Flip flops

Im surprised this summer at how many people(espescially women)
are wearing flip flops.I'll ask these people whenever I can if they ever go
in barefeet and it's always"No.I don't want to walk in peoples spit and
animals escrement etc,but I love to go barefoot around the apartment".
The thing is theres not much difference really from going barefoot and
wearing flip flops as far as safety goes is there?Yet all these people
refuse to ever try going without shoes.
I can't understand them.

 

i wear flip flops alot and i go barefoot sumtimes to (gonna try and do it alot more soon) but its kinda hard where i am cos its always rainin which means the floors soakin and real dirty

 

Where I live it's totally impossible not to find any men or women wearing flip flops this time of year. I own several pairs and wear them if going barefoot might pose a problem.

 

I swear theres a lot more people wearing flip-flops this year.It's like they
are trendy(i.e people who would normally wear sandals,running shoes)are
wearing flip flops.Yet these flip flops have little more protection against
germs,dirt,even glass than going in barefeet.
I was hoping that this swing to flip-flops would lead to a resurgance of
barefooters like in the 80's 90's(I've notice this beceause I've always gone
barefoot a lot) and the 60's 70's(like my
aunt for example tells me me there were more people who did.)

 

I don't like flip flops and sandals. All these trendy yuppies wear them like they're a bunch of fucking beach bums or something. Drinking their fucking starbucks and their fake faded pants. People wear sandals because they can't cut it going barefoot. They're all worried someone might see them (ohh the horror!) so they give in and buy some trendy sandals. They all act like they're loose and relaxed, like they just walked out the door that way. My ass! I can't belive people buy into that shit. Apearantly being a drunk frat boy is cool nowadays.

 

What I dont like are these stuck up people who run these businesses that think its ok to come in flip flops to their store but say its immoral and offensive to come in barefoot. Thing is you can almost see the same damned thing when barefoot that you do with flip flops and they provide very little if any protection more than bare feet, hell I always think people in flip flops are barefoot until get close to them. I just dont see what the big fricken deal is. These people need to lighten up or theyre gonna lose customers.

 

I totally agree mike...

 

Flip flops are cool, but the weird thing is I haven't seriously thought about wearing them in awhile. I do enjoy wearing sandals a lot, and there are certain times when I feel more comfortable wearing sandals than flip flops.

 

I would wear flip flops but I dunno what my parents think of them and they just look like they would be really flimsy and id worry about breaking them somewhere and then having to go somewhere and not have any shoes and have to go barefoot, especially if i know they require shoes.

 

Man, why so worried? Worry worry worry! It's gonna killya!

Speaking of killya... what would be so horrible if your flip-flop did, in fact break. Are your feet so fragile that you can't <*gasp*> walk around on them for a little while?

I and lots of people like me do it all the time, all over the place! It's no big thing! Try it, and maybe it will assuage your worry. Have fun with it, learning how capable your own body, your own feet, really are!

Blue skies,
-Jeffrey

 

Speaking of sandals, I've heard hikers say that they will never hike barefoot because they know someone who sprained an ankle when their sandal slipped off their foot while hiking. They go on and on about how dangerous sandals are for hiking. I've never understood that reasoning. If you go barefoot, a sandal will never fall off your foot and you can use your toes for climbing. It's safer barefoot than in sandals.

Some hikers get really frustrated when I tell them I hike barefoot. It's almost as if they feel I've insulted their use of shoes, even though I don't say anything about shoes. They come up with a hundred reasons for not going barefoot, many of which are illogical. One told me he stubbed his toes on a tree root and will never do it again. I use to do that too but learned to walk differently.

Another hiker told me it's stupid to go barefoot because you are carrying those heavy boots with you that you could have been using on your feet. I told him that I don't even bring boots or any footwear for that matter.

It's really incredible the number of reasons hikers come up with for not going barefoot.

 

Dude, you're right and they're wrong, and they're the ones being stupidly judgmental. What the hell should they care if YOU choose barefoot for YOU?

