hiking shoes question

So I was thinking of saving some room in my suitcase and just taking tevas and getting a pair of Keens-closed toed sandals- for hikes in maui instead of my big, heavy hiking boots..is this a bad ideea? I dont want to say no to any type of hiking once Im there so just wondering if I absolutely will need the boots.

thanks

hiking shoes question

Unless doing some of the really tech hiking in west Maui mountains, sliding sands trail or other Haleakala crater trails ... you will likely be fine. So much of hiking is in wet areas and involves wet, mud, slippery, likely rain showers, fording streams, etc. - something like water shoes or Tivas are good. If you head to east Maui and hike jagged lava rock trails, like on the bluffs at Wai%26#39;anapanapa State Park - you will need closed toed shoes WITH support.

I use high top sneakers; wear them on the plane with my hiking socks, long jeans and layers of warmer shirt / jacket; then my bulkiest items are on my body and I keep warm on the plane ... have plenty of room in my suitcase.

One friend often hops to Maui with what she calls her %26#39;trash%26#39; clothes esp. to keep warm in upcountry and for hiking / camping; then donates them to one of Maui thrift stores or local churches. More room in suitcase on the way home for NEW Maui goodies while you help out someone on the island. Savers will accept some donations sometimes too - or Salvation Army in Kihei.

hiking shoes question

I brought a pair of Keens and a pair of running shoes with me for hiking. I made the mistake of wearing the Keens while hiking down to the Nakalele (sp?) blow hole and to O%26#39;Heo gulch. Both times, I had my foot slip sideways down off a lava rock. Once I ended up cut on the side of my foot through a gap in the side of the sandal, once I ended up cut between the sandal strap and my ankle. I learned that while lava cuts bleed a lot, Keens don%26#39;t seem to stain, so that%26#39;s nice. From there on out I wore the running shoes with low socks for hiking, and just accepted they%26#39;d get wet / dirty / muddy depending on the trail.

I%26#39;ve worn my Keen H2s on numerous trails on Kauai and The Big Island and they will be the only hiking shoe I take on our upcoming trip to Maui. They work great for me on all conditions from sharp lava rock to that nastly red mud of Kauai. A quick rinse and a few minutes in the sun and they%26#39;re ready to wear to dinner at night. A pair of Keens and a pair of flipflops is all I need for my trip.

I made do with a pair of Body Glove reef shoes (Worked well on the Hana trails) and my Champion C9 flip-flops. I actually wore the flip-flops to Nakalele blowhole (See my pics, my feet show the sandals) and Julie and I raced back up the hill to the car for some extra exercise.

We brought a pair of Teva-like sandals and sturdy athletic shoes (New Balance) each, hiked a little at Sliding Sands. Never felt like we needed more.

Probably if you plan to hike A LOT in the crater, then abrasion may be a problem. Only if you are carrying a large pack should you need heavy hiking boots.