I did barefoot hiking as a kid and do again since about 15 years. If you are used to walk on bare paws, you just build up a better mindfulness / awareness and according to my experiences the risk of injuries is pretty low. Sometimes scratches from plant cover / branches or toe impacts by rocks, but no severe damages yet on my side. The most common trouble is thorns, so it’s my advice to carry a good pair of tweezers with you. I usually also carry a little first aid pack (as you should do when hiking in the outdoors anyway), but so far didn’t need it to care for my paws.
While innawoods, I'd bring tweezers, some bandage and a bottle of antiseptic with me, just to be on the safe side. Dirt in an open wound is never a good scenario. The most important thing, however, is to make sure that your tetanus boosters are up-to-date.
Hi. I’m in the Vancouver BC area and would love to hike with anybody. I’m happy to go down Washington. The hiking is awesome there anyway.
Hi potential hiking buddies. Fem fatale and I are meeting at a coffee shop in Bellingham Friday morning. 1/26. It’s short notice, but if anyone else wants to join us for a meet and greet, shoot me a pm, and I’ll tell you where and when specifically.
Damn! And here I am in Philadelphia, which is where this post began....As someone too accurately said, this is a forum, not a refuge.
Hi. I live in Seattle and love to hike up in the bellingham area. I like to be barefoot. I don’t have tough enough feet to go for too long. I’d love to build them up though. Shoot me a PM if you’re interested. Thanks.
Mine are probably going to be pretty soft, too. Winter all of a sudden just got intense here last week. Looking like we won't be in barefoot weather until late March, may be later. By then, I'll need to seriously toughen my soles back up. Goddamn winter, just intensifying all of a sudden.