“Jarhead” and “Dirty Avocado” have been thru-hiking for over a decade. Check out their YouTube channel “Dirty Jar Hikes” to see their hiking adventures in unique places, including the Long Trail, The Great Divide Trail, and the remote Hayduke Trail across southern Utah from Arches NP to Zion NP. 

Read their blog post below about Jardhead's experience hiking in Bedrocks and remember to take caution when hiking in open-toed footwear, as it's inherently risky when exposed to the elements. 

“I don’t know if you can make it up there”, he said to me while looking at my feet. “There’s a lot of loose rocks at the top of the pass.” At this point I had hiked nearly 800 miles in Bedrocks, across rivers, talus fields, and cross country bushwhacks. I knew this man had my best interest at heart — he was just confused. And a year ago, I might have felt the same way. It’s odd to see someone hike into the mountains with sandals, especially while backpacking. In the modern era, it’s normal to cover our feet, to make sure nothing gets in, or at the very least, protect our toes from potentially dangerous rocks. The man who was discouraging my footwear was probably imagining a giant boulder tumbling down the mountain with a large bullseye on my big toe. 

And it makes sense, backpacking in sandals introduces a number of potential problems compared to traditional hiking boots. But if I learned anything in 1000 miles, it’s that these fears are overblown, and the benefits of backpacking in sandals are enormous. 

The following post includes all the things I learned after hiking 1000 miles in Bedrocks, some mistakes I made, a couple tips to prevent potential problems, and a few whacky theories I have on why my feet actually prefer sandals over shoes. 

NO MORE WET (STINKY) FEET

In 2025 my girlfriend, “Dirty Avocado”, and I thru-hiked the Long Trail in Vermont and the Great Divide Trail in Canada. Both trails were extremely wet. Creeks, rivers, rain, you name it. But with the sandals, this was never a problem for me. On the contrary, I loved letting my feet cool off in the creek, almost like a cold plunge, then ten minutes later my feet were dry and ready to keep hiking. 

One of the biggest problems that people have while backpacking, whether on a short weekend trip or a multi-week mission, is blisters, and I would say 9 times out of 10, blisters form because of wet socks mixed with grit. You cross a creek, sand gets in your shoes, you hike for three more miles, and voila!, blisters. The Bedrocks allowed my feet to dry so quick, preventing this common problem from happening in the first place. And best of all, my feet don’t stink at the end of the day! When I wore trail runners, my feet would marinate throughout the day, and by the time we crawled into the tent at night, my toes were always gummy with a noticeable stank (“Dirty” called it a “cheese” smell). Bedrocks got rid of the problem altogether, and by the end of the season, my athlete’s foot disappeared. 

HOW I BUILT STRONGER FEET

I’m not a physical therapist by any means (just a guy who wears sandals), but after 1000 miles of backpacking across brutal terrain, I can definitely say my feet got stronger in a unique way. I think it’s because sandals really forced me to dig my toes into the footbed for better power and more balance. In boots, your feet are essentially in a cast — you rarely engage the micro-muscles in your toes. With sandals, I was constantly flexing my toes, actively building these tiny muscles with every long climb and steep descent. On the trail this year, my feet were finally able to fully splay into their natural state, thus encouraging a natural gait. I was forced to walk with more intentionality, and as a result, my feet strengthened, and so did my knees and hips. I truly believe sandals led to less injuries and a better experience in the backcountry. 

SLOW DOWN

Towards the end of the GDT I started to really contemplate what made hiking in sandals special. We were climbing to the highest pass on the trail. There was a beautiful turquoise lake rising out of the valley to our right and a towering rock wall on our left. The climb had us hopping over loose rock and patches of tundra to a broad opening in the cliffs, and as we neared the top, it hit me: sandals slow me down, in a good way. During the climb I was really tuned into my gait and where I planted each step, making me feel really connected to the landscape in a way I’d never felt before. I was meticulous with my movements. I wasn’t plowing through the scree as I would with trail runners, but rather, would notice the way the scree slid when I took a step, where the angles were the steepest, and I would adjust myself to make smaller yet firmer steps to make it safely up the mountain. 

