Carrying an extra pair on the outside of a pack makes sense when the trail turns wet, the approach walk is long, or you need a dry pair for camp. The real challenge is not getting the shoes to hang there; it is keeping them stable, clean, and out of the way for the next several hours. I would treat this as a small packing system, not a quick knot-and-go trick.
What matters most when you carry footwear outside the pack
- Use outside carry when shoes are wet, muddy, bulky, or meant only for camp and transit.
- Give each shoe at least two points of security whenever possible; one loose tie is not enough for a long hike.
- Keep the load low and close to the pack body so it does not swing or twist your stride.
- Mesh helps shoes dry; a bag helps keep dirt and grit off the rest of your gear.
- Trail runners and camp shoes are easier to carry outside than stiff boots, which need firmer attachment.
When outside carry makes sense
I use external shoe carry when the shoes are part of the trip but not part of the hike itself. That usually means camp shoes, sandals, a backup pair for town, or wet footwear that I do not want pressed against a sleeping bag, food, or dry layers. On mixed itineraries, including Camino-style walks or mountain-town transfers in Europe, this can be the cleanest way to move through a long day without stuffing muddy soles into the main compartment.
It is less useful when the pair is heavy, the pack is already unstable, or the weather is bad enough that everything on the outside will get soaked anyway. In those cases, I would rather put the shoes inside a liner bag and accept the weight penalty than let them flap around in the rain. Once you decide that the shoes belong outside, the next question is which attachment method actually holds up.
The methods that hold up on trail
Most hikers do best with a simple, layered setup: one method to hold the shoes in place, and one method to stop them from shifting. A daisy chain, which is the row of sewn loops on the outside of many packs, gives you several clip-in points. Compression straps, which are the side straps used to tighten the load, often do the heavy lifting even if you add a clip or pouch.
| Method | Best for | Why it works | Tradeoff | Typical extra cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side compression straps | Most hiking shoes and many boots | Uses the pack’s own structure to hold the load close to the body | Needs periodic tightening and can leave shoes exposed if the straps are short | $0 if the pack already has them |
| Daisy chain plus carabiner | Light shoes, sandals, or a shoe bag | Flexible clip points and quick changes on the trail | A single carabiner should not be the only load-bearing point for a heavy pair | Usually $5 to $15 |
| Ski strap or reusable gear strap | Boots or a pair bundled together | Rubberized grip gives firm tension and resists slipping | Can compress soft shoes too hard if you crank it down | Usually $10 to $20 |
| Mesh shoe bag clipped to the pack | Muddy, wet, or smelly footwear | Contains dirt while still allowing airflow | Adds a little bulk and still needs a real anchor point | Usually $10 to $25 |
| External pocket only | Camp shoes, flip-flops, or very light trail sandals | Fastest option when the pocket is deep and secure | Works only if the pocket closure and depth are genuinely trustworthy | $0 if the pack already has one |
My rule is simple: if the shoes are valuable, heavy, or wet, I want a real strap plus a secondary anchor. I would use a lone lace loop only as backup, never as the main support on a long day. That logic also makes the carry itself much easier to set up correctly.
A simple setup I trust on hiking days
- Brush off dirt and knock gravel out of the soles before you attach anything.
- Place the two shoes together toe-to-heel or sole-to-sole so they do not snag on branches or railings.
- Tuck the laces in, then use the laces only as an extra hold, not the main support.
- Secure the pair low on the side of the pack with a compression strap or strap-through loop.
- Add a second point of contact if the pack has a daisy chain, lower loop, or another side strap.
- Shake the pack, walk twenty or thirty meters, and tighten again if you feel bounce.
I like the shoes low because the lower the weight sits, the less the pack wants to pull away from my back. Keeping the soles inward also protects the shoes from trail grit and reduces the chance of catching them on a door, branch, or chairlift. If a setup looks tidy in the parking lot but starts swaying after five minutes on uneven ground, it is not ready yet.
