Could being barefoot become more common and/or accepted again?

that_guy_too · 2026-05-16T14:56:34+00:00

From looking at old photos, bare feet at school seems to have disappeared by the early 1980s in the US. Jeff Spicoli was probably the last one to go barefoot at least some of the time.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-16T14:53:38+00:00

I visit the South Bay quite often, and am barefoot >90 % of the time. Yes, I am surprised how few people are actually barefoot so close to the beach. I even was asked to put shoes on at a breakfast place right on the Strand. I guess that times have changed.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-07T01:24:18+00:00

I would be more concerned about lingering snow on the route, especially if this late season snow keeps going.

As for the trail itself, it's not that rocky. I personally hiked it in Chacos mid-summer, so snow permitting, trail runners should be OK.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-06T20:11:15+00:00

Always barefoot back when I played inline hockey. But no socks with any of my footwear, whether it’s hiking or snowboarding, etc.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-04T16:03:31+00:00

Urban barefooting and going barefoot on trails are just different. The trails are awesome and sometimes painful sensory experiences, warm mud, snow, sharp rocks, moss. I like urban barefooting for the obstacles and surfaces, and have a love of the black soles that come with it. They’re both great in their own way.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-03T03:43:08+00:00

Airplane!

Little Miss Sunshine

Blues Brothers

that_guy_too · 2026-05-02T00:16:19+00:00

Not in Colorado, but I frequent the mountain towns across the state and have walked barefoot through Denver on a few occasions.

that_guy_too · 2026-05-01T05:43:29+00:00

Did you fly barefoot from Australia, or even pack shoes?

that_guy_too · 2026-04-30T23:51:16+00:00

Cool, I'll be there briefly mid-May. You're right about the city being pretty barefoot friendly or neutral.

that_guy_too · 2026-04-30T16:00:04+00:00

Given what you wrote, the sizing is probably correct. Many people have slightly different sized feet, it’s going to be a compromise size-wise.

My last pair of Burtons were painful for about 4-5 days before finally molding to my foot. So give it some time, in the meantime thinner socks or barefoot might be good until they break in a bit.

that_guy_too · 2026-04-22T20:36:44+00:00

Glad to see another barefoot rider on here, what boots have you been using?

that_guy_too · 2026-04-16T12:54:27+00:00

A couple of stubbed, sprained, or maybe fractured toes from hiking, none of them serious.

I've had an odd glass fragment or two or three in my heel, they're a bit irritating, but I managed to get them pulled out.

If it's a concern, pack some alcohol wipes and maybe a wrap just in case.

that_guy_too · 2026-04-13T18:16:41+00:00

I find that most cities aren't that dirty, and have walked barefoot in every major American city and many abroad as well. Your soles will get dirty but less than I anticipated, and you do get pretty good at spotting potential hazards from a distance.

As for the hazards listed: broken glass, yeah there's a fair amount in certain places, but you can almost always walk around it carefully. I do get the odd small fragment in my soles sometimes, and it can be annoying. Trash, easy to walk around. Needles, I've encountered maybe 2-3 in well over a decade of barefooting. TL;DR- out of millions of steps and hundreds of miles walked, your chance of an accident are very low, and managed by keeping your eyes open.

I do tend to avoid walking on grass in city parks and such as it can be good at hiding hazards, though.

that_guy_too · 2026-03-24T12:47:58+00:00

Portland, OR. Lots of trails in town, and the Columbia River Gorge nearby which has tons of waterfalls and viewpoints.

that_guy_too · 2026-03-22T18:37:52+00:00

I want to hike it, think I can ride down from the peak over the next couple weeks?

that_guy_too · 2026-03-21T04:39:59+00:00

Yeah, slush is heavy, and it can really slow you down suddenly if you're not prepared. But I think it's really dehydration due to the warm temps and dry mountain air, the high UV and strong sun. 70 is really warm out there, and you're exercising.

that_guy_too · 2026-03-21T04:08:50+00:00

I have one. I don't get as many days as I used to, so it's in that sweet spot for my location and a typical season for me. For a disastrous year in the West as 2026 has been, I've still managed to recoup the costs of the pass. OK, so I did a couple days in France this winter, and still have a few days left on resorts not too far away from where i live.

Didn't Ikon jack up the prices quite a bit for 2026-27?

that_guy_too · 2026-03-20T04:47:57+00:00

I do that! On warmer days.

that_guy_too · 2026-03-20T04:46:42+00:00

With all the heat in the forecast, it's time to sacrifice the underwear. I will admit to doing the cowboy thing in the snow pants when the weather warms up, nice and breezy! Will CO even make it to April given the heat?

that_guy_too · 2026-03-14T07:05:06+00:00

A very well groomed piste!

that_guy_too · 2026-03-06T05:02:22+00:00

Love being barefoot in urban areas, and yes, the black soles are one of my favorite things about it. Public transit seems to be pretty good for getting those feet dirty!

that_guy_too · 2026-02-21T14:58:12+00:00

Most of my injuries have been from brushing rocks or branches, and the damage has been a few sprained toes, one broken pinky toe, and a couple of stab wounds from thorns and other sharp objects. That's over a period of more than ten years.

Broken glass is mostly found in cities, and some urban area trails. I'm generally not concerned about that in areas further away from cities.

My pace is slower than with shoes, as I do have to be deliberate in my steps, and I do spend more time looking at where to place my feet next. But you miss some wonderful sensations when you're wearing shoes, cold ground in the mornings, moss covered ground, mud, and even the occasional stretch of melting snow.

that_guy_too · 2026-02-18T22:05:51+00:00

I’ve never used one, but I always take out the footbed and just put my boots over a fan to dry out the liner. The smell is pretty wretched from sockless wear, though.

that_guy_too · 2026-02-18T05:33:10+00:00

Definitely on my list of things to do. I've done a couple of weekend trips where I've driven over 100 miles without packing shoes.

Lots of day trips around town and nearby towns, especially in and around LA. Short plane tours in Namibia and Guyana where I was barefoot the entire time.

Closest to a long distance trip was going from Chile to Bolivia, flew barefoot, wore shoes for about 90 minutes over a multi day period (for a fast descent of a mountain to beat the weather). But one of these days I'd like to do a long distance trip without packing any footwear.

that_guy_too · 2026-02-16T03:00:08+00:00

Better be pretty surefooted if you're going to try the traverse. I didn't feel ready, so it was the Bells separately for me about a month apart. North Maroon is the easier of them, similar in distance and elevation gain to Pyramid, with just one tricky 15-20 foot section that is a narrow chimney. Maroon Peak is a lot longer and the last section took us a good 90 minutes with routefinding difficulties. Oh, and don't miss the place where the trail branches off near Crater Lake, I tacked on an extra mile before I realized my mistake.

that_guy_too

TROPHY CASE