Single pair of shoes

[Dave]

If I really had to pick just one, I'd go with some sort of trailrunner.

In reality, I wear these 1/2 - 2/3 of the time year-round: https://xeroshoes.com/shop/genesis/genesis-men/

Price tag is steep for what they are, but I bought my first pair on sale and they have a nice warranty where you can rebuy a new pair at 40% of retail once the sole is worn out. When I've had issues with hardware breaking, the company has been very helpful.

Absolutely love the barefoot feel, airing of the whole foot, and ease of putting on/taking off.

I've done some legitimate hikes (10+ miles on uneven terrain) in these and also worn them when its cold (but not snowy) out. Biofeedback in wearing these shoes makes hiking nicer than it probably looks, and one's feet adapt to the cold. If it's not obvious, these aren't the sort of footwear you can go to wearing 100% of the time if you're used to be thick supportive footwear - there is an adjustment phase in your feet/ankles/legs/hips/spine.

When I lived in the tropics I probably wore these 80% of the time and trailrunners the other 20% of the time when doing something where I wanted a tad more support or stability like an especially intense hike or working out. I also try to go barefoot as much as possible .

[zbigi]

i just hiked about 50 miles in 2 days in the alps,

Man, you're a bull. I wonder if there are specific professions (except special forces) which handsomely reward such endurance. Perhaps offshore work - oil rigs, multiday fishing trips etc? Also, from what I've read, geology field work can be basically hiking in the total wilderness, in exchange for a six figure salary. It requires you to be both book smart, intelligent/observant (geologists need to form theories based on scant info available to them on the ground) as well as comfortable living in a tent for weeks in total wilderness, while you survey the land.

[Jean]

Man, you're a bull. I wonder if there are specific professions (except special forces) which handsomely reward such endurance. Perhaps offshore work - oil rigs, multiday fishing trips etc? Also, from what I've read, geology field work can be basically hiking in the total wilderness, in exchange for a six figure salary. It requires you to be both book smart, intelligent/observant (geologists need to form theories based on scant info available to them on the ground) as well as comfortable living in a tent for weeks in total wilderness, while you survey the land.

It was 50 milles-effort, so much less for real, and my backpack was very light.
But i think the wear on the shoes was equivalent to 50 miles, because going up or down makes you bend the shoe, which is one of the main way i break my shoes.
I have no lust to learn a new job, and there isn't much land left to survey in switzerland.
My best hope is that transportation cost will get high enough so that i could be able to compete against helicopters and make a living delivering goods to isolated places.

[chenda]

@Jean perhaps you could train people to walk safely in the mountains as a guide? Weather forecasts, getting lost, basic first aid etc. I imagine most Swiss people grow up with this knowledge but tourists might benefit.

[zbigi]

I have no lust to learn a new job, and there isn't much land left to survey in switzerland.

The adventurous kind of geology jobs revolve around resource discovery and definitely involve living in remote places (middle of steppe in Mongolia, a jungle in Kongo etc.) for weeks/months. In Europe and other tamed areas, the geo jobs are mostly "boring" and don't require a survivalist skillset.

My best hope is that transportation cost will get high enough so that i could be able to compete against helicopters and make a living delivering goods to isolated places.

Interesting! The other alternative is that people will just abandon remote houses with no road access? In Poland, the higher mountains are uninhabited, as no one even dreams of groceries and fuel being delivered via helicopters

[theanimal]

My best hope is that transportation cost will get high enough so that i could be able to compete against helicopters and make a living delivering goods to isolated places.

That would be a real fun business. You have me thinking. I think you could market it as a carbon free alternative and charge slightly less or even the same amount as the helicopter company. Be the green way to transport goods and eliminate any guilt people may have from using those services.

I'm interested in doing the same here, but would be competing against bush planes. There is a large market of urban folks from within Alaska and outside the state who get dropped off in remote places to recreate then get food drops via plane along the way (for $500-600/drop). It wouldn't be a ton of money, but it would be a hell of an experience.

ETA: Alternatively, you could use pack animals and be able to pack much more. One of my friends wants to start an Alpaca Packing business, resupplying hikers, hunters, floaters etc.

[Jean]

i ran the number once. You have a chance of being competitive for remote mountain hut, were you could do the walk in a few hour while carying 80kg. But 80kg is above the weight you can healthily carry, and many of those huts get a free resupply because helicooter pilots just like to fly up there.

I thought seriously about giving outdoor classes, because most of them are either centered around bs survival, or just being hiking guide. I think there would be demand among people that would like to take a break to do a long distance hiking, but with no experience of sleeping outside and are therefore scared to try it without guidance. I would focus on feeling comfortable and being respectfull so that locals don't even think about making spots unavailable for overnight stay.

[loutfard]

I have 3 pairs of shoes:

1) Ecco Xpedition III Gore-Tex Black (86.26% of my time):
- quite sturdy
- good support
- ~95€ incl. VAT
- relatively neutral style
- fairly water resistant. This helps when walking or cycling a lot!
- slight disadvantage to this kind of modern fabric shoes. You can't just order the exact same type of shoes again a few years later. You'll have to look for a new model in the same neutral style.

