BWCA BWCA shoes ideas - must wear orthotics Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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01/03/2018 12:12PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Hello All,

I have a question for you about shoe ideas. About 8 years ago I hurt my right foot and ever since I have had to wear custom orthotics (shoe inserts) to prevent my foot and leg from hurting while walking any extended distance or while carrying heavy stuff.

This summer I will be going on a trip to the BWCA in mid-July. I have been only once before, about 15 years ago.

I have a pair of hiking boots that I plan to take with me to wear around camp. I also have some Keen's closed toed sandals I'm thinking of taking with to wear while on the water. During portages I must be able to wear shoes that I can slip my shoe inserts into - the Keen's will not work for portaging.

Any thoughts about the feasibility of switching to the boots once on land at portages and switching back to the Keens before getting into the water at the other end of the portage? Perhaps another idea entirely?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.
 
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Savage Voyageur
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01/03/2018 12:24PM  
I’m not sure if you can get your inserts wet or not. I’m going to assume no. You could wear your Keens when canoeing then at a portage or in camp just switch over to your boots with the inserts. It’s not a problem to switch at a portage into boots. I would also suggest you wear wool socks, yes even in the summer. They make a lighter weight wool sock for your boots.
 
01/03/2018 12:50PM  
Savage Voyageur: "I’m not sure if you can get your inserts wet or not. I’m going to assume no. You could wear your Keens when canoeing then at a portage or in camp just switch over to your boots with the inserts. It’s not a problem to switch at a portage into boots. I would also suggest you wear wool socks, yes even in the summer. They make a lighter weight wool sock for your boots. "

+1
Change into your boots for portaging. It will only add 5 minutes on both ends to the portage -- no big deal unless you are planning on a marathon sprint!
 
yellowcanoe
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01/03/2018 01:00PM  
Hubby has worn orthotics for years and yes changes at portages. Ten minutes max at a portage for changing into and out of sandals is nothing

Orthotics will peel if they get wet repeatedly. Since hubbies are several hundred dollars we try to keep them dry.
 
01/03/2018 02:19PM  
yellowcanoe: "Hubby has worn orthotics for years and yes changes at portages. Ten minutes max at a portage for changing into and out of sandals is nothing


Orthotics will peel if they get wet repeatedly. Since hubbies are several hundred dollars we try to keep them dry."


Thanks to everyone for your input.

yellowcanoe, where/how have you stored your husband's shoes/boots while in the canoe to make them easier to access (as opposed to stuffed in the middle of your portage pack)? I'm thinking about tying the shoelaces together and attaching them to the pack with a carabiner.
 
01/03/2018 05:57PM  
Just for the sake of discussion to make sure you consider all the variables, it's not something I'd want to do, but I do understand the need to wear them and the need to keep them dry. I might decide to just wear knee-high rubber boots and be done with it.

Changing won't be too time-consuming if you're only doing it once or twice a day and you're only traveling a couple of days, but what if it's 6-8 X a day for 7-10 days?

What about those portage landings where there's no good place to do it - just wear the Keens until you get to solid ground?

I assume you'd be OK not to change just for a short carry around a beaver dam, but what about flooded sections in the middle of a portage?

How are you going to keep the boots, socks, and orthotics dry when you're paddling? Just stuffing the socks in the boots and tying them to the outside of the pack doesn't seem like a perfect solution even if it's not raining.

I don't know your route or travel plan, and these things may or may not be an issue, but you might want to think about the possibilities ahead of time.
 
Savage Voyageur
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01/03/2018 10:50PM  
If you are changing boots at the Portage then keep them dry. Most boots take forever to dry. Think about rain or paddle dripping or a dump over with the canoe. If you tie on your outside pack you might get them wet. I use Duluth packs with heavy plastic bag liners. I just put them on the inside top of my pack for easy access. Be sure to put your wool socks inside your boots for a time saver.
 
