People who visit the Garden Island often struggle to pack the right clothes. Conversely, I never know what to wear when I'm visiting the mainland, so please tag me in your comments for tips on the other 49 states.
The good news is that as long as you have a bathing suit or two, a pair of shorts, a shirt, flipflops (call them slippers or "slippahs" when you're here though), shoes, and a jacket that repels the rain, you're probably good to go for most trips, most times of year, for most people.
For the adventurer who plans on hiking, however, picking the right shoe can be a stressful event. The trails here aren't for the faint of heart (or tennis shoes), and you'll find that one of Kaua'i's greatest gifts (hiking) is limited if you don't pack right. And, you can't always just run down to the local shoe store in a pinch. This isn't O'ahu. The choices are very limited once you arrive.
Here are my pro tips for picking the right footwear for your adventures regardless of brand. This isn't about labels, but rather, a shoe type.
Let's look at the trail surfaces first
Kaua'i is famous for the lack of industrialization. There are very few high-rises here and just as few sidewalks, so you can bet that the trails here (the fun ones in the mountains that lead to waterfalls) aren't going to make it easy on you.
Kaua'i is covered in rainforest and boasts that it has one of the wettest spots on earth (getting more rain than any other spot on the planet). In fact, the picture at the top of this blog post (My buddies and I at Weeping Wall) was taken right under the place where that claim is made. And, if you want to experience places like that, you MUST have the right shoes!
In summary, the trails here are:
- Unpaved
- Uneven
- Muddy when it rains (which is often)
- Slippery when muddy
- Steep
1 - Trail shoes
Trail shoes are an absolute must for any adventurer in Kaua'i. Pictured above are my favorite pair to date: Addidas Terrex Free Hiker... fresh off of the Kaua'i trails
Not hiking boots. Not running shoes. Not some fancy thing that appears to have good treads.
Trail shoes. Period.
These shoes are good for just about any muddy conditions as well as dry uneven surfaces. To give you perspective, I do Sleeping Giant West side in 45 minutes flat on a dry day. On a muddy day I do it in 47 minutes with these shoes. And I RUN the downhill even in the mud.
What to look for:
Trail shoes are easy to spot. 1, they say "trail" or "hiker" somewhere on the box (and still not a boot). But there are also characteristics that make one trail shoe better than the other.
- Chunky treads - the chunkier the better, and this isn't a nice-to-have, it's a MUST
- Breathability - Keeping out the water is a nice idea, but even nicer is shoes that dry out if water gets in
- Waterproof - Ideally they keep water out--at minimum they don't break down when wet (they WILL get wet)
- Fit - Get shoes that fit really well and that are broken in already
- Lightweight - The last thing you need are lead weights on your feet
2 - Running shoes
If you have room in your bag for a 2nd pair of shoes, I recommend a nice pair of light trail shoes or running shoes with some kind of tread. Pictured above are my Salomon Patrol trail shoes.
Salomon makes the best-fitting shoe for my feet by far. So, whenever I find a pair that has any kind of tread on the bottom, I buy them. These guys are great in the dry weather and on flat surfaces. I love how much they breathe compared to my other shoes, and they hold my feet in place better than any of my other shoes. I definitely won't take them on my Kalalau trail hike this summer though. They don't have the same ankle support as my Addidas', and the tread is pointless in the mud.
What to look for:
- Breathability
- Some tread
- Fit
3 - Felt-bottom shoes (not pictured)
Felt-bottom shoes are a must if you're doing something like the Blue Hole or Weeping Wall hikes (they're the same trail, but weeping wall is about 3x as long).
The thing that makes those trails challenging is the fact that you're boulder hopping across the river most of the time, and when they get wet, treads aren't going to keep you from falling. On my way back from Weeping Wall, I learned this lesson the hard way. I fell more times than I could count and even broke a finger.
4 - Barefoot
When all else fails (or if you just like walking barefoot), take the shoes OFF!
When my 5 year old daughter complains about blisters, she goes barefoot.
When the boulders on the Weeping Wall hike were too slippery, I went barefoot.
In fact, some people prefer it!
I don't.
But some people do.
And, since our trails aren't full of venomous snakes or mountain lions, you'll see people doing it all the time.
Just remember though, a lot of them are locals who have LOTS of experience walking around barefoot, so don't expect to be a pro on your first outing without shoes.
Shoes that are over-rated for Kaua'i
- Tevas or any kind of hiking sandal - they rub your feet raw and fill up with sand and dirt
- Tennis shoes - I don't care how thing the tread is, it's not designed for Kaua'i trails
- Anything WHITE - they will get muddy
- Slippas ("flipflops" for the mainlanders) - for the love of PETE, do not wear slippas on the trails
What are YOUR favorite Kaua'i trail shoes?
Did I insult your favorite shoe? Do you have a brand or certain shoe you want to share with the world?
Do tell!
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