On my first actual camping trip, 10 days at Isle Royale, I brought no camp shoes. Not only didn't I have camp shoes but I used my hiking boots as waders because I was not able to walk the banks to fish. They were brand new but one of the soles de-laminated and I had to keep it together with cable ties and parachute cord.  ;D. Ah, those were the days, great trip BTW, nice place, I want to get back.

Now I have camp shoes! Teva sandals actually. I think I'm going to replace them. The reasons are two fold. First they are open toed. I think a guy or gal could potentially lose a toenail. Unlikely perhaps but possible.

Secondly, I would like something sturdy enough to do portages with if push came to shove. I detest the thought but you never know. I'm thinking of going with these but before I do I have learned to run things by this community as I am often pleasantly surprised.
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I like that they have an adjustable heel strap. You can really lock them in place if need be.

What say you?

I use OTB Abyss boots as my primary 3 season wet boot.  I have a couple pairs of Keen sandals (H2's) that I use for my camp shoe for much the same reasons as you've stated.  I love them and they are definitely sturdy enough and have enough support to function over portages as need be.  In fact when I'm in Algonquin where the ports tend to be fairly well groomed I pretty much wear my Keens all the time.  I think you'll be happy with your choice.

By the way, if you look around, I'm sure you can find them at a better price, for example,   (You need to Login or Register and   (You need to Login or Register.

I'll echo your (and Kenny's) reasons for selecting a camp shoe.  While the model I use is not Keen, it seems to be a collaborative effort between Keen and Simms ... and it bears a Simms brand name --   (You need to Login or Register.  [Since I've had mine for a couple of seasons now, I'm not sure if they are still available.]  I'm also very fond of my Simms fleece fingerless gloves for cool weather use (paddling and fishing).

Also, like Kenny, I'm now using an OTB boot (but mine is the Ohdin model--a high-top version of the Abyss).  Of course, if the weather is likely to be cold, I still have Chotas (Nunavut II-neoprene and fleece lined knee-highs) for that.

dd

I don't engage in the footware fight anymore.  The $250 Irish Setters got just as wet & ruined as the hi-tech canvas crap (and just as fast too).  I keep a pair of cozy boots, forget the brand or price I paid, to compliment my cotton socks for when I want dry feet at night around the fire.  I portage in teva's, canoe barefoot.  The tan lines from the teva's get chicks to notice my rugged feet.  I love to show the scar and tell the story of how I had to give myself stitches on my right instep from that midnight portage in the rain.  Best day ever!

Prior to my days of being so podiatricly conscious, canvas Chuck Taylors served all purposes.  They probably still do.

This is probably going to get me in trouble...

The gal that busted her leg was wearing those things, the keens. The boy has had a couple of pair over the years; whenever it was wet saw him slip a bunch...and he is normally very firm on his feet.

I run tevas with a couple pair of wool socks, keeps the bugs at bay and reasonably warm for the late trips. Been doing so for decades as a camp shoe. Never lost a nail or such.

But the reasonable part I would like to improve on for the late season trips...any notions on that...thought about some type wool, down, synthetic filled/constructed soled booty.....any notions that would be workable even in wet conditions that are as light and small in size as the tevas and a couple pairs of wool socks.

I have a pair of neoprene bootie socks I use inside my shoes if the weather is very cold and wet.  My portage shoes are a sturdy pair of cheap ($25.00 or so) lace up walking shoes.  I look for ones with a sole which is not slippery and find they are generally good even on wet rocks and roots.  By the end of the summer they've been wet so often they are shot and the arches generally get weak in them so they become garbage.  In camp the last couple trips I've used plastic slip ons, like Crocs but not that brand.  They can be slippery but I keep that in mind and tread very carefully and change into shoes for portaging or tricky shore walking.

PhantomJug wrote on Oct 30^th, 2010 at 6:40pm:

I love to show the scar and tell the story of how I had to give myself stitches on my right instep from that midnight portage in the rain.  Best day ever.

Sounds epic  :o Why were you portaging in the rain around midnight? Do tell. Were the police, mafia, jealous husband/s or the IRS involved  ;D.

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I have a couple of different pairs of "water shoes", something like the ones above, though I don't recall the brand.  I just keep an eye on Sierra Trading Post and when I saw something I liked at about $40 I bought them.  They are light, and since I only have worn them occasionally around camp, they'll probably last forever.  But, they are designed for use in water, so I hope they'd be good enough to portage with, if I ever needed that backup.

