Good canoe shoes, once again

[Larry Meyer]

I posted on this once before, but for a reason soon to show, want to revisit the subject of good canoe shoes.

What I am looking for in a good warm weather canoe shoe is a shoe (not a boot) that a. can be worn without socks, b. that has good wet traction (on shore bottom mud, mossy rocks) c. dries after full immersion in, say, a half hour or so, and d, lasts more than one season of paddling.

Here’s a good canoe shoe scenario. You paddle up to a rocky New England shore and bring your canoe alongside. You step out of the canoe in about a foot of water. You hoist 3-4 packs up on the shore, while standing in the water, or just on dry land. You set up camp. By the time you get up camp, say a half hour, your shoes are dry again.
I had a good canoe shoe, one from Sperry, that did all this. The first pair lasted 3-4 years. When I bought a second pair, production quality had so far declined that they were trash in 2 months. Sperry doesn’t make them anymore.

What doesn’t work.

Tall bean boots. Great for some things canoeing, but if you go in over the tops, you are carrying 20 pounds of water and they take 2 days to dry. You need socks too.

Ankle length bean boots. Pretty much ditto.

Water sandals. I have some. When soaking wet, you might as well be walking on a hockey rink. Mine expand to four sizes too big.

I have been looking around for good canoe shoes. What is true of technology is now true of camping equipment. The yen for “innovation” results in an enormous selection of new products, featuring the latest technology. So of course none have actually been field tested and all of them will be replaced in next year’s catalogue by something “new.” In short, promises, promises, promises.

What I have seen that looks most promising is the Chota Middle Fork Felt Alternative Wading Shoe. This seems to be made primarily for fly fishermen, who are conservative and picky about their equipment, I would assume. Sperry, which should know something about boats and water, offers something called a Wetlands Low Waterproof that features “Seam Sealed Construction that Keeps Feet Dry in Wet Conditions.”

What have you folks field tested (or river tested)?

 

[Andre Cloutier]

pretty hard to beat these, plus the closed toe box is nice and protective. they retain their shape when wet and give good traction on rocks etc. Not a dry shoe if thats what you are looking for tho.
http://www.keencanada.ca/ca/en/wall/shoes/men/waterfront

 

[Fitz]

Just mentioning that fly fisherman are starting to get heat about felt soles due to apparent concerns about spreading "rock snot" (an invasive species), so felt may go away at some point.

 

[Larry Meyer]

Andre,

keen water sandals are what I have and for my money, they do not cut it. perhaps they have degraded with use, but mine now are spaghetti when wet.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I've had these Salomon shoes for two years now, and they seem to be holding up okay:

Salomon TA2 Mat Sandal

 

[Rob Stevens]

I love my Keens for just about anything but portaging. Not enough support or ankle protection.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Larry, thats surprising - probably mine dont get enuf use to have worn to that point, usually they get wet launching and retreiving our boat, but thats about it. maybe one or two camping trips a year with portages. when it comes to old canoes truth is i most often get in and out barefoot!

 

[Larry Meyer]

Maybe they have just degraded. I have used them in a variety of conditions with contentment, but recall my test scenario. They just don’t cut it when it calls for them to support me hauling a 40 pound pack out of the canoe and up a soggy 3 foot high bank. The keen shoes might cut it for support.

Anyway keep the suggestions coming. My idea is to collate various field tests.

Is it just me who is bothered by the fact that these outdoor shoe makers always seem to be playing a shell game? I mean taking last year’s shoe, jinking it a little and giving it a whole new name, so poor schmucks like me have to sort thru 300 new options annually to find something like what they were content with 2 years ago? Whatever happened to creating a brand name?

 

[chris pearson]

Dr. Drea, my keens are super comfortable but let in little sand pebbles and then are a pain in the arse. I like Greg's idea.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I don't think anything keeps all sand and sand-pebbles out -- if water can get in, so can something uncomfortable or painful that will get stuck under the center of your heel or the ball of your foot and, no matter how small, drive you nuts till you have to take the shoe off to get rid of it. But in that regard, the Salomon shoes are better than the open Teva sandals I previously wore.

 

[Ed Moses]

Larry,

I just was gifted a pair of Cabelas Guidewear Sport Boat shoes. Have not put them to a water/sand/mud test as yet but will soon (probably on the Norumbega Nashua river fall paddle on Sept 10). They do not have holes in them to allow foreign material to easily enter & get under the sole of your foot. Will let you know how they perform. All I know at present is that they are a bit of a bear getting into dry (a shoe horn would help). I fear that after they are wet , getting them off and on again might pose an additional degree of difficulty. Bungee cord type draw strings keep a constant pressure on the lacings. You do not have to tie and untie them as they are a continuous loop with a clasp retention devise to tighten them if you wish . After the field test, If I don't like them, back to cabelas they go!!!

Ed

 

[Denis M. Kallery]

There is a product advertised on eBay called Waterblocker by sealskinz . They also have socks. I have no idea if these are good products or not. Just saw them so thought I'd add it to the post.
Denis

 

[kayamedic]

I use a variety of canyoneering shoes. I am not a fan of sandals. I have a pair of Keens and while the toe block is essential they lack Vibram soles. Moreover they get a pebble in and you have to take them off to get the pebble out.

Vibram is what I seek in a sole first if you are dealing with slippery surfaces such as wet lichen..a usual peril of the Canadian Shield.

I can't recommend anything as I have two pairs of Merrel Maipos that have been fulfilling my needs for a few years. So they are not current.

As soon as I find something I like, it goes away. That is the principle in the grocery store too.

 

[Larry Meyer]

Hmmm, canyoneering shoes. That's interesting. Are there about 100 varieties of those too? One can't complain of a lack of choices.

 

[Larry Meyer]

I have been reviewing my previous posts on this subject and of course realizing from them that I am looking for something that might not exist.

As I said once before, “I think I’m looking for something that might not exist: the one shoe/boot that does it all. Something like low-cut, slip-on hip waders that are cool in the summer and warm in the winter that also never get dirty and leave your feet smelling like roses after two weeks of continuous wear. Also they should dry completely in about two minutes on damp cloudy days, if, that is, they have the nerve to get wet in the first place.”

On a short trip to a pond in southern Vermont, I took 3 pieces of footwear a. something like Bean boots (that I like better than Bean boots) for busting about in the woods and bush tracking down fire wood, b. Keen sandals for canoeing and wading, and c. Birkenstock Arizona slippers for “casual camp wear.”

 

[kayamedic]

There really is not one perfect canoeing shoe.

Ergo thats my excuse for my "Imelda Marcoslike" canoe shoe wardrobe and I am sticking to it.

Mostly I use Chota Mukluks for spring river trips when I am not using my drysuit. Westuit booties for winter trips when I am using my booties.

The Techamphibians or Maipos on portage canoeing (I tend to trip in heavy hiking boots but others swear by hiking boots)

Gasp . I use Crocs for camp wear. Aside from the need to be very careful not to slip when getting water they work as camp moccasins.