One of the gear decisions I obsessed the most over, for my last PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) hike, was the decision to carry two pairs of shoes: a pair of Chaco sandals and a pair of running shoes.
I spend a lot of effort to get my pack weight down, to add a pound and a half was tough. Also, everything has a place in my pack, adding a pair of shoes took an adjustment to my packing.
I brought them because of two realizations: I like to do 30-mile days and my feet hurt after 25.
I thought maybe once I was on the trail for a while, I could send one pair home, but a day never went by that I didn’t have both pairs in use. Some days I would switch shoes at every break.
I never got any blisters and I never spent a night moaning from the pain shooting through my feet, like I did the first time I hiked the PCT. I think it was a pound and a half well spent.
I bring two pairs of shoes/footwear just so I can change into something more comfortable at the end of the day.
Shoes or boots for walking.
Slippers or sandals for recovering.
I bought a pair of crocs for my PCT hike in 04. They are lighter than chacos.
The Chacos aren’t extra camp shoes they are my main hiking shoes. They have an orthopedic foot bed and make excellent hiking shoes
Even in Chacos my feet would get tired, after awhile, so I would switch to my running shoes. I also like having running shoes to get through the snow.
I’ve heard of people hiking in Crocs but I don’t know if they would work for me but maybe I should try them…How much hiking in them did you do? How long do they last?