Brewing Master

Question:

On an extended trek in Nepal in ‘92 (Jiri to Pumori basecamp; 15 days) about 1/3 of the group of 20 started out in Tevas. ALL of them ended up with severe lower body problems of various sorts (knee, ankle, feet). These continued to plague them on the mountain and contributed to our failure to get up Pumori. My advice: use Tevas only for light duty situations and stick to a solid boot for anything serious.

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|I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all |the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at |me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle | |I live in my Tevas, but I certainly don’t hike in them.  Before the |advent |of lightweight boots, I used to do light hiking in runnign shoes, but |thats |as far as I’d go. Last year,  I hiked Muddy Creek in the San Rafael Swell here in Utah.  Its’s fifteen miles, virtually flat, I think the elevation change is 300 feet.  But. You hike about 60 to 70 % of the distance in the flowing water.  I went through in an old pair of high tops, but two of my partners hiked it in Tevas.  The whole way, even though they packed some more supportive footwear at my recommendation.  Oh well.  They say now, they wish they hadn’t done it as their feet hurt for about a week.   I think that doing the really wet section in Tevas makes sense.   And so as I set out for the Upper Black Box in the San Rafael this coming weekend, I will start out in my hightops and switch to my tevas when I hit the stream.  Part of the motivation here is that this hike includes lots of swimming to get through.  I don’t look forward to heavy footwear pulling me down in the deep pools.  The mud factor on the banks is important too. This hike is only ten or so miles, but averages about a mile per hour. Sounds BRUTAL.  Oh, the  day pack goes in an innertube when I hit the pools.  This hike could be the end for my camera though. Phil

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Just recently I made a short camping trip and brought along a pair of sandals (Merril) for the first time.  This proved to be quite fortunate since I also had my first experience with blisters.  I hit a long stretch of steep down hill, and to keep from ramming my toes into the front of my boots I started crunching my toes up for every down hill step. Consequently, the top of every toe on my left foot got a blister. I put my sandals on and didn’t have any more problems or pain or rubbing of the blistered areas.  I also found the sandals to be more comfortable than my boots (much more chushy under my heel).  I hiked the rest of the day in my sandals (with a full pack ~45 lbs).  The trail had steep parts, but no rocks.   The sandals do have some drawbacks.  My feet did tend to get dirty.  Trail grit can get between foot and sandal.  After walking through a stream I was surprised at how long it took for the bottoms of my feet to dry off in the sandals (wet feet tend to slide around in those things).  I don’t think the sandals are any good on sand.  I would never count on sandals for hiking in rocky terrain.  And for some reason, after a day of hiking, the sandals smell much worse than my boots.  My boots never stink – I don’t know why my sandals smell so bad. At least they’re easily washed. -Rob – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

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| | | I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all | the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at | me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle | support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out | there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these | regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded | my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went | hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started | wondering… | | Any thoughts appreciated. | Even Better, I have hiked barefoot — no blisters, no crunched feet, no wet clamy toes.  If you toughen up the soles of your feet a little it is a great alternative.  I would not do this though without bringing along some boots.  It feels great to switch between boots and no shoes at all every few hours. — Jason LaBranch                          | To find your way, look within! Parallel Products Group                 |       — AAA Road Atlas Sybase Engineering  (510) 922-4690      |

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Well, the North Vietnamese moved incredible loads over broken country, at night, wearing mostly sandals made from truck tires.  Sandals might not be the best footwear in the world for rock climbing, surely, but the history of the Ho Chi Minh trail certainly testifies to the ability of sandal-wearing humans to move loads.

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When I was a young man…, let’s say in or around 1965, big, heavyweight, heavy duty, lug soled sh*tkicking boots were the only thing to wear while hiking, even for day hikes. Thank God things have changed! Believe me, our feet are a lot better of due to Tevas, and the revolution in footwear that they have brought. I sure hope that that dude made a million bucks or so, because my feet feel like a million bucks right now as I sit here at the keyboard with Tevas on my toes. And that’s what are on my feet for the entire summer!  <;-) Don —

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On a recent trip in Yosemite one member of our group got blisters on every single toe (and blisters under blisters under blisters) from his hiking boots [we're not exactly sure why this happened except possibly that he is a very aggressive hiker (beginner) who wants to hike very fast, carry heavy pack, etc)].  He ended up hiking about half of the 80 mile hike in his sport sandals (with his regular hiking socks).  He said that it wa fine except in places that were very rocky – large rocks in the trail were a little difficult to maneuver on (slippery and bad results from a slip). He might not have been able to finish the hike if it weren’t for the sport sandals – and he certainly would have had a lot more pain.  I don’t remember the make/model of the sandals.  I In article

I,too, hike frequently in Teva-like sandals ( my current pair are "Merril’s" or something like that)…I have done some serious day hikes in them and find them very comfortable and *for me* better arch support than most shoes and/or hiking boots… I generally don’t wear them for backpacking because I like my second set of shoes to be *really light* ( generally "booties") and I want enclosed shows for anything that has a lot of gravel ( I find myself shaking the gravel out of the sandals at a pretty high frequency)… Otherwise, I would rather have strong arch support than good ankle support ( just a preference I have based on my own strengths)and the sandals work for me… rf

