I Said I'd Report

[Gavin]

Simms Flats Sneaker

These work pretty well for fine gravel bottom streams...wear a sock and roll it over the top to prevent gravel intrusion...Youll want felts & cleats if there are allot of slick rocks....Sandals work OK, if your just out canoeing. Cheers.

[Flysmallie]

Simms Flats Sneaker

These work pretty well for fine gravel bottom streams...wear a sock and roll it over the top to prevent gravel intrusion...Youll want felts & cleats if there are allot of slick rocks....Sandals work OK, if your just out canoeing. Cheers.

Those don't look like they would get very good traction. I would just stick with regular wading boots if that was my choice. But it's like everything else, just a personal preference, what ever works for you.

[stlfisher]

I have just been using an old pair of tennis shoes with socks for wet wading in the summer. The gravel was annoying at first, but I really don't notice it much anymore. Some of those boots/shoes in Smalliebigs link look pretty nice though...might give one of those a shot fro next year. Looked at the Simms flat's sneaker a few times myself, but never pulled the trigger.

[Tim Smith]

I have just been using an old pair of tennis shoes with socks for wet wading in the summer. The gravel was annoying at first, but I really don't notice it much anymore. Some of those boots/shoes in Smalliebigs link look pretty nice though...might give one of those a shot fro next year. Looked at the Simms flat's sneaker a few times myself, but never pulled the trigger.

The original post said you were aiming for economy. I'm with you there.

Something like Keenes that you can wear straight from the river to just about anywhere fall into that category. You get the benefit of multiple uses and a highly durable piece of footwear even though that's an 80-90 dollar investment.

Al's complaints about gravel and Keenes are true (and yes, I barely wore shoes the first 17 years of my life so I don't tend to notice the gravel) but everything has draw-backs.

I had Salome wading shoes that were very similar to the design you mentioned, Al. They were fine, but once you stepped into silt they filled up and didn't let it breathe back out. Once silt is inside the shoe, there's no back pressure to get it out again. The gravel also still made it in over the top as well (although a gaiter might have stopped that). Those shoes were ok but I still had to stop and empty them periodically and unlike the Keenes, I had to pull them all the way off to clean them out rather than just flick my foot.

If you're ready to spend money, just go for waders and wading boots. Even the rubber cheap-o 20$ hip waders keep the gravel out of your boot. They'll take a season of hard use if you hang them properly afterward.

Another point that Al touched on briefly that hasn't been fleshed out much here is that WHERE you wade makes all the difference. You probably won't want hip waders in a stream with large deep holes. You may not want to wet wade at all on a stream with a sewage treatment plant on it. You might enjoy a sandal if you're in a stream with coarse substrates but find they are a curse on a stream with fine substrates. You may find a pair of breatheable chest waders and wading boots are useful for getting through brush down to the spot you want to try.

I think you're on the right track by sticking with gym shoes until you have been a few places and have in mind the demands those places will entail and you know your specific needs.