What shoes to take on a half lap of Oz??

[gutters]

Hi Swaggers,

We are in the very early stages of planning a 6 month trip around the top half of Australia. Last night the missus and I were discussing footwear and of course she was keen to take several pairs to cover most occasions... Me on the other hand I'm happy in double pluggers and work boots...

We are looking to travel through Central Australia, North West Coast WA, Pilbara, Kimberley, Darwin and surrounds, Gulf Country and then Central QLD to home on the Sunny Coast.  I'm trying to cut down  on the gear we cart (wife and 2 daughters...) on this trip but I'm mindful that we will be travelling through varying terrains and climates. I was thinking we could get away with a pair of hiking boots/shoes, thongs and a set of aqua shoes...

I'm interested to hear what swaggers have done in relation to their foot wear for similar trips and would love any recommendations for good brands or styles we should be looking at.

Cheers.

[scarpsD40]

Lol.......this is going to be interesting. You do realise that no matter which footwear you agree on, there's going to be many occasions where the other pair would be more appropriate. Good luck;D

Having said that swmbo takes 1 x casual sandals, 1 x dress sandals, 1 x thongs (for the shower), 1 x Joggers/walking shoes, 1 x blundstone boots.

I've learnt not to argue the point and if more are needed, well that's ok.........

[D4D]

I think you're on the right track
- Good walking/hiking boots, obviously for hiking
- Elastic work boots - for everyday wear, these are good for slip on/off, laces on hiking boots will get tedious for everday
- Thongs - for manky showers and evening loo runs
- Aqua/water/mesh/hard sole shoe - for when in the water/boats etc.

Obviously the 'ladies' are going to want some sort of 'going out' shoe.

[edz]

A set of Uncle Ho's combat boots will get you through .http://www.instructables.com/id/Tire-Sandals/  AT tread of your choice 

[slave]

For our 3 month trip up the centre and across the top of WA I took

1 x thongs
1 x dressy sandals
1 x runners
1 x hiking boots

I purchased
1 x Aqua shoes

I wore hiking boots, thongs, Aqua shoes and the sandals once.

We only went out for lunches so the casual dress was acceptable.
I am female but not a 'shoe' person

[cyberess]

Shoes are so much personal taste. (Going to be a interesting thread)

I really like the keens Gypsum Ox

http://www.keenfootwear.com.au/Product/Men/Trailhead/Gypsum-Ox---ShitakeBrindle

They are sort of a cross between a "hike boot", sandal, and a runner, I have found them waterproof and can survive tropics where I find soles just fall off the most expensive shoes/boots (The joys of living in Darwin.)  -- The Keens do O.K.

I travel with 2 pair as i do a fair bit of bush walking though creeks etc  -- I try to keep one pair dry

I find them O.K. looking to wear everywhere

 

[tk421]

In order of most use:

Barefeet
Thongs
Merrell Boab Hiking shoes as they double us as going out shoes -
 
I used to have a pair of TEVA rafting sandals that were good for clambering through gorges at places like Karrijini but they always end up stinking and I look like an middle aged swedish tourist so I haven't replaced them (But you can swim in them if required)

[Alan Loy]

I used to wear TEVA sandals but after bashing my toes a few times I moved to Keen Newports http://www.keenfootwear.com.au/Product/Men/Waterfront/Newport-H2---RavenNeutral-Grey
These protect my feet but are still cool and fine for walking through water.  I find I live in these.

Thongs
Walking/hiking shoes
Slip on leather shoes (optional but more dressy)  These can be worn without socks and are easy to slip on if its a bit cold or raining in the middle of the night

[JCOJ]

1 x Merrel ankle height hiking shoes
1 x Keen sandals with the toe protector
1 x comfy sandshoes (which I never wear!)
1 x thongs for caravan park showers

[dales133]

I like the look of those keens

[gutters]

A set of Uncle Ho's combat boots will get you through .http://www.instructables.com/id/Tire-Sandals/  AT tread of your choice 

I love them edz, don't think the girls will be up for them but I reckon they are great.

We went out this morning and visited a few of the big camping stores to look at Hydrated Backpacks and stumbled across the Keen Aqua shoes at Anaconda, I was really impressed with how sturdy they felt and looked really well made.

http://www.keenfootwear.com.au/Products/Men/Waterfront

I think we are going to go with these in place of sand shoes, take our elastic sided boots and some thongs. Thanks to everyone for your input.

[oldmate]

Hey gutters, how's it going mate? 

 "There's an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes." Where they're going. Where they've been. I've worn lots of shoes. I bet if I think about it real hard I could remember my first pair of shoes. Mama said they would take me anywhere. She said they were my magic shoes.


I reckon one pair of magic shoes and you will be covered 

[McTavish]

Maybe some Crosskix?  One pair for everything !!

