Wondering what you might recommended for wet entrances and exits at this time of year. I have been using jungle boots and wool socks in August without discomfort, but will water be too cold in early June to "wet foot it" all day of paddling and portaging? Thoughts? Anyone use those Chota Hippies? or NRS neoprene socks?

Chota hippies. I find them very comfortable. Wouldn’t leave home without them.

I have both the Chota knee high waterproof socks and the NRS Boundary Sock. I like the NRS sock best because it seems to fit best. There is a lot of extra neoprene in the foot of the Chota sock that bunches up and becomes uncomfortable. NRS sock is of course all neoprene and is a bit too warm later on.

I find the water to be plenty warm in early June for wet footing.

Banksiana: "I find the water to be plenty warm in early June for wet footing."

+1

+2

I wet foot when there isn't ice preventing paddling. Smartwool socks in Chota Caneyforks.

I wet foot in trail running shoes and wear dry boots in camp. I’m usually in BWCA on opening weekend and did an Oct trip last fall. I don’t recall ever having cold feet except opening day 2014 when my shoes froze solid overnight. My feet were cold paddling that morning.

i wet foot it in June all the time.

I use Chota Hippies but I also have a pair of brookies which are knee-high and work well.

I have used waterproof socks with hiking boots in years past and I’ve dry footed in knee high muck boots and both have worked. There are downsides to both, I’ve stepped in above my waterproof sock and gotten soaked and Ive flooded my boots before as well.
This year, I found the Chota knee high waterproof “sock” cheap on CL so I’m going to give it a try. I bought a pair of boots one size bigger and they seem to fit comfortably, but I won’t know how well they work for sure until ice out.

We use Keen sandals and add neoprene socks if conditions require.

I usually go the last week of May and I just take sandals and several pairs of wool socks.

AmarilloJim: "I usually go the last week of May and I just take sandals and several pairs of wool socks."

Ditto.


My first trip ever to the boundary waters I didn't do my research. Used wool socks and a pair of La Cross rubber knee boots, which I still managed to flood.

There was a moment when I got to Frost when I truly felt I would never be able to get them off.

Banksiana: "I find the water to be plenty warm in early June for wet footing."

I do too, but since I started wearing the hippies I really enjoy dry feet. I also like them whether I go in June or Sept. I find them very comfortable to portage in and comfortable to wear. My feet stay in much better shape after a two week trip.

I'm probably the oddball, but in June I'm paddling in bare feet with teva sandals. Just need some other dry footwear for around camp- usually sanuk sandal-shoes or old trainers.

I have gone with keens for the majority of the time on some trips. One camp gets set up, I change out into "camp socks" and a dry pair of shoes just for use around camp.

I watched Stu Ostoff do his presentation at Copia this morning. I get a kick out of him lauding his dry foot method and he showed a slide of him balancing on a pointy rock while loading his canoe. If he just steps in the water and loads from a flat lake bottom he doesn't risk hurting himself real bad.

Wet feet really don't bother me as long as my socks are high quality wool. Forget that tip toeing around on pointy rocks to load the boat. You think voyageurs were afraid to get their feet wet? I think not.

I agree. My concern is always whether I'm going to turn an ankle or twist a knee trying to balance on a rock during put-in or take-out. Wet footing with a solid footwear system certinaly works better for me.

TomT: "I watched Stu Ostoff do his presentation at Copia this morning. I get a kick out of him lauding his dry foot method and he showed a slide of him balancing on a pointy rock while loading his canoe. If he just steps in the water and loads from a flat lake bottom he doesn't risk hurting himself real bad.


Wet feet really don't bother me as long as my socks are high quality wool. Forget that tip toeing around on pointy rocks to load the boat. You think voyageurs were afraid to get their feet wet? I think not.


"

I've canoed with Stu before. Where we went, wet footing would have put us in thigh high mud or on very slippery rocks covered with "moose snot". His method is far superior in many instances, especially river tripping.

That said, I dry foot when possible, though not 100% of the time. I use footwear with very good ankle support too.

Yeah, wet footing greatly simplifies the process. I'm too old to be doing ballet on pointy rocks, especially solo.

The way I look at it is: a wet footer can step anywhere a dry footer can, but a dry footer can't step everywhere a wet footer can.

I'm going into Northern Quetico May 18... Would you still wet foot? I'm actually coming from south Florida where the only ice is in a Margarita and cold water is a fantasy on another hot day....

mapsguy1955: "I'm going into Northern Quetico May 18... Would you still wet foot? I'm actually coming from south Florida where the only ice is in a Margarita and cold water is a fantasy on another hot day...."

I've gone in the northern entries that early and wetfoot with a wader-system that allows me to keep my feet dry and warm. The water is cold that early in the year and if you stand in it for more than a few seconds, you will begin to feel the cold seep in.

HighnDry: "

mapsguy1955: "I'm going into Northern Quetico May 18... Would you still wet foot? I'm actually coming from south Florida where the only ice is in a Margarita and cold water is a fantasy on another hot day...."

I've gone in the northern entries that early and wetfoot with a wader-system that allows me to keep my feet dry and warm. The water is cold that early in the year and if you stand in it for more than a few seconds, you will begin to feel the cold seep in."

I too do the wool socks and caney fork boots. I have the chota neoprene things for real cold. But I never stay dry no matter what. The neoprene seems to help. As do wool. I'm always comfortable as long as in camp I can be dry. Dry footing is a little silly in my opinion. Of course I'm the guy that busts through ice and goes in up to my neck to rescue a dumb neighbor dog. Haha.

I wear Muckboots all year around and like them. I let them dry out at camp in the afternoons and evening after I'm done traveling for the day. I cary camp shoes for hanging out in camp and evening paddles, it works great.

I wear Kokatat neoprene boots for weather that I know is going to be cold like early May or Late September weather.

I wet foot it if I think the weather isn't going to be too cold.

In the end when I get to a campsite I end up changing out of a sweaty wet boot (Kokatat) or a lake water wet boot.

Now I wet foot if I want with Chota boots and wool socks. If I want to dry foot I use my hippies. Hippies are great cuz they go to mid thigh or tuck into themselves and are lower calf. They are small and light and pack well. I like the assurance of ankle support and protection of boots. It's a nice system to because whether wet or dry footing you use the same boots. Nothing takes up more space and is harder to pack than multiple different kinds of foot wear. Either way I change into dry shoes at camp like everyone else.
I've used LaCrosse neoprene knee high boots, sandels, tennis shoes, and liked and disliked each way for different reasons. This is my 3rd year with this system that I learned through the great guys on this site willing to share their years of experience and knowledge. I've learned from them to also consider the area
you will be going. Is it mostly a paddle route? Or lots of portaging? Muddy or rocky portages. Weather, season, air/water temp. Take a couple options with and decide when you get up there what to pack in. There is no wrong way, and every way has it's pro's and con's.