I currently use this brilliantly light and cheap EVA sandals I picked up from Daiso. I find them more comfy than thongs, and weighing in at
140g for the pair, they have been a surprisingly good buy. I've worn them with my down socks when it was dry at camp. I picked it up in Feb 2018 and it's been on a number of trips with me, as well as a few South East Asian trips.
![Daiso EVA Slide Sandals.jpg](./download/file.php?id=53355)
- Daiso EVA Slide Sandals.jpg (70.78 KiB) Viewed 29888 times
I tried modding them with a sling back using a short length of bungee cord I always have in my pack (I use the short bungee cord to occasionally to blouse my pants on my boots instead of gaiters). My bungee cord sling back idea was to keep it on my foot if I'm doing river crossings. But this didn't work out so well, as the sole isn't the most grippy and if there is a reasonable current, it didn't feel secure.
Previously I have used various Vibram FiveFingers. My favourites are the Komodo Sport I picked up in NY in 2012. The downsides are the weight at
360g for the pair, and the sometimes getting two toes in one toe slot, and how long it takes to dry out. Newer Vibram FF don't have the issue of getting the toes jammed in together somehow. I use this pair for watersports now, not so much for bushwalking.
![Vibram FF Komodo.jpg](./download/file.php?id=53358)
- Vibram FF Komodo.jpg (84.01 KiB) Viewed 29888 times
I had been eyeing off the Spyridon LS (lace up version) for ages, but gave up after a while, and then picked up the Spyridon MR Elite from Massdrop in 2017. However, the MR Elite version are a higher cut than the Spyridon LS, and a bit heavier. I didn't like the feel of the cuff coming so high up the ankle, and tried to off load them to my brother in law who runs marathons, but he's not a fan.
This year, my sister went to China, and she spotted something that looked similar to the Spyridon LS, but without the toes. I asked her to grab me a pair (they were about $20). They are surprisingly good. The soles look very similar to the Spyridon sole, and without the toes, it is easier to get in and out of. There are small "drainage" holes at the sole, and the insole is removable, and is honeycomb patterned. These weigh
320g for the pair. The downside is the honeycomb insole is not the most comfortable material with or without socks. I've replaced it with an equally light but significantly more comfortable insole. I haven't tested these out in earnest yet, but will take them for my river crossing footwear. I found a few places since that sell them on ebay and aliexpress as water shoes including my old goto place for lithium batteries Fasttech
https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/100 ... cks-wading
![Chinese almost Spyridon LS copy.jpg](./download/file.php?id=53357)
- Chinese NoFinger Spyridon LS
- Chinese almost Spyridon LS copy.jpg (78.84 KiB) Viewed 29888 times