I'm looking for something lightweight that bugs can't bite through, covers the ankles, and won't cause me to slip and break a hip around the water. Gotta be easy on/off, preferably without laces.
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Lightweight Camp Shoes
- Thread starter Black_Fly
- Start date
Not really lightweight but for colder weather I have the low cut version of these. Like an outdoor insulated slipper. Great traction warm and water resistant These ones go up to your ankle.
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-thermoball-traction-booties-nf0a3mkh-en-ca#hero=0
My version.
https://youtu.be/-0AR2EWj-EQ
lighter weight you could go with one of the sockwas.
https://www.sockwa.com/products/g-hi
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-thermoball-traction-booties-nf0a3mkh-en-ca#hero=0
My version.
https://youtu.be/-0AR2EWj-EQ
lighter weight you could go with one of the sockwas.
https://www.sockwa.com/products/g-hi
G
Guest
Guest
I'm not sure what you are looking for, and may be confused about the “Lightweight camp shoe” subject line. In my Imelda Marco world of paddling and tripping footwear a lightweight camp shoe means something I wear around camp. I’d still like a good grip, but I don’t need beefy ankle support and I can still tie my own shoes.
My solution for camp shoes is Goretex trail runners; very lightweight, nice grippy soles that aren’t too much of a big lug mud magnet, waterproof so water dripping down my rain pant legs (or merely walking across dewy ground) isn’t soaking my socks and feet.
I have not been bug bit through them yet, maybe it’s the Gotetex layer. I have watched a stable fly bite me through a pair of cheap nylon sneakers.
“Covers the ankles, easy on/off, without laces” begins to sound like a Marsh Boot or Chota, but most don’t provide much ankle support, if that’s what you’re looking for in high tops, and some aren’t exactly easy on/off.
For canoeing and wading/wet shoreline walking any distance I’d much rather have a marsh boot with a stacked heel, thick sole and more aggressive tread than the filmsy soled mostly-neoprene kayaker style high rise boots. That thicker sole and heel eliminates the “lightweight” criteria.
I am happiest with three pairs of footwear, waterproof boots (Chota Marsh Boots off-season, NRS water shoes in wet feet summer), a pair of lace on Goretex trail runners for in-camp and general purpose use, and something ultra-light slip-on for ease and drying my feet out while not being totally barefoot; moccasins, or Crocs (light, but bulky) or decently soled flip flops (still toe stubbers)
If you just want ankle coverage without support there are always gaiters. If you can’t bend over to tie your shoes there’s always Velcro, but Velcro is an eventual hook & loop failure on shoes, picking up debris.
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Salomon Jungle Ultra Boots for paddling and portaging.
For camp, I use any New Balance, Saucony, etc. trail runners that are light, pack small, dry quickly and have enough support in case I needed them in the canoe or on the trail.
Happy New Year!
For camp, I use any New Balance, Saucony, etc. trail runners that are light, pack small, dry quickly and have enough support in case I needed them in the canoe or on the trail.
Happy New Year!
On northern trips where the inevitable attractive campsite has a sloping rock shelf that is invariably covered with lichen or at least algae below waterline a Vibram tread is good. Now I have Crocs and they are sometimes useful as camp shoes but not when your campsite is a ski slope toward the water where you will be gathering it for your pot,
I have several pairs of Merrell Maipos from years gone by.. Not recent purchase and it seems that model was redesigned and wears through the support straps fast.. They are on Amazon if you want to take a look
https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Mens...1HEAE6GW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8
The above is an alternative.
Curious as why you need ankle support in camp, as that is not usually a function of relaxing shoes.. Bugs will not bite your ankles if you apply permethrin to sox and wear socks at all times. I actually just apply Bens 100 percent DEET to my sox and no issues. You don't need 100 percent.. A DEET of 30 percent is fine.
These look like a good bargain for a non walking shoe..
https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/merrel...MIm-G-57vN3wIVQUsNCh28-wlfEAYYASABEgLFG_D_BwE
Now about the laces.. Lacing and tying is not a problem if you use these
https://www.amazon.com/LACES-Elasti...ocphy=9002554&hvtargid=pla-541954394112&psc=1
Many swim shops sell water slippers but as campsites sometimes have fishhooks or broken glass you need a sturdier sole. I don't like sandals in camp for the stub your toe factor,
I have several pairs of Merrell Maipos from years gone by.. Not recent purchase and it seems that model was redesigned and wears through the support straps fast.. They are on Amazon if you want to take a look
https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Mens...1HEAE6GW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8
The above is an alternative.
