althom1122

I'm going to Nicaragua in a couple weeks and my friend (whom I'll be staying with) just threw me for a loop by telling me I should bring boots for hiking around Mombacho. I had planned on close-toed Keen's but she said there are ants and so on and that I'd prob be better off with sneakers if I don't want to bring boots. Any experience? I also plan on doing a zipline and was going to wear the Keen's for that, too. I like to pack light and don't want to have to take extra shoes unnecessarily (esp boots!).
Thanks.
Karen

tully

Are you doing the Puma trail? I know that one is pretty intense but no idea what the shape of the trail is. The other one that most people take, that takes about 90 minutes is one I could have, in retrospect, done in flip-flops if I'd wanted to. It was very well tended and (at least in Oct.) extremely bug free. I wore low Columbia hiking shoes, not boots, and those were fine. Maybe as I said it was the time of year or I'm just too used to Costa Rica, but again I was really surprised at how few bugs I saw (verging on next to none).

ttraveler

I hiked the Puma trail in low sneaker type hiking boots without any trouble. I don't think that you need heavy hiking boots. If you are concerned with the ants maybe you could wear a pair of socks with your keens.. just this once. By the way I didn't have issue with bugs at all while at Mombacho.

dariow

I did some hiking up a steep volcano while wearing sneakers. I wish I wore hiking boots during the downhill return of the hike since the trail was very muddy and slippery.

If you plan to hike on the flats on normal trails, sneakers should be OK.

althom1122

Thanks - I'm thinking maybe I will wear socks with the Keen's (just this once). I hate to lug hiking boots to Nicaragua for one day of hiking when the rest of the time the Keen's would probably be perfect...

aprillilacs

Just returned from two weeks in Nicaragua (trip report to come soon), during which we hiked one of the Mombacho trails (not the Puma--it was socked in and kind of pointless) and climbed Cerro Negro volcano near Leon. Both my husband and I wore sneakers and did just fine. No biting bugs to speak of. We made sure to use plenty of bug spray with DEET just in case. Definitely wear socks, though! When we ran down Cerro Negro we encountered a lot of volcano dust and lava gravel (not a problem on the trails of Mombacho). We did the zipline there and it wouldn't have mattered what we wore for that -- our sandals would have been OK. Have a blast -- you'll really enjoy Nicaragua!

otxena

I wore my Keens for 2 1/2 months throughout Nica, CR, and Panama and never had issues with any critters or anything like that. I had a pair of cheap little flips for the beach as the Keens DO get warm. (AND I needed to wash them out a few times, "antibacterial sole" or not! Reek!)

My only complaint was that once a rock got in, it was a real pain to get out, but really, no biggie.

ttraveler

After looking at my photos I realized that I did wear teva's to hike the Puma trail. Oro travel said they would be fine and they were but as steep as it was I would have been better off with my low hiking sneakers. I didn't have any issues with bugs.

dariow

Again, my 'shoe issues' had to do with 2 situations:

1) Hiking in the mud or soft ground
2) Hiking in steep downhills.

I had no problems climbing to the top of Volcan Tenorio and other places in my sneakers but it was scary at time going down hill on a large incline with poor traction.

In any case, climb those vulcans and enjoy the view.