Was looking at these https://kokatat.com/product/nomad-fwuwbm need feedback or something close to them. I am partial to Kokatat as I have had good luck with all their stuff. My work boat is size 10.5 EEEE USA wide foot all my life. I talked to Kokatat about size as nobody around me has any to try on. Worried about buying something to long to get the width to fit. I use Chota low neo shoe now that is fairly stretchy in width. It is an 11. Was looking to keep my feet a bit warmer. After I stopped at beach and Chota’s filled with water feet felt bit on cold side heading home thought sock on suit leaked but they were fairly dry may be some slight sweat. Stupid me didn’t put on my wool socks as I usually do. Was hoping a higher boot would be better for winter spring launching and staying dry.
I would suggest that you take a look at the NRS Boundary Boots, but do not buy them without trying them on. The size designation isn’t even close unless they’ve revised their sizing. I have the Boundary boots and Chota mukluks. I wear neoprene socks inside and both keep my feet warm enough for any temperature I’m likely to go paddling in.
I have had the Nomads for 5 years and love them. Originally thought I would wear over my drysuit or Goretex pants in cooler conditions but I like the boots so much I even use them in the summer now since so many of my launch locations are boggy or can require wading out away from shore to mount the boat. I like having dry feet. I even used to carry them in my day pack when my ex and I used to bushwhack trails in exploring the Susquehanna River drainages so I could put them on for stream and river crossings.
My feet are much smaller than yours (I wear a unisex size 7) but my feet are relatively wide at the ball, though certainly not EEEE. But I have plenty of room inside them for neoprene dive sox or heavy wool sox. I would suggest trying a pair of size 11’s and see how they fit. Most vendors will allow a return/refund if they don’t work. You do need to have relatively flexible ankles to wiggle your feet into them through the snug ankle area. I have a short pair of Chota wading boots in the same size and the fit is comparable.
Tip if you get them – they can take some time to dry inside after wearing. They do get sweaty in warm weather so I rinse them with a solution of Dr. Bronners soap or wetsuit cleaner after use. To speed drying I cut lengths of hollow pool noodle to stick inside them to keep the floppy shaft upright and open so air can circulate. A piece of 2" or 3" PVC pipe also works.
Chita Mukluk Lites for me.
For years, I’ve been using the Chota equivalent to the Kokatat boot you are considering (it has more of a shoe-style lower portion, not the moccasin style that most kayakers prefer), but I don’t use that boot for cold weather. This Chota boot with Gore-Tex (or other similar fabric) uppers hasn’t been made for years, and I’ve repaired dozens of leaks as I’ve pushed them far beyond any reasonable life expectancy, so now I might opt for that same Kokatat model that you mention for warmer weather.
Addressing your point about warmth, I really do find the all-neoprene equivalent of such a boot to be a lot warmer. Both the Chota models I’ve used have uppers reaching just as high up the leg as that Kokatat model, so you don’t need to switch brands just to get that feature. Here’s the Chota model I use for cool and cold weather:
http://chotaoutdoorgear.com/shop/footwear/quicklace-mukluk/
Most kayakers don’t like these, as the foot portion has a fairly rugged sole (though opinions about that will vary). This WILL be a much warmer boot than the one you are considering, as would a similar design by any other company.
I can’t speak to the width issue, but if you’ve already worn a low-topped version of Chotas and they fit okay, one would expect a high-top version to fit also.
Oh, by the way, I use wool socks both summer and winter. Wool is as warm as anything else you can use, but strangely, is more comfortable in warm weather than anything else. And a huge advantage of wool is that it is far less prone to getting stinky, and then, is not the slightest bit “resistant to stink-removal” as are all synthetic materials. Well worth it!
wool it great because it wicks moisture in summer and it really works in winter to. Guys on job cheap out on socks their feet are cold laying brick all day I can’t imagine working like that. I tell them buy 4-5 pairs of 70% or more wool for 60 bucks and their feet will be warn for a few years. Breaks down to 20 bucks a year for warn feet no brainier for me. I’ll check out the chotas thanks.
A must have for any kind of neoprene boots is a Peeps boot dryer. I wear wet shoes in warmer weather and with the dryer, they never stink and they never have to be washed out–unless where you paddle the water is gross.
@PaddleDog52 said:
wool it great because it wicks moisture in summer and it really works in winter to. Guys on job cheap out on socks their feet are cold laying brick all day I can’t imagine working like that. I tell them buy 4-5 pairs of 70% or more wool for 60 bucks and their feet will be warn for a few years. Breaks down to 20 bucks a year for warn feet no brainier for me. I’ll check out the chotas thanks.
@PaddleDog52 said:
wool it great because it wicks moisture in summer and it really works in winter to. Guys on job cheap out on socks their feet are cold laying brick all day I can’t imagine working like that. I tell them buy 4-5 pairs of 70% or more wool for 60 bucks and their feet will be warn for a few years. Breaks down to 20 bucks a year for warn feet no brainier for me. I’ll check out the chotas thanks.
@PaddleDog52 said:
wool it great because it wicks moisture in summer and it really works in winter to. Guys on job cheap out on socks their feet are cold laying brick all day I can’t imagine working like that. I tell them buy 4-5 pairs of 70% or more wool for 60 bucks and their feet will be warn for a few years. Breaks down to 20 bucks a year for warn feet no brainier for me. I’ll check out the chotas thanks.
@PaddleDog52 said:
wool it great because it wicks moisture in summer and it really works in winter to. Guys on job cheap out on socks their feet are cold laying brick all day I can’t imagine working like that. I tell them buy 4-5 pairs of 70% or more wool for 60 bucks and their feet will be warn for a few years. Breaks down to 20 bucks a year for warn feet no brainier for me. I’ll check out the chotas
Sam’s Club has 3 packs of 70% merino wool socks for $15. Nice and thick and cushiony. I’ve been wearing them year round for about three years with great satisfaction.
Missed it by that much. Thank you for the correction, PaddleDog–(Peets, not Peeps).
no problem it got me there! LOL
You could probably dry out your boots by filling them with peeps but you’d have to dump out all the chicken poop when they were done.