I'm having trouble finding comfortable hiking shoes and wondered if I could get away with running or walking shoes? I'll be taking moderate hikes in Corcovado, Arenal, and Puerto Vieja de Saripiqui.

Walking/running shoes with good support should work fine in Corcovado. Actually, we did a lot of stream crossings, requiring us to take off/put on our shoes, so something easier to remove would be nice. <BR><BR>It depends on where you go on Arenal. We did a couple of hikes that would have been just fine with walking shoes, but when we got up onto the old lava flows, it would be nice to have something tougher. You could pull it off, but it would require more care.

<BR><BR>Wetness is another consideration. Personally, I like the dual hiking shoe (not boot)/water shoe. Merrell makes a pair, as does Timberland, and probably some others.<BR>What I really like about 'em is 1) they're lightweight, and 2) you can wash them off with a hose.<BR>I once took a pair of hiking boots down that way, and I never wore them. Not once.

Lorraine:<BR><BR>We found that running shoes with good treads worked well for us--that and Teva type sandals. We were mostly in the Arenal area (wet!!) and then in the northern Pacific area. Things take a while to dry once they get wet due to the dampness which did pose a problem with my hubby's hiking boots. Needless to say, he only wore them once!<BR><BR>Tia

Thanks, everyone--I feel better. At least it won't be the rainy season...