How to keep the load stable and your gear clean
Stability is more important than cleverness. A pair of shoes hanging high on the back panel can feel fine at first, then turn into a pendulum every time you climb, descend, or step sideways across rocks. I want the shoes close to the pack body, with the heaviest part of each shoe facing inward. If the pair is wet, I want airflow; if the pair is dirty, I want containment. Those two goals are not identical, so I choose the bag around the conditions.
- Use mesh when drying matters. Mesh lets moisture escape, which is useful after stream crossings or rainy starts.
- Use a lightweight sack when dirt matters. A small nylon bag keeps grit away from clothes and food.
- Use a waterproof bag only when the rest of your kit must stay dry. Fully sealing wet shoes in a dry bag can slow drying, so I reserve that for storms, transfers, and flights.
- Check rubbing points. Buckles, hooks, and outsole edges can wear a pack fabric faster than people expect.
There is a tradeoff here that is easy to miss: the more you protect the shoes from the outside world, the more you risk trapping moisture. For a short day, that is fine. For multi-day travel, I would rather accept a little airflow than carry a pair that smells worse each afternoon. That balance changes again once the footwear itself changes.
Why the footwear type changes the decision
Not every shoe behaves the same once it leaves your feet. REI’s current hiking-footwear guidance separates lighter day-hiking shoes from heavier backpacking boots, and that matches what I see on the trail: the more structure and weight a shoe has, the less I want it hanging from a single clip. A stiff boot is harder to stabilize, while a light trail shoe or camp sandal is much easier to manage.
Hiking boots
Boots are the hardest to carry well because they are tall, rigid, and usually heavier. If I have to carry them outside the pack, I want a low, firm mount with a strap that wraps the boot rather than just the laces. On cold trips, especially when temperatures are near freezing, I also think about moisture management: wet leather or insulated boots can freeze stiff overnight if they are left exposed. In that case, I would prioritize protection over airflow.
Trail runners and lightweight hiking shoes
Trail runners are easier to hang outside because they are lighter and more flexible. They still need good anchoring, but they do not punish the pack as much when the terrain gets rough. For fast-moving hikes, or for a second pair that only comes out at camp, this is the sweet spot. The carry is simpler, the bounce is lower, and the load usually feels more predictable.
Read Also: Xero Hiking Shoe Sizing - How to Pick the Right Pair
Camp shoes and sandals
Camp shoes are the easiest case and the one where people often get too casual. A pair of sandals can disappear through a loose strap if you are not careful, especially when the pack brushes against brush, stone walls, or transport racks. I still like two attachment points here, even if the pair is very light. The shoes are light, yes, but losing your only camp footwear on a long route is not a small problem.
Once you know which category you are carrying, the mistakes become obvious enough to avoid.
Common mistakes that cause trouble
- Using one lace as the only support point for a heavy pair.
- Hanging the shoes high enough that they swing with every step.
- Leaving the soles facing outward where they can scrape or snag.
- Clipping wet, gritty shoes directly against clean clothing or sleeping gear.
- Over-tightening a strap until it crushes the upper or distorts the heel cup.
- Forgetting that transit can be rough on gear, especially on trains, ferries, buses, and crowded hostel corridors.
I also see hikers assume that a setup that survives the first mile is automatically safe for the whole day. That is rarely true. Straps relax, packs settle, and shoes shift as the load changes. A five-second check at a snack break prevents most failures. It is boring advice, but it works.
The carry setup I would use on a real trip
If I were packing for a route with variable weather, mixed surfaces, and a few town transfers, I would keep the spare pair in a light mesh bag, anchor that bag low on the side of the pack, and secure it at two points. For wet conditions, I would swap the mesh bag for a simple nylon sack and accept a little slower drying. For a very light pair, I might use the outer pocket, but only if the pocket is deep, tight, and closed well enough that I do not have to think about it again.
The main idea is simple: let the pack do the work, let the laces do the backup work, and keep the shoes from becoming swinging cargo. That gives me the best mix of security, comfort, and cleanliness, which is exactly what I want on a hike where every extra movement and every wet item matters.
