what kind of shoes/footwear should we bring with us?

[eyecon82]

what kind of shoes/footwear should we bring with us?

obviously no white shoes, right? because of the rain and mud?

and does the terrain wear down shoes/sandals excessively?

THanks for your help

[autolycos]

What's wrong with white shoes? I mean, they are your interface to the dirt, so they should occasionally get dirty, right? So, bring your white shoes, and just expect that they'll be non-white in short order.

The honest suggestion is shoes that are sturdy enough to last a whole semester of hiking, and that provide you decent arch support. Medical school is no place to destroy your arches for beauty sake, and fallen arches and the subsequent bad back will have a distinct affect on your later life.

Take care of your feet! Wear shoes that fit well.

[GFLIP]

Are you gellin?

[gimmeaknyfe]

Are you gellin?

HAHA Oh lord, I had just about forgot about those commercials (no TV for me :()

I would suggest you bring a good pair of flip-flops, a pair of tennis shoes for everyday wear (or for hiking about), and a pair of dress shoes just in case you might need them. I haven't had chance to use my heels any day other than the white coat ceremony, so I'm not sure if you want to bring those or not. Just remember that although people have been able to manage it, heels on this island is not a very good idea. More often than not, you're going to twist your ankle in an unpaved road or sink the heels into the mud, thereby ruining your satin (or leather or whatever). Lots of people here brought Crocs, so you might want to look into it. I find them to be rather ugly and I would imagine that they would smell something awful after a while.

[txdoc22]

I would bring two or three pairs of sturdy flip-flops and a pair of tennis shoes that you don't mind tossing at the end. One pair of nice shoes for the white coat ceremony.

[liqu0rleadstocha0s]

i'm bringing a pair of birkenstocks and a pair of adidas sandals with those massage bottoms, a pair of walking sneakers and some dress shoes. i wear sandals anywhere i possibly can so for me that will be good enough. also, someone mentioned arches...i got these insoles for my feet cause i broke my left foot a few years back in a million pieces and have a crap load of pain in em...i got the walkfit orthotics...i saw the infomercial on them and found the website. they are awsome! takes a little getting used to but once u are, you'll love em.

[DrVinsk]

A good pair of gladiator sandals should do just fine.

[eyecon82]

thanks for the input guys...the reason why I was so confused is because when you go to buy some nice gym shoes..they all have ventilation in them...if anyone has ever stepped in a puddle with gym shoes on...and feels that wetness a few seconds later in their socks knows what im talking about.

So, I was thinking maybe those wouldn't be a good idea

I'm just bringing 2 pairs of sandels...2 pair of gym shoes...and a pair of nice sturdy waterproof hiking boots

[Dru]

My kid had really good luck with Columbia sandals. They are durable, dry fast, and have velcro to accomodate for edema and foot size changes r/t heat. Reasonably priced at:
Campmor: Columbia Whidby™ Sandal (For Men) (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39222217&memberId=12500226)

Vasque makes a great athletic shoe. It feels like you're wearing a sandal, but it offers the protection of an athletic shoe. Moderately priced, but definitely worth it. See:
Vasque Breeze Low Day Hiking Shoe - Men's - Free Shipping! from Backcountry.com (http://www.backcountry.com/store/VSQ0017/Vasque-Breeze-Low-Day-Hiking-Shoe-Mens.html?CP=Affiliate)

If you have bad feet and require orthotics and don't want to mess your orthotics up, a great alternative is Mefisto. They make both athletic shoes and sandals, and their support is equal to or better than orthotics. They are very pricey, so I've been getting them "new in the box" on Ebay. They can be seen at:
Mephisto (http://www.mephistowebstore.com/?src=overture&ovchn=OVR&ovcpn=Mephisto-OVR&ovcrn=mephisto+shoes&ovtac=PPC&ovchn=OVR&ovcpn=Stellino-OVR&ovcrn=mephisto+shoes&ovtac=PPC&OVRAW=mephisto%20shoes&OVKEY=mephisto%20shoes&OVMTC=standard)

A cheap pair of flip flops is OK for around your apartment, but they won't offer you protection against centipedes or rocks.