Floating Shoes

[ScottK]

I bought a pair of Columbia Drainmaker II's this spring and I'll buy another pair when these wear out. Perfect for my purposes (kayak/wade fishing). Very good wet traction and quick drying.

[jdmidwest]

I use a pair of Crocs that were designed for the river. They have a cinch top neoprene top that holds them on. Gravel runs out of the holes and they have good traction.

Down side to them, they were discontinued and they don't make them any more. They make a new style that is designed much like the Tiva's but have a Croc sole.

[moguy1973]

I wish Keen still made the Hood River Boots. The look like a great Ozark river gravel boot.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/keen-hood-river-water-boots-for-men~p~13949/

[E Green]

I use a pair if Simms wading socks that fold down over the wading boots ($35.00) frog troggs. The boots were cheap but they have lasted 3 years. I just threw them out after my last wading trip the other day. They worked great.... Esp considering the cheap price.

[Fishslayer88]

I have used the same pair of skeletoes for 3 summers now they are the neoprene slip on ones if you get them a size small they will keep out most rocks. I think I paid $30 for them.

[Al Agnew]

There is no perfect wading/floating shoe, and I don't know why somebody doesn't listen to what anglers want and actually design one. There used to be one that was almost perfect, and I'm still using mine but they are getting close to being worn out, but it was discontinued long ago.

I don't get it on the sandal type shoes. I hear guys saying all the time that gravel gets in but comes right back out. For whatever reason, that ain't how it works for me. A marble size piece of gravel will get in and no matter how much I shake my foot and try to dislodge it, it stays and I have to stop and dig it out with a finger. So as far as I'm concerned, sandals are worse than useless, they are extremely uncomfortable.

Anything that's more or less solid neoprene like a lot of the flats boots and such would be good except your feet really suffer from being completely wet but not breathing all day. And after a few trips the inside of the things turn into a toxic waste dump.

Here's what somebody ought to design:

Start out with the material the Crocs are made of, or something similar that is impervious to water. Have holes in them like Crocs but cover the holes with fine mesh. Have fairly thick soles, and put felt inserts in the soles. Sew a thin stretchy neoprene band around the tops that will go up over your ankles, with a zipper so that it's easy to get in and out of them. It would keep gravel out, they'd drain instantly, non-slip on rocks, sturdy enough to last.

For floating, a lot depends upon how much time you'll spend outside the boat. I often just wear Crocs when floating, if I know I'm going to only be getting out to stretch and eat lunch, etc. If I'm going to be getting out a lot to walk shallow riffles, though, I'll use my prized discontinued nearly perfect water shoes.

[fishinwrench]

A feather-light foam sock that would easily compress yet fill all the voids might work to keep gravel out of almost any shoe. Probably wouldn't last but a single day but that stuff is cheap enough that you could buy a case of them.

[REDSOXWSCHAMP]

I have used the same pair of skeletoes for 3 summers now they are the neoprene slip on ones if you get them a size small they will keep out most rocks. I think I paid $30 for them.

i do like my skeletoes, but the problem with them is once you get them wet they are gonna stay like that

[Fishslayer88]

Yea im gonna see how long the lighter ones last next year.

[Pat Magee]

My Simms Neoprene Flats boot are great but man do I look like an @sshole in them. I wore them all day on the black river in my SOT kayak this spring and I am still trying to get rid of the tan line on my shins. It looks like I have a permanent tube sock tan . They have held up really well in every surface and give me some added security when wading some small creeks or rivers.