Do you need camping shoes for hiking?

lAre you looking for ways to reduce your base weight that don’t involve upgrading to a $900 DCF tent? Here’s an easy win: ditch your camping shoes. Simply eliminating this item from your kit could save you almost a pound (Crocs weigh about 12 ounces per pair, depending on size, for reference).

So do you need Camping shoes for hiking? The short answer is no. Camping shoes are definitely a luxury item. You’ll be fine without them and you’ll save a good amount of weight and space in your backpack by getting rid of them.

Modern trail runners may be comfortable enough on their own

Especially if you hike in breathable, quick-drying trail running shoes, your main hiking shoes are usually comfortable enough to wear around camp.

And in any case, most hikers don’t spend much time at camp every day; usually just an hour or two before bedtime. For many, that may not be enough use to justify the extra weight and bulk of a second pair of shoes.

For the amount of weight you’ll save by not bringing them, it might be worth an extra hour of sweaty or rain-soaked shoes each day. And if you’re in your sleeping bag or sitting at dinner, you can be barefoot anyway.

I’m directing this advice to hikers/fastpackers/LASHers for whom getting miles is their primary goal. If you’re packing for a more casual trip where you expect to spend a lot of time on breaks and camping, camping shoes might make more sense for your use case.

Comfort on the road versus comfort at the camp

All that said, camping shoes are a luxury that many hikers swear by. On wet trails like the Appalachian Trail, giving your feet a chance to air out can make a noticeable difference in foot comfort and health. (As someone who has had trench foot twice, I’m certainly not going to discourage anyone from doing what they feel is necessary to make sure their feet have enough time to breathe.)

And even if it’s just for an hour while you make dinner and hang up your bear bag, they make camp life more enjoyable. They’re also useful for running errands around town, when a break from trail runners is a welcome pleasure.

Ultimately, deciding whether to wear camping shoes comes down to how much you value comfort versus weight savings, or, put another way, comfort on the trail (when camping shoes will be a dead weight on your back) versus comfort at camp.

Photo: Emran Kassim

Compromise solutions

If you want to hedge your bets, a compromise is a pair of cheap foam flip flops. They are lightweight, take up almost no space, and don’t represent a huge financial commitment. They won’t provide much support or protection, so navigating rocky or muddy campsites can be tricky, but they’re fine for airing out your feet at dinner, getting out of the tent to pee at night, and running around town on zero days. After going back and forth on the camping shoe debate over the years, this is now my preferred solution.

Down booties can also be a good substitute in colder temperatures. These can replace camp socks and (sort of) function as camp shoes. I don’t really recommend walking around much in a pair of down booties, as the outer shell offers little protection at best, but if you just need something else to change into while you’re making dinner, they’re a good compromise.

In cold weather, down booties can replace camping shoes + a pair of camping socks. Photo: Ariella Nardizzi

What have we learned?

Bottom line: no, you don’t need camping shoes. Yes, you might want them. It all comes down to your own preferences and where you fall on the minimalist to maximalist backpacking spectrum.

Struggling to decide? We recommend that you equip yourself with your essentials first and then take stock to see if you have room in your backpack and budget for an extra pair of shoes. A test walk, especially when the weather isn’t perfect, can also help you gauge what difference they make to you personally. Some hikers find they can happily avoid them, while others decide the convenience is worth it.

Featured image: Emran Kassim

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