Footwear and Shelter in the Grand Canyon

Rocks. Lots and lots of rocks. :) Tonto will be hard-packed pebbly dirt. Hermit will be rougher than Bright Angel, which is fairly tame. Bottom of Hermit is gravel, a few short rock falls to cross, some rock-paved sections near the top.

My suggestion would be take both to the Canyon and check out the South Kaibab trailhead. The upper part of that trail is a good example of what you'll encounter. Don't judge by the top of Bright Angel — that's the super highway.

I carry a minimal tarp but cowboy camp most of the time.

These are all well made trails. I'd use trail runners with no hesitation. I have no experience with Trail Gloves, but I think they have fairly substantial Vibram soles? Should be fine, if that's what you're comfortable in.

With minimally protected feet in the GC is not just rocks that you need to worry about. Every plant in the GC is armed and dangerous. The Tonto platform is covered in cactus. The section that you are doing is well made, but even so, don't lose concentration on foot placement. Take the right kind of tweezers (flat tip) just in case.

If you ever do Boucher, New Hance, Tanner – these are much rougher, definitely not Trail Gloves. Maybe substantial trail runners, but really boots are better, and a pole for stability. And gloves are a good idea to save your hands if you slip, lots of rough limestone.

I sleep cowboy 9/10 nights in the GC. I usually take just a minimal tarp unless the forecast is bad.

If you run 12 miles a week in merrel trail gloves, wear them backpacking. You will be happy in them. Yes you will beat the crap out of your feet on rocks but all that does is toughen them up. Unless you are very new to minimalist shoes it's very unlikely you will actually hurt your feet on the rocks.

I've done Tanner in relatively minimalist trail runners. Twice. Once up, once down:

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I have to agree, wear what you usually wear. You don't need boots (vice trail runners) on any trail in the Canyon, including the Escalante Route, unless you're hauling a major load.

On that first trip we pitched our mid, but we never really needed to. On that second trip we brought it but never pitched it- we cowboy camped every night. I'd say that a poncho-tarp is a workable compromise, except that I'm not sure what the weather is like in the fall.

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies!

I've worn through 3 pairs of Trail Gloves over the last 4 years. I've been running minimalist-style for more than a year.

I expect my FSO weight to be about 30# (with consumables).

The cactus has me a bit concerned. Trail gloves have a fairly thin Vibram sole. I could see how a cactus spine might punch right through!

I think I'll check the trails out, then make a game-time decision, but I'm leaning more toward the Trail Gloves.

Thank you all!

Cactus spines are over rated and over feared. They are not iron nails..you'd have to jump into a pile of them to do any damage to a vibram sole, even minimalist. Just watch your step and be aware that clusters of spines do fall off and are hard to see, just watch out around "parent plants" cause that's where they fall from, and never put your feet or hands where you can't see them going first. Living in the desert forces one to increase your awareness levels. Also use a closed cell foam sit pad and inspect it before packing it away cause there will be a spine or two you don't see.

Re cactus – I think it would take a freak accident to have a spine go through your sole when on you're on the trail itself. And, unlike some parts of the Tonto, this is a good section where the trail is quite distinct. I think the risk is more stubbing your toe into cactus if you're wandering off trail on the Tonto to take a photo, bathroom break etc. – so just remember to watch your step. Cactus spines are extremely painful, but the pain goes quickly once you've tweezed them out, and I think serious injury is unlikely. I guess infection is possible – make sure your tetanus shots are up to date.

I wear Gorilla Grip gloves all the time there. They are thin enough that your hands don't get intolerably sweaty, and they have enough protection to save the day if you slip and instinctively grab rough limestone. A big cactus spine will go straight through of course, but they do give your hands some protection from the evil hairlike glochid spines, that can be far more difficult to remove:

Yeah, really nothing to worry about unless you are sleep walking. The only shoes I've had spines go through the soles are cross-country racing flats.

Kicking up a cholla cluster can be painful if it sticks around the ankle area especially the ones with fish hook ends. Gaiters are a good solution for that (not Dirty Girl Gaiters). I would be more concerned with this than shoes. Also a lot of the minimalist trail runners have rock plates giving you even more protection.

I've been hiking in the GC in trail runners for a few years now, including hikes on Boucher, Tanner and Bill Hall/Thunder River. A couple of things have happened, not that they've really changed my footwear choice.

I've gotten a cactus spine in my foot, in the soft spot between my big toe and the next toe. Don't know when it happened or how, and didn't even feel it until about a week later when I woke up (at home) with a really swollen foot. Soaked in Epsom salts and, voila, pulled out a 1/2" spine. I do carry one of those tiny tweezers from a Swiss Army knife in my first aid kit.

I slipped on Tanner near the bottom of the Redwall and broke my ankle. I still hike in trail runners BUT I do choose one with an aggressive tread. Probably not going to be a real issue on the Hermit Loop BUT if you decide to explore from your camps, maybe up/down Horn or Salt or go down to Granite Rapids from Monument, you may encounter some steep and loose scree when you'll appreciate a little more traction. Vibram, on its own, will not do the trick; you want cleats here.

I don't know how Gloves fit your feet but I always recommend footwear that don't crowd your toes in the Canyon. Bright Angel trailhead down to the Tonto is about 4,000 feet descent and it's relentless (i.e. no ups and downs.) Lots of toe nails have been lost on GC descents…

Thanks, everyone. Great advice.

I'm about 95% sure I'll be wearing my Trail Gloves, but with my backpacking socks (Thorlo Light Hikers). We've got short days (7 miles) and light (not SUL, but light) packs. So, I think I'll be OK if I need to limp along slowly :-)