Curious as why you need ankle support in camp, as that is not usually a function of relaxing shoes.. Bugs will not bite your ankles if you apply permethrin to sox and wear socks at all times. I actually just apply Bens 100 percent DEET to my sox and no issues. You don't need 100 percent.. A DEET of 30 percent is fine.
These look like a good bargain for a non walking shoe..
https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/merrel...MIm-G-57vN3wIVQUsNCh28-wlfEAYYASABEgLFG_D_BwE
Now about the laces.. Lacing and tying is not a problem if you use these
https://www.amazon.com/LACES-Elasti...ocphy=9002554&hvtargid=pla-541954394112&psc=1
Many swim shops sell water slippers but as campsites sometimes have fishhooks or broken glass you need a sturdier sole. I don't like sandals in camp for the stub your toe factor,
The ankle does not need support, I have portage boots for that. I need protection from skeeters. Maybe there's a market niche. Heck, I've considered PF Flyers (KEDS) like I wore as a kid, but those soles are like lead.
high top moccasins
they evolved in the north woods, are light, pack flat and are even available with a vibram sole for extra grip.
they evolved in the north woods, are light, pack flat and are even available with a vibram sole for extra grip.
I always just go with 2 pair of footware on a trip. 1 for the water (neoprene in colder water and sandels in the summer) and usually a comfortable running shoe for around camp.
Neoprene boots. They're sized a tad generous to be cozy comfortable on cold nights around camp with cushy hiking socks. The mid-height keeps my feet dry in all but howling wet conditions. But usually in summer I go barefoot in them so they're easily slipped on and off for tent excursions.
Otherwise around camp I also wear water shoes such as Columbia Drainmakers. A spritz of bug spray for the ankles.
Otherwise around camp I also wear water shoes such as Columbia Drainmakers. A spritz of bug spray for the ankles.
Do you have a source?
I've been well served by sox over the equivalent of two years in Ontario but the mocs are intriguing
I too wear moccasins. No high tops. I wear pants that provide good ankle protection. They take very little space.
G
Guest
Guest
If your principal concern is mosquito protection for your ankles, and you don’t want to go the DEET or Permethrin or thick socks or etc route I think a pair of gaiters paired with shoes of your choice would be a solution.
https://www.rei.com/search?q=gaiters
Lightweight? Check
No Laces? Check
Easy on/off? Check
How do moccasins hold up during wet weather? I like dry feet in camp.
Moccasins
Well I wouldn't go standing in puddles with them but as long as you treat the leather with something I haven't had a problem on mine with a rubber sole.
Steger's sell a high top mocassin.
You could also try Lana at Mucky Mocs on Etsy. She made me some canvas & leather mukluks
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MuckyMocs
This place also has a selection though I know nothing about them.
https://www.moccasinscanada.com/
Minnetoka also sell a nice looking pair but it has a bare sole. I know some folk who had success painting the sole with barge cement then covering this with ground rubber/car tires t create a sole.
Well I wouldn't go standing in puddles with them but as long as you treat the leather with something I haven't had a problem on mine with a rubber sole.
Steger's sell a high top mocassin.
You could also try Lana at Mucky Mocs on Etsy. She made me some canvas & leather mukluks
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MuckyMocs
This place also has a selection though I know nothing about them.
https://www.moccasinscanada.com/
Minnetoka also sell a nice looking pair but it has a bare sole. I know some folk who had success painting the sole with barge cement then covering this with ground rubber/car tires t create a sole.
G
Guest
Guest
I used bare sole moccasins a lot in my backpacking days. There was nothing quite like taking my sweaty hiking boots and socks off, slipping into a pair of mocs and tip toeing cautiously about camp. But my soles were tougher back then. As was I on the whole, using a sleep pad that was barely ½” thick
I know they aren’t really moccasins with this addition, but I want at least a thorn-impervious sole on my mocs; I really don’t need to read heads or tails on a coin through the leather.
I may need to shop around on the suggestions you provided. I’d love to find a pair of better made high -ish top moccasins, but jeeze louise, $170?
https://www.mukluks.com/Mens-Moccasins/products/20/
I have taken to buying low-cut cheap ones with soles and Snow-sealing the leather, but for anything beyond cautious chair-to-campfire camp rambling most inexpensive moccasins are too low cut to keep my feet dry, and the cheapie pairs only last a couple years
In the cool nights off-season I admit to using WalMart wool lined slippers. $20, which were, when I investigated, identical in every way, down to sole and stitching, identical to LL Beans $90 pair of lined mocs.
