Good River wading sandals

[Al Agnew]

TroutRinger, the problem with those is the all neoprene.  Hot, and after a couple of trips neoprene reeks.  I've never quite understood the idea between neoprene booties.  If it's cold enough your feet are going to get cold, it's cold enough to wear waders.  If it's warm enough to wet wade, you don't want your feet encased in neoprene.

As for worn out athletic shoes, they don't do anything to keep out gravel.  I don't know about everybody else, but one little piece of gravel in my shoes just drives me nuts.  I don't want to have to stop and dig it out all the time, but it quickly gets to be torture walking on it.  And athletic shoes, while not TOO bad on slick rocks, aren't all that great. 

I agree on the Crocs...I've done a couple of marathon wades in them and won't do it again.

When I go on a wading trip, it's usually at least a half a day, and usually involves wading at least two or three miles of stream (which means four to six miles to make it back to the car, too).  And I'm wading on rocks both in and out of the water.  I gotta have toe protection, ankle support, and as much comfort as I'd need hiking 6 miles.

I've had the ideal wading shoe in mind for a long time, just need somebody to take my idea and run with it:

Start out with the material Crocs are made of, because it's completely hydrophobic, doesn't soak up water at all.  Reinforce the toe.  Make BIG vents in the bottom, covered with a tough mesh coarse enough to let water out quickly but not let anything in larger than fine sand.  Sew a good, thick neoprene ring around the top to make it high enough to give you ankle support and stretch tight enough to keep the gravel out.  Make the soles out of the best sticky rubber you can make. (I'd really like felt inserts in the soles but there is that didymo thing.)  Have a nice, cushioned closed cell foam insole.  Drains quickly, dries extremely quickly, you could hike a long way in them, and they would keep out gravel.

[fishinwrench]

I can wade 2 miles upstream and never have to stop and clear my shoes.  But I can't take 10 normal steps going downstream without loading my shoes. 

Each time you pick your foot up it decompresses the fit between foot and shoe and creates a suction that draws in everything around your shoe.  If you could eliminate the intake vacuum around your ankles each time you pick your foot up you could solve the water shoe/gravel problem.  

A shoe that vents in the bottom (sole) is probably the way to go.

[DownStream]

I have a pair of simms rip rap wading shoes, and I love them. Water drains quickly with very few rocks getting in. A few rocks do still get in though. I think if paired with wading socks, it would eliminate all rocks. 

[Smalliebigs]

These are the best wading shoe/boot I have ever owned but, unfortunately they are not made anymore......and yes they look stupid butt hell but, so do Chuck Taylors IMO

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=keen+hood+river+boot&view=detailv2&qpvt=keen+hood+river+boot&id=5D4177E5153475D0E461A8049F753364D2056FAB&selectedIndex=3&ccid=ye1Y8Omd&simid=607990357338949768&thid=OIP.Mc9ed58f0e99deb23aecc1469259ea11do0&ajaxhist=0

  I have a pair I have been holding on to, I also have a pair of these Simms  that I wear with socks and they work pretty good also but look stupid butt hell also

https://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/footwear/zipit-bootie-ii.html

[MOPanfisher]

Looks are irrelevant if they keep sand and gravel out.  Besides I looks stupid anyway usually when wading.  I have an old pair of hickory striped bib overalls that I cut off years ago to make bibber shorts, heck the shoes might upgrade me a little.

[joeD]

When one is wade fishing, drainage is irrelevant, because one is, presumably, IN the water, so, there is no NEED for water to drain. Nor is quick drying of any importance. 

Comfort and protection is where I live. Chota wading boots with neoprene socks. Somewhat heavy, yes,(so am I though, so it works), but all day comfort and no rocks. 

No sandals. Chuck Taylors are more of a lifestyle "statement" than decent wading shoes, and anything with thin and flexible soles will let you feel every rock in the stream.

Cheap shoes will perform like cheap shoes. Pat yourself on the back for your thrift, but your feet will tell a different story. 

[Terrierman]

I've settled on neoprene flats booties with socks.  Never felt that combination to be uncomfortably hot and I can go all day without needing to dump gravel.  A little fine sand will work it's way in but not enough to be a problem.

[Smalliebigs]

On ‎5‎/‎19‎/‎2016 at 10:49 PM, joeD said:

When one is wade fishing, drainage is irrelevant, because one is, presumably, IN the water, so, there is no NEED for water to drain. Nor is quick drying of any importance. 

Comfort and protection is where I live. Chota wading boots with neoprene socks. Somewhat heavy, yes,(so am I though, so it works), but all day comfort and no rocks. 

No sandals. Chuck Taylors are more of a lifestyle "statement" than decent wading shoes, and anything with thin and flexible soles will let you feel every rock in the stream.

Cheap shoes will perform like cheap shoes. Pat yourself on the back for your thrift, but your feet will tell a different story. 

AGREED

[sms_alum]

I go with Crocs. They are light, comfortable, and dry immediately. They do take on rocks like everything else but they are on/off with rocks out in seconds. Plus it's one of few pieces my 3 year old and I both wear. Also, a great boat shoe since they don't leave marks on anything.

[bkbying89]

Simms has a new boot called the Intruder. It is made to be worn barefoot or with a thin wading sock. They are typically not cheap at $179.00, but Simms makes a quality product and should last for year

 https://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/footwear/intruder-boot.html