Need some advice on boots.
Let's say your on the river in the winter. Your wearing neoprene boots with smart wool socks or neoprene socks. You step out to drag your canoe through some shallows and accidentally submerge your boots so that the water is over the tops. Once your out of the water and back in the boat will your feet stay warm?
Do neoprene boots work like wetsuits where they let water through and hold a thin layer of water against your skin? Or are they water proof i.e. leaving water completely out?
Thanks for the reply… I’ve always used waterproof insulated hunting boots such as wolverines and tried not to get too deep but that doesn’t alway work. Plus the weight if I capsize and have to swim. I want something lightweight that will help my feet stay warm even if they get wet, whether they are in the water or out of the water. I’m thinking the Chota Mukluks or NRS Boundrys might do the trick.
What works for me is NRS Boundary shoes with paddling pants over them. Pull the neoprene ankle cuffs closed and I sometimes use an 1/8" nylon shock cord (w-closer) to help with seal (temporarily until in boat). With this method 'you have less chance of water getting in and over the top.
My Neoprene Chotas Seal Nice over the wproof neoprene bottom of my dry suit. Sole is a bit soft though for very rocky banks so going to try some heavy sandals over them for very rocky areas this winter. R
For my purposes the idea would be to not step in the water past the top of the 20" mark ... but the top can be snugged up as tight as you can stand it I guess too . I like the flexability of the upper waterproof fabric , the overall light weightness , and the fact they can be stored in a very small pack area .
I suppose you could wear whatever you want under them ... I would wear my 8" Red Wings w/mirino wool socks .
Would not recommend NEOS I’ve had a pair of the NEOS for several years and would not use them for any kind of wading. They are really just to keep snow and dew off your shoes/pants while walking around on land and are NOT really waterproof for immersion. If you were to step in water over a couple of inches I expect it would pour through the zipper and seams (which are not sealed)and you’d be sloshing around inside of them. They are also kind of bulky - might be OK in a canoe but not under a kayak deck. For what you are talking about I’d spend the extra money and get the Chotas.
....... I've not yet any experience with the NEO Trekkers , but have expected they perform as advertised ... 100 % waterproof (as in walking "in" the water) .
Also , sometime back I discovered that Tamia (In the Same Boat - paddling.net) has been testing a pair of these Trekkers out for more than a year now (haven't heard any follow up as yet) ... after hearing what you think about NEO's waterproofness , I think I might (should) ask Tamia what her opinion and review would be for the Trekkers now .
Applicable advice? I wonder. There are so many different kinds of NEOS available, and I just looked at their website and didn’t see any waterproof models that even had a zipper. I think your experience must be with a different model than what anyone would suggest for paddling. Further, I’ve read a bunch of different places that some NEOS boots are really popular with hikers for occasional use over thier hiking boots BECAUSE they allow a person to wade across streams and keep their feet dry. Therefore, I don’t believe what you are saying is applicable here.
Here’s a trick: I haven’t tried this, but have heard it works pretty well to increase the effectiveness of the seal around the top of the boot. Cut the hand portion off a pair of dishwashing gloves, so that each glove becomes a tapered tube that’s open at both ends. Slide one of these up each leg so it overlaps the the top of each boot. You could make a spectacle of yourself with the available colors too!
....... willow made me think twice though , since I've really been wanting to get the NEO Trekkers (20") ... I've sold myself on them , but you know how that can go w/o real use of a product .
You are probably correct about the zipper thing ... I wasn't imagining any zipper at all in the Trekkers , just a solid material fold over to allow easy slip on over a boot .
The thing is , the pics. in the ad. don't really show all about how the boot is designed , buts seems to be a fold over design w/velcro top adjust . I've tried a few times to locate a dealer in my area so I could physically put my hands on a pair and check them out ... but non of the listed "local" dealers have any when I've contacted them ... my best guess is I'll have to order on-line since I can't find local .
Anyway , I had to return a reply to Tamia soon about something else ... so I just did that and included a question to her about "if she finds them to be 100% waterproof" ... let ya know what her reply is when she responds ... last thing I remember her saying about them was she will be putting them thru thier paces to see how well they hold up out in the field (real world use) .
my mind must going south for the … … upcoming season .
I just looked into Tamia’s archived articles (wanting to remember what she said about her NEO’s) and found this piece she did about the NEO’s … she already has said they’ve proven to be completely waterproof .