Fist off I'm sorry for another post on BWCA footwear! I know I'm beating a dead horse but I've read a ton of posts about footwear and still have no idea what kinda shoe I should be purchasing for my next endeavor to the BWCA. I'm constantly changing my mind. First I think good waterproof hiking boots then nope I read bad things. Ok muck boots, maybe not lots of mixed reviews on them too. Alright I'll get water shoes and wet foot it and bring and extra pair for around camp but I go up to the BWCA a lot in the spring and fall and have an aluminum canoe so maybe that's not the right route to go either? Sooo the question is can I get a all around boot/shoe that will work for all three seasons I go? I have a beat up old aluminum canoe so I can pull up close to shore on most occasions.

Maybe you should think about whether you like to get your feet wet and your tolerance for cold. Wet footing in the cool weather of Fall or Spring kind of sucks so I bring Chota Boots (no longer made) that have a neoprene body and a boot heel. But I also have a pair of boots that I wet foot in that dry fast.

I believe that an extra pair of shoes in my case a pair of sneakers for around camp that I keep dry are nice. I only worry about what I will wear while portaging based on weather forecasts.

I use waterproof hiking boots. My canoe is kevlar, but it is 25+ years old, so I bring it in close to shore, and I usually do not go over the tops of my boots. I have moccasins and/or Tevas for in camp. I also bring a pair of Gore-tex socks. If my boots get soaked and are not dry the next day, then I put the gore-tex socks over my regular socks.

"Sooo the question is can I get a all around boot/shoe that will work for all three seasons I go?"

Can't see why not. I wear the same all seasons except in snow. A high quality pair of unlined leather boots. I wet foot and regularly soak them over the tops, they will dry sufficiently overnite. Just trake care of them between trips.

butthead

I wear the same footwear for 3 seasons; Chacos. If it's cold I throw on a pair of ragg wool socks. Probably not for everyone, but it works for me.

Sounds like I can probably get by with a good pair of waterproof hiking boots. Anyone got any recommendations? I don't want to spend a fortune on them.

As far as water-proof hiking boots go...I have owned so many different pairs of hiking boots over the years that I can't even begin to count them. I have never bought the same pair twice. I have only worn one or two pairs out, I have thrown the rest away because of comfort issues. Keen sent me a certificate several months back because of two pairs of Newport H2O's that failed on me. I decided to use them on at pair of Keen hiking boots. After reading hundreds of reviews on various websites, I settled on the Keen Durand Mid boot. OMG! Often I wear them all day long in my workshop on concrete floors and I honestly think that my feet, legs and back feel better at the end of the day than they did before I even put them on. Love them. But they are $180.00. Sizing is in between. 12's are too snug, the 13's are a tad too loose, but I settled on the 13's and just wear a thicker wool sock.

I also purchased a pair of Chota Hippies last fall and a pair of Chota Caney Fork wading boots. My wet footing days are over.