Camp shoes are one of the most debated items in ultralight backpacking. Strict minimalists call them dead weight, while almost everyone who has tried them refuses to hike without them again. The case for carrying them is simple: after eight hours in wet, tight trail shoes, your feet need air, freedom, and a chance to dry. The case against them is equally simple: they are weight you carry all day for comfort you only use at camp. Here is how to decide, and which options weigh almost nothing.

The main benefit is foot recovery. Taking off your trail shoes lets your feet breathe, reduces swelling, and lets blisters and hot spots dry out overnight — which directly affects how your feet feel the next morning. Camp shoes also keep your sleeping area clean, let you walk to a stream or a toilet without putting wet shoes back on, and protect your feet from sharp rocks around camp. On trips with river crossings, they double as water-crossing shoes, saving your trail shoes from a soaking. For many hikers, these small comforts add up to a noticeably better trip, especially on multi-day hikes where foot health decides everything.

The lightest camp shoes are simple foam or EVA slip-ons. Classic options like Crocs weigh about 11 ounces per pair, which is too heavy for most ultralight hikers, but trimmed-down versions and knock-offs cut that in half. Bedrock sandals and similar minimalist sandals weigh 7 to 10 ounces and double as town shoes and river-crossing shoes. The real ultralight champions are foam flip-flops and DIY options — some hikers cut insoles from closed-cell foam and add a strap, creating camp shoes under 3 ounces. Even a pair of cheap foam slides from a supermarket, at 5 to 6 ounces, gives you most of the benefit for very little weight.

Camp shoes are not always worth it. On short overnight trips, you can survive one evening in your trail shoes, and the weight saving matters more than the comfort. In cold or wet conditions, camp shoes leave your feet exposed and cold, so warm socks and dry trail shoes may serve you better. If your base weight is already over 15 pounds, camp shoes are an easy item to cut — save the ounces for something that keeps you safe or warm. Fastpackers and runners covering big miles also tend to skip them, because every ounce affects speed. The honest test is simple: if you have never missed camp shoes, you probably do not need them yet.

One of the best arguments for camp shoes is river crossings. Wading a cold, fast stream in trail shoes soaks them for hours, while crossing in camp shoes or sandals keeps your main shoes dry. Sandals with a heel strap work best here because they stay on your feet in current, while loose slides can float away. After the crossing, dry your feet, put your trail shoes back on, and clip the wet camp shoes to the outside of your pack to dry. This dual use turns camp shoes from a luxury into a practical tool, and it is the reason many thru-hikers carry sandals even when they are counting every gram.

Try camp shoes on a short trip before deciding. Borrow a cheap pair of foam slides, carry them for two nights, and notice whether you reach for them at camp or forget they exist. If your feet feel noticeably better the next morning, they have earned their place in your pack. If you barely use them, leave them home and enjoy the lighter load. There is no universal answer — only the answer that fits your feet, your trips, and your tolerance for a few extra ounces. In ultralight hiking, comfort items are allowed when they genuinely improve your trip, and for many hikers, camp shoes are the first comfort item they refuse to give up.