Originally Posted By countr21


I have to have some type of sandals for at the very least stream crossings. The idea of hiking long hours in saturated boots is incomprehensible to me.


I thought that way too. Then I got some mesh trail runners and used them with some lightweight wool socks a week ago in low elevation Sespe Wilderness doing ten creek crossings, sometimes within minutes of the last one. I experimented with crossing barefoot, crossing in croc knockoffs, and just marching through. I generally hate squishing along in wet shoes. Within five minutes of walking my feet felt fine, just a little moist but warm and comfy. When we stopped to camp I allowed them to dry off and put on dry socks, wrung out the wet ones and left them overnight to dry. Since they didn't quite get totally dry the next day I put them right back on and marched through the creek(s) ten times, and was absolutely comfy. No problems related to having wet feet. It was cold to the point of leaving frost on stuff at night but mid 70s in the day.

Had I been wearing Goretex anything, this would have been miserable. Just food for thought...

I have a spincast rig and fly fish in streams and lakes with a bobber. Most areas I go have restricted fishers to artificial lures so I am left with spinners and flies anyway. My fishing gear has been whittled down to a pound, 7 oz of which is a light Pflueger reel of sufficient heft to handle 6-8 lb test. (some of the lakes have some big 'uns.) My usual cooking gear is a few squares of heavy foil, packet of garlic salt, packets of lemon juice - there is nothing like fresh trout!

Cheap fake crocs from the drugstore with squares of felt superglued to the bottom make good light stream shoes that won't slip on slick rock surfaces.
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