So, I’m thru hiking the PCT this year and have always had trouble with blisters and sore feet no matter what kind of footwear I use. I looked at the new sandals thread on the forum and I am considering bringing both light hikers and sandals like Tevas or Chacos and alternating between the two depending on the blister situation to aleviate hot spots. I know it’s a lot of extra weight, but if it helps, I won’t mind a bit. Has anyone ever tried this, and would it be worth it?
Brandon
That is my normal mode. I walk a lot in Chacos, I walked walk entire very rough sections of the Ouachita Trail in them alone. However, sometimes when there are a lot of briars or it is a cold morning it is great to put on my Lowe low-top shoes. I know the combo weights a lot but to me it is worth it. Plus the Chacos make GREAT fording shoes and rainy weather shoes. Then when you get to camp I can put on clean dry socks and dry shoes. It is heaven after a day of sloshing around.
Randy Brown
randy brown
nope, not worth it, IMO. seen it done though. chacos aren’t really “light”…especially not on your back.
one thing i like to do to prevent blisters is bring a small lightweight tube of vaseline and cover my feet with a light coat at night, put them in socks and then sleep with them in the socks. it keeps them moisturized, keeps them from cracking/blistering/etc. especially if you choose to hike in sandals. don’t know why but it works for me. be sensitive to your hot spots before they get inflamed and out of control, take breaks and give them pro-active care and special treatment when necessary and your feet will be tough and hardy in no time. HAPPY HIKING see you out there maybe.
Smack
It just depends on your feet. I take a pair of crocs when hiking as my camp/fording shoes and I’ve used them before when I didn’t feel like putting on my hiking shoes. But it seems like you get a lot of debris floating thru them and that kinda bugs me. I’m also not carefull enough about where I step to have less protected feet so I’ve only done it durring easy stretches. But it can be a nice break from shoes. I would tend to agree with Smack though about Chacos and Tevas not being light weight option on your back.
And Smack, it’s nice to see that I’m not the only person who follows the moisturize-your-blisters theory. People just look at my funny but it has worked for me. I use neosporin. Yeah moisture!
banjo boy (hiker miker)
I carry both and happily carry the extra weight. I do about half and half each day. Start the day out with my trail runners on, get some good miles in, and then the last 10 to 15 miles I’ll switch to my Chacos and have an afternoon cruise in them. They saved my life in the desert when my feet didn’t know what to do with the heat and the sand. I had horrible blisters and with sandals, there is much less to rub, plus there is a bit of arch support. I live in mine.
She-ra
I am going to hike CD in sandals this year.
Never done it before. Feel a bit crazy about doing it.
oblong