[pct-l] sandels,,,,OH NO,,,,!

[jgus at sunbow.org (Judith Gustafson)]

I think Norma is right, hiking in sandals takes some getting used to.  I
wrecked my big toes hiking from Campo to Mt. Laguna when my feet swelled
beyond the capacity of my favorite hiking NB's.  I was more or less forced
to carry on in my Tevas (with midweight Smartwool socks) and found them to
be incredibly comfortable!  I hiked longer and faster in them.  (It should
be noted that at home I am always barefoot in the house, and I usually wear
Tevas out and about, although I normally hike in NB's.)  I went home from
Anza for a while and when I returned I had two pair of Tevas, heavy and
light, instead of tennies and Tevas, along with a couple pair of Smartwool
socks.  I traded off heavy and light Tevas from Highway 74 to Wrightwood,
and the lightweight ones were actually the more comfortable.  My feet did
not dry out BUT I did have the following problems:  (1) Fine sand got in my
socks and eventually sanded away all the eons of built-up callous so my feet
became as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom.  This did not bother me in
the two or so hundred miles I hiked in Tevas but I wonder what would have
happened had I worn them all summer (I switched to NB 975's in the Sierra
when my big toes finally healed).  (2)  I spent hours picking foxtails and
stickers out of my socks after traipsing through endless dry grasses.  (3)
I developed a peculiar rhythm to my hiking, stopping every sixth or seventh
step to shake the pebbles and other trash out from between the Teva and my
foot.  (4)  My feet and socks got incredibly filthy and needed to be washed
thoroughly twice a day.  These few problems notwithstanding I enjoyed hiking
in sandals and will do so again, but will create some sandal-compatible
gaiters for next time.  I really don't know why my feet didn't dry out.  It
makes sense that they would.   Happy trails,  Two Legs (and bare feet)

> Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 14:30:49 -0800
> From: "Norma" <n.ruiz@verizon.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] sandels,,,,OH NO,,,,!
> if you want to hike any distance,sandals are not the thing to wear, if you
> foot is use to wearing shoes, as soon as the air hits them they will start to
> dry out,as the air hits them for any long time they will get tough & crack,no
> matter what you use to get some comfort,if you was from the back country where
> no shoes are around,or just did not wear shoes in the house,your feet would
> condition to that atmosphere,lets face it,this day and age ,,,!everybody wears
> shoes,and when you take them off and throw them away,,,it will take time to
> condition them to that atmosphere,and hiking your #1 asset is your
> feet,,,,with out hurting,,,,Bulltaco,,,!