Trapper7
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01/04/2018 01:07AM  
I have orthotics and I wear my Boggs knee high boots. I love them for BWCA tripping. I bring a pair of sandals for camp.
 
01/04/2018 06:57AM  
I’ve worn expensive orthotics for years. I’ll tell you what has worked for me. Here’s what I do...first I use an older pair of orthotics, still functional, but not my newest nicest set. Second, I put them in my knee high LaCrosse rubber boots and I don’t take them off until I get to camp where I can switch to my camp shoes. Third, I pull them out of my rubber boots periodically to let them air out over the course of a trip. You won’t get hot portagin in the rubber boots unless it’s over 90 degrees. Wool socks, another must have no matter the season. Your feet will thank you.

I’ve done July trips wearing my hiking boots sans orthotics and wet footing it, but my knees are usually barking at me later. So I really prefer to have my orthotics with.

 
01/04/2018 09:21AM  
boonie: "Just for the sake of discussion to make sure you consider all the variables, it's not something I'd want to do, but I do understand the need to wear them and the need to keep them dry. I might decide to just wear knee-high rubber boots and be done with it.


Changing won't be too time-consuming if you're only doing it once or twice a day and you're only traveling a couple of days, but what if it's 6-8 X a day for 7-10 days?


What about those portage landings where there's no good place to do it - just wear the Keens until you get to solid ground?


I assume you'd be OK not to change just for a short carry around a beaver dam, but what about flooded sections in the middle of a portage?


How are you going to keep the boots, socks, and orthotics dry when you're paddling? Just stuffing the socks in the boots and tying them to the outside of the pack doesn't seem like a perfect solution even if it's not raining.


I don't know your route or travel plan, and these things may or may not be an issue, but you might want to think about the possibilities ahead of time."


Good advice, I will keep it in mind.

My wife and I are hoping to put in at Entry Point 25, Moose Lake, but we will have to wait for the results of the lottery to know whether we will win for the handful of dates that work for us. If we get EP 25 we are taking what seems to be an easy introduction to BWCAW by going from Moose to Wind to Basswood. Then possibly coming back the same way or going east on Basswood over Prairie Portage into Sucker, Newfound, and back to Moose. Two moderate difficulty 1/2-ish mile portages at Wind and the short 0.1-ish at Prairie. Might be some beaver dams on the channel between Wind and Basswood that I think the Keens will be fine with.
 
01/04/2018 03:18PM  
Have a good trip, Kendis. I'd probably just put the boots, socks, orthotics in a trash compactor bag and store under the pack lid.
 
01/04/2018 04:38PM  
Wet foot it with Keen Voyager boots. Then wear some light weight running shoes once you hit the campsite. The Keen Voyagers dry almost completely over night. Just take the insoles or your orthotics out.
 
ayudell
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01/04/2018 10:10PM  
I have bad feet and have to wear orthotics when I portage. Even one day of portaging without them messes up my knees and hips (even when I was 16...). I put them in tennis shoes and wet foot. I try to pull my orthotics out when I get to camp so that they can dry out. The BW is really hard on orthotics, I think its the walking over rocks with a load, but what can you do. I've come back from a couple trips and found them broken. Now I get the black carbon fiber ones, extra stiff with a neoprene top, they seem to hold up the best and I haven't broken one of those yet.

Dinking around camp without a load I'm ok, so I put on some dry shoes or sandals that have good support.

The key is getting the black carbon fiber ones if your feet can handle the stiff sole. They hold up the best and last the longest.
 
01/05/2018 10:21AM  
Have you considered a set of custom built boots? I'm not sure but you might be able to have boots constructed around your orthotic prescription.
I have been a customer of Russell Moccasin for decades. With 4 sets of different style boots dating back 20+ years. I have 4E by 8 1/2 size not made in factory boots. I solo canoe and wetfoot in these custom made boots, have for years now.
They will hold up if you take care of them. I'm sure a phone call will answer questions concerning your prescription as applied to a set of boots.

butthead
 
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