Playa Shoes.

noddycub · Post by **noddycub** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:13 am

Im wondering if you can advise what is the best footwear to wear about the playa? My preference would be to run about the playa in dunlop volleys or converse all stars (lo cut) they are comfortable and durable. Would these be suitable or would I be better of with a pair of blundstones ? Im guessing the key to happy feet on the playa is bringing lots of fresh socks and keeping feet clean with talc or vinegar water?

VultureChow · Post by **VultureChow** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:23 am

Welcome. We've beat this one around a bit, but since you mentioned my favorite playa shoe, I'll chime in. Every feels comfortable in different things. Blundstones are my go-to boot these days. Pull on, good support, and I can stand all day in them. But tons of people do sneakers, or flip flops, or barefoot or bunny slippers.

The key is to break in whatever you bring and to bring at least one extra pair of shoes, so if one pair destroys your feet with blisters, you have a backup. Also lace up boots can be a royal pain to lace up when caked in playa dust.

FossaFerox · Post by **FossaFerox** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:22 am

Honestly, the most important thing to keep your feet happy doesn't come down to the shoes:

Bring 2-3 pairs of socks for every day you plan on being there.
Bring either vinnegar or lemon juice solutions to soak your feet.
Bring a foot balm or lotion of some kind (I'm personally fond of Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter which seems to be mildly acidic so it helps fight the playa).

Beyond that? Think what shoes you would throw on if you had to walk across town, climb twenty flights of stairs, then walk home. Bring those.
Bring several, though.

Lots of shoes have little problems you wouldn't immediately forsee. Certain laces hold playa better than others and tying them can be painful. Any shoe with cloth loops for the laces to run through as opposed to metal or plastic grommets or even just the leather of the shoe will be WAY harder to tie as well. Cloth on cloth friction with playa dust is the worst.

Finally, don't bring new shoes. Bring ones you've broken in well that you know what give you blisters, then bring a ton of moleskin anyway.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:57 am

big black steel toe boots.

that is all you will need.

and 12 pairs of freshies...(virgin socks)

nothing worse than breaking your fucking toes on some scaffolding lying around because you're an idiot, and you're going fucking barefoot.

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:59 am

you know how some people will dismiss you if you're wearing a logo?

well, if i see you barefoot on the playa, that tells me you are a hippie, a newb, or worse....both.

don't do it. You will regret it.

this is SURVIVAL CAMPING...dress appropriately.....duh.

H.G.Crosby · Post by **H.G.Crosby** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:03 am

nice try, but we all know the real reason...

men's toes are fucking disgusting.

keep that shit to yourself.

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:14 am

my god, how many aliases do you Have?

VultureChow · Post by **VultureChow** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:18 am

[media]

Post by **trilobyte** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:29 am

You could also try looking at the abundant information that's already available here on the subject... 12 threads on the preparation boards that have the word boots in the title (44 pages of results if you're looking for the word anywhere in the message). 18 threads that have the word shoes in the title, and probably many more related threads that you could find easily through browsing the boards. I'd make sure anything was made well, rugged, and comfortable, and already worn in. Since the playa will either ruin them or alter them forever, I'd avoid them being fancy and new - probably better to get something fancy and new for the default world, and 'demote' your most comfortable pair of walking/running shoes (or better still, boots) for use on the playa. Then all the standard footwear and care tips you see in the Survival Guide and on the boards to keep your feet happy.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:51 am

Roberto Dobbisano wrote:you know how some people will dismiss you if you're wearing a logo?

well, if i see you barefoot on the playa, that tells me you are a hippie, a newb, or worse....both.

don't do it. You will regret it.

this is SURVIVAL CAMPING...dress appropriately.....duh.

I thought you wore wing tips!

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:09 am

white bucks, until labor day, and only with linen, or seersucker.

"appropriately" is the key word...when i'm going to an exclusive meet and greet, or hanging out in second camp with the Playarati, i tend to go casual semi formal white tie.

working around the tent, and heavy usage, i go with the high riding boots and Jodphurs.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:18 am

Pfffffft! Shoes!

