Hate sandals, like wet shoes.
Don’t love any footwear for the summer.
Sandals let rocks in between the sole and foot and makes walking very painful until you have a chance to set the boat down and get the rock out. Very inconvenient when walking the boat through shallow water with gravel bottom, also.
Wet shoes remain very wet, hot and nasty in the summer, but I don’t get rocks in them, so I wear them anyway.
Still looking for hot weather shoes that block the sun, don’t let rocks in, let water run out.
…
My best cold water option, so far, are Chota Quick Lace Mukluks, but they don’t seal tight enough around the top unless mated with neoprene wet suit pants and will let water in over the top if the water is deep enough. Believe me, 32 degree sloshing around in your mukluks will bring your body temperature down faster than you can warm it up.
I currently don’t have a winter set up to keep my feet dry and warm if I take a swim.
Which Keens?
They have several models.
I don’t like sandals for paddling because rocks get between the sole and my feet.
Keens
I like what I see on the Keen website, lot’s of possibilities there. One thing I noticed about the water shoe type is that they don’t put any drain openings on the back of the heel support. When you step in the water, then in the boat and sit with toes up, the water pools in the heel area and stays there. I like the support from that style but may go to a more open sandal style for dryness.
Tom
Dozer’s Rule
I love Teva Dozer sandals! They have a strong sole that stops water chestnut seeds from stabbing through (a big hazard on the Hudson). Best, the heel is cut off, letting my size 13+ feet in the kayak with the sandals on. Most hard-soled footgear with not fit in the boat for me.
The fit is great. The one downside: I can’t wear them day after day, or I get sore spots on my feet. It may have to do with the lining materials. It’s not neoprene, but a more cloth-like material. Very comfortable, but it does something to my skin if I wear them constantly - YMMV.
http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=m&categoryID=336&productID=6704&model=Dozer
Alan
Birthday suit
Best water shoes are the ones you were born with. If you are not tough enough to deal with this, see the very practical post by kayakmedic above.
No Nancy Boys Here,
Mke
not the ones I was born with
Ever step on a razor clam?
Its not something I would wish on anyone!
Thanks. (np)
.
Thoughts on KEENs
I love my Keen Newports. I wear then daily in the summer. I have taken them on all kinds of abusive treks in the water as well. I have 3 pairs of them and a pair of Keen Venice too.
But- there is something important I want to mention about them. Even though they say they are waterproof (whatever THAT means)- they get wet and then they stay wet for quite a while. This is annoying if it gets cold at night and they are still wet from earlier in the day.
Also, even though they wear like iron, AND you can throw them in the washing machine so they will look like new- they WILL make your feet smell after awhile. The shoes themselves won’t smell, but after a few weeks, you will notice your feet will begin to smell after you take them off. Just a heads up to avoid any embarrasing situations. To avoid this, wash them more frequently.
Yeah, right.
You’re welcome to carry my 55 lb boat barefoot across gravel. Just don’t drop my boat when the pain shoots up through your foot to your brain.
barefoot
I always paddle unshod, with my shoes behind my kayak seat. I just put em on when I hit land.
Still Looking
As you can see from the list of replies there are lots of choices but no perfect solution. If you can find a shoe that offers good protection, dries quickly and fits well, you’ve got a winner. Teva and Keen have some good choices but they tend to stay wet and stink. Crocs and Mions dry fast but don’t fit very well. Neoprene is well known for it’s stink. Going barefoot isn’t an option for a lot of paddlers. Most people end up buying a range of water shoes. None of them are perfect.
Interesting choices.
Giving me some good ideas for shoes to try out. I still think that Crocs are the fugliest damn shoes on the planet. Ick.