Mother nature seems hellbent on weaning me from going barefoot!!!

The weather here in Boston at the moment is the cloudiest its been since 1903. And of course most days those clouds have given way to heavy rain. Needless to say, the last thing I want to do when the weather is this crappy is go barefoot. On Saturday night last I declined going into the city because there was such a large cloud cover in the sky and I was sure I'd step into lashing rain as soon as I departed from the subway. Unfortunately, I was wrong and it didn't rain that night. My loss. The average temperature for this time of year is supposed to be seventy-six degrees. This morning it's barely breaking sixty.

Does this kind of crappy weather influence anybody else's decisions to go barefoot? I honestly hope the poor weather doesn't carry through to July and August.

 

I've gone barefoot when it was down around freezing (32 F/0 C), but only if I was running an errand and would be in the car most of the time (with the heater blowing on my feet!). In general, I like it to be at least 50-55 F (10-13 C) and sunny if I'm going to be barefoot very long. For comfort, I like it to be above 65 F (18 C). As a rule, rain doesn't affect my decision, but I don't like being barefoot in snow.

Today it's supposed to be in the high 80's-low 90's (~32 C)!! No problem going barefoot on days like this!

As for your situation, if I was going to meet a group of friends in town, I'd put on flip-flops. That's not my preference comfort-wise, but I never know where we might end up going/doing. I'd rather do the flip-flop thing and stay with my friends than have someone tell me we can't enter their business because I'm not wearing shoes.

 

call yourself a hardcore barefooter?

barefooting in the rain is one of the best BF experiences, go to New Zealand and nearly everyone's at it in a country with more than it's fair share of rainfall. Wear flip-flops if you must but when I did this I experienced problems with traction and balance and I was all over the place

Honestly, there's nothing to fret about,and think how the fully shod always bleat on how rain ruins their footwear. That's not anything you'd have to worry about.

That said I'll draw the line at sleet, snow and ice, frostbite on feet, not for me thanks!

 

i too enjoy barefooting in the rain. flip flops are more of a hazard, imo in the rain. i'll barefoot as long as the temp is above 50f.

 

some years ago i used to go out barefoot in winter on my motorcycle, in rainy days too.

 

I love going barefoot in the rain as long as it's not too cold.
Even concrete feels silky soft and smooth with a healthy layer of water on it.

 

most definately. In fact I actually prefer barefooting in rain (provided it's not too cold of course) to doing it in baking hot weather when the pavements are just too hot and dusty,to the extent that I'm likely to stick my flip-flops on. Mind you in the UK that is an extemely rare occurance and even in a heatwave I'll kick 'em off as soon as soon it's bareable to do so.

 

Same here, although earlier this year, just a month ago actually, the temperature here was still getting down into the 30's and 40's, so when snow turned into rain, I too was having a problem with barefooting.

We all have different tolerances for weather. My advice for anyone is to deal with it as best as you can.

 

you don't know what you are missing. rainy summer days are excellent barefooting days. coarse asphalt and rain scrub and clean the bottom of your feet better than pumice, plus rain is usually warm and pleasant. the only serious backdrop is that bare feet slip a lot over some surfaces when they re all wet in rain so one has towatch out unless you wish to break your ass on the sidewalk.

 

I'm really confused. Why would a rainy day with temps in the 50's/60's discourage you from going barefoot? Barefooting in the rain is awesome. Especially walking in puddles! And mud, now that's a lot of fun too, the squishing between your toes! You're really missing out!

 

Oh man this is so true. I barefooted it up in Cambodia just at the end of rainy season and it was muddy paradise.

As long as it's not too cold, it's all good. You're waterproof, you know.

 

I really enjoyed barefooting in the rain yesterday, as the humid weather (30°C/86F with over 80 % humidity) found its climax in a heavy shower - never have I felt happier being pelted by large drops of water as I made my way from the office to the bus stop. It took me only 150 metres of barefooting through one big puddle (since everything on the ground was wet) to be dripping wet all over... As I am writing this, one mother of a thunderstorm is just letting loose its power over our apartment house... A wireless transmitter tower (for all our cell phones) about 200 metres behind our house on a hill has been hit by lightning twice, so far...

If it'd be just rain, I'd happily be out there (preferrably barefoot all over) to enjoy it... but that lightning still triggers some old, primordial fears strong enough to keep me inside for the moment.

wiggling thunderstruck toes,

~*Ganesha*~

 

I was in Phoenix last week. Most of it was business, but I did have some free time. I hopped in the car to get some gas when it was ~115 deg F (46 C). At the station, the pumps had a canopy over them to block the sun. The concrete was hot, but not uncomfortably so as it was shaded. I then decided to go into the associated convenience store. It was only about a 50-60 ft walk (~15-20 meters) across the exposed, sun-baked concrete (not shaded). I nonchalantly went walking toward the store, and about halfway there I realized this might not be a good idea. There was no turning back as I was nearly to the door, but my feet were frying! Coming back to the car, it wasn't as bad, but I think all the nerves had been sizzled!! My soles felt as if they were going to blister (that warm, tingling, swollen feeling), but fortunately they never did.

Maybe some people can do it, but not me. After that experience I kept my flip-flops on when I was in the sun.

 

I agree with all the above. Barefooting in or after the rain is WONDERFUL, with a capital WONDER. Everything feels silky smooth, inviting, and downright squishy. Why NOT go barefoot???????