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:35 pm

NO COMERCE!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't sell Pfffffft shoes on eplaya!!!!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:23 pm

Only this.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:33 pm

*snort!*

forty_eight · Post by **forty_eight** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:46 pm

Military surplus boots with these bad boys:

I'm a fully minted true believer in these insoles.

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 5:23 pm

With some, Bunny Slippers are popular.

scriob · Post by **scriob** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:21 pm

This will be my first year but I imagine that a pair of well broken in skate shoes, a pair of walking boots and a pair of sandals will all suffice for getting around, copious dancing and chilling at camp. Also, I'll have my trusty pair of insoles for my fallen arches.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:57 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:Only this.

Hiya UD!!!!!!!! Missed ya' these past months man!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ditto on the converse all stars and NOT in leather or suede, canvas is good for the high tops...although I also bring and wear suede ankle height skate shoes and some flip flops for showers and soft-ish slippers for around camp. I try to stay away from faux fur, REAL animal skin and fur is best imho and that's no joke...mainly because it breathes.

Btw, just make sure you don't wear the endangered kinda species animal skins & furs (just ask the Russian billionaire's wife what happened to HER when she wore a certain endangered fox fur coat back in 2010,,,,not so good) but she lived and enjoyed the koolade, so I was told later the next day, tee hee.

Simon is spot on about steel toe, steel shanked boots for those working hard labor, and avoiding dangerous rebar/metal etc... I don't put in that kind of hard labor any more since I'm partially disabled...just can't do it anymore

so I stick to other thangs...so far I haven't stepped on any sharp metal objects.

Last but most important man, be sure you wear broken in shoes...Trilo and soooo many others are spot on there! And FWIW, I have managed to soak all of my footwear in white vinegar and water for several days/a week and then hose them out, let air dry slowly, store away in playa wear box and get maybe 2 or 3 more burns out of them.

Do try to bring a spray bottle and use white vinegar and water to spray off your feet daily, then lotion or Vaseline or oil them up and perhaps wear socks when if you go to sleep...best to avoid issues like hurt feet at Burning Man, of all places! I hate hassling this when there's soooo much else to do and your racing to beat the sudden temp drop when the sun literally plunks down behind the mountain so suddenly (gets cold, even though there's still PLENTY of daylight left) one last thing, shower before the sun drops behind that mountain is a good idea if camping...even if it's just to towel off a few mins before the last rays.

forty_eight · Post by **forty_eight** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:40 am

scriob wrote:This will be my first year but I imagine that a pair of well broken in skate shoes, a pair of walking boots and a pair of sandals will all suffice for getting around, copious dancing and chilling at camp. Also, I'll have my trusty pair of insoles for my fallen arches.

the skate shoes will be particularly useful at Sk8Kamp ... love those guys!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:58 am

moonrise wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:Only this.
Hiya UD!!!!!!!! Missed ya' these past months man!

Hiya, Moonrise! I drop in every occasionally or so. Life is - you know - getting in the way.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:33 am

Redneck sandals.

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:46 am

Add a package of "Mole Skin" to your first aid kit. Blisters and Playa dust do not mix very well together.

Rice · Post by **Rice** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:38 am

When I am not in camp, I wear Army Boots - Canadian style. They protect my feet and ankles from my assorted (mis)adventures.

When I am at my camp, I have a tarp laid out (yes, I use tent-pegs to keep it stationary). So, bare feet when I am totally chilling or sandals, basic shoes and sometimes slippers.

forty_eight · Post by **forty_eight** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:38 pm

Rice wrote:When I am not in camp, I wear Army Boots - Canadian style.

Is there an ironic punchline coming?

atomosk · Post by **atomosk** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:42 pm

Since so many people are chiming in about having plenty of clean socks, I want to go a little further and recommend getting high quality socks. A good pair or light or medium weight smart wool or hybrid material hiking socks from REI or someplace are the best foot ware investment you can make. They fit in all the right places, never let your feet get too moist, and reduce the number of blisters you might get in even a bad pair of shoes. Moreover you don't actually need to worry about changing to a fresh pair all the time like you would with a normal pair of socks.

lucky420 · Post by **lucky420** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:54 pm

Those eeezfit booties are pretty sweet too. Ordered a second pair after trying the first

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