For those of you who wear Chota Hippies.
I'm curious about your choice of footwear with them.

I am not keen on a draining boot, because it gets wet on purpose. But at the same time, I realize that this is the point of the Hippies (to get your boot/shoe wet, not your foot).

What type of footwear do you pair with your Hippies ?

Chota Trekkers

quote mooseplums: "Chota Trekkers"

+1

chota caney forks

Thanks, these were the main choices I came across. Any suggestions besides the Chota & OTB boots ?

Korkers wading boot. I use these for my Hippies and for chest waders when wading streams for trout. Work well.

Wet skin, inside the boot, drives me crazy. A three season camper, I have always attempted to go the whole trip without dumping a boot into lake especially in the spring and fall. My canoe selection has changed and I believe I will be 'wet footing' it in the future. For those who use the Chota or similar system, do you wear the hippies through the portage or change into a different foot wear? Does the hippie get hot, clammy on the hike? Do your feet stay warm even though the boot is wet? Obviously you change at camp, is this a change to the insert or a different shoe completely?

Any other tips or suggestions for one who wants to make this investment once...well maybe twice when I were them out!

quote MacCamper: "Wet skin, inside the boot, drives me crazy. A three season camper, I have always attempted to go the whole trip without dumping a boot into lake especially in the spring and fall. My canoe selection has changed and I believe I will be 'wet footing' it in the future. For those who use the Chota or similar system, do you wear the hippies through the portage or change into a different foot wear? Does the hippie get hot, clammy on the hike? Do your feet stay warm even though the boot is wet? Obviously you change at camp, is this a change to the insert or a different shoe completely?


Any other tips or suggestions for one who wants to make this investment once...well maybe twice when I were them out!"

I'm curious too. It says the Hippies are breathable so that would be a plus. My guess is that one would wear a merino wool sock or polpro sock layer under the Chota Hippies which are supposed to keep your feet dry on the inside. Is that correct? The Chota Trekkers get wet (inside and out obviously) and are worn while traveling and portaging. I think it would be a lot of extra work to change footwear at each end of a portage and wouldn't do this. Switching out to dry shoes once at camp and let the Trekkers dry. Seems like a good system but only if your feet stay dry inside the Hippies. Good thread.

I have about 28 days in the Hippies on three different trips. Two of the trips in May, and one in August. When I put them on, they stay on until I make it to my campsite. I normally wear one pair of merino wool socks without any liner.

In May, I leave them pulled up most all of the time. On last year’s solo in August I did notice a slight dampness on a couple days but I usually end up stepping just a little too deep at least once without remembering to pull them up…..Operator error.

I always hang them up every night to let some air in.

I also use the Hippies as part of my rain gear as I do not bring rain pants, but I do use a ULA rain kilt.

I use the OTB Ohdins with my Hippies. I like the traction I get with them.

quote MacCamper: "do you wear the hippies through the portage or change into a different foot wear? Does the hippie get hot, clammy on the hike? Do your feet stay warm even though the boot is wet? Obviously you change at camp, is this a change to the insert or a different shoe completely?"

I don't believe people take them off to portage.
But the clammy question is a good one. Wearing Merino wool socks should take care of this issue. However that is not always the case with my Muck boots, especially if it is humid.

Any other footwear suggestions besides Chota, OTB & Korkers?
Anyone try them out with with something besides a short boots?
Or would that get to cold?

Cabelas Backcountry Waders (discontinued).
If these wear out I'll get the Cabelas Gold Medal Waders.
I don't have the "hippies", I just have the regular "Caney Fork" one that comes up almost to the knee. But I'd do the same if i had the "Hippies"

I've been considering get me some hippies. I'd pair them with my OTB abyss boots.

For those who have the hippies - how does the sizing work out?

I bought my Trekkers one size bigger than my regular shoe size. The hippies have a neoprene foot so you need the boots a bit bigger.

I have Hippies and wear them with OTB Odhin boots. I use the same size Odhin as my regular shoe size and remove the inserts for use with Hippies. However, I would by 1/2 size bigger were I to do it again.

I wear thin liner socks, then smart wool socks, then hippies, then boots. My feet stay dry. Obviously, if I am doing a lot of portaging I am sweating like a pig anyway so that does not change with hippies. I don't wear them in warm weather as there is no need. In that case, I wear the Odhin boots with the inserts.

