I am in the planning stages for my first Boundary Waters canoe trip. I have been reading trip reports and gear reports to learn what to expect and how to do a good trip.

Many of the trip reports talk about walking thru mud to get to the lake or river from the portage path. You will also need to walk into the water to load the canoe. I was wondering what shoes do you guys / gals wear? I would like to wear good hiking boots for doing the portages, but they would stay wet all day. Water shoes would dry out quickly, but would not give much support for portaging.

Any information would be great.

Roger L

Roger, wet-footing (vs. dry-footing) is the simplest solution unless the water is prohibitively cold when you go. Yes, they will be wet all day. Wear good wool socks like Smartwool or Darn Tough. Take dry socks and shoes for camp. The chosen footwear varies widely.

I prefer an ankle high boot for protection, keeping things out and staying securely on my feet in boot-sucking mud. There are some made specifically for the application and others that will work. Check Chota, Astral Brewer, Five Ten, OTB, NRS, etc. Wading boots are also an option. You'll get a lot of different opinions - sandals, Crocs, running shoes, jungle boots, barefoot...

What Boonie said.
Also, your choice of footwear could be influenced by the time of year you travel. If May/early June or late September/October, i go with a wading boot with a decent hiking sole combined with the Chota neoprene wading “socks” - think they’re called “Chota Caney Fork Knee-High Socks”, combined with a comfortable pair of wool/synth socks (Fits/Smartwool/Vermont DarnTough/Wigwam/similar). Bring a couple extra pairs of socks.
For warm/hot months I like something lighter, a bit more athletic/sneakerlike. This year I bought a pair of Astral RasslerII’s (Astral has other good models as well) and wore them with a decent pair of socks. I was happy with the traction and fast drying. Water drains out, like with wading boots.
Have some footwear for camp - sneakers, sandals, whatever is comfortable. Setting up camp and getting into dry footwear is a great feeling.

Choices are personal, only you can really decide. With that the first choice is dry feet or wet. Dry require a dance or high enough waterproof boots, heavy and sweaty for the most part. Wet is accepting wet feet while traveling. Any concern about damaging boots from being wet is wrong, loggers at the turn of the 20th century lived on the water in leather boots. The difference is they took care of them. This can be applied to today's footwear, properly cared for boot/shoes can last many years. I have had naysayers complain about my experience, but I wear expensive, custom made (oddly wide EEEE+ feet ) boots, wet footing and wading for decades of use. Use what ever works for you, leather can last longer than synthetics if cared for properly. Clean them, treat the leather as needed, wear with thin wool socks.

butthead

I certainly agree with the three posts above and will underscore that there many options out there and everyone has to find what works for them in the given conditions. I sometimes go dryfoot and sometimes wet foot, depending on the trip and time of year. I love having dry feet, but like Butthead says you sometimes really have to hop and dance around which can really slow the load/unload process, and in some places it’s just not possible. If you are going in June, July, or August wet footing is a pretty good way to go, especially for a first trip.

For wetfooting, I’ve been using Merrill Moab 2 Mid Ventilators which are the non-waterproof ones. The Moab 2 also comes in a Goretex version which I also have (often use as my dry camp shoe) but I really believe from experience the non-waterproof ones dry faster. On summer trips I often find that I can get them dry or almost dry overnight. The ventilator sides also allow a fair amount of water to squeeze out as you walk or move about so it’s not like your boot is holding water in. I always keep a masonry sponge by my seat to help clean up this excess water and mud when I get back in my boat. The Mids come up just above my ankle. They are a fairly soft boot, so I doubt they provide as much lateral support as a more rigid boot, but they provide enough for me and do help protect the ankles from impact with rocks, roots, stumps, etc. I also feet a boot is less likely to come off than a shoe if you find yourself in some of that real sucky mud. They have worked pretty well for me.

Thanks for all of the information. The trip is going to be in late August or early September so I will go with having wet feet. I have a pair of hiking boots that are my second string hiking boots so I will just go with them and a pair of wool socks and I should be good to go.
Again thanks for the information. I am spending lots of time reading trip reports and gear reports on this web page. There is lots of great information.

Roger L

I've used Keen Voyagers and mid weight Smartwool socks for Wet Footing for years. The Voyager is mid height, very light, and releases water very quickly. You'll see that very few portages allow to step out onto land. I don't recommend water proof socks or Knee high boots during the summer. Your feet will get wet from sweat then

I wet foot with Chota Hybrid boots that are made to drain and dry quickly paired with Darn Tough wool socks. When I get to camp, the Chotas and DTs come off and I switch over to Keen Newport sandals for around camp and I wear those fishing in the afternoon and evening. I found that lets my feet dry and helps to prevent trench foot, which I’m prone to getting.

I also have a pair of Sea to Summit waterproof socks. I only wear them occasionally and won’t wear them for anything active like portaging on travel days. They are purely to keep my feet dry during evening fishing or in camp if it’s raining. Then I have another pair of DT socks that are kept dry at all costs and worn in camp or to sleep if it’s miserably cold.

My system might be overkill. As has already been mentioned, wool socks are key for wet footing because they keep your feet warm even when they are wet. Enjoy your trip, you’ll be hooked soon.

I like your choices, St. Louis Paddler. Warm feet are happy feet in cold months.

mjmkjun: "I like your choices, St. Louis Paddler. Warm feet are happy feet in cold months.
"

Well said. Nothing sucks the fun out of a trip like a few days of overly cold feet!

I wear a thin pair of polypropylene socks under my wool socks. Wicks moisture away and your feet won't feel like they are wet all day.

StLouisPaddler: "I wet foot with Chota Hybrid boots that are made to drain and dry quickly paired with Darn Tough wool socks. When I get to camp, the Chotas and DTs come off and I switch over to Keen Newport sandals for around camp and I wear those