Here is another vote for the Loyak and Loyak AC. Soles have good grip as these are made for paddlers. Note the name, “lo” “yak” as in low-rise kayak shoe. There is also a higher version, coincidentally called the Hiyak.
I have both versions of the Loyak and they are both great. The AC has a finer mesh upper, while the non-AC has a thicker mesh. Both versions have built in drains and the soles are thick enough to give decent protection. I use the non-AC version for paddling and the AC version for casual summer walking when I want more protection than a sandal.
No need to wear socks with these shoes. They fit like a slip-on, but have laces to tighten up if you want. I find the laces quick and easy to use.
Though I have mostly been using high top Kokatat Nomad boots for years, I realized it would be nice to have something more adaptable for warm weather use (and potentially over the drysuit booties.) I have loved my Salomon hiking boots so much I sought out water shoes by them this Summer and found a pair of their Techamphibians work very well as kayak and canoe footwear. They are very sturdy, they have great foot protection and drainage and the sole material and pattern provides solid wet rock grip. Most of the men’s models would pass as sleek street shoes.
They often tweak and change the models so you will find a wider range of choices on Ebay or large on line vendors than at Salomon’s own site (which only shows the current season’s styles.) I used to sell high end outdoor footwear so I know every brand has slightly different lasts – Salomon fits me perfectly since they have snug heels and wider ball and toe boxes.
I like my astral brewers but agree the heel doesn’t come up high enough. This is a problem because they are not very secure with dry suit footies. Brewers are a better warm weather shoe than cold water shoe.
Thanks for your observation on the fit of the Brewer!s heel when used with a dry suit bootie. That is critical for me.
Also, thanks for the Salomon recommendation. I have to admit to being a bit confused over the different Techamphibians. There are quite a few. I’ll dig deeper into those.
Don’t know if Salomon makes the Techamphibian model I have for men as well as women. This is the style I have, with the adjustable heel strap, which makes the shoes easy to put on and snug. I can wear them with bare feet or over dive socks. Very good sole design that does not hold mud or gravel.
(Yes, I have this same funky color combo, makes them easy to spot in the gear bag. They do come in neutral shades. But these contrast nicely with my teal blue hair…)
Warning: those Salomons have features that make my size 11 feet no longer fit in my kayak. Heel extends well back of your heel, big bumper thingy on top of the toes. I got a pair of Keens cut like this and had to pointe my feet like a ballerina to get them to fit under the deck.
Yeah, foot size is a non-negotiable factor in kayaking footwear choice. I wear a men’s size 7/women’s 8, so that’s rarely been something I have to consider. But it’s definitely a limiting constraint on those with larger dogs.
I’m convinced there’s no perfect paddling shoe for 100% of the time. Right off the bat, cold vs temperate weather changes the equation for me, not because of thermal considerations, but because I wear a drysuit, and I need to protect those fragile socks. So anything not knee-high is going to end up allowing sand to get between the socks and the shoes and then ground into the membrane. My Kokatat waterproof moccasins are perfect for preventing this, being knee-high, but…they’re baggy above the ankle, and if you do a wet exit, will fill with water like two garbage bags wrapped around your legs. So they’re the bee’s knees, until you wet exit.
I’ve been looking at the NRS Boundary boots as a result, because they’re tighter to your legs and would entrap less water.
In the temperate months…the Stohlquist Bodhi Water Shoe works well for me. It didn’t at first, tho…it, like any ankle-high shoe, allows sand to enter, and that’s a misery. And they started stinking to high heaven after awhile. But I followed the advice found here and started wearing lightweight synthetic socks which, amazingly, has solved BOTH problems perfectly! I don’t feel the sand that gets in AND the odor has completely disappeared. No idea why, but I’m not arguing with success. And they’re $30! I’m pretty sure they’re the cheapest piece of kit I own, and they work very well.
I absolutely love my Loyak’s. They are the regular non-AC model. I wear them with jeans and a button down all the time for business casual and date night with my wife. They are my most versatile shoe. I could even go running or light hiking in them and don’t recall ever slipping in them. That said, they don’t have the grip of metal spikes or felt soles found on fishing waders. Mine are grey with white soles.
Have you checked fishing shoes for possible suitability? They would be undamaged by water and have walkable soles, possibly felt instead of rubber. I don’t use them but I vaguely remember seeing ads for some that would work for paddling and walking on rocks.
They still need to fit under a deck. Tall neo-boots have been mentioned and I understand that they fit the bill for some paddlers. For me they do not in any way, shape or form.
At this point I am thinking that an Astral model may suit my needs. The Loyak looks like they have much of what I am after but I worry that the sole may be too flexible. I’m concerned with sharp rocky beaches and long, awkward, solo carries.
I am not expecting a shoe to keep all sand and beach debris out. It does need to be protective, fit under a deck and be OK to wear with jeans or shorts in a social setting. Tall boots ain’t the thing.
Careful with the felt soles. They work well on rocks & logs but are terrible in muck. Also, I think that they are being banned in some areas as they can carry invaders (rock snot is one I think) to new streams.
I have a pair of Loyaks. Your concern about the sole is correct. I found it much too thin and switched to the Brewess.
I have three pair of Brewess in various sizes. One for summer, worn with a light weight low cut athletic sock; a pair for the shoulder season, worn with a heavier weight sock, and the third is worn with a thick SmartWool sock under my drysuit booties, and a thin synthetic sock over the booties to protect against sand. I’ve no problems with my heel coming out, possibly because my normal shoe size is 8 and my cold water Brewess are a size 10.
Yeah, the Loyak sole is flexible and one can feel the ground beneath it, to the extent that (if the launch is rocky) I prefer to unload the boats while still in my sneakers before changing into the Loyaks. But they feel much better to me while in the boat. I also have Brewers and I pretty much never wear them since I find the sole too stiff once I’m paddling, and my feet get cramped much more easily in them than in the Loyaks.
I use a pair of Merrell Maipo water shoes for tripping in Canada where every take out has sharp rocks ir ledges covered in leather lichen which is the slipperiest I have ever found when wet. With vibram soles it gives you better protection from rocks and pebbles and the laces can be replaced with elastic laces and loc ties.
Use them from the Everglades with its suck my shoe off mud to Northern Ontario. I use socks with them if not in my drysuit. As it is mesh it can let in sand which is a minus.