I would not wear wading boots. Most wading boots are very stiff and I think uncomfortable for portaging or sitting in the canoe. Most are also heavier than comparable boots, especially lightweight boots like Odhins.

My Hippies don't stay up very well and I hate cinching down the elastic straps that dig into my thighs. Instead, I attach a small carabiner to each elastic tab and then attach that to belt loops on my pants.

At the end of the day, I hang the hippies up to dry and wear Crocs. My feet are sometimes wet from sweat if it is hot or lots of portaging. Less wet than wet footing, but still wet. I make a point of drying my feet well at night.

quote jeroldharter: "

My Hippies don't stay up very well and I hate cinching down the elastic straps that dig into my thighs. Instead, I attach a small carabiner to each elastic tab and then attach that to belt loops on my pants.
."

First the rain kilt (a dress), now you are wearing garter straps...... whats next? Some sort of moisture wicking strap that goes between the butt cheeks, maybe they will call it a high performance thong....


:)

In full regalia, I am an embarrassing sight but functional. You should see the hat.

I'll pass on the thong idea - might cause some chafing with the Hippie setup.

quote jeroldharter: "In full regalia, I am an embarrassing sight but functional. You should see the hat.


I'll pass on the thong idea - might cause some chafing with the Hippie setup."

West Holleywood meets REI

It is funny (in a mocking way) to be out there in my meticulously planned, researched, expensive gear - Chota Hippies, OTB Odhins, smart wool socks, coolmax liners, Railrider nylon pants, Breathe Like a Fish Shirt, Sunday Afternoons sun hat, Buff gloves, Oakley polarized sunglasses, and maybe a rain kilt with my CCS portage pack full of similar gear - and then walk by some guy wearing blue jeans and sandals who seams happy as a clam.

Somehow that guy never gets cold, hot, mosquito bites, sunburns, etc. He sleeps like a baby with a ratty sleeping bag he picked up for $5 at a garage sale. Then I am certain that he gets on the forum here and talks about catching only 20 inch smallies and 40 inch pike.

quote jeroldharter: "It is funny (in a mocking way) to be out there in my meticulously planned, researched, expensive gear - Chota Hippies, OTB Odhins, smart wool socks, coolmax liners, Railrider nylon pants, Breathe Like a Fish Shirt, Sunday Afternoons sun hat, Buff gloves, Oakley polarized sunglasses, and maybe a rain kilt with my CCS portage pack full of similar gear - and then walk by some guy wearing blue jeans and sandals who seams happy as a clam.


Somehow that guy never gets cold, hot, mosquito bites, sunburns, etc. He sleeps like a baby with a ratty sleeping bag he picked up for $5 at a garage sale. Then I am certain that he gets on the forum here and talks about catching only 20 inch smallies and 40 inch pike."

:)
Haven't heard much from Stumpy lately!

Jerold, I'm with you on nice gear, I was just messing with you, when I read the description of your hippie suspension the only thing that came to mind was garters, then I happened to remember you also wear the rain kilt, and honestly it was just too much to pass up.

quote jeroldharter:

Somehow that guy never gets cold, hot, mosquito bites, sunburns, etc. He sleeps like a baby with a ratty sleeping bag he picked up for $5 at a garage sale. Then I am certain that he gets on the forum here and talks about catching only 20 inch smallies and 40 inch pike."

That because they never do more then one trip and spend the rest of their lives talking about it as the fish keep getting bigger.

quote Ragged: "Jerold, I'm with you on nice gear, I was just messing with you, when I read the description of your hippie suspension the only thing that came to mind was garters, then I happened to remember you also wear the rain kilt, and honestly it was just too much to pass up."

You should hear my friends, They are less kind. But they are also simple minded so I give them something to talk about.

quote jeroldharter: "


You should hear my friends, They are less kind. But they are also simple minded so I give them something to talk about."

I think we have similar friends, some people use to give me flak over how much some of my gear costs.... takes about half a day in cold wet weather before you catch them eyeing you up like a piece of meat, which brings up a entirely different subject.

Anyone else ever trip with others that have inferior gear and find you are perfectly content in the less than ideal weather while they are miserable and suffering? The two polar opposite moods are hard to balance. I find myself having to bite my tongue when they are swearing up a storm about their Columbia rain gear holding water in the pockets and their cheapie sleeping bag not being as warm as they had hoped it would be. It always sucks when you want to exclaim how unaffected you are and what a great time you are having, it’s like golfing with a friend when one guy is nailing every shot and the other (me) is shanking every ball into the woods.