Going out, rock hopping, wading in the creek, general bits and pieces...

Now I don't have a pair - yet?? - but a mate of mine wears them all the time - Coral Farming in Fiji to going out at night!   

[Clouty]

Do you blokes wear shoes??

As most have said, pair of thongs, slip on work boots or bush walking shoes and a nice pair of going out shoes..

[wakychapmans]

for a "round the country" bicycle tour I did back in the early 90's... I took:

1 x cycling shoes (for actually riding in)
1 x hiking boots (hardly ever put them on)
1 x Teva sandals (worn whenever I wasn't on the bike)

in the mid 90's I rode from Cairns to Cape York and took:

1 x Teva sandals. (I used flat BMX style pedals)

that was it. 21 days from Cairns to the tip. one pair of shoes.

for our yearly Simpson Desert trips I'll take:

1 x Keen sandals (better toe protection to thorns than the Tevas)
1 x Blunstones. (they've never been worn in the last 7 years)

If you're seeing a trend here... you're correct. We live in the Blue Mountains and I wear (sport) sandals 12 months of the year.

A good set of sport sandals can substitute for trainers, thongs, aqua shoes and hiking boots. But I stress... a good pair.


Wayne

[JD-120]

Maybe some Crosskix?  One pair for everything !!

Going out, rock hopping, wading in the creek, general bits and pieces...

Now I don't have a pair - yet?? - but a mate of mine wears them all the time - Coral Farming in Fiji to going out at night!   

I must have these now . I love my crocs. These look awesome

[trevc]

I was thinking we could get away with a pair of hiking boots/shoes, thongs and a set of aqua shoes...

day
Bingo!!!
That's pretty much what my son and I took, hiking boots just about every day, even when 'dressed-up' on the very rare occasion we went anywhere remotely fancy.
Pluggers and creek shoes for anything else. I wore through a pair of boots and picked up a pair of Rossi in Alice - a very good boot.

The girls had some uggies and flats but took very little room.

We went for 12 mths last year - any question just ask.

Trev

[Kangaron]

I x pr Redbacks / Blunys, what ever floats your boat.
1 x pr Birckenstocks
1 x pr thongs.
Anything else needed on the way source at the local op shop.

[gutters]

Thanks guys, we are going to invest in a pair of the Keen Newport H2's for each of us and I hope they can take care of the hiking/walking/aqua duties, reviews on the net and on here seem promising.

We will also take a pair of elastic sided work boots for general day to day duties and thongs for everything else.

Next task is convincing the girls that they won't need their entire wardrobe of clothes....

[McTavish]

" Next task is convincing the girls that they won't need their entire wardrobe of clothes...."

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT !!   

[edz]

http://www.ecouterre.com/4-in-1-sneaker-by-nat-2-offers-endless-built-in-options/ 

[Terry W4]

About to leave on a half-lap as well in about 10 days.

I will be taking:

1. Pair of Columbia walking/hiking boots - for everyday use
2. Casual walking/runners - back up
3. RM Williams - for nights out
4. Sandals - around the camp
5. Blundstones for off-road and other dirty work.

[dales133]

for a "round the country" bicycle tour I did back in the early 90's... I took:

1 x cycling shoes (for actually riding in)
1 x hiking boots (hardly ever put them on)
1 x Teva sandals (worn whenever I wasn't on the bike)

in the mid 90's I rode from Cairns to Cape York and took:

1 x Teva sandals. (I used flat BMX style pedals)

that was it. 21 days from Cairns to the tip. one pair of shoes.

for our yearly Simpson Desert trips I'll take:

1 x Keen sandals (better toe protection to thorns than the Tevas)
1 x Blunstones. (they've never been worn in the last 7 years)

If you're seeing a trend here... you're correct. We live in the Blue Mountains and I wear (sport) sandals 12 months of the year.

A good set of sport sandals can substitute for trainers, thongs, aqua shoes and hiking boots. But I stress... a good pair.


Wayne

I've done alot of traveling over the years and all sorts of places, some pretty serious tracking and caving as well and done almost all of it in a pair of tevas

[Rumpig]

On our longer trips away all I take is...
- 2 pair of pluggers (1 is spare incase of blow out, learnt that the hard way when left for a few days with no pluggers to wear)
- water resistant type ugg boots...more of a ski boot then a ugg boot really, lined on the inside to keep feet warm for colder weather and water resistant is good for dew on the ground in mornings or rainy days
- a pair off hiking boots that sort of look like half dressy going out boots also...I wear them if we go hiking or somewhere out to dinner that requires shoes
....and that's it. Anymore then that is not required for me, just takes up space

[edz]

Usualy a pair of cut down cheapy crocs and a pair of black slip on work boots or swap out the boots for joggers depending on where we go .