[PorcupinePhobia]

Dear FOG CABOS (Fat Old Guy Carrying A Bunch Of Sh1t), When venturing from your urban sprawl for your weekend in the mountains, you are likely to encounter many new and exciting things. This includes new people. People who are new to you are called "strangers". You can assume a couple of things when meeting strangers. You can assume that it is irritating to greet a stranger with a nickname you have just created, like "Flip Flop Guy". Other, better greeting options are "Nice day for a hike" or simply "Hello". You can assume that strangers do not want to hear your unsolicited and unfounded opinions, like that hiking in sandals will "make you slip and fall and die" or that a strangers choice of footwear makes them "completely under-prepared". You can also assume that a couple of fit young strangers that have clearly already completed the hike you think they are "completely under-prepared" for -with no evidence of falling to their death- must have done something correct. I know it's a stretch, but one could even imagine a guy in sandals hiking thousands of miles or running ultramarathons. You shouldn't assume that footwear that resides on feet not-your-own poses some sort of threat to you. You CAN assume that the footwear you chose at the beginning of the hike will likely remain safely on your feet at the end of the hike, and will not transform into death-trap-tevas simply from proximity to the undershod. Sandals are not contagious. However, strangers might assume that your obesity, age, and shortness of breath are likely a greater threat to your safety than a few straps of webbing and rubber worn by someone you don't know. They may also conclude from your behavior that you, sir, are a shart basket of a human, and these strangers might head down the mountain hoping you get a few extra black flies for your trouble. Sincerely, Flip Flop Guy /rant

[treeswarper]

Sounds like you have a problem too. Try to suck it up, smile and go on. You don't need to berate fat people--I are one. We do it to ourselves every day. Good on him for getting out. Oh, and we older people fat and non fat sometimes like to be more comfy and might carry more stuff. Just think, when there is a temperature drop on a summer day (that happens) we just might have something in that overloaded pack to help an unprepared sandal wearing skinny (underinsulated) "hiker" keep warm. Too bad he didn't have an unleashed hound to piss ya off even more!

[Bootpathguy]

Your feelings were hurt by..."flip-flop-guy"? Home schooled?

[Schenk]

In these trying times we must all be more cognizant of how our attire can affect other people's wilderness experience. Was anyone wearing a cotton shirt? Did you have cotton socks on with your sandals? Was any flannel visible? Were you properly slathered in zinc based SPF 97? (Preferably fluorescent orange so SAR can find you more easily.) DEET or Picaridin?...it makes a difference to some people, you know. Cargo shorts, for God's sake, was anyone wearing cargo shorts?

[InFlight]

[trestle]

[PorcupinePhobia]

Alas, even when fueled by amazing beers, I'm clearly no TAH I suppose as the North Cascades are slowly overrun by people creeping further and further up I-5 I'll likely gain more "wisdom". Feels like 7-8 years ago I could hike almost anywhere in the park (maybe not Cascade Pass) and run in to just a handful of people. Sandal hatred isn't confined to the area though. I've been educated on my recklessness all over this state (sandals are "dangerous" in the Enchantments and "ridiculous" on the Wonderland, if anyone was wondering), in Hawaii (oddly enough), all over the UK but particularly in Ireland (berated in awesome accents makes it more fun). I wonder how often Joe Valesko from Zpacks gets attacked by the sandalphobic, after completing the Triple Crown in Tevas. And I like Blue Tarp Camper! Reminds me of SAR...

[Ski]

You could have just given the guy the benefit of the doubt and assumed he was from out of the local area, where unfortunately they just can't seem to grasp the socks and sandals guy thing.

[treeswarper]

[Ski]

they have a thing for that, you know....

butthurt report

[Steve]

Sometime around twenty years ago on the hike to spectacle lake we ran into a guy doing the PCT from socal. He wore only Tevas and socks and was on his sixth pair by the time we met him. I was impressed. I got some odd looks when I wore my sandals and socks into Russia while there was still snow on the ground. I wear sandals and socks all the time (and I have a late model Japanese 4x4) but I don't wear them while hiking. Too much water, dust, rocks and steep slopes to make it comfortable for me.

[Schenk]

I stopped wearing Sandals when I left the Seattle area 30 years ago...but all of my shorts actually qualify as "cargo shorts". I like pockets and I keep things in them..secret things. muuuwwaaahhhahahaha Hey, just how long have socks and sandals been fashionable in Seattle? 40 years at least. I paired the 2 when "tire tread" sandals were popular in the 70s back in Billings MT.

[Ski]

[trestle]

For those who like to hike in Tevas, doesn't the crud that inevitably accumulates under your foot drive you crazy? Socks obviously help lower the irritation factor but while it may work for you, I can't rock the socks, sandals, and shorts look. Funny, it doesn't bother me so much if I'm wearing pants but I can't stand it if I'm wearing shorts.

[Trailhead]

I think the OP can be summarized as.... Hike your own hike