Sandals ???

[Chuck Cunningham]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

 

[koknesis]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

ecco closed toe sandals. many miles on CF, alternating with trail runners. in fact they are on heavy side, so this year on VdlP I'm planing to take something lighter, sort of Merrell Terrant or similar. to my ankles Camino terrain in summer is fine when walking in sandals, although some may find too little support. so, the sandals might be pretty sensible choice, unless you will carry all the stuff you depict on your avatar

 

[caminowilts]

Last year I did about 22 of the 32 days from SJDP to Santiago in a pair of North Face Hedgehog sandals, after getting awful blisters early on. They were brilliant. It was only when I got to Galicia that I had to resort back to trail shoes for 3-4 days due to rain.

 

[Playful Dread]

I walked a couple of sections in a cheap battered pair of closed toe Karrimor sandals I'd bought from Sports Direct years ago. £14 they cost me!

I'd previously used them (being the only footwear I had with me at the time!) to walk round some of the coast of Ibiza and although I probably know they didn't do my feet any good across the rocky terrain my feet, ankles, knees and legs seemed to recuperate very quickly! In other words I'd use them for small distances at a time but I wouldn't rely on them solely to walk a Camino for any long period. That being said I saw a lot of woman in particular wearing walking sandals last year. I got caught up in a few school groups along the way to Santiago from Porto and many of the teenage girls were wearing what looked like sturdy walking sandals for that route.

I guess it would all depend as well the terrain as a lot of the section I walked from Porto along the coast was on boardwalks or I'd walk the beach barefoot (see profile pic). I'll definitely be taking my battered sandals with me again this year as they've done me proud so far over the years and I've become quite attached to them now!

 

[dougfitz]

I used open sandals on my first camino, but generally wore them only at the end of the day after I blistered wearing them around Pamplona. Since then, I have worn boots during the day, and a light mesh shoe in the evening - without blisters. I know others have used sandals without admitting to any problems. You might be lucky too.

 

[evanlow]

I did walk for 2 days on a pair of Crocs due to my boots disintegrating on my first day on the Camino Levante. It was in storage for two years and I guess that's why it gave in that quick.

They were comfortable and for most days when the terrain are relatively dry or flat they are actually adequate and comfortable.

Incidentally my replacement two days later was an Asics running shoe (low cut) and I found it adequate for the rest of Camino with inclines and such.

Since then, no more heavy boots (blisters) for me. Trailer runners are good enough. They get wet but they dry fast.

 

[t2andreo]

If you opt for sandals, please apply the oversize boot fitting suggestions if you plan to wear socks, which is recommended. But, each peregrino has their own walking style and preference.

I have Keen Arroyo II hiking sandals. I use them here in Florida, as it is rather warm for enclosed boots. But, I still wear two pair of socks when hiking.

Also, a closed toe box is a MUST to protect your toes on downhill and rocky segments.

Finally, do carry extra socks. You WILL encounter prodigious mud through the end of June. Your feet will get caked with mud each day. Either "go commando" and just rinse the sandals and feet as needed, or change socks - a lot.

I hope this helps.

 

[Playful Dread]

I did walk for 2 days on a pair of Crocs due to my boots disintegrating on my first day on the Camino Levante. It was in storage for two years and I guess that's why it gave in that quick.

They were comfortable and for most days when the terrain are relatively dry or flat they are actually adequate and comfortable.

Incidentally my replacement two days later was an Asics running shoe (low cut) and I found it adequate for the rest of Camino with inclines and such.

Since then, no more heavy boots (blisters) for me. Trailer runners are good enough. They get wet but they dry fast.

I had to chuckle at the "Crocs!" comment as my wife walked the last 60km of the French in Crocs as her boots went missing from the albergue she was working in at the time!

 

[trecile]

If you opt for sandals, please apply the oversize boot fitting suggestions if you plan to wear socks, which is recommended. But, each peregrino has their own walking style and preference.