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/6563...ed%20moccasins
Kinda like the Yeti identical knock offs, made in the same Chinese Factory on the same production line.
A couple years longevity, with the caveat that I wear them around the house and yard a lot in winter; fuzzy slip on mocs are really handy at times.
I do need to investigate further. A pair of well made, long lasting semi-high top mocs with a sole, from a small (family) business would be worth twice the price me.
Northern canoe trippers often tuck their panta inside their sox
beefy wool sox
Along with a hard soled moccasin you should be fine not fashionable
Beware wet lichen though
beefy wool sox
Along with a hard soled moccasin you should be fine not fashionable
Beware wet lichen though
Vibram by itself doesn't mean anything. They make many different soles. Some are grippy on snot rocks and some aren't. The trick is trying to figure out which is which. My lightweight trail runners have Vibram soles and are terrible on Canadian shield snot rocks. My Abyss boots aren't great but are considerably better (don't think those were Vibram). My Rock jungle boots fall somewhere in the middle; also can't remember if they're Vibram or not.
Alan
Not fashionable but cheap $20. I find these very comfortable with a wool sock, easy on off, decently grippy and obviously unbothered by water. Cut them down to whatever height suits you or keep them full height. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-knee-rain-boot?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051
I see Maine guides wearing untied LL Bean boots around camp after canoeing and the bottom of this boot is a lot like that.
I see Maine guides wearing untied LL Bean boots around camp after canoeing and the bottom of this boot is a lot like that.
I have had luck with the Vibram Merrell uses. Of course who knows if its the same compound used now..
No luck at all with Bean Boots for me.. I have a veritable arsenal of them bought at the Employee Store when I worked there. I wonder why I did( oh yes they were five bucks a pair).. I hate them Sweaty feet cold feet. ( need thick wool sox for them). I hate em mostly because we in the winter have a 400 foot driveway of pure ice and they have NO traction at all unless adorned with Katoola Microspikes.
Why I thought today would be different I don't know. Keester time without microspikes ( I went and grabbed a pair to take out the weekly trash)
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Bill Mason wrote on page 74 in SONG OF THE PADDLE that he had read in Calvin Rutsrum's book THE WAY OF THE WILDERNESS that Rutstrum liked the combo of smoke tanned moccasins with a rubber boot over them, for canoe travel favored by by Indians of the North. I have used this system myself, it just plain works.
In E. Kreps book CAMP and TRAIL METHODS,has the moccasin pattern and instructions. For those without a glovers needle, waxed dental floss or the skill to use them, two good places to buy really nice thick leather moccasins are Carl Dryer Moccasins or Russell Moccasin Co.. My children will probably bury me with one or other of ones that I have.
I am somewhat overweight, but I can still tie my own shoes, so I don't need slip on camp shoes, but I do like the Russell slip on moccasins around camp. They have a double soft sole and pack small, but might go on a wild ride on slick surfaces.
Back when I was a young ma,n we went all over Northern Minnesota in sneakers, old clothes, army wool blankets, tarp and a aluminum canoe. We didn't need or even know about shoes for special kinds of use or canoes either. I can remember seeing my first wood & canvas canoe, and having canoe envy (it was a Seliga). The main thing then and now is just get out there, make some memories, because time is short.
In E. Kreps book CAMP and TRAIL METHODS,has the moccasin pattern and instructions. For those without a glovers needle, waxed dental floss or the skill to use them, two good places to buy really nice thick leather moccasins are Carl Dryer Moccasins or Russell Moccasin Co.. My children will probably bury me with one or other of ones that I have.
I am somewhat overweight, but I can still tie my own shoes, so I don't need slip on camp shoes, but I do like the Russell slip on moccasins around camp. They have a double soft sole and pack small, but might go on a wild ride on slick surfaces.
Back when I was a young ma,n we went all over Northern Minnesota in sneakers, old clothes, army wool blankets, tarp and a aluminum canoe. We didn't need or even know about shoes for special kinds of use or canoes either. I can remember seeing my first wood & canvas canoe, and having canoe envy (it was a Seliga). The main thing then and now is just get out there, make some memories, because time is short.
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