Wading Shoes

[BillB]

I've been looking for a light weight pair of wading shoes/boots for a while now but nothing strikes me. I want to wear them over my waders in my tube but also use them in the surf. My thought is that if I go down in the surf I would want something that didn't weigh more than my big feet do! Also I don't see a need for heavy boots in the tube. Any thoughts?

[john]

I've had Simms Flats sneakers for almost 10 years. They're great for wet wading, and provide a wonderful stable platform on casting decks, and great ankle support. I have flat feet and can't handle bare-foot on the deck. Not sure though how you'd size them to handle wader booties, and just socks(those or any other).

[speyfool]

In my float tube, I wear a pair of scuba dive boots over my stocking foot waders. They have a normal sole on them for walking around or in a boat. And since they are made for diving, they of course fit into a pair of flippers quite easily. Just get a size larger than you normally would wear and you should be good to go.

Mine go up past the ankle a few inches and are very comfortable. Much more comfortable than normal wading boots. And when wearing on a boat, they grip well.

[Larry S]

Bill:
I second Speyfool on this one. If you are around a dive shop take a look at the dive
booties. Make sure you try them on. I have a difficult time finding a size 12 or 13
bootie that is wide enough for me; so my current pair is size 14. Prices range from
$20 to $60. Look for ones with a side zipper that has a velcro tab to keep the zipper
from sliding down. If you use fins in your tube, make sure that the booties will
fit with them.
Good luck,
Larry S

[Darian]

How about a pair of good ol' Converse, All Stars, canvas top basketball shoes That's what I've been using for several years now. No complaints....

[oldtrout]

A bought a pair of these last year for $25.00 and I really like them.

http://chotooutdoorgear.net/shop/pro...&products_id=8

[Phil Synhorst]

How about a pair of good ol' Converse, All Stars, canvas top basketball shoes That's what I've been using for several years now. No complaints....

Ahhhh Darian, I love you........in a total brotherly/friend kinda way......not that there's anything wrong with the other.

Cons were my first wading boots, both for with waders and wet wading. Then somehow I thought they just weren't good enough and bought felt soles. I still prefer a regular shoe for wet wading the streams. Never noticed a huge advantage with felt, but then most of my wading is waste deep at best.

[BillB]

Ahh the old Chuck Taylors! Those were my original wading shoe. I have looked high and low and can't seem to find them anywhere. I have (had) a pair of old Orvis light pack booties which, for all intents and purposes, are Cons with felt soles. After years in the surf they are done for. I have a really wide (and large!) foot. Bet I would need something like a size 14 in a Converse.

Do the dive booties have some sort of sole that would allow a guy to walk a ways? How would that be in the surf?

[Larry S]

Bill:
Most of the dive booties have a neoprene body and a rubber sole with some sort of a
tread. Have used them for years in the San Diego surf; often walking over asphalt
surfaces getting to and from (or maybe it should be "from and to") the car. A bigger
concern would be fitting into the fins you use when tubing. I don't like the ones with the zipper on the front (top) of the foot. The side zippers on some booties have a tendency
to slide down; hence my liking of that velcro tab at the top. Cabelas sell a neoprene
gravel guard that folds around and closes with velcro if this becomes a problem.
Cheers,
Larry S

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We have Glacier Glove Float Tubing Booties for $34.99 They are like dive booties but designed to go over a neoprene stocking foot wader.


What ever you buy has to fit over your waders and then into your fins so be sure to try everything on in sequence.