[pct-l] Barefoot Hiking

[David Thibault]

I use barefoot runners for around town and a bit of running and really like
them - but I know for me they would not work on a thru hike.  After wearing
them for a long enough time my feet get tired.  This is why I got them to
help toughen up my feet before the hike.

I like the idea of wearing them just a hour or two each day while hiking
and I am sure my feet would love it - I doubt I will though because I just
can't justify carrying them just for the hour a day of use.  If my feet
required it I would - but they do okay in trail runners.


I am hopeful that by wearing them before it helps with the transition from
the sedentary life to the life of hiking all day - we will see.


Day-Late


> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:26:23 -0800
> From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Barefoot Hiking
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
>        <628B7A26-0C3F-471D-A2C9-21F9AD4C4EB6 at santabarbarahikes.com>
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> Ray Jardine actually recommended a period of time hiking barefoot
> each day for therapeutic purposes. He says, "It's a great way to
> toughen ailing feet, both internally and externally. Leg pains can
> disappear after walking only a short distance barefoot - a fact which
> points to the footwear as the culprit. I consider regular but brief
> stints of barefoot hiking both a preventative and something of a cure."
>
> You might consider bringing some moccasins or other non-intrusive
> footwear for this purpose if you don't want to go completely barefoot
> and just wear them some of the time. I have been doing a lot of
> hiking in Altra running shoes, which is a new minimalist brand that
> offers a couple of models with a bit of padding, and I've done a lot
> of backpacking in Chaco sandals, which aren't that minimal but they
> are somewhat less minimal because they are sandals. Anything more
> minimal than that and I feel a need to switch back to regular shoes
> after a few miles if only to get in some power miles.
>
> On Jan 21, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>
>