Moccasins on the trail?

[Maine_JMW]

My uncle swears by his Mukluks.com arctics. He wore them last year while we hunted norther Wisconsin. I was considering them but don't have the occasion to wear them as much down here. He ice fishes, and hunts in them all the time.

Badge54

I agree with your uncle. I used to winter camp before kids, etc. started taking up more time. The people I went with are very much into traditional gear. They (and I) used hand made mukluks similar to these. They have soft leather around your foot and canvas uppers. There's no hard sole. We used felt boot inserts and 1 or 2 pair of wool socks depending on temperature. They also work very well with snowshoes using traditional cotton webbing bindings. It feels like walking around in comfy slippers. Of course the only drawback is if temps got too warm, they would get wet, but usually in Maine winter, that isn't a problem

Jon

 

[cjd1980]

yep:barf:

 

[gaj999]

Well, obviously the native americans did it. It seems like ( as long as they were water-proofed) they would be preferable to boots for their lightness and preferable to sandals for their entire-foot-coverage. Anyone use them regularly? The only disadvantages I could see would be your feet getting cold in the winter and if you drop somthing on your foot, your are going to feel it alot more thank you would if you were wearing boots. Being in Oklahoma, I think that some authentic, high quality ones would be pretty easy to come by. Any thoughts?

I hike in moccasins all the time. I glue a thin layer of rubber to the bottoms so that they don't wear out so fast. They work great for me and most of my hiking is off-trail in rocky terrain. I always carry my Swisstool(knife content!) for pulling out cactus spines because they often will break off if I use my fingers. I make my own mocs using instructions from George White's little book. It's a little cryptic, but most becomes clear after making a pair. He's got a drawing of a 900 year old slipper in the back of the book that is super easy to make and works really well for running. You could probably use cowhide to make a pair of these, otherwise you want deer, elk, or moose since it is flexible enough to pucker better. My first pairs were made of elk and stretched a lot. I've since learned that most elk is tanned for garments and is too stretchy for mocs. I just bought half a moose hide but haven't tried it yet. The guy I bought it from(Ernie at Two Bears Trading Post) says that it's the stuff.

Mocs with no sole glued on give the best feel for the ground. They wear fast unless you've got good running technique. If you run barefoot a lot you're probably ok. If they get wet it wrecks them pretty fast.

You do have to watch where you're putting your feet when you wear mocs. I used to just blast through cactus in my boots, but not anymore. It becomes automatic fairly quickly, though. I've never even come close to turning an ankle. I think that because your heel is on the ground that there is no leverage from the shoe on your ankle. I used to turn my ankles a lot in boots and shoes.

I now run exclusively barefoot except in the snow and all my life-long foot, knee, and hip problems have vanished. This is in answer to why you might want to adopt stone-age tech in the modern age. The biggest caveat is to start really slowly to build up strength if you've worn shoes your whole life. It's easy to overdo it.

I've also run in the Fivefingers and the huaraches. I much prefer the huaraches, and they cost about a tenth as much if you make them yourself. I use the huaraches when I'm hiking on trails that are too rough to go barefoot on. If the rubber that you use it too slippery underfoot when it gets wet get some traction tape at Ace. There's a google group on making huaraches that's useful. I use parachute cord(survival content!) to make the laces and it works really well. I was worried that it might stretch when it got wet but it doesn't. It's the real stuff with the seven internal strands, BTW.

Good luck, Gordon

 

[schlotskey]

I would also recommend taking a look at Russell Moccasins. They have "old world" attention to detail and craftmanship, a host of available options to meet different concerns (arch &/or ankle support, waterproofness, stiffness or flexibilty, sole options, etc.) While not necessarily inexpensive, they are an unmatched product by a small family type business, and hence worthy of special consideration. I hunt and often hike the CO mountains with a pair of Trackers (which have been a pair of friends for several years). Just two cents.

 

[hollowdweller]

I think I could HIKE in them but not backpack. I think it depends on how rocky the trails are.

 

[Kyp Degal]

Google "barefoot running", and check some of the sites out. I think they might be on to something... maybe trying out moccasins for certain kind of terrains could be a pretty good idea.

Sounds like what I used to do through the woods around here wearing my moccasins. It's the weirdest (but coolest) thing; when I'm running I can go through places you'd think a fawn couldn't fit and never touch a branch or bramble. My feet didn't touch the ground long enough to make a sound it seems. I couldn't be caught. I could do it just as easily at night as in the day. Being able to feel the ground under my sole makes all the difference. I can still do it today, but with running shoes or boots it just isn't the same.

I'm going to have to pick me up a pair of moccasins to beat around my home woods in again, I think.

Josh

 

[DocArnie]

If people could have made Meindl boots centuries ago, they would have.


I'd like to try out mokkassins for walking though forests without trails. But for everything else, I'd prefer boots or my Asics running shoes.
Barefood hiking is something I despise naturally, can't help it.

Girls with ugly leathery feet --> :barf:

 

[DWK2]

Got some Meindls from Cabela's and they are damn sturdy boots!

DancesWithKnives

 

[tholiver]

Cool thread. I've always wanted to try moccasins.
I've done a few barefoot hikes, the rocks didn't bother me so much (i have thick calluses) but sometimes in the summer the surface of some of the more cultivated trails can get really hot!
lol!

This past summer i was stuck in the city due to family obligations and because i was doing a courseload via online-distance ed. I was mostly house or garden bound all summer and as a result i was barefoot most of the time, (i'd wear sandals for the occasional jaunts to the store).
I'm finding it really hard now to go back to sneakers and boots!

 

[Aquacopter]

I agree with Black Hills. Vibram Five Fingers are a great compromise if you are looking for the sensitivity of moc's with great durablity and better protections. I love mine!

 

[gaj999]

Girls with ugly leathery feet --> :barf:

If I was a girl, I might be upset.

LOL Gordon