meant to say you are suppose to have a permit to the falls but it is not reinforced. BTW there are more impressive falls in Hawaii than the one on that trail. Just a thought if you are there and it is not raining. I don't think I will do that trail again, not something I would say of other trails I have mentioned.

awh...my old post. ;-)

We only hiked to the beach and back (after napping on the beach and playing in the stream). We started out around 7am and didn't see many other folks until we hiked back - it got pretty crowded at times and I couldn't believe how many people with small children were doing this!! We had already played in several waterfalls on Maui and didn't feel we missed much by skipping out on the those falls...we swam back at Ke'e beach and then headed straight to Tropical Taco - YUM! sorry, I digress...

Definitely start out early...when we returned to our jeep there were about 10 cars lined up wanting our spot (around noon I think).

that is a nice recap Bogart. Thanks for coming back on. how long where you on the island for. Going back anytime in the near future?

aloha, Sarah!
We were on Kauai for 5 nights after being on Maui for 5 <sigh> We've been home for over a week and I'm still daydreaming...and wishing we were still there. We live on the east coast so it's a looooong trip for us...but considering going back this winter to see the whales. we shall see...:-)
how about you?

OK, so now I need a consensus on the "what kind of footwear" issue, since my husband and I will be doing this trail in a couple of weeks. What are everyone's thoughts on what's the priority - traction, support, comfort? I just picked up a pair of hiking shoes, but I'm a little concerned about how stiff they feel as compared to sneakers, and therefore, how they'll feel after 4 or 8 miles, depending on how much of the trail we do. Help!!! :-((

sounds nice bogart. I lived on Oahu for a few years in the 90's and I have been going back for a couple of weeks every summer since. For the past 3 summers I have gone to Kauai. I live in New York City so I know what you mean about the plane ride. I endure though, walk around the plane and talk to people in Aloha wear :):).

Will hopefully make it back to Oahu this summer. I have a friend on the North Shore.

Margot I love light weight low ankle hiking boots but if you are only doing one trail it is hardly worth the investment. Just make sure the trail is dry before you start and your sneakers have good (arch support/sturdy tred on the sole). This should do the trick. If the trail is damp it can be slippery and then it is not fun for anyone but the hiking books do keep you on your feet more.

Very nice, Sarah! Sounds like a lot of fun. Do you surf?

margot,
I bought "trail running" shoes on sale just before we left and wore those. They were very comfortable, offered good support and were waterproof (although I think I started to get a blister on the way back, take band-aids!!) However, hubby just wore a pair of old sneakers and did just fine. We did run into some wet spots and it hadn't rained in days. We found that by walking in the mud (instead of trying to stay up on the slippery rocks, we faired much better).

Also, make sure you take as much water as you can carry, sunscreen, bug spray etc. enjoy! It is a fantastic hike!

I meant to note that I think COMFORT is of the utmost importance for this adventure. :-)

and...

we saw a bunch of little local kids doing the first 2 miles to the beach, barefoot.

Mahalo, Bogart and Sarah - now, armed with this info, my husband and I plan to go shoe shopping tonight, so the next question is --- WHERE??? In other words, do we go to a general shoe store or a place that specializes in athletic/outdoor foot wear? (To paraphrase Roseanne Roseannadanna - "for a girl from New Jersey, you sure ask a lot of questions!!!"):-/

Reply to Margot55:((I)) Suggest you try "Marshalls" they often have a variety of hiking/athletic shoes at discount prices, though you might have to check more than one store.

Hey Margot,
Check out www.teva.com
You should be able to find a dealer near you. They even have hiking sandals for men. I haven't worn this shoe, but dh has a pair he absolutely loves.
How many more days now?

((i))Good ideas, JohnD and iceeu2 - as it so happens, there is a Teva dealer at the Nordstroms in our nearby mall, and I am also a dedicated Marshalls shopper, so this works for me! I took a look at the Teva website, and it looks like they have the right mix between comfort, support, and traction, and prices seem fair.

As to your question iceeu2 - 15 days 4 and 1/2 more hours until we blow this dreary, cool, and wet northeastern popstand! ((r)) Mahalo for asking and for all your help! Gee...I just LOVE you guys!>:D<

hey margot55,

You can also try Eastern Mountain Sports....they have several locations in the Northeast (not sure exactly where you live).

Found a pair of very comfortable hiking boots there for my Hawaii trip this past Feb. They were great in that they weren't too "hikey" (big, heavy, lumbering, ....) and could be worn as a regular shoe as well.

Mahalo, Doug - now that you've mentioned it, I think I have seen those stores around, so I'll look into that as well. In the meantime --- I won't have access to my computer for the rest of the day :`(, but when I get back to it this evening, I hope there will be so much feedback that my husband and I can walk into these stores doing at least a good imitation of knowing what the hell we're looking for!!!:S-

I've seen those teva sandals and they do look pretty groovy...but something about hiking with even a little bit of open toeness makes me cringe. I like to have my feets covered up. I love my new trail running shoes from Dick's Sporting Goods - got the suckers on sale too.

We also bought $5 aqua shoes to wear in the streams and falls.

As long as you DON'T buy Teva Vectors.

I bought them 2yrs ago about 2-3 weeks before we went over and thoguht they sucked on our NaPali hike only because I didn't break them in properly.
WRONG!

They even sucked during regular NoCal summertime wear.
Blisters, corns, bunions aren't fun!

Being the good guy I am, I gave them one more try last year. WRONG! Wound up tossing them and bought the Chacos with the heavy duty lug sole and they worked fine. Mrs Kal wore the same model only a bit smaller!

Just washed the final bit of red dirt off of them the other day!

Margot-aka "Buffy".
Just remember to take a corkscrew and some "Silver" and the heck w/ water!

HAPPY TWO FIVE!
>:D<>:D<>:D<
Kal

Hi kal why I am glad to hear you say that about Teva. Every time I am in a sports store I think about buying them but I can never justify the expense. I would pay that for hiking boots or Italian shoes ( tevas are 80 and up in NYC) but not sandals for the beach. Glad to know they are not all terrain as a I thought. Pss someone came on here and said there are fair imitations at Target.

Margot Eastern Mountain is a good idea. I also like Paragon in Manhattan but they are pricey some times. I suggest a good sports store. I would never go for sport authority unless you only plan on one hike. You can also order from LLBean or REI.com. It is really best to see how they feel on your feet though. Summer hiking boots do require less break in time if any. But if you find yourself buying boots that you want to use in other climates than you will want to break them in. Ask your dealer when you purchace.

Last but not least Margot. There is a new type of water sack/back pack out there. I think they are 1-2 years old now. You fill it with water and there is a hose/straw (1 ftlong) that you use to get water from. So you don?t have to take off the back pack each time for some water. These packs are narrow there is a model that just carriers water and a model that gives you room for water and food etc. They look pretty nifty to me, slighter than a regular backpack and mesh in places that might cause sweat on your back. I have priced them at EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) for $70- $130. Target carries them for $20 & $25 with a no name manufacturer of course. They look identical though. Nice to have a small picnic when you reach Hanakapi beach. You want to remember to bring at least on liter of water per person for any hike in sun, more if you start back from that trail in the afternoon.

sarah, Remember, now...I'm just ragging on Vectors. From what I understand the regular Teva's are loved by many.

We love Chacos since it has better arch support to haul around my "Carcass Maximus"!

And if you wear Chacos when you air-travel, the security will make you take them off and send them thru x-ray due to their thicker soles.
Kalcass

Hey Kal,
What's the going price for your cha cha shoes?
Do they ever have them in Sierra Trading Post and those types of catalogues?