I hike in trail runners. Even though they’re lightweight (compared to hiking shoes or boots), I almost always carry camp shoes. It’s nice to let my trail runners air out a bit when I get to camp. I’ve used a variety of shoes as camp shoes, and these are keepers. They’re not the lightest out there, but they’re very lightweight. Unlike Crocs, Zpacks camp shoes aren’t a back-up for water crossings. I wouldn’t want to try to hike in them, either. But for walking around in camp, they’re ideal (for me).

Several years before buying these, I tried the ultimate ultralight camp shoe – these. The reviews are either “these are the best thing ever” or “these are the worst thing ever.” I was in the latter category. I understand the appeal, but the shoes really weren’t for me. The very first time I wore them, a stick poked through the sole. I felt every pinecone, every pebble, under my feet. It felt no better than being barefoot. For me, they were worse than being barefoot — they made the ground feel more slippery. I kept the shoes, and I may give them another shot, but it’s hard to picture.

Zpakcks’ offering also has a very thin sole. I tried them out walking around in the house for a weekend; that gave me enough of a feeling for them to taking hiking. I’ve now taken them on several trips, including a 130-mile hike in Southern Oregon, and they’re keepers.

Although the Zpacks sole is thin enough that I felt rocks & pinecones beneath my feet, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as the Mayflys. Some folks cut a piece from an 1/8″ closed-cell foam pad and add it to the shoe to make it more comfortable. I’ve not done that, but if I had to walk in them other than just around camp, or if I was in a really rocky area, I think it’d be worth the extra weight. There is a shock cord that goes around your heel, and you can tighten it up, but Zpacks’ claim that it “allow[s] for a perfect fit” probably only applies to those people whose feet are the same size as the shoe. The sizing is somewhat broad — I wear the medium-sized shoes, and that fits shoes sizes 40-41 1/2 (European sizes; US women’s 8 1/2 – 10) — so even if you’ve got it set so they’re the right length there will likely still be some extra room in the shoe. This isn’t a problem because the shoes aren’t designed for hiking. I found them less than ideal for steeply-sloped camps, but I only hang my hammock in places like that when it’s my last choice.

It is ironic that I’ve spent most of this post telling you what’s wrong with these shoes while also telling you how much I like them. Their primary selling point is that they’re extremely light weight – just a half-ounce/14 gm more than the Mayflys – while being exponentially more comfortable & more durable than the Mayflys. They’re easy to pack because they’re flexible and flat, sparing you being one of those people with a pair of Crocs swinging from the back of your pack.