Xero Shoes - Aqua X Sport

I wore xero aqua X shoes. My husband wore Vivobarefoot shoes. There were quite a few people with heavy hiking boots that were wiping out on the wet rocks. I'm sure there was a bit of luck involved, but we didn't fall once. Mostly just don't wear slip on sandals. I was surprised how many people were wearing casual sandals on hikes like sleeping giant, etc. Have a great time!

I like my xero shoes, but they are zero rise. Zero rise shoes like xeros and altras will add strain to your achilles if you aren't used to them, so switch to them gradually and with caution. On the plus side I think minimal shoes like xeros are less prone to ankle twisting, and they feel more agile when the trail gets techy. For non-zero-rise shoes, I've liked every pair of scarpas I've owned. They fit my feet well and have good grip.

I live in Hawaii and have done these hikes: Xero shoes aqua sports are good (I take an extra pair of Morino wool socks with me) https://xeroshoes.com/shop/shoes/axs-men/ But my favorite hiking shoes are LEMS Trailheads which are fairly waterproof and very durable and comfy https://www.lemsshoes.com/collections/lems-trail-shoes/products/mens-trailhead-hiking-trail-shoe

They are completely waterproof, so you can hose them out when you get home

I wear Danner Mountain Light II boots when it's cold or the weather sucks. When it's hot I wear zero drop trail shoes, Xero or Lems. Pros and cons to all of them. Sometimes I wear Jim Green boots as well if I don't need waterproof or lots of traction (Ranger boots). IMO, there is no 'one size fits all' shoe for hiking.