Hiking Sandals, Hiking Socks and Other Footwear

Hiking sandals seem like they would be so comfortable, especially if your feet get hot easily. They give you plenty of ventilation, and after going through streams, your feet can dry quickly. Hiking sandals do work well for some, but not for myself. Less control due to my feet sliding around in them, rocks under my toes, thorns in my feet-I'm not sure which bothers me most.

Hiking Socks

Socks, whether worn in sandals or running shoes, should be light and comfortable. You will get fewer blisters the moment you stop using heavy, expensive, high-tech hiking socks. Use cheap nylon dress socks for a week and you probably won't go back to the others.

The socks I use weigh less than an ounce per pair, so I can bring enough pairs to change socks regularly. They are cheap. I can buy them at Wal-Mart or almost anywhere they sell socks. They dry fast, so I can rinse them out and have a fresh, dry pair in an hour. I have NEVER had a blister using light nylon dress socks with running shoes. That's six or seven years since I've had a blister, not even after a 39-mile hike in North Carolina one day.

I bring a heavier pair of socks for sleeping in (still light at only 3 ounces). I also have heavier socks for winter hiking, of course. For this, the wool-blend hiking socks seem to work best. It may be more important to have enough dry socks, than to have thick socks.

Look Ma, No Shoes!

Hiking in sandals may be rough for me, but I just read a story of a man who hiked the almost 300 miles in Vermont barefoot! I went a couple miles down the beach that way once while backpacking, and I have also seen people hiking in moccasins and in flip-flops. Just wanted to mention all the alternatives, but I think I'll stick to running shoes.

Every chapter has tips for lightweight backpacking and wilderness survival.