They probably DO feel stupid for spending close to two hundred bucks on carefully fitted hiking boots only to find they really aren't necessary. They go hiking in nature and then can't even FEEL nature through two inches of rubber and leather. :& How stupid.

I'm with you, man. I know a guy who owns an outfitter shop, he fits boots on people (who insist on having them) all day long. He makes an art out of making sure they fit just so. And they have to be worn with the same kind of socks every time or else the fit is different and you'll get blisters! Who wants that kind of hassle? But he's a good guy, a good friend, and I donated some copies of The Barefoot Hiker to his shop, with the proviso that if anyone picks it up and brings it to the register to purchase, he lets them have it for FREE. He told me about one girl named Colleen who hiked a good part of the Appalachian Trail (at least gave it a shot, anyway) barefoot because of my influence and the book's.

Let the fools have their expensive, senses-deadening boots. We know better.

Blue skies,
-Jeffrey

 

Actually, I've done both. I used to hike with boots, then switched to soft shoes, then eventually bare feet. I was opened minded enough to try going barefoot. Nothing is as versatile and comfortable for hiking as bare feet. I can't describe it.

I was a schmuck for hiking in boots all that time. I only really need shoes when the weather is cold.

If I knew nothing but hiking barefoot and someone offered me boots, I would at least try them once. People who wear shoes all the time should try bare feet at least once. It's good to be open-minded.

 

well if you find a big deal that everyone over there is wearing fli flops and it's driving you nuts, you should come down here to the carribean...everyone here wheres flip flops...especially since I'm near the beach...so definitely they have to wear flip flops...very rare you see someone walking around in shoes or in any formality for that matter...


I love the carribean...

the warm sun...the beach...those damn comfty flip flops...

 

i have one pair of flip-flops that i carry with me when i'll be going into shops where i'll have to deal with "shoe nazis". the danger with flip-flops is not that they'll break or fall off, but that they'll come loose, catch on something, and trip you. my son had hurt his feet pretty badly wearing flip-flops in stores, catching them on the mud mats & heavy doors.

i hike barefoot, and i will never wear hiking boots again, unless it is so very, very wet that i have to be concerned about the moisture damaging my callouses (this was an issue on my week-long barefoot festival camping trip.) i find that, when hiking in boots, i have a more difficult time keeping my footing, and actually twist my ankles or fall more often, as i'm less flexible and can't feel the ground to get my footing. barefoot hiking is safer, and makes more sense, as long as you're sensible and walk with awareness.

peaceful jeffery, where can i get a copy of the barefoot hiker?

 

Flip flops and sandals aren't good for hiking. They will get pulled off the feet when going through mud and they're clumsy for climbing. I've heard about too many people having accidents in them. Sandals often fall apart on a long hike. Flip flops can come in handy when trying to cross burning hot pavement. The only thing good about sandals on hikes is that they break and force people to hike in bare feet.

 

Barefoot is definitely safer that wearing flip flops in the rain or while driving.

 

well i like sandals and flip flops a lot 'cause the let you wear shoes without covering your feet, and also give you the advantage to just slip them off whenever u wanna let your feet be naked ( which by the way is more fun)

peace & love

 

i hike barefoot, and i will never wear hiking boots again, unless it is so very, very wet that i have to be concerned about the moisture damaging my callouses (this was an issue on my week-long barefoot festival camping trip.) i find that, when hiking in boots, i have a more difficult time keeping my footing, and actually twist my ankles or fall more often, as i'm less flexible and can't feel the ground to get my footing. barefoot hiking is safer, and makes more sense, as long as you're sensible and walk with awareness.

peaceful jeffery, where can i get a copy of the barefoot hiker?[/QUOTE]
Kitty - i like to go barefoot - and often hike that way too. I was recently in New Mexico and di some hiking in the mountains. I have to admit I had my boots on and was glad I did - it was VERY rocky.

 

I ware flip flops or other kinds of sandlas in the spring and fall each year.I like the sound loud flip flops make.I don't ware flip flops during the summer.During the summer I go barefoot 24|7.