Lightest Camp shoes

[Tom M]

When in Costco grab a handful of some free meat bags.  When you get to camp pull the wet socks put dry ones on and slip the bags on into your wet trailrunners.  so light so free win win.

[Axel J]

Finnis Swim Sock .

 

 

I got these to wear with bodysurfing swim fins and walk on tar ridden Santa Barbara beaches but also use them as a camp shoe now. The original idea was to wear them in the sleeping bag and on the midnight star gaze, my feet would be ready to go,  then when I was done “gazing” just before getting back into the bag, brush off what little debris that stuck onto the sock.

As a true tenderfoot, I was impressed with what little was needed to protect my feet and make it more comfortable to walk around the camp and in the sleeping bag, my cold feet would warm up faster too.

Much better than regular socks because so little debris can adhere to the slick surface and anything that does, is easily brushed off.

[Jon Leibowitz]

These are 7 ounces…

 

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/ultra-iii-bloom-mens?glCountry=US&glCurrency=USD&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADwT4bevAvuyhYyTOXDpddoY96qnz&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9Km3BhDjARIsAGUb4nxQvvrpu4RL79VXTZ6117aorwS8_WhJoDLc6J575oQ_-NB-6rl8No8aAgqQEALw_wcB

[Philip Tschersich]

That is apparently over 7 oz. per size 42 shoe. Sadly, those are about twice the weight of the original Vivobarefoot Pure model (my size 45 are just under 4 ounces each).

[Jon Leibowitz]

Oh dang. Thought that was per pair and I found a good one.

[Haakon R]

It’s strange that discussions like these can exist outside any framework or use case.

Camp shoes, river crossing shoe, emergency backup shoe, desert, mountain, summer, 3-season, 4-season… there’s never one perfect solution, but with wildly different expectations to what they should provide the suggestions will be- and are all over the place.

For me it depends on all of the above. I run cold, especially on my feet, so barefoot is rarely an option.

Xero Z-trail EV are probably my most used “camp” shoes lately, simply for their versatility. They weigh a bit (10.8oz/pair, size 9) but packs quite small and can fill multiple roles. It’s a very comfortable camp shoe with or without socks depending on season. They’re very secure for river crossings. I also use them with membrane socks when crossing long stretches of marshland late in the season. The extra layer of socks won’t fit in my trail runners, and without the water barrier my feets will get numbingly cold from the constant exposure to ice cold water. They’re also nice hut-/shower shoes if I occasionally decide to drop in for a more luxurious night at a mountain cabin.
Xero has a number of nice sandal options, from lightweight DIY kits to my rather heavy choice. Even the lightest options come with a 5000 miles sole warranty.
https://xeroshoes.com/shop/product-category/sandals-mens/

Skinners 2.0 rubberised socks. These are lighter and easier to pack than the sandals, but lacks the versatility. My pair in EU 43-44 weighs 247 grams. They’re very comfortable and water resistant, so it’s a great idea, but for backpacking I’d like to see a version with a thinner application of rubber to keep them lighter and even more packable.

Very old pair of sea to summit fleece booties with a very thin rubber outsole. Haven’t weighed them, but it’s next to nothing. The fleece adds a bit of insulation, so nice when it’s cold, but the sole only protects the underside and doesn’t extend up the sides, so they very easily get wet in any amount of moist vegetation.

Down socks and Exped bivvy booties. Weighs a lot, but so worth it on extended winter trips. Getting some relief from the ski boots is so so nice, and also gives the ski boots a chance to dry up. For shorter trips I get by with only the socks, which are very light and packable.

[Brad W]

The whole point of camp shoes-to me-is to air your feet out and have as little coverage as possible while providing some protection from the ground. Last thing I want to do after hiking all day is put on a sock like shoe. I have tried $1 store flip flops and they work ok if there are no cactus/pokey debris on the ground as they are easily punctured. If I am going to be at camp for any length of time(Catalina Trail)-a pair of more robust flip flops-8oz is what I bring.

[Fifty Weekends]

I use the cheapest pair of 100% EVA shower slides I can find, because usually cheaper means lighter.

Mine are 3.84 oz for the pair, they are size 10.5 (44-45 china). Ideal camp/hut/hostel shoes, and for pack rafting. Can work for water crossings or hiking in a pinch. I would not use in cactus territory or in urban areas with broken glass.

These were $2.99 with free shipping from AliExpress which normally I don’t recommend, but this cheaper foam has lots of air in it that you won’t find with high quality slides, and is extra squishy because of it.

[bradmacmt]

@FiftyWeekends do you have a link for those?

[David D]

Those look promising.

How reliably do they stay on?

I tried $5 Dollarama EVA slip ons (6 oz in size 13/14) but they often came off when scrambling over rocky slopes to get water in camp or walking over heavily exposed roots.  I found the similar with other slip on sandals at home.

I modded a a pair of $5 Old Navy’s with a heal strap.  ~ 8.5 oz in size 13/14.  Nice and stable over all sorts of terrain with great plantar protection and hold OK even in water crossings that aren’t flowing at high speed.

[bradmacmt]

These were $2.99 with free shipping from AliExpress

I found them and ordered a pair:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806159024310.html?

[Fifty Weekends]

@bradmacmt the annoying thing about these sites is the stock and pricing are completely unstable. They now have a minimum order amount for free shipping, though I think this applies across most of the site.

EDIT: Yep the ones you bought look exactly the same. Many different sellers will sell the exact same product as there is no ASIN dedupe like Amazon.

3.84 oz here

4.00 oz here

I recommend just shopping around and buying whatever is cheapest.

The benefit to the heavier ones is they have the greatest sales pitch for a sandal ever…

[bradmacmt]

The benefit to the heavier ones is they have the greatest sales pitch for a sandal ever…

That’s awesome!

[Erik Hagen]

These are also 4.0 oz that I got off of Temu.  I cut out small section for snugger fit and taped back together with Tenacious Tape. I then added a heel strap with mitten hooks and bungee cord to use for creek crossings which works well.  That added .2 oz.  

[Nicholas P]

Tyvek booties with an old pair of insoles or a piece of foam cut to the shape of your foot inside of them ,you could even glue them to keep them in place .
I have the goose feet overbooties and sometimes I bring them along even when I’m not taking the down booties and throw them on over my socks for late night pee trips because it’s less of a hassle than putting on bread bags then wet shoes.I don’t remember the exact weight but they are pretty light maybe 2ish ounces.

[David D]

@Erik, those mods look great!  Bummer they max out at 11.5

[Phil B]

I have the EVA Birkenstocks and added a velcro loop to the back of them.  They aren’t 4oz light but they are like 8oz for the pair and actually quite comfortable when you break them in, similar to cork bed ones.

[Dan]

Haha, I see I posted these pool shoes a couple of years ago in this thread, and I’m still using them for water crossings and occasionally in camp. 1.2 oz for the pair.

[Paul S]

For backcountry use, because we’re miles from anything, and we have to WALK to get there, I want camp shoes that will not allow my feet to be poked, stabbed by sticks, rocks, etc. So, we use either a cheap lightweight sneaker or “ramble puffs” from Chaco.

 

I once injured my foot pretty badly at Cub Lake in the North Cascades due to my foot slipping out of a wet Croc. In doing so I punctured the bottom (the arch) of my foot on a sharp rock–had to walk 14 miles to get back to the car, with a heavy pack. Never again. I definitely don’t want any footwear that is too open to penetration or easy to accidentally to slip out of. Weight is secondary.

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