@pikabike said:
Except for #3 (portaging)…Crocs! Add a set of straps for better portaging?
Crocs? Portaging in Crocs in the wilderness is an invitation to death when solo… Carry a PLB… They suck in the mud too… Have you ever lost one in the mud! Everglades? Look for a green one at Highland Beach somewhere.
Which is why I said “Except for #3 (portaging)”, since the OP did not state where the portaging was. Could have been the hard, forested ground near a lake, or on gravel.
Mud can suck even snug-fitting booties off the feet. BTDT.
@pikabike said:
Except for #3 (portaging)…Crocs! Add a set of straps for better portaging?
Crocs? Portaging in Crocs in the wilderness is an invitation to death when solo… Carry a PLB… They suck in the mud too… Have you ever lost one in the mud! Everglades? Look for a green one at Highland Beach somewhere.
Which is why I said “Except for #3 (portaging)”, since the OP did not state where the portaging was. Could have been the hard, forested ground near a lake, or on gravel.
Mud can suck even snug-fitting booties off the feet. BTDT.
I cant even wear crocs while portaging down to our floating dock… One stretch has the grain of wood parallel to the slope not crossways. One Croc outing the wood was wet and down I went… The Crocs went to recycling that night… Next day we installed anti skid strips across the dock.
There are different soles for Crocs and I allegedly had the boating soles but they must have been meant for cocktail hour on a yacht… not carrying a canoe.
For what it is worth:
I need them for every kind of condition
I gave up on water shoes a long time ago because none of them suited all my needs.
Up until now I have used my Walmart specials which I have adapted and they have all I need except I would like much thicker cleats.
They are about $15 and I think they are called “running shoes”. They are absolutely the lightest foot wear I have ever picked up . They come in white, gray, and black and I prefer the gray. They have two velcro strap closures which makes for quick on and off, and they have a good solid bottom. I orginally tried to drill them for letting the water drain, but the drill bit just twisted the fabric.Then I found that my soldering gun with a pencil point would burn a nice 1/4" hole through. I put three holes trough the back of the heal near the bottom and three more through the toe box,and they drain out good.
If I could fined a water shoe as light as they are and as rugged and with thicker treads on the bottom, I would spring for them in a heart beat, but so far I haven’t found any
I am very happy with my Croc Swiftwater sandal (the particular style I have is no longer made). Drains easy, easy to take on and off in boat (e.g., to rinse sand off feet), can walk on oyster beds, not prone to come off in muck although that is not a typical issue for me, protects my drysuit booties in the winter as I’m walking between my truck and the ramp. Usually though, as soon as I’m in the water, off come the shoes. I much prefer to paddle barefoot (same for driving long distances). Probably not suitable for OP’s scenario though, going up and down steep muddy inclines.
I like cross country running flats, narrow, light, drain well and grippy enough to run a carry and climb Raquette Falls
For the Devizes/ Westminster race in the sopping wet English spring I wore a pair of Palm paddling shoes with Vibram tread but found them to be overkill and tough to cram in a tight bow or easily into foot brace straps