I have spent essentially the entire summer wearing one of two types of shoes – a pair of Chaco sandals, and a pair of low-top, gore-tex, Merrell Chameleons that I use only when I’m in for a ‘rougher’ hike. I literally have done everything from swim on the rocky beaches of Croatia, played basketball, and climbed the hardcore Simitai portion of the Great Wall of China wearing my Chacos. I realize wearing Chacos on Kilimanjaro isn’t the greatest idea, however I was wondering if my Merrells would fit the bill. I don’t have the time (or the weight capacity in my round-the-world pack) to break in new trekking boots before my early September climb, but my Merrells are pretty well broken in and I will only be carrying a day pack really.

Thus my question, “Would it be better to just wear the Merrells, liner socks, and good wool socks to climb Kili, or should I try to find a pair of Trekking boots and break them in over the course of a few weeks?” There Merrells breath, have Vibram soles, and are waterproof, they just don’t have ankle support. Maybe I could tape up my feet and ankles in the mornings and untape them at night? Please help!