I have Keen Arroyo II hiking sandals. I use them here in Florida, as it is rather warm for enclosed boots. But, I still wear two pair of socks when hiking.

Also, a closed toe box is a MUST to protect your toes on downhill and rocky segments.

Finally, do carry extra socks. You WILL encounter prodigious mud through the end of June. Your feet will get caked with mud each day. Either "go commando" and just rinse the sandals and feet as needed, or change socks - a lot.

I hope this helps.

It seems that open toe sandals could be a benefit on downhills. Without the end of the shoe to run into it should prevent toenail problems.

 

[frida1]

Like so much, it depends on the individual. I love my Keen closed toe sandals. However, after reaching 60 or so, I don't have as much fat padding on the bottom of my feet. This is common. Sandals don't have enough cushioning on the sole for me now. I love to wear after walking though.

Re the comment about mud. You should be prepared, of course. But when I walked the Frances in April-May 2014, there was not one day of rain, and no mud. So it really varies.

I was also lucky in September-October on the Portuguese camino, with only 2 days of rain.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Ecco sandals. I take them for evening wear, to let feet breathe.
I also wear them for 50% of the walking day.
Purely on a personal level, I prefer the simple, open-toe sandals.
Buen camino!

 

[Jo Jo]

Keen Newport Sandals (finally bought in Leon) saved my first Camino. On the second, I alternated between Keen Arroyo II sandals (better, hiking boot sole) and walking shoes (New Balance). Used the shoes for concrete/asphalt, and the sandals for the rougher trails/gravel and for rain (they dry really fast). Footwear is very personal, but that was my experience. I like the Keen sandals because they can be laced to create lots of room in the toe box, and I have very wide feet.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Davie Blisters]

Started training this week in a pair of closed toe HI-TEC sandals, £35 from Go Outdoors in UK.
I will use these as back-up for my Keen Walking Shoes. Starting out from Lisbon 2 June and anticipating lots of heat & tarmac. So far, so good!
Buen Camino

 

[intrepidtraveler]

Keen Newport H2's and Luna Gordos (open-toed) worked great for me. Picked up the Keen's enroute as my wear-tested Hoka caused blisters. As many others have said, it all depends on what works for you. For me, the sandals can't be beat for breathability. Also fewer points of contact between footwear and feet to cause rubbing and ultimately blisters.

 

[mla1]

Chaco sandals. Very supportive. Very adjustable (good for people who can't wear Tevas). I wore them for about a week last year on the vdlp when I got a blister. Wore them with socks. Fetching!

 

[GreatDane]

If I were to hike in sandals it would be my Ecco's. As much as I love all my Keen sandals I think the footbed in the Ecco's would stand up better over long distance. But I stick to my tried and true no blister ever Keen Verdi II mids because I want the bit of ankle support the give me. At night and in Madrid I wear my Keen CNX Clearwater shoes.

 

[Jakke]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

Simple sandals, bought in a local store in Portugal. Hard soles so I did not feel the impact of the cobbled stones. Adjustable in every way. I stopped as soon as I noticed I needed to make an adjustment. I walked from Porto to SdC on them and emptied them of pebbles only once.
Edit: correction after checking my notes, over 260 km I stopped ten times to remove pebbles or adjust the straps.

 

[Kanga]

Ecco Off-Road open toed sandal, usually with no socks. They've walked me happily along 800km of the Norte, and the CF twice.

 

[xin loi]

Took sandals on first Camino Frances in 2014 to walk in May & June and rarely wore them. So on second Camino last year, I did not bring any. Big Mistake! Hiked in August and September, and feet were BIG from hot weather. Lost three toenails!

