playa impact on shoes

[wendiwoman]

Hi. I'm a newbie who's trying hard to get all of her shit together in time. I'm not the outdoorsy type, so all of my shoes and boots are pretty nice. If I were to bring some, would the playa dust ruin them? Do I need to add "shoe shopping" to my to-do list?

Thanks,
Wendi

[Clar-i-ty]

In a word, Yes.

[MyDearFriend]

And buy them today, so you can break them in. Take them on a long walk, I mean a looooooooooooooooooong walk, more than once.

[FIGJAM]

Get a cheap pair of comfy tennies and a bag-o-socks.

New socks twice a day and wash your feet.

[CapSmashy]

The playa dust will not ruin them as in they fall apart or something, but it will add a beautiful dusty patina to the shoes or boots.

Me personally? I love it.

[Eric]

The playa dust will not ruin them as in they fall apart or something, but it will add a beautiful permanent dusty patina to the shoes or boots.

Me personally? I love it.

Just adding the missing word.

I wear my playa shoes year after year, and you'll find threads on here somewhere covering people's favorites (me: converse all-stars during the day, boots at night), but anything you bring out there will have permanent dust in the cracks & crevices.

I wouldn't bring anything "nice" out there, even less so than I'd consider bringing nice shoes to a "regular" camping trip.

[Elorrum]

Yes, ruined is a subjective term here. I brought a pair of shoes I was close to saying adios to, carolina work shoes. I stand on concrete all day, and this brand is a favorite. I knew they would be sturdy, and comfortable. I got home, got a toothbrush and soap and cleaned them. When they dried, I polished them, put on new laces, and wore them at work another year. I think a leather, or faux leather, shoe is going to be easier to clean than anything with a fabric exterior. The best rule for not being devastated by change or loss, is to only bring something you can accept being ruined, and then be happily surprised if it isn't.

[Eric]

I got home, got a toothbrush and soap and cleaned them.

Ah. I wipe mine down with a dry swiffer. Anything left stays. I don't scrub my fancy expensive shoes with a toothbrush, I'll be damned if I'm going to do it on playa shoes!

So can I hire you to clean my shoes?

[Elorrum]

I got home, got a toothbrush and soap and cleaned them.

Ah. I wipe mine down with a dry swiffer. Anything left stays. I don't scrub my fancy expensive shoes with a toothbrush, I'll be damned if I'm going to do it on playa shoes!

So can I hire you to clean my shoes?

The scrubby thing was predicated on the "I might ruin these" principle. Seems I can go down that road further than I expect sometimes.
I'm looking for space in an R.V. in exchange for being "playa-shoe cleaner"

[Eric]

I'm looking for space in an R.V. in exchange for being "playa-shoe cleaner"

remind me to invite you into my air-conditioning during a white out...

wait, did that sound dirtier than usual from me?

[bigbluedoggy]

I got home, got a toothbrush and soap and cleaned them.

Ah. I wipe mine down with a dry swiffer. Anything left stays. I don't scrub my fancy expensive shoes with a toothbrush, I'll be damned if I'm going to do it on playa shoes!

So can I hire you to clean my shoes?

Clean them?? Why on earth would I ever do that?

[CapSmashy]

Just adding the missing word.

I wear my playa shoes year after year, and you'll find threads on here somewhere covering people's favorites (me: converse all-stars during the day, boots at night), but anything you bring out there will have permanent dust in the cracks & crevices.

I wouldn't bring anything "nice" out there, even less so than I'd consider bringing nice shoes to a "regular" camping trip.

4 days wearing them 8 to 10 hours a day in the rain and puddle stomping actually did a pretty good job of de-playafication on my desert boots.

I have a brand new pair of Danner lineman boots that I can't wait to playafy this year.

[TwoHott]

"Ruin" -- interesting concept. It is intersting to see things through the eyes of a virgin.

Become one with the dust.

I don't bother to wash the dust off my boots. In fact, looking at my boots right now I can still see discoloration from last years playa dust. Reading your post, and looking at my boots, and smiling -- if that is ruined then, bring it on!

[FIGJAM]

The playa does'nt ruin anything, it transforms everything!!!

[Trishntek]

When I'm not working or golfing,,,,,

,,,these are all I wear year round. YMMV, but while on playa, i wash my feet and the flip flops daily with vinegar water and bath my feet with aloe vera and cocoa butter each night before bed. But I have absolutely no trouble with my feet in general, except I absolutely abhor shoes and socks.

[robbidobbs]

Buy cheap athletic shoes and LOTS of cotton sports socks. And we're serious - wear them ALL DAY outdoors, walking. The more you wear them, the lower the probability they will HURT you during the event. Bring mole skin just in case.

I burn thru one dedicated playafied pair about every 3-4 years. I prefer aerobics shoes over treads, they are designed to bounce around in for hours at a time.

Bring 2 SOLID pair of shoes at least - not nice ones, and I'm not counting sandals, flip flops, costume shoes, fuck-me pumps, show-off highscrapers, or slippers. These don't count.

Life is too short to wear dumb shoes. You STOP if your shoes fail you, and that just sucks.

Otherwise, have fun!

[DustHand]

I wore a pair of black work boots that I wear semi-regularly in the default world for a few days on the playa last year...they are comfortable and will keep me from twisting an ankle...which i am prone to do while drinking, biking and climbing around on semi-safe structures. I can still see dust in the deep seams, and every time I tie them, little puffs of playa dust come out of the laces. Makes me smile every time I put them on.

[capjbadger]

Don't worry about the dust. Worry about the blood stains from when you nose drys out and bleeds all over them.

-Badger

[al6677]

Try Clarks Desert Boots....The originals were worn by the British Army during WWII in the...uh...desert.

I prefer the beeswax model. All I had to do last year was brush off the dust, re-shine and they looked brand new. Comfortable too.

[beachlife]

retired low ride Adidas made of hemp months ago as the beige was getting dirty, wore on Playa most of the 8 days I was there, dirtied, threw in washing machine with my goose down comforter, viola, back to pre-Playa condition

[Bob]

Work boots, Sno-Seal.

[Snow]

I asked the playa to leave no trace, but I still find it everywhere!

[jkisha]

OMG, you washed a down comforter in the WASHING MACHINE!?

retired low ride Adidas made of hemp months ago as the beige was getting dirty, wore on Playa most of the 8 days I was there, dirtied, threw in washing machine with my goose down comforter, viola, back to pre-Playa condition

[ygmir]

OMG, you washed a down comforter in the WASHING MACHINE!?

isn't that better than washing it in the microwave?

[jkisha]

LOL actually the microwave would probably be safer...if you go by that old adage "never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow".

Feathers and down are supposed to be dry cleaned.

OMG, you washed a down comforter in the WASHING MACHINE!?

isn't that better than washing it in the microwave?