I was going slower, but I was more connected. My brain was more active. And, best of all, I wasn’t hiking at a strained pace. The Bedrocks were limiting my pace to a healthy rhythm. I think shoes can sometimes give us a sense of invincibility. We walk fast, sometimes too fast, because we can, because there’s nothing to consider. And what can that result in? Overuse injuries. 

When I wore sandals on the GDT, sure, I hiked a bit slower on rocky terrain, but at the end of the day, I didn’t feel as sore as I had in the past. I wasn’t unconsciously overworking my feet. I was hiking at the pace that sandals allowed, and my body seemed to like that pace. 

Again, I’m not a licensed medical professional, but chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably had a positive experience with sandals, and maybe, it could partially be because Bedrocks force you to walk at a healthier pace. It’s an unconscious, unverified theory, but while standing at the top of the highest pass on the GDT, wind blowing, sun relentless pressing down, it sure felt like the truth. 

BEDROCKS COST LESS

In the past, I’ve been able to get 400 miles out of a trail runner, if I’m lucky. The mesh material near the pinkie toe is usually the first to go, and I’ve even had a pair of shoes essentially rip in half after just 200 miles. Popular trail runners wear down very quickly at the arch support, as well as the tread. On the Long Trail and the GDT, Bedrocks were the complete opposite. The Vibram sole was extremely durable and the footbed formed to my own personal foot shape instead of being forced into the restrictive shape of a trail runner. By the end of the GDT, I felt like a had created my own custom molded footbed just by walking a lot! I can attest, it is very difficult to rip, tear, or break anything on the Bedrocks. 

In 2023, Marie" Pebbles" Schrampfer hiked the entire PCT (2,600 miles) in ONE PAIR of Bedrocks. That’s incredible, and it’s not surprising. If you’re tired of replacing your shoes five to six times on a thru-hike, Bedrocks might be the perfect economical (and environmental) solution to this problem. 

HELPFUL TIPS (LOOSEN UP)

There’s a common misconception, or tendency, to really tighten our footwear to feel “more secure.” We like to crank down on our shoelaces, but the opposite needs to happen with sandals. I found that the Bedrocks performed the best when I wore them somewhat loose, almost like my foot was “floating.” This prevented the back-strap from creating a hot spot, and it allowed my foot to have a more natural, wider range of motion. My advice after 1000 miles is keep the sandals looser than you think, and use the different adjustment points on the Bedrocks to really zero in on a good fit.

The other helpful tip I have is to apply some type of foot balm to your feet each night. The only problem I had on the Great Divide Trail was a nasty foot crack that developed on the ball of my foot. This could have been prevented with better foot hygiene. Your feet are more exposed to the elements when you wear sandals and your skin can get REALLY dry. You need to care for them accordingly. You can’t neglect this. When possible, I tried to scrub the dirt off my feet at night and apply the balm, then cover my feet with socks in order to lock the moisture in. I believe this night routine can greatly reduce the risk of your skin cracking, and over time, your feet will develop a tough, leathery exterior that can withstand anything you throw at them. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I chose to wear Bedrocks on the Long Trail as an experiment. I wanted to see if they would hold up to the daily stresses of backpacking across rugged terrain. I had my doubts about the material being strong enough (would the toe strap rip??), but the sandals exceeded my expectations. After the Long Trail, I wanted to push things farther. I wanted to see how the Bedrocks would perform in a very different mountain environment in the Canadian Rockies. Again, my expectations were exceeded. 

I’ve become a “sandal convert” mostly because it makes a lot of sense:

• Drier feet

• Wider range of motion

• Healthier foot splay

• Cost efficient 

Plus, hiking in sandals is FUN! And that’s the ultimate goal, to have fun out there. I can confidently say backpacking in sandals renewed my love for walking in 2025 and hopefully they can do the same for you this upcoming season. If you’re new to the sandal game, start slow, wear socks to develop tougher skin, and trust the process. 

The results may surprise you.