I use my chota hippies during cold water only. They would get way too warm otherwise. I pair them with oOTB ohdin boots and wear a pair of merino wool socks

I know this is an old topic, but... I just ordered the hippies since we are going in to Pickerel in mid May and I'm certain the water will be a lot colder than our normal late September trip. I also ordered some Keen Newport H2 Sandals... Any thoughts? These are a size bigger than my regular size.

I have used sealskin socks inside of my Chota Hippies- they kept my feet dry not moist.
I further recommend that this combination with a light merino wool sock next to your foot. I have used this combination for several years and love this set up. Best acquisition I have made in years have been the Hippies with Caney Fork boots.

mapsguy1955: "I know this is an old topic, but... I just ordered the hippies since we are going in to Pickerel in mid May and I'm certain the water will be a lot colder than our normal late September trip. I also ordered some Keen Newport H2 Sandals... Any thoughts? These are a size bigger than my regular size. "

I think you'll get pebbles in the sandals and it will drive you crazy. At least it drives me crazy. That's why I went to the Mckenzie II Hiking Boot. But now I have to get something big enough to work with my Chotas.

Chota hybrids.

I pair my Chota Hippie with old style OTB Odhins--which are bottom draining. Great combo but I have to remove all the inserts from the Odhins. No biggie. I don't recollect my feet getting wet unlike those supposedly waterproof socks on the market. Open sandals are an aggravation. Maybe it's my step or stride but always something getting lodged between soles and my feet. There are some sandal hybrids out on the market that are designed similar to athletic shoes but drain easily. That would be better.

5 10 water tennies. they are a canyoneering shoe and the grip on wet rocks is amazing. best footwear ive ever used canoeing and portaging. I put a pair of superfeet insoles in them

boonie: "For those who have the hippies - how does the sizing work out?"

I had to go up 2 sizes on the shoes for a comfortable feel with a pair of wool socks and superfeet insoles. I initially bought one size up but had to return and go up another size.

I use my Chota Hippies primarily with the Quetico Trekkers, but I also have a pair of the Chota Lost Creek wading boots. (Fourth photo from the left) Although I like the fact that the Chota Lost Creek wading boots are all synthetic, I still prefer the Quetico Trekkers. Reason being, the Quetico Trekkers are lighter and the soles of the Quetico Trekkers seem to grip better than the Lost Creek wading boots.

The upper fabric of the Hippies are indeed waterproof and breathable, the attached neoprene socks are obviously not. Your feet will tend to get damp from sweat, so I generally wear wool socks with olefin liner socks. The aforementioned combination makes for a very comfortable footwear system.

As KevinL mentioned, I wear my Chota Hippes all day long, then turn them inside out once I make camp in-order to dry the neoprene socks.

I sometimes will wear the knee high Chota Caney Fork waterproof neoprene socks instead, which are just a shorter version of the hippies. (Last two photos from left)

Hans Solo

Chota hippies with smartwool socks in a high top hiking boat. This year I'm replacing my old hiking boots with chota trekkies.

I bought hippies a few years back ahead of our first ever May trip. I got OTB boots a size larger than usual to wear with them. As others have said, mine stay on as long as I'm traveling. I will roll them down when paddling to keep from sweating and pull them up for landings. I loop the top thru my belt to keep them up I feel needed.

At camp, I change out of them quickly.

I use the Caney Fork wading boots. Works for me.

Bulldogge62: "5 10 water tennies. they are a canyoneering shoe and the grip on wet rocks is amazing. best footwear ive ever used canoeing and portaging. I put a pair of superfeet insoles in them "

Can you use the Chota Hippies with these tennies?

yes I wear the tennies over my chota hippies and couldn't be happier

Voyageur67: "

Bulldogge62: "5 10 water tennies. they are a canyoneering shoe and the grip on wet rocks is amazing. best footwear ive ever used canoeing and portaging. I put a pair of superfeet insoles in them "

Can you use the Chota Hippies with these tennies?"

It's possible but you might want to buy one size larger than you normal wear so the bootie will fit into the tennis shoe.

I have that shorter version. I seem to always go deeper and wet, but always warm. I just wear a sock liner in mine or they won't come off well. Wear with trekkers or caneys. I've gone through several pairs of each. That was a lot of use in each pair. Same socks, just had to use some goop when I poke holes.