, and then continue.

There are some camp shoes that weigh a few ounces each, if that seems better.

–B.G.–

Camp shoes can be anything from old insoles with string, flip flops, crocs, on up to a second pair of minimalist shoes. If used for water crossings then you may need something more sturdy such as crocs, etc.

There are numerous threads on the subject if you do a search.

> it is often easiest to just walk through the stream crossings without removing shoes
> or socks or anything.
+1

This IS BPL, afetr all.

Cheers

> it is often easiest to just walk through the stream crossings without removing shoes
> or socks or anything.
+1

This IS BPL, afetr all.

I hate wet shoes probably more than most people, but stream crossing requires secure footing. So, give me quick-draining fast-drying trail shoes, and fluffy socks for camp. Changing shoes just to cross a stream sounds like a PITA, and carrying an extra pair of shoes ain't even on my to-do list.

http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/ultra-pure-mens.html

The day mine arrived in the mail I hauled about a half dozen pairs of Crocs, water shoes, sand socks, and other attempts to solve the stream-crossing-and-camp-shoe problem to the thrift store.

Fifty Bucks?! WalMart sells water shoes for ten bucks!

I, too, struggled with lots and lots and lots and lots of attempts at "stream crossing" and camp shoes… As soon as I tried trail runners I realized I didn't actually need camp shoes.

Then on a trip to the winds last year a fellow BPLer who I was lucky enough to have him join our trip egged me on and convinced me to just cross! in my shoes. Well…it wasn't the horror I thought it would be and actually felt kinda good! My shoes dried in about a half hour or so of walking and I was completely fine. Honest!!

So now, thanks to mark, I am a total convert. I even did it last weekend in 40 deg temps (quel horreur!!) and again, I was fine and I lived!

So end your search and just go for it. Just keep on walking……..stream or no stream…

Yup, i had some thin, black nylon socks which were primarily nylon microfiber in content, and my Teva shoe/sandal hybrid footwear (i forget the model name), got the lot wet, and it all dried out fairly fast and wasn't that uncomfortable.

Btw, i was surprised that the thin nylon socks didn't stink more after hiking for 14 mi, as well as sleeping in them and wearing the previous day also.

Apparently nylon is less stinky than polyester..?

In a perfect world, they would make a 60% Linen 40% nylon microfiber sock, shirt, shorts etc or just fabric in general… alas, we do not live in a perfect world.

I love my Vivobarefoot ultra pure camp / creek shoes!

Bought these a few months ago…weighs less than 6 oz. for the pair. Not bad for $10

http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-garden-shoe-gray/-/A-14321510#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink

Patagonia makes the Mens advocate also that weigh 4.2 oz. Though it does not indicate whether that is for the pair or per shoe. but sow those in REI and they looked really nice.

Them are fugly!

I have been looking for a pair of really thin and light flip-flops for changing out of my wet shoes at camp, but everything I find seems to have really thick soles.

"Fifty Bucks?! WalMart sells water shoes for ten bucks!"

Yep, there was a pair of those among the load I took to the thrift store. There are several issues with the Wally World shoes:

1) They absorb water, so they can't be used as camp shoes when it's cold (if you crossed any streams recently).

2) They weigh at least double, sometimes triple what the Vivos weigh.

3) They don't pack nearly as small.

4) They don't come in size 15. Okay, maybe you don't care about that one, but I do.

The $50 was certainly painful, but it's a lot less than I've spent through the years on all the other fails. I'm happy. :-)

For colder temps I take Gore Tex socks to wear inside my wet shoes. My feet stay warm and dry. My body heat helps dry the shoes faster than them just sitting out. Just a thought.

Not necessary.

Am I the only person willing to go barefoot? Granted the only water I ever cross isn't exactly a raging river and it's pretty pristine and clear so I can see what I'm doing, but still…

I 2nd or 3rd or 100th or whatever about just crossing in trail runners. If your looking for camp use out of potentially damp shoes, bring the plastic baggies from the produce aisle.

Get to camp, do your foot care routine, whatever that may or may not be, then throw your second dry socks on, put your feet in the baggies, then back in the shoes. For a long trip, maybe bring a few sets of bags if your worried about wearing them out.

"bring the plastic baggies from the produce aisle. "

Those plastic bags are also good for keeping leeches out of your socks.

–B.G.–

Yep – +1 on plastic bag booties. I have an old a pair of golite nylon vapor barrier socks. I think they only made them for about 6-12 months after they started selling stuff. I almost always carry them. I use them exactly as described by the previous poster, plus the vapor barrier/ plastic bag socks can be used in a pinch if your feet are too cold in the morning, especially when shoving them into half frozen shoes. They really take the edge off wonderfully (and still surprisingly) – all for about an oz.

I have a fused ankle (a bit like having a cast on one of my feet). There is always some sort of narrow fallen log crossing taunting me, but grace is just not my strong area. So plowing right though the stream is the only viable option. If anyone is looking I try to pretend I wouldn't have it any other way.

I found it saves me sogginess and drying time to remove my socks and insoles from my shoes and replacing them after dumping the water out on the far side. Probably not really needed, but it doesn't take long and requires no extra gear.

When I feel like I want some stream-crossing shoes and care enough about weight to do something other than clip on a ~ 10 oz pair of plastic sandals, I usually go with Vincere Grip Sand Socks with scavenged running shoe thin foam insoles inside them for a little extra padding (< 5 oz/pair for size 12-13 feet).

Those Vivobarefoot Ultras look pretty cool. Anyone know what they weigh in largeish sizes?

Best,

Bill S.