2) a pair of super formal shoes (2 days/10 years, or 0.05% of my time). I don't even know where they came from originally. I think my parents got them for me 25 years ago. Pretty sure they were a hand-me-down from somewhere. In any case, they fit, and I've worn them to the weddings of two siblings, and plan to do the same for the other sibling's wedding.

3) a pair of cheap, sturdy working boots (50 days/year, or 13.69% of my time). I got them for working on our holiday home in my wife's native region. The holiday home was very much a show of support to my wife. She moved 2000km to be with me. But I digress...

[thrifty++]

I dont know how to pull off something that fits business shoes and all the others. I think you can do everything else with one pair of shoes.

This is what I used to do. Used to be very minimal. One pair of work shoes. One pair of shoes for everything else. I found it backfired a lot. Because, I would wear them out within an inch of their life and then go out and panic buy another pair for a large cost. I also found shoes wear out so quickly when you only have one pair.

So several years back I shifted to buying second hand shoes. And I have multiple pairs. They wear more slowly and I never end up panic buying anything. The cost works out much better for me. Much cheaper ironically.

[Hristo Botev]

These will be the next pair of shoes I buy, and hopefully pretty much the last: https://shop.whitesboots.com/legacy-boo ... 0-cruiser/

[OutOfTheBlue]

My shoes (Merrell Luna Leather Vapor Gloves) pass the following tests:
- I can run in them (and enjoy doing so)
- They are comfortable, allow foot splay and otherwise let my foot be a foot and don't actively constrict or fuck my foot function, body balance, foot arch or achilles tendon length (minimalist/barefoot type shoes with large toe-box and zero-drop)
- They are light enough to easily be stored "in" my backpack
- They go with everything in my travel wardrobe
- They look good (to me)
- They allow me to dress smart casual if needed and not get kicked out from any place I care to visit

They fail at the following:
- Rain, snow, extreme cold or mud
- Hiking and trail running
- Durability for life

---

While boots fail at the running test for me, they do allow environmental protection.

I intend to shy away from any pair that is not zero drop or is overly restrictive (not a barefoot shoe), but you can find barefoot boots as well nowdays.

For hiking, I prefer trail running shoes, no need for extra ankle protection (I've built ankle strength through walking/running barefoot).

My shoes would fail in the "single pair of shoes" test, were it not for my running sandals (Luna Venado 2.0).

So it's one pair of shoes, but two pairs of footwear for me.

I can walk and run, do hiking and moderate trail running, and take on rainy weather in them. I just keep them in my daily backpack if there is a risk of rain. There is no cold where I live.

Sandals are the ones who do the heavy duty and get the most everyday use.

Three years in for both, planning to get one more year out of them before replacing.

For the rest, bare feet can go a long way...

[flying_pan]

So several years back I shifted to buying second hand shoes. And I have multiple pairs. They wear more slowly and I never end up panic buying anything. The cost works out much better for me. Much cheaper ironically.

I am curious where do you find them? I found that in local thrift shops you can definitely find good shoes (I got couple pairs in good condition for ~$10 each), but it takes time and it might be tricky to gauge correctly how much they have left in their heel.

Granted, I am mostly interested in trailrunning/running/walking sneakers, maybe it's better with other types.

[Jiimmy]

It depends on the season. Spring, Summer, Fall: Crocs. Winter: Boots.

Crocs!

They were an unexpected Christmas gift this year. I’m traveling in Mexico right now, and for simplicity they’re the only shoes I brought.

Surprisingly versatile. Good for water, and not bad for walking. I’ve had a few 10+ mile days of walking/hiking in them.

We’ll see how they hold up, I’m guessing not very well.

Also I notice locals look at my feet fairly often. I’m at peace with being the funny looking gringo.

[Humanofearth]

Very strongly agree with C40. The utility of 2-3 pairs of shoes is much greater for me.

Sandal for a momentary trip out of the home.

Converse knock off for gym, groceries, trip to the village, hiking, dirty environments, etc.

Polished dress shoes for looking nice, which has a very high utility.

This is for tropical weather with minimal travel to non tropical environments expected this decade.

Experiencing traits consistent with the terms “obsessive autist”, I went monk mode minimalist for a time. Single shoes (vibrams), single shirt & pants, no furniture, bed on the ground with a single sheet, pillow, and blanket. Drops quality of life more than I appreciated at the time and the cost (social, health) was higher than expected over longer time frames. I was gifted 2 perfumes last year, I’m not tossing them but using them and it’s appreciated and noticed when I don’t. I had 2 watches for a time, sold the expensive one as I enjoy the trekking watch more even if it lowers status compared to the expensive one because it’s utility is so much higher.

Yes, you can use baking soda with some essential oils to wash your hands, body, hair, and teeth. Yes, you can use a single pair of shoes. Consider the final impact of this in your health.

There is a high utility to minimalism but it has a limit and 1 pair of everything was too little to maximize my life.

