[pct-l] Shoe Question

[Matt Impey]

Personally I use Chaco's Z/2 sandals always without socks, and since I have
owned them I haven't looked back. I have used them every single day working
as a guide for four summers now, and I love them. I haven't yet used them
for a through hike, but for a hand full of one week backpacking trips and
many, many canyoneering excursions they have never let me down. As a guide
it is my job to get all the extra and heavy gear and on one backpacking
trip with an ~80lb pack I tried my running shoes, but after a few miles I
switched to Chacos and it was instantly a major improvement. And they only
feel better with a lighter pack.

Based on my experience with my Chacos as opposed to a shoe/boot here are
the pros and cons.

Pros:
Breathability
Quick drying
One piece of footwear for everything (great for a quick jump in the water
then hitting the trail in under a minute)
Easily shake out sand/dirt/rocks/ect
The toe loop on my Z/2's gives unmatched control over foot movement (as
gloves are to mittens so toe loops are to no toe loops)
Chaco footbeds are orthopedic and my knees are always happy when I hike
with them instead of my running shoes.
Very sturdy construction

Cons:
Almost no protection for the top of the foot
Longer break-in time (give your foot at least a month to build up tough
skin)
I haven't actually weighed them but they always feel a little heavier on my
foot than my running shoes
They work in snow, but it is pretty miserable
Easy to catch untrimmed toenails and rip them out if not kept short
Bad for any distance running

My main warning about a sandal is that you need to pay extra close
attention to the happiness of your foot. Give yourself an extended break-in
time to get your foot used to the way that the straps will rub so the skin
can toughen up there. I say extended, (my advice is at least a month,)
because shoes typically don't rub on the top of your foot so that skin is
soft from a lifetime of protection. Also when hiking realize that all of
the friction against your skin will be under a few straps instead of spread
out over a larger area  in a shoe, which can prevent large sores, but will
cause blisters/chafing much quicker. Be extra quick to tape your foot and
straps to reduce rubbing. And as I mentioned before be sure to keep those
toenails trimmed. Overall I would highly recommend them if you can
be conscientious to listen to and maintain your feet. However to wear socks
would pretty much negate any of the pros and make them into really bad
shoes.

I hope this helps.
-Matt