Camping without shoes?

[kevinator]

My girlfriend and I were invited to go on a 3 day camping thing by some of her friends. It's something they do a couple times a year. They really go for the back to nature thing on these. No radios, no cell phones (except for 1 track phone for emergencies). But there's lots of beer and..stuff...so it's all good with me. The only "requirement" that I'm kind of unsure of is that everyone has to go barefoot, as in not even take any shoes with you. My girlfriend is a cross between hippy chick and country girl, so she can walk on just about anything in her bare feet and not notice. Guessing her friends are the same. Me, only places I've been w/o shoes are the pool and my back yard, so I'll feel every pebble, rock and twig.

The trip is in a month. Obviously I can't go barefoot 24/7 to get used to not wearing shoes. Any suggestions for things I can do to toughen up the soles of my feet without overdoing it? I don't want to be the one wimp in the group that can't handle going barefoot for a while.

[MeghanL]

They sell a product called Tuf-Foot at pet supply stores. It's a spray that goes on hunting dogs paws to toughen them up before the season starts. They also make it for humans but it's the same product.

The other thing is to start going barefoot now. Maybe you can't go barefoot 24/7 but you should go barefoot as much as you can.

[petru]

I used to run barefoot. Try that once in a while. Don't over do it or you'll have blisters. Can you bring flip-flops?

[armyant]

Yeah, get rough landscaping pebbles and walk on them while at home as an exercise.

That'll do it.

[Hannajenky]

Just wear sandals