[pct-l] NBs' -lightweight shoes and Sandals

[RJ Lewis]

I've heard of folks hiking in sandals....both Birkenstocks and in 
Chacos.....I myself have hit the trails, with just a daypack, in Birks. 
You actually get used to ditching rocks and the like from your sandals 
mid stride, especially if you don't have a strap on the back of your 
sandals. I would suppose even with straps on your sandals, it's like 
anything else, one gets used to dealing with them. I surely wouldn't 
count on sandals for support though, if I was carrying a significant 
load on my back though, except perhaps in an emergency, or perhaps as a 
change up to air my feet out for a bit. Just my opinion of course.

g l wrote:
> SB-
>
> Yes, I saw this post from you several days ago and researched the site 
> you mention.  My fear is that the sandals will allow all the "shards" 
> of sand in and cut my feet to ribbons.  I hear the sand is fierce and 
> not like normal "frolicking at the beach" sand, but more like volcanic 
> torture granules.  Is this true?  I was seriously considering 
> "huaraches" as they are traditional sandals worn by desert dwellers, 
> (read: Ed Abbey) and the authentic ones have actual "tire tread (old 
> tires) for soles, which I think would be excellent..........very 
> durable, and probably good in streams.  I may still go with 
> them......not sure.
>
> When I got to New England on the AT, my feet were so tuff that I just 
> blasted thru the streams (many, many, many.......sometimes within 
> hours), with my hiking boots on, while my friends daintily sat and 
> removed their boots at every crossing.  I found that by then my feet 
> were so tough that it had no adverse effect and every thru hiker knows 
> that it is impossible to keep your feet dry while hiking anyway.  I 
> just squished down the trail for a brief time after each one and then 
> they dried out or at least were unnoticeable.  No big problem.
>
> Wheeew
>
> */Hiker97 at aol.com/* wrote:
>
>     gailpl2003 at yahoo.com <mailto:gailpl2003 at yahoo.com> writes: P.S. 
>     In regard to my last post, I must also say that I had the same bad
>     (uncomfortable) feeling when I tried on some NB tennies.  Must be
>     that if varies vastly from model to model.
>     -------------------------------------------------
>     Switchback replies: Just go to www.Bite.com <http://www.Bite.com>
>     and get some Double X TG hiking sandals and say good-by to foot
>     problems.  Here how you do it:
>      
>     1.  You have to train in hiking sandals to make sure your ankles
>     are strong.
>     2.  Put SuperFeet inserts in the sandals with SeamSeal/ShoeGoo and
>     Velcro tape.
>     3.  Put ShoeGoo on the bottom of the sandals where you know you
>     wear footwear soles.  This should be in your bounce/drift box too.
>     4.  Wear hiking socks.  These must be cleaned at camp each night. 
>     Just put on the extra pair and let the others day the next day on
>     the trail.  Simple.
>     5.  Keep your feet clean too.  You will pick up some trail dust on
>     your feet.  Also, use a good foot cream each night so your foot
>     skin does not dry out.
>     6.  For rain I just wear some "water resistant" socks.  No problem.
>      
>     What is cool to do is blast through a stream when everyone else is
>     stopped and changing footwear.  Everyone is sitting around like
>     this stream is a big deal and here you come banging along the
>     trail.  You don't even break stride.  You just say, "Howdy", as
>     you quickly walk by, cross the stream, and blast up the trail. 
>     Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.  Your socks quickly dry out hiking on the
>     trail in good weather.
>      
>     You will think you have died and gone to heaven when you hike in
>     sandals.  You will say, "This is so cool and nice.  That
>     Switchback is a neat guy."
>
>
>
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