>>2236537>it becomes me a manI don't see a reason to take unnecessary risks when I am relying on myself outdoors. My experience with rocks on the bottom of streams and lakes has lead me to believe that the benefits of wearing proper water footwear far outweigh the risk and potential downside of not wearing proper footwear. I have nothing wrong with going barefoot in outdoor situations, but when you are stepping on sharp and/or slimy rocks where you can't see the bottom I'd rather be wearing some sort of water shoe than barefoot. Carrying lightweight water shoes for water outvedutres in the middle of a hike are well worth the "burden" of keeping a change of footwear with you. It's very nice to be able to dry off your non-bloody feet and put them into dry socks and shoes when you still have at least a few miles to cover. Hike in, get wet, and hike back - with the added bonus of reduced risk by not having your foot get all messed up in an unpredictable rocky footing situation.
