Single Night S Rim Hike?

[SHANEA]

Take a pair of flip flops, or something more comfortable (I use Speedo swim sandals). Very nice for getting out of your boots at the end of the day.

I can highly recommend these units - light weight, comfortable, afford some protection (although not much), good for wearing in the middle of the night when nature beckons, and yes - I do carry these backpacking with me).  About the only footwear I wear anymore...

[sleepy]

I know you want to know this.  Crocks make my feet sweat.  Cannot wear them all the time.  However, they are the best camp shoe/stream crosser/light weight pedi-wear there is.  I say.  Easily hung on a compression strap on a pack.

[SA Bill]

Shane wrote:  "SA Bill, I'm a little concerned about the noise?"

Two words: Ear plugs!!   
  Bill

[stingrey]

DEFINITELY take flip flop type shoes... That was the other thing I wished I had that I now have packed... Found some Teva sandals @ REI that are already in the bag and ready to go. Good call!

[SA Bill]

Hmmm...I have a very light weight pair of polarguard booties that would do for camp footwear but I was thinking about taking my well worn in pair of Teva sandals. They might be a little too heavy though. I'll be weighing some things this weekend.... 
   Bill

[SA Bill]

Hi stingrey!
Great info and you're a man after my own heart...I hardly ever buy anything unless it's on sale somewhere!

I hear you about the boots. I am definitely in the market for a new pair. To go along with the new pack...and the new trekking poles...and the new water bladders...etc., etc. 

I'm going to check out the places around here but I might make a trek up to the REI in Austin. I'll holler if I need someone to keep me from going crazy and buying everything in sight!!
  Bill

[stingrey]

Haha, you sound like me! If we ever hit REI, I'll TRY to hold you back but it just might be that I'll be busy finding new gear of my own, so we might BOTH come back with a bounty of new gear!

FWIW, don't forget that Cabela's is on the way. Just so happens that they have a 100 oz Camelbak Thermobak for sale @ 29.99. The bladder ALONE in the 100 oz format is normally $29.99. The Thermobak has a convertible backpack/pouch that is included, and from the picture, the bite valve cover is also included on that beast.

THAT sale is only good through June 30, as a heads-up. If you truly need a bladder, this convertible item just might be the best deal of the year! Click on Store Locations and check the current flyer if you are at all interested. My recently acquired 100 oz bladder comes in a pouch that can be strapped on to a pack, but it doesn't have backpack straps. 

[SA Bill]

Let the buying begin!
I may just have to order one of those stingrey. Looks like a good thing fo me to have even before the trip this fall.

I just got a pair of ultralight trekking poles off of that big auction site. They weigh 12 ounces for the pair! Saved 50% off new cost and got free shipping to boot! I love a bargain!! Now to find some new boots.

I've started weighing things...the Teva sandals weigh one pound for the pair so they won't be going along. I can get some lighter flip flops. The tarp + slepping bag + pad work out to only 4 pounds so I'm happy with that number. The camera weighs 2.5 pounds but it's gotta go along!! How else will I take pics of the bears I encounter on the S Rim?

Hmmm...should I be worried about bears since I'm basically sleeping on the ground? Can I sleep in the bear box? Just kidding!
   Bill

[SA Bill]

Hi stingrey!
I hope I like the boots you bought 'cause I just ordered a pair! Not as good a deal as you found but a decent deal none the less. If they work for me...fine. It will have saved me some time and money over trying boots on in a store. If they don't work for me, they'll go on the big auction site and I'll hit the stores to try on some other boots.

I wanted to get the boots early to start breaking them in and training in them. Gotta get the feet used to them way before the trip!

Hopefully they'll be here at the end of the week and I can thank you (hopefully) for the tip next weekend.
  Bill

[stingrey]

I LOVE the boots I got! I hiked Friedrich park today in those boots, and I still can't get over how comfy they are. There are higher end versions of Asolo shoes, but the ones I got were the best I could find in my size on eBay. So far after numerous hikes I have no complaints. I have worn these to work and out in public to go shopping, and to be honest they needed ZERO break in.

I ordered that Camelbak bag I recommended to you just an hour or so ago along with some Under Armour Guide zip/convertible pants/shorts. I tried said pants on at Bass Pro here in town, but the pants were $80. Cabela's has a sale on these pants where they are only $55 right now. I got a couple of pair of those pants/shorts, and I must say that I am almost as impressed with those pants as I am with the shoes, though they won't impact my hike as much as the shoes will.

As long as you got the right size, I believe that you'll enjoy the shoes as much as I enjoy mine! They aren't Vibram soled, but they ARE very grippy. They are softer than conventional soles, but they are still impervious to the points of broken or irregular rock as far as "feeling" the peaks through the bottoms is concerned. In other words, your feet will not take a beating while you walk on them. THAT in itself is worth it. Keep us posted!

[stingrey]

I also forgot, and you may not need these, but I have replaced the Asolo's insoles with insoles that I've used in my shoes for quite some time now... They are by Archmolds... http://www.archmolds.com/ is where the goods are at, and since I ALREADY had 'em I just used 'em. You probably won't need them with these shoes, but just as a heads-up this is something that many people recommend that you try before getting new shoes.

I got these insoles after having my feet absolutely killed by the old Redhead hiking boots I had, and they reduced the aftermath of the rim on Redheads considerably. Once I got the Asolo's, the Redheads were retired and the insoles were transferred. You can check the reviews at places such as BackPackGearTest in the link below. Though I don't know whether or not these were necessary in my Asolos, I DO know that these did make a difference in my retired Redheads.

http://www.BackpackGearTest.org/reviews/Footwear/Footbeds%20and%20Insoles/

[SHANEA]

Just in Time...

[SA Bill]

Hi Shane!
I saw that too...maybe I need an Osprey pack?! I may have to go try that one on before I plop down a couple of hundred dollars. Pack fit can be tricky...especially for me since my last "real" pack was a monster external frame model that encouraged packing everything + the kitchen sink in it. The only non-external frame packs I've used were day packs.
  Bill

[SHANEA]

Plus, you will get REI dividends on it next year.  Then, everyone at BBC can help you decide what to spend that on.   

[SA Bill]

Yep! I've been an REI member for 30+ years. I joined when I started backpacking "seriously" in 1976. Didn't buy much last year and most years I buy less than $300.00...but it is fun getting that rebate...like the one our government just provided. Oh, wait...that was an "Economic Stimulus". Guess I should have spent it at REI instead of using it to pay for gas and food.
   Bill