Eressea

When I was in San Jose, I tended to wear pants to dinner, nothing fancy, but I did bring along a pair that look like khakis only half the weight, less prone to wrinkling and amazingly quick dry. They were "dressier" in that they didn't have the zippered thigh pockets most quick dry pants come with (and for good reason).

But when I was at Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio, I wore shorts or capris to dinner.

As for shoes, I've brought all three: hiking shoes, water shoes and flip flops. Mine are light hiking shoes in the sense that they weighed considerably less than many pairs I tried on and they don't cover the ankles completely. The ankle protection may be the deciding factor for you. I went hiking a lot, so for me the hiking shoes were a necessary item. But I did hike through a river once (there was no way to go around it nor was there a shallower area available to cross) and I had to toss my shoes into a dryer back in SJ so that I could wear them home. Two days later.

Water shoes were important as I went rafting every chance I could. And they do dry much, much faster. But the only time they doubled as hiking shoes was the time I visited MA national park where the trail was level and I didn't need the traction or protection of my hiking boots.

And yes, it takes ants a wee second longer to bite through or run up and bite through hiking boots than water shoes. I was bitten while wearing flip flops peering into the bushes at a gray tree frog. Consequently, I brought along a sturdy hiking stick on my next few hikes and pole-vaulted over ant trails - I'll never know what I missed by way of photo ops.

volcanogirl

You can wear anything to dinner, seriously. I brought a pair of heels on our first trip, and wow, was that impractical! I usually wear capri pants to dinner. My girly slide slips away somewhat in CR. Back home, I do my hair, wear makeup, etc. By the end of my CR trips, I've usually just slipped into nature girl mode. When we went to the Osa, makeup just slid off, so I gave it up. Also couldn't use a blow dryer there. I think I was almost unrecognizable by the end of the trip, but it was kind of fun!

colibri

Binoculars are a "must have" item for me. Most guides will have a scope, but I still want my own.

I take a combo of Dunham light hikers (thanks to Pat Hewitt for that tip on Joe's New Balance Store), Keens and water sandals. Only places I've been that required closed shoes/boots were La Selva and Tirimbina. RAC - glad I missed your snake at Tirimbina - or maybe I walked right past it!

I'm trying to decide on a daypack right now. I bought both the Rick Steves Civita and the Magellan Daytripper - can't make up my mind and am packing this weekend! (Yes shillmac, Enrique's socks are in the bag for Rancho N.!)

RAC

Binoculars are indeed a must. For dinner, really almost anything goes unless you're going somewhere fancy. Clean hiking pants and either a short sleeve or a long sleeve top is just fine. If you're near the beach shorts and a t-shirt are probably okay.

volcanogirl

Yes, binoculars are a must - good catch!

http://www.ebags.com/ebags/weekender...?modelid=15026 is the link to the bag I mentioned. I got the recommendation on this board, and several of us have them.

Eressea

vgirl - thanks for the link. I want one now, dang it.

hopefulist

My husband loves his Salomon Tech Amphibians but my podiatrist strongly suggested I throw mine out as they offer much less support for my feet than my Keens. The Keens have a really comfortable footbed (at least for me) but it's much stiffer. The Salomons are really soft and bendy which makes them a bad choice for anyone worried about foot injuries, especially if they already suffer from plantar fasciitis or other foot strain. I slip less in Keens than Salomons, too, but that might just be me.

I live in Keens and take either H2Os or Venice ones. I've tried on the Whispers but they don't have as much arch support so weren't as comfortable for me. With sandals (unlike amphibious shoes) you'll pick up the occasional rock or stick which can be irritating to some; hasn't really bothered me.

My CA packing list is #14 on the FAQ thread of the Thorntree Forum. Have a great trip!
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...28622&tstart=0

plumboy

hopefulist, thanks for the insider info on the Salomons vs Keens debate. I guess I should reconsider my Salomons. I just wished Keens covered more of your feet, darn it! I do feel a bit more protected in my Salomons, but I'll look at the Keens options again. I have a pair that I got on eBay which I took on our first trip, but then really didn't end up wearing them. Maybe I need to give them another try.

hopefulist

It's just a matter of personal choice - no pressure. The Merrell Aquasports are another choice if you want to go out and buy something new - they're an amphibious shoe similar to the Salomons but even bendier.

plumboy

Spending more money is the one thing I do not need to be doing right now! I'll play around with the Keens I have and see if I can rekindle a relationship

hipvirgochick

hopefulist - I agree with you on the support with the Keen styles. I actually put my Venice on the other day and I still love them. The Whisper's just really mold to my feet (bendier) and I felt really confident whilst climbing among rocks and rough terrain, sort of like bare feet only better! For anyone I guess it's best to go to the store rather than buy on-line if you don't know what works.

volcanogirl

E, I think you'd really like it. It converted me from a 50-pound packer to a 22-pound packer. My husband was pretty stoked!

colibri

Hopefulist and hip - you are so right on the Salomon Techamphibians. I had plantars fasciitis for two years, absolutely miserable. Even with custom orthotics my Salomon's didn't offer the support I needed. I tried out Keen's (Newport H2O's) and love them, have three pair that I live in year round, have ditched the orthotics, the cortisone, the splint - and the Salomon's!!

hopefulist

Hey! Good to know I'm not alone!

shutterbug85

hopefulist - Thanks for the info on Keens v. Salomans... I'm suffering from plantar fasciitis right now, actually. My feet are prone to strains. And thanks for the packing list! Very helpful!

volcanogirl - Thanks for the link! That pack looks great!

Thanks everyone for all the input... I feel like I've got a better handle on it now! (I might come back with more questions, though!) : )

hopefulist

All we ask is for in return is a travelogue.

volcanogirl

It is, shutter - you'll be amazed at how much you can cram in there!

hopefulist

Hmmm...I'm really not as stupid as my posts sound. At least I hope I'm not...

hopefulist

A few more notes. Shutterbug - has anyone talked to you about the importance of stretching out your thighs and calves if you have plantar fasciitis? I struggled with it for a long time (can be so painful!) until I realized that if I systematically stretched the instant I got out of bed in the morning (3-5 minutes worth, not 30 seconds), my problem disappeared. Hope that helps you, too.

My brother and sister-in-law traveled with us to Belize last summer and had the week-ender bags volcanogirl uses. I was really impressed with them - nicely thought out and organized, nice to have color options to spot them easily on buses and in airports. Only downside (and it probably wouldn't be a downside for most people) is the suspension system isn't like a backpacking backpack - the waist belt and the form of the back of the bag in particular. They had to be careful how they packed (what was on the bottom as they packed and against their back when they wore it) or they were uncomfortable to wear for very long. I'm spoiled that way with my Columbia Pakmandu conversion pack (it's old - I don't think they don't make them anymore) but it doesn't have the organization features the week-ender offers.

hopefulist

Man - I DO think they don't make them or I don't think they DO make them.....