Wished I had sandals like most other people were wearing. Could not buy a pair anywhere because I do not have feet like deer hooves ! No hiking stores had any sandals bigger than size 40. I was not able to buy a pair until Sarria. After Sarria, the Camino is so easy, I suppose I could have walked bare foot, but I wore them all of the way to Finnisttere

 

[John MLT]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

hey Chuck, I wore Salomon closed toe sandals for most of my Camino Frances last September between St Jean and Leon, and I found them simply great - we had atypical high temperatures that month, and I got severe blistering the first two days walking in the heat in my boots. I'll be bringing my sandals once again next month, when I do the next stage of the CF - definitely! I recommend you take a good pair as a backup or for the evenings at least.

 

[dqduncan]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

I brought Birkenstocks with ankle strap. Bad idea. Mailed them to myself in Santiago. Too heavy and not stable enough. But cool for my hot feet. And that was the key issue. Boots are hot in September. Keen Newports got me thru my Camino from Santo Domingo where I bought them (on a Sunday!) to Santiago. Walked everyday in them . Cool , drier feet, thick souls ( I mean soles!!!!!) for the rough terrain. And ankles were meant to get strong through bending and twisting. Don't need to be locked in like a ski boot. 'Functional movement' is where it's at! I live in them to this day. They are stable, have an 'anatomical footbed' which I needed because I developed an inflamed nerve from all the walking in narrow hiking boots. I ditched those too and never used them again. Today, post-Camino, I use orthotics forsome residual pain or my Keens...year round . They feel like walking on pillows. I'm going to buy a pair of their waterproof hiking boots for winter and bad elements. They're light and I know they'll fit. lastly, can't overemphasize the benefit of solid, stable sandals as a strategy for cooler feet. Cool feet means less risk of skin breaking down ...blisters, etc. I never had one blister with good fit and several foot breaks a day despite walking fast and for long days. PS always wore my hiking socks , again, sweat Mgmt. Look like a dork but happy feet, and none of us was going for style points!! PPS these closed toed sandals markedly reduce the little pebble that get in sandals.noted that when switching from the Birks. And I ALWAYS shook/took the stone out when I noticed it. They were the size of grape seeds but many kilometres making little things into big things!!

 

[t2andreo]

As other have mentioned or alluded to, the key things about wearing closed toe sandals are:

1. They help prevent scree (small gravel, debris, etc.) from getting into the sandal and under your foot.

2. They protect your toes from stubbing and bumps.

Beyond this, it is largely a matter of personal preference. Whatever works for you, works for YOU! Each pilgrim does their own Camino.

Personally, I am clumsy oaf, so having the closed toe helps me.

I hope this helps.

 

[JayPaul53]

Teva Terra Fi Lite

• JayPaul53
• Apr 1, 2017
• 4

I wore Teva Terra Fi Lite's the entire way, incl the Pyrenees... socks on cold days. Not a single blister. Wife wore similar Chacos, all the way, no blisters. BUT this is what we ordinarily wore on all our hikes for many years - I'd go with footware that you usually wear back home - there's nothing special about the Camino that would force you to change your normal footware.

 

[Fr. Stuart Crevcoure]

I'm very tempted to try sandals on my upcoming June camino. I have a well-broken-in pair of open-toed Teva hiking sandals and a pair of thick-soled Chacos. I actually bought the Tevas for my 2008 Camino Portuguese, but after a three-mile test walk I decided no, definitely not. However, the problem might have been that they were too new, whereas now they're broken-in and comfortable to wear. I'm going to experiment with them in my spring training walks to see how they do on different kinds of terrain over long stretches. I would rather know now if the sandals cause blisters, etc., when it's only one day and my feet have time to heal up.

 

[Jonas]

Ecco Offroad sandals 38 of 40 days, with and without socks.

 

[mvanert]

I was surprised to see that sandals seem to be a viable option for hiking footwear. Can y'all please share your experience with them. Like or not. Type, worn, etc. Thanks

Teva's, spent about $35 for them, wore every night and anytime my feet got hot while on even path/road. Best $ spent! Just about worn out, will be buying another pair this year.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00ZEQH03A/?tag=santiagodec0b-20