What footwear is best for the West Coast Trail?
• Dry footwear (e.g. boots) • Wet footwear (e.g. sandals or aqua shoes) You want the best possible footwear you can get for the mud, rock, slippery boulders & logs. Be forewarned that it s often impossible to keep leather boots dry. More than half the trail may be under water at any given time. Most experts still recommend hiking boots. We do not. While modern boots are remarkably light & comfortable & a pair of good boots & gaiters makes you feel invincible in mud & shallow water, boots are still too much hassle. We leave our boots at home when we hike the WCT. We prefer to take 2 pairs of shoes, both of which can get wet and which will dry quickly. Al Brawn (Soaring With the Eagles) feels that hikers with healthy ankles can get away with trail shoes (often called approach shoes). These dry quickly & provide better traction for most hikers. Most hikers also bring Teva-style sandals or light running shoes to wade creeks & walk wet shelf. They are also good around camp. You may need to
