Please let this thread just be about shoes, and socks.
Do the Astral Brewers have room in them for socks or should I order a 1/2 size up?
I ask because last summer I bought some cheap water shoes and they fit me like a glove, but when I tried wearing socks with them, they didn’t have room. Upon reflection, water shoes are probably not usually designed to be worn with socks. Without socks, those water shoes trapped sand against my skin and caused blisters (even in crystal clear water), and I’m hoping socks will prevent that.
I use thin nylon socks in my old Adias water shoes and my plastic Sperry boat shoes. It does help considerably but sometimes stuff can still become irritating. I like them because they dry quickly. I also use the thicker dry socks which work very well as they are thicker, but they take longer to dry out.
I always try on shoes before buying. I don’t mail order. A long time ago I was told that if there are several pairs in your size to try them all on as they will often differ a bit in size. I have found that I can mix and match to find the best fit for each individual foot that way.
I always try it on with thick socks – you can always add an insole to shoes of any kind if you want to go barefoot or wear thinner socks). But if you don’t have the option to try on footwear you want to buy in person, order them from the better on-line retailers like Outdoorplay , Backcountry, REI who have easy exchange and return policies.
I have always felt the most secure in neo-zipper booties, but I found I can only use them with dry pants or dry suit. If I wear them without socks they go ‘stale’ very quickly. My issue also with most water shoes, is when exiting and bend my foot I find the collar of the shoes gaps, and sand and gravel rush in to fill the void. I have wondered why shoe manufacturers don’t make a shoe with a higher more secure collar, more gaiter like.
after thirty-five years I’ve given up on paddling-specific shoes. None of them work any better than my old running shoes with thin neoprene socks, or thin wool socks for summer and warm water.
Likewise here. Old running shoes and neoprene socks work great when they fit.
BUT… I have size 13 feet and could really benefit from good shoes that weren’t any longer than necessary, not a consideration in running. I have two kayaks I can’t wear shoes in.
Nobody picked up on the idea, but I am telling you, if you build a pad the shape of the inside of the hull in the foot peg area and rest it against the footbpegs and brace it, it works. It is the most comfortable paddling position in the world. I would imagine for someone with really big feet it would be even more comfortable. I have done it, it works.
I went up 1/2 size in the Brewers. I almost always wear a drysuit with a thin synthetic sock. It’s a dress sock, actually. There is room for that and my drysuit socks but I have to pay attention with the loose drysuit sock fabric to get the shoe on comfortably. I have tried wearing a thick boot sock on really cold days. Do-able but really tight. When a drysuit isn’t necessary but the full shoe is I am sockless and need to pull the laces pretty tight. If it is cold as biskees I wear my neo-booties. As mentioned before I don’t like wearing them but they are marginally warmer than the Brewers.