You get 1 life, maximize what you can do. Burn brightly and produce greatly. If we consume to 0, we’re likely producing little. That’s fine, but it’s not helping the species much to overcome the challenges, it’s boring over time as well and lowers opportunity. I found maximizing health and appearance (to a balanced limit) to be useful. A single pair of shoes will hinder health for most people. Your mileage will vary from mine.

[mathiverse]

... the cost (social, health) was higher than expected over longer time frames...

Can you go into the negative effects on health you experienced during your minimalism phase? Also wondering what health effects you saw from only having one pair of shoes specifically? I'm curious since it's not obvious to me what they would be since I haven't tried anything like it.

[Humanofearth]

My health and social life took the largest downturn in my life during this time. I was focused on radically minimizing consumption and simplifying to the point that I refused to consume even when it'd increase my quality of life. I used no shampoo or dandruff, shaved with an electric razor that wasn't clean enough, so I looked a bit homeless with a single pair of nice clothes (was wool slacks and dress shirt in a temperate climate at that time).I cut my own hair always, no hair products beyond baking soda to wash once a week. I probably smelled quite strongly like an organic, all natural human. I didn't invest additional capital in experimenting for my health with supplements, skin care, training, reading beyond what I found for free. I didn't go to the gym and exercises at home with olympic rings, not bad but I missed out on a lot of gains for years. I stopped eating meat for years so I got chubby and my skin became dry, energy off from the excess carbs and low animal proteins/fat. My writing was impossible to read because I wrote so small. I had a clean space but it lacked any taste so nobody ever wanted to come over. I stopped experimenting with things that would increase quality of life for fear of having wasted the capital and over consumed if I did. I obviously didn't use much toilet paper and reused paper towels, didn't use soap, washed clothes by hand. A lot of wasted time. No air conditioner so I'd spend time too hot and naked at home or in a snow jacket in the house and wouldn't be able to focus much. It likely appeared like I'd given up on life despite internally thinking I was in some way emulating a monk like existence.

Old friends would look at me and noticeably double take in a not good way, like "what happened". My appearance was definitely atrocious, in spite of the relatively nice dress shirt and slacks. People didn't admire me in any way for years, had horrid dating options, would get sick often for longer periods of time and not want to consume medicine.

My feet reeked in particular as I didn't own socks or underwear and the vibrams needed some talcum powder badly but I didn't want to consume foot powders or new shoes or socks at that time.

It wasn't until I lived in the forest for some time with locals that I realized that we're all human and that they didn't treat nature as I thought they would so why should I cling to these ideals that harm me.

I went too far. I still utilize minimalism but utilitarianism is the larger umbrella it falls under as minimalism makes life simpler to manage.

[mathiverse]

My feet reeked in particular as I didn't own socks or underwear and the vibrams needed some talcum powder badly but I didn't want to consume foot powders or new shoes or socks at that time.

Thanks for sharing! That makes total sense.

Could you go a bit more into the potential health problems with having a single pair of shoes? You only mention shoes in this section I quoted. It looks like the problems you mentioned in it aren't inevitable if you have a single pair of shoes as long as you are willing to, in this case, wear socks and use talcum powder. Did you mean these problems or were you referring to something else when you said having a single pair of shoes would cause health problems?

[Humanofearth]

The health problem is athletes foot. Peeling feet, dry skin, and I was my least athletic to top it off.

I also had dry body skin because I needed lotion. The problem could’ve been at least partially remedied with another pair of shoes that I’d hang to dry every other day and talcum. Socks don’t go with that particular shoe unless they’re toe socks.

[IlliniDave]

I learned the hard way that having attire, including (maybe especially) shoes, that fits the situation well is valuable. I have less shoes than my ex- had, but I've probably got 8=9 pair. Many are pushing 10 years old.

I have a pair of low hiking/walking shoes that are my everyday around town/easy hiking on clear trails shoes. A similar/older pair are my work outside in the dirt shoes. I have a pair of mid-calf snow boots. I have a pair of "dress" shoes when a suit is called for. At the hideout I have a pair of low water mocs for the kayak and any overland or wading excursions when there is no hope of maintaining dry feet. Up there I also have a pair of ankle high hiking shoes for dry hikes or working on the property, and lastly a pair of muck boots for doing stuff outside that doesn't require distance walking in the slop when the slop won't be deep enough to pour inside. I also have a pair of "pursuit" boots I bought in a 2-1 sale when I got the snow boots. They are good boots, mid calf, waterproof, and warm, but I haven't worn them a whole lot yet. Don't spend much time chasing caribou around.

If I had to go with just one I'd go with waterproof ankle high hiking shoes with hard Vibram soles (or a credible knockoff).

[ZAFCorrection]

I've gotten away with black tennis shoes for long periods of time because of living in a mostly urban or suburban environment. The extremely decreased expectations for formal wear in recent times has really aided this approach. Though, lately I have always had a pair of flip flops just because going in and out of the apartment happens a lot more frequently. Maybe that still counts as one pair of shoes.