[pct-l] Footwear - help!

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

Regarding footwear,
I wore trail runners and street runners most of the time on the PCT.  
Afterward, as a section hiker, I've done quite a bit of hiking now in  
Chaco sandals with socks. I've done hundreds of miles in sandals:
- Apache Peak to Cabazon
- Cabazon to a few miles up Mission Creek (actually, I wore homemade  
sandals for that section and they nearly fell apart)
- Highway 18 to Swarthourt Canyon Road
- Vincent Gap to Agua Dulce
- Duck Pass near Mammoth SOBO to Bishop Pass
- Bucks Summit to Highway 36

I love hiking in Chacos. The only thing I don't like in Chacos is  
foxtails and snow. Snow balls up under my toes. Foxtails get stuck in  
my socks.

Recently I wore some men's Keens low top hiking shoes in the Winds.  
They take fully two days to dry if you have to get them wet in a  
creek. This is very miserable. As a result, I got some kind of fungus  
or something and my feet have been peeling horribly for a month. I  
recommend mesh shoes or sandals for the healthiest feet.