Real men wear Crocs!
I guess age is catching up with me. 20 years ago, being a disciple of John Muir and his minimalist and simplistic approach to hiking, the thought of unnecessary luxuries never entered my mind. And of those that did, extra camp slippers were certainly not one!
Fast forward to 2022, and camp shoes, specifically Crocs in my instance, are a staple in my kit. Yes, those ugly, rubbery, fashion faux pas "shoes" make it into my kit every trip!
I don't specifically remember the moment this changed. I assume I read something that was proposing the concept of camp shoe's and decided to give it a go, but I know that when I did so, it was a luxury I never wanted to go without again!
The reason camp shoes make my list is that they are helpful in 4 ways:
Foot relief after a long hike.
Going for a pee at night.
Water crossings where you don't want your boots/shoes/socks to get wet.
River/lake bathing with stony shores.
Maybe 2, 3 & 4 make sense to you, or maybe not - that's ok!
But reason #1 is my main reason. After walking many "Mountain Miles" it is a simple and pure luxury to remove your boots/shoes, pull off your sweaty wool socks, and walk around barefoot (almost) while your feet breath and regenerate. The alternative is leaving those boots laced up, or walking around getting pine needles jabbed into your foot. If the river is too awkward to collect water from the bank - no problem, you brought Croc's!
In this age of ultralight, with people making camp shoes out of cardboard and thread, I say good luck! Not for me.
The price I pay? Well, it's an embarrassing 14 ounces. There are plenty of lighter options out there, with flip-flops being a great alternative, but I sleep in cold temperatures with wooly socks, so they don't help if I need to get up at night.
If you are on the fence, or have always just toughed it out in your boots until bed time, I humbly offer the option of a camp shoe as campsite night at the spa!