Walking through a little bit of water once or twice a day just compounds the problem, making it nearly impossible to dry out the shoes. My feet even rot when I take care of them, washing and drying my crusty socks each day. While I am at it, I have other complaints too. To me this type of camping is a way of getting close to nature by participating in nature, instead of merely camping in it. I like to touch nature, and I feel so removed in a pair of ordinary shoes.
Moccasins are ideal for camping-at least to a point.
I can really feel the earth through them, and it has a profound psychological effect on me, making me feel so much more in tune with my surroundings. The trouble with moccasins is they wear out-fast. It takes me about eight hours of physical labor to tan a deer hide, several more hours to stitch a pair of moccasins, and generally one or two days of hiking to wear the first hole in them. The holes always start at the toughest points on your foot, so they are not initially a problem. You can get several more days of hiking in before you have to stitch in a new sole.