I like this style for a camp-shoe.
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I found a knock-off at Sam's Club for $20. Warm/comfortable around camp and waterproof enough that you can fetch water/step in puddle and they won't get wet. With a warm pair of Merino wool socks, in cool weather there great. Sole gives better than average traction. I wear Teva water shoes with Brookie Knee highs for paddling/portaging. The slip ons would do on dry trails, but if you really want a serious back-up pair of shoes, Mad_Mat's choice of footwear or the Teva brand would be hard to beat. Teva's Spider sole technology is amazing on slippery surfaces. I'm guessing any name brand water shoe would prove the same.

Knowing where you plan on going, I think a closed toe/heel shoe would serve you better as a back-up shoe. Any opened toed shoe/sandal or with exposed strapping is a potential snag spot. A badly hurt foot for a solo traveler would be more than a inconvenience :'(

For what it's worth, STP is a great source for items at a deep discount price. Their a Christian business that really does hold to their values.
I bought a pair of shoes that were way to small due to a mix up on their part in labeling. I called and they said send them back no problem. A day later they 2nd day air mailed me the correct size before I even mailed the other pair back!! You can't beat that.

Chaco sandals, because they produce even cooler tan lines than Teva.  Actually it's because they have a very supportive Vibram rubber sole, are very comfy, dry very quickly, and allow my feet to dry out after a day of wet-foot portaging.  If I tripped other than summer, I would have an old pair of sneakers instead.  Note, I don't change into my camp shoes until tents are up, bear bags hung, firewood gathered, and usually dinner is already cooked, so I minimize the chances of my unprotected toes getting crushed, stabbed, cut, etc.

In camp?  A pair of light runners.

I've had sandals and they were great, but they blew apart and never got replaced.  Keene style seems smarter to me as open toes catch twigs under the nails and in the fleshy bits.

My biggest issue with shoes is that I wear orthotics and any real amount of walking gets painful without them.  So a proper fitting shoe is best for me.  Otherwise I'd be all about crocs or sandals.

PhantomJug wrote on Oct 30^th, 2010 at 6:40pm:

The tan lines from the teva's get chicks to notice my rugged feet.  I love to show the scar and tell the story of how I had to give myself stitches on my right instep from that midnight portage in the rain.  Best day ever!

Phantom Jug....Women want him and men want to be like him.

Android wrote on Nov 16^th, 2010 at 5:52pm:

Phantom Jug....Women want him and men want to be like him.

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Stay thirsty my friend.   ;)

Where the heck does that grow up there? :-?

My brothers basement - so I'm told . . . . .  :-X

;D

My camp shoe:
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slips on easy, very comfortable, waterproof. they don't breathe so wool socks help but usually don't spend more than a few hours in em anyway.

Teva's with Acorn socks.

Well I went with the hydro guides by Keen. I was looking at the omniums and tundras from teva but weren't especially impressed with the reviews. They were lighter but it sounded like they had some de-lamination problems and sloppy fits.

The hydro guides are heavier than what I would prefer for a camp shoe. But the dual purpose is to have a backup shoe I could depend on to get me out if my main travel shoe ever went down. I like the adjustable heel strap on the hydro guides, something not normally seen on this style shoe. You can really get them tight. Beefy soles and good toe protection.  

Still trying to figure it out MT.

The last few trips I brought sandals. Last year we woke to 30 deg temperatures in early Sept on the way up. Decided at the last minute to take the hiking boots along. We were wet footing with wool socks on travel days, and it seemed to be a good choice having something warmer to change into. I would prefer to not carry any boots on a portage trail, but agree the lighter shoes do not offer much protection.

Earlier in the season around the middle of may I thought it was nice having knee high boots to avoid getting my feet wet, also nice later in camp during wet weather. I stopped bringing the knee-hi's because they are way too warm for me once it gets up to around 70 degrees.

Also, have had to repair 3 different water shoes from 2 different companies. The sole was coming loose in each case.

Repaired a newer pair of teva sandals myself by completely removing the sole, and cleaning the surface before applying adhesive. Used a lot of duct tape and placed a heavy weight on top until dry. They are holding up so far, but it may be worth having your shoes profesionally re-soled if you have a problem.

Saloman Amphibian are the best ones I have found they dry quick, are light weight and can take a beating.  They double as a  shoe and sandal. You can find them from $40 to $90 on the net.


Tried a cheaper version one year and had to sew them together with Fireline and Zip ties. It was horrible worrying if I would be bare footing it home :P