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Bonnaroo Footwear

A common question is what footwear is appropriate for Bonnaroo? You do a lot of walking at Bonnaroo so comfortable shoes/sandals are important. Personally, I generally wear Teva sandals, they have a good footbed, let your feet breathe and are sturdy. Another favorite with many 'rooers are Crocs, I've never had a pair but I've talked to a whole bunch of people who swear by them. Here are some things to thing about when deciding what to bring:
  • You will do a lot of walking going from your campsite to Centeroo and from stage to stage. First and foremost, wear something that will be comfortable for extended walking (and standing). I'd suggest not bringing brand new shoes or sandals to Bonnaroo, make sure that whatever you wear is sufficiently broken in.
  • It will probably be hot (Bonnaroo is in Tennessee in June). Try to go with something that is well ventilated. Sweaty feet aren't massive fun.
  • It may rain (a lot). Be prepared for this. If it rains, you will have to walk through mud, there is just no avoiding it. Tevas and Crocs are OK in the mud, your feet will get dirty but dirt washes off. Flip-flops are terrible in deep mud. They slip off too easily. Additionally, if you try to walk through mud they will stick and then the heel will suddenly pull out and flip mud up your back (yes, it happened to me). I bring a pair of 12" Gore-tex waterproof boots to wear when it really gets goopy. That might be a bit extreme, but after getting foot rot at Woodstock '94, I err on the side of having dry feet.
Some people go barefoot at Bonnaroo. You'd have to have really thick soles to do this comfortably as there are areas throughout Bonnaroo that are rough gravel. My feet are not at all up to it, but if you routinely go barefoot and have toughened up your feet it might work for you. Also, there is not a whole lot of broken glass at 'roo, but there is some.

1 comment:

  1. I've heard the good brands to go with are Crocs, Sanuk, Teva, and even Merrell. Rain boots are helpful for mud.

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