High Sierra Topix

Dave,
I have a pair of the five fingers and use them mostly for Kayaking, although I have walked a few trails in them. I walk around barefoot a lot and my feet are fairly tuff, but there is not much cushioning when stepping on small sharp rocks. These shoes really give your legs a differnt kind of workout, since you are using your feet as they are designed...after a prolonged walk I really notice my calf muscles. I have thought about using them for stream crossings, but I am afarid that the normal foot wedging action would cause some pretty good bruising.

Glenn

Yeah, i would just hate to see a hike cut short or worse due to improper thinking about footwear. By all means, try it out, but have your boots handy. Maybe I think way too much about the what if's, but I do research my gear and the sierra granite is some gnarly stuff. Once you get to where the dirt ends, well it's just different after that.

I did see some guys heading up Piute last year in Teva's with full size packs on. I suppose those have a pretty good sole, but have you ever stubbed your toe on a rock???!!!! I have lost my toenail twice from that in good boots. I weigh alot, so having protection for my feet and ankles is not something I take lightly when I intend to enjoy my precious backcountry time.

I was at the REi garage sale the other day and both my wife and I each found a pair in our size for $10 each. My pair had never been used. Hers barely used. Great deal. I grabbed them more as a joke and for boating. They do make nice slippers. However, the stickiness of the rubber with exposed toes seemed to be a problem. Just walking around the house I noticed that my small toes would grab and want to bend unnaturally. This concerned me as I have broke small toes around the house in the past. I'm now questioning their use as camp shoes. My camp shoes tend to get used for fishing and I don't think these would hold up to the brush crawling and rock climbing I do trying to get to that prime hole.

This is an interesting fad, but I guess in about three years, you won't see them anymore.

Maybe someone else could try Merrell Trail Gloves. I have them and love them because they feel like you are barefoot and all your toes are still in a shoe.
Walked several miles and flat rocky terrain in Northern AZ. this weekend and were impressed.

doubletaptd wrote:Maybe someone else could try Merrell Trail Gloves. I have them and love them because they feel like you are barefoot and all your toes are still in a shoe.
Walked several miles and flat rocky terrain in Northern AZ. this weekend and were impressed.

Been looking for a new shoe/boot and I've been eyeing minimalist trail shoes and trail runners lately. I guess the only way to know if they'd work for me is to try them. My base weight would definitely have to come down first.