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The Devil's Footwear

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Yes,also known as thongs, flip flops or for our NZ cousins..jandals (a combination of sandals and..er something else). A salutary warning. My friend decided to walk the camino last year and against my advise took a pair of these abominations. 200 kms before SDC he was wearing them and slipped (because they have no traction,heel padding or any protection) and broke a toe. Being a resolute person he continued on. Back in OZ in spite of my admonitions continued to wear them!...yes, I know..hard to believe. Of course he slipped on tiles on his verandah and injured another toe. I know many wear these things especially in the shower..what could possibly go wrong?..slippery surface and no traction!
For the last 10 years on my caminos I take boots..and that's all..no sandals,crocs or especially the devils footwear. I've been asked what I wear after I walk..my boots. An extra pair of footwear although not necessarily heavy are awkward and bulky..so I don't bother. Here endeth the lesson
 
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I am a jandal (flip-flop) fan (and a Kiwi)- in fact the joke in my family is that I have 'jandal toes' that is, room for another toe between my big toe and the next. Im lucky to work in a casual office, I can even wear 'fancy' jandals to work in the summer.
At the end of each Camino walking day my feet loved me for setting them free in my jandals. My toes are all shortish and all the same length, so they dont get damaged. Ive never slipped, or broken a toe, wearing jandals. On my first Camino I took the lightest pair I could find, and wore them through, by the time I got to Burgos the stones were poking through. Now I take the Crocs version of flip-flop, heavier but much better.

And the more extreme story though; my cousin (we come from the same stock, our choices growing up were barefoot, jandals or gumboots- barefoot usually won, and still does) met us in Leon, and walked to Villa Franca in his. He bought shoes, they gave him blisters, so he walked in jandals for a week - even down the hill to Molineseca. Completely unscathed, people couldn't believe their eyes, no sticks either. I had shoes and sticks and still picked my way down really slowly.
 
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Don't the boots get a bit soggy when you wear them in the shower?
 
I don't like flip flops either. The post between my toes was never comfortable and without a strap behind my heels I always feel as if I am going to step out of them. I take Teva hiking sandals as alternate footwear for the evening (and potentially an alternate during the day, too). Gives me more flexibility in my footwear choices depending on what happens to my feet.
 
I found TOMS slip-ons a perfect, lightweight alternative to thongs etc. AND when you buy a pair they give a pair to children in need. Everyone wins...just don't wear them in the shower.
 
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I wear boots for hiking and take a lighter weight pair of Teva sandals for afternoon walking. Nothing in the shower. I use flip flops at the beach and would definitely not use them for walking around in public Devil’s footwear indeed.
 
alaskadiver said:
I use flip flops at the beach and would definitely not use them for walking around in public Devil’s footwear indeed.
Click to expand...

I love how different cultures have different perceptions. I lived many years in Brazil, land of the Havaianas flip-flops, where everyone has at least 2-3 pairs of them. One for the beach, one for heavier duties and one for more fancy dressing. I wore a pair of white pearl ones with crystals for my wedding, btw.

For the camino, flip-flops are a no-brainer for me. I walk in Mizunos, rest in flip-flops and let my toes breath. Of course there are the good ones (with traction) and the cheapo ones (very slippery), so you must know what to choose.

And no, I don't have hooves.
 
lol! Oh it’s definitely cultural. I don’t think anyone in Hawaii owns anything except flip flops. But try going to work (most professional jobs, that is) in flip flops in most of our other states and you will get a talking to and told to go home

I can’t walk in those things. They fall right off my feet
 
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