High Sierra Topix

Over the years, I've seen several instances of people hiking in the backcountry with Teva sandals. I know the Karnali Wraptor is supposed to be for trail hiking. I've always worn a stout backpacking boot, even for dayhiking (the last several years I've worn the LL Bean Gortex Cresta Hikers). Recently, I purchased 3 pairs of Teva sandals from Sierra Trading Post - a pair of the FI-2 sandals, a pair of the Volterra sandals, and a pair of the Toachi sandals. My main purpose at the time was to use them for stream crossings, around camp, or high country lake wading (fishing). But, can these sandals really be hiked in ?

I've always wondered the same thing. After a short time on the trail my consentration turns to scenery and not those little granite golfballs that make happy I have some ankle support.
Gary C.

I've seen people hike in them (Chaco's too). It looked to me like they were getting a lot of sand and pebbles between their feet and the sandals. That's too uncomfortable for me.

I use them for stream crossings and at camp. You have to have pretty tough feet to hike in them. I don't like sand and rocks between me and the Tevas so camp is as far as I get. Even then I'm always shaking the pebbles out.

In The Backpackers Handbook, Chris Townsend says he does everything but winter hiking in sandals- I think if you're 99% on trail, they might be fine, but as soon as you leave the trail you could be in trouble.