I have a friend that runs a lot and recently he bought a pair of running shoes like these: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
He absolutely loves them and just won't shut up about them. We were talking and he brought up the subject of using them for backpacking. The first thoughts I had were that they have no arch or ankle support, so I am not sure they would work very well for backpacking. But I thought I would post and see what you all think of using these for backpacking, or maybe just bringing them up for something to wear around the campsite.

Based on where and how I like hike, those would not be a good choice for me. I guess if you stay on nice wide trails and never stray off the beaten path, they might be fine.

We have cactus around here. Those would be woefully inadequate.

There are a lot that use them and like them. It is entirely up to the individual.

They may work, I dunno. But man are they silly lookin'.

Those particular shoes are just too weird looking for me. In my younger days I would have scoffed at the notion of hiking in running shoes. Boots were the essential part of boy scout gear. However, things are not the same today as in bygone years. I have been using Solomon Gortex trail runners for years now. The original pair are finally starting to show signs of wear after 6 years. I presently use that pair for work and bought a new pair of Solomon Gortex shoes for my hiking. These shoes are very tough. The soul is reinforced so sharp rocks wont go through and they are very waterproof. I know some on this forum don’t like Gortex, but my experience has been very good. Some years ago I bought my sister a pair. She wears them everyday and lives in an area that gets over 3' of rain per year. She tells me her feet stay nice and dry. Therefore my opinion is that certain types of runners will work well for both jogging and hiking.

Howie.

We've gone over shoes a bit before here. I think the general conclusion is that it really depends on what type of hiking you're doing and the terrain you'll be on.

I wear light weight mid height hiking boots. Generally I buy Merrell boots. But I mostly hike off trail. Dirt and rocks get in low tops, so I don't use them.

I think those shoes might be worth trying for creek hiking and canoeing/kayaking. I don't climb so I won't comment on that.

I don't think they'd be a good shoe for hiking or backpacking though. It might be nice to have a pair for a wet crossings and to knock around camp in the evening though. At 6 ounces they might make it into my pack if I had a pair.