Quote:
Originally Posted by AngryScientist
I can never understand the hiking in sandals thing. I guess it depends on terrain, but how the hell do you keep little pebbles and gritty mud from getting in and cutting/chafing the foot?
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Last time I hiked fast in my chacos I ripped half my big toe nail off hitting it on a rock. I decided that is the last time and will stick with trail shoes from now on. The chacos are heavy but comfortable and work through anything. I rarely get small rocks under the foot even when hiking in kitty litter rocks in the desert. Never did one cause a cut, occasionally it would hurt a bit, usually though not enough to stop me to remove, and I’d just shake it out while walking.
Bedrock sandals expose the foot even more but offer an exceptional feel and traction. I hiked up mt LeConte after a heavy rain last summer in them newly purchased the day before with no break in. The trail was very wet; basically a cold wet stream the entire way. My feet were cool feeling and wet but it was tolerable and it didn’t matter where I stepped. I had thick winter socks to wear on dry happy feet that night on top the mtn where we stayed. Others with me in boots and shoes still had wet feet the next day and two had blisters from softening skin.