what shoes should i wear?

I never used to think twice about footwear before school camps or recreational trekking. We were warned, however, that the trek into Kampung Nyegol might take up to four and half hours in the jungle, and were advised to get proper shoes.

People who trek regularly into the rural areas take after the villagers themselves, all of whom use these cheap rubber shoes known as 'Adidas kampung'.

These shoes are widely available from sundry or supplies shops all over Kuching and probably most parts of East Malaysia. They come in either black or white, and cost around RM 6 to RM 10. There are several brands, and apparently some are more durable than others, but given the price and the fact that they don't last forever anyway, it doesn't make a huge difference at all.

L-R: Clean, laceless shoes (normally used by guys); laced shoes (unisex); dirty laceless shoes

I find the type with laces more comfortable than the one-piece type, because they are a closer fit, so they don't rub against skin as much and you're less likely to get blisters.

In a nutshell, here are all the reasons why might want to get a pair of Adidas kampung the next time you find yourself committed to a considerable amount of time in the tropical jungle:

1. Being 100% rubber (except for the laces, if you get the laced type), they are super waterproof! We got caught in the rain quite a lot during our trip, and it felt quite good not having to worry about having sodden shoes the next morning. Often, it would rain during the night and I would come out the next morning to find that my shoes had collected water like buckets; I just emptied them out and pulled them on, and my feet barely felt damp at all. 
2. Super affordable.
3. The soles are studded, so they have really good grip on uneven terrain, uphill or muddy treks, and the bamboo bridges (especially in the rain, when they get slippery).
4. No one would steal them if you leave them outside.
5. Lighter and slimmer than bulky, padded trekking shoes.

Drawbacks:

1. Not much ankle support, as they aren't padded in any way.
2. They can crack easily, as you would expect rubber to, so they don't last forever - especially if they aren't used on a regular basis, I imagine.
3. Can pinch toes or chaff at ankle skin, if you use thin socks. I remedied this with strategically-placed plasters on my ankle, so it wasn't really a problem.

Chris got a good pair of waterproof trekking shoes before we went. In general, they served him well, but they got pretty sodden on one particular night when we were caught in the rain for about an hour. His shoes dried out quicker than normal non-waterproof shoes would have, but would still be wet the next morning unless he remembered to remove the insoles and put the shoes next to the fire the night before. Most importantly, though, the soles had a really poor grip on the bamboo bridges when it rained, whereas with rubber shoes the bridges were a breeze. Trekking shoes probably work heaps better in places where it isn't so wet.

In conclusion, Adidas kampung is the way to go in the tropical rainforest! :D