Rethinking My Pack - "Camp Shoes"

Been 'round and 'round on the idea of camp shoes. For my northbound AT section from Springer to Franklin, I carried a pair of VivoBarefoot Ultras. At 8 ozs, they were quite a bit lighter than the ubiquitous crocs. You can read my thoughts on them here. They're bulky, but I could strap them on the side of my pack such that they didn't flop around.

When I went home, I got more serious about reducing weight, and I left them at home for my sobo section from Katahdin. With all those river fords in Maine, they would have been useful. But I went without, taking my socks off and pulling the insoles out at each ford. The shoes dried out eventually. In camp I tied them loosely for comfort, and so that I could slip them on easily for a midnight call of nature.

What I wasn't prepared for was comunal showers in some of the less than pristine hostels ... My feet survived it, but I wished I had some flip-flops... More after the break

What I'll Do Differently When I Get Back On The Trail

In the time I was out there I learned a few things before my knee got angry with me. I hiked 12 days, and was on the trail 14 including the two zeros in the woods. I did 115 miles, averaging 9.6 miles per day. Hiked in the rain, lost my food bag to a bear, climbed the equivalent of Mt Everest, and avoided shelters every night for the luxury of my tent. I took too much food outta the gate, and otherwise found some opportunities to reduce pack weight.  When I started hiking farther and faster, I uncovered a skeletal problem that caused me a lot of pain and anguish. All in all, a pretty good shakedown ...

So what will I do different when I get back on the trail?

Camp Shoes

Seems for a long time Crocs dangled off the back of a lot of hiker's packs. Primarily so that they could take their boots off, slip into something more comfortable, and allow their boots to dry out. Wearing them for stream crossings also helped to keep boots dry, and most want something to wear in communal/campground showers. Over the last several years, lots of hikers have given up boots for trail runners. They're lighter on the feet, more comfortable in camp, and they dry quickly. Some have decided that they don't need to carry the extra weight of camp shoes any more.

I pondered this. A cheap pair of flip flops satisfy the communal shower issue. I do like the idea of trying to keep my shoes dry, and something to wear for stream crossings seems like a good idea. I decided to look around for something light, something that would stay on my feet, and protect them when crossing a swift stream.

Outfitting for the AT - What I'll Wear

An Appalachian Trail thru-hike spans all the seasons. From winter in the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina, pleasant spring weather in Virginia, brutally hot and humid in the mid-Atlantic and southern New England sections, and fall thru New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.  Snow, mud, bugs and lots of rain.