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I just did a backpacking trip in the NH White Mtns in my Geckos (ok, so I forgot my boots . I night hiked up to a cabin at treeline carrying a mini-keg of home brew for the caretaker plus full gear (not a lot of weight in my case, < 35lbs w/beer). Didn’t even get my feet dirty. It was fun and pretty comfortable (I have very strong ankles, btw) but I wouldn’t normally do it. gerry

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: I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all : the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at : me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle : support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out : there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these : regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded : my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went : hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started : wondering… : Any thoughts appreciated.         Well, I have to confess….my Tevas are the only thing that get         me through most backpacking and hiking trips with anything         resembling comfort, anymore.         I have very small feet (5 1/2 women’s, or 3 1/2 mens/boys US sizes)         and they just have never taken to all the abuse I give them         very well.  I finally settled on Danner Lite boots about 7 years         ago…as boots go, they "only" blister my heels, toes and ball of         my foot on hot days, uphill, and with more than 5 pounds of pack         weight  They’re great in snow or cold weather.  I haven’t         found anything else that even comes close for hiking "comfort"         in the way of boots.  Even moleskin only delays the inevitable.         But even this isn’t acceptable.  I end up most trips or hikes         miserable.  So a couple years ago I got my first Tevas (Universals)         and tried hiking in them.  For light day hiking, ok, but not enough         sole or tread for heavier terrain or packs.  So I got another         pair of heavier Tevas with soles that grip rocks and trail better.         Now I trade back and forth between the Tevas and my boots, using         boots on really steep or rocky stuff, but the Tevas, WITH heavy         hiking socks, on alot of the rest of the trails I hike.  For         example, in some of Desolation Wilderness over MEmorial Day         weekend, and to Gibbs lake just east of Tioga pass this last         weekend.  And my feet are SOOOOO much happier!  And my SO is         SOOOOO much happier I’m not miserable!         I *do* have pretty strong ankles (from supporting myself on those         small feet over 40 years), and I always wear hiking socks with         the Tevas (to give some protection to my feet and to prevent         blistering from the Tevas).  My backpacking is usually limited         to 2 or 3 nighters, so I’m not carrying a really heavy pack.  But         hiking in sandals is the first way I’ve found to have "happy         hiking feet".         Deanna

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In a previous article, (Todd Rubano) says: I’ve hiked in Merril sandals when in the So. Utah area (Paria Canyon, Escalante Canyon, etc.)  They work great for in and out of creeks all day on relatively flat/sandy ground.  I spend most of my time hiking in the Colorado Rockies, however, and I would only use my boots when carrying a load there. In short, for some types of backpacking they do work well.  Other times I’d stay with boots.  It’s up to the individual to decide what works for them where. – Todd

I agree. I used my Tevas in Coyote Gulch, i.e., constantly crossing the stream, and they were terrific. While they are in my pack in the Adirondacks and the mountains of Maine, they are strictly for dayhiking and camp shoes. Don —

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On a recent trip in Yosemite one member of our group got blisters on every single toe (and blisters under blisters under blisters) from his hiking boots [we're not exactly sure why this happened except possibly that he is a very aggressive hiker (beginner) who wants to hike very fast, carry heavy pack, etc)].  He ended up hiking about half of the 80 mile hike in his sport sandals (with his regular hiking socks).  He said that it wa fine except in places that were very rocky – large rocks in the trail were a little difficult to maneuver on (slippery and bad results from a slip). He might not have been able to finish the hike if it weren’t for the sport sandals – and he certainly would have had a lot more pain.  I don’t remember the make/model of the sandals.  I In article – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Steve Glazerman) writes:</ I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started wondering… Any thoughts appreciated. smg

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: I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all : the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at : me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle : support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out : there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these : regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded : my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went : hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started : wondering… : : Any thoughts appreciated. : I’ve hiked in Merril sandals when in the So. Utah area (Paria Canyon, Escalante Canyon, etc.)  They work great for in and out of creeks all day on relatively flat/sandy ground.  I spend most of my time hiking in the Colorado Rockies, however, and I would only use my boots when carrying a load there. In short, for some types of backpacking they do work well.  Other times I’d stay with boots.  It’s up to the individual to decide what works for them where. – Todd

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I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started wondering… Any thoughts appreciated.

I day hike in my Universal Tevas all the time, and while I have carried a backpack around with Tevas on my feet, the trail was very flat, more like a wood road. I have day hike all around the Grand canyon and in the Maze section of Canyonlands National Park in my Tevas, however. There is obviously a lot of scrambling around on rock to be had out there. It seems as though if you believe in them, they stick. Works for me, anyway.  <:-} Don —

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I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle

I live in my Tevas, but I certainly don’t hike in them.  Before the advent of lightweight boots, I used to do light hiking in runnign shoes, but thats as far as I’d go. Once on a backpacking trip near the Minaret range, I met a guy on the trail who had brought only Birkenstocks.  I couldn’t believe that one. Shawn —

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I saw a thread a while back on sandals and read with disbelief all the people who hike w/o boots.  The footwear guy in REI laughed at me when I asked about sandals for hiking.  Flexible soles, no ankle support, and exposed flesh seemed to be the problem.  Do people out there really backpack in sandals?  How hard is the trail?  Are these regular people or the type who also walk on coals for fun?  I shredded my heels on some rented boots (mine are 3,000 miles away) when I went hiking in the Cascades last weekend (20 or so miles) and started wondering… Any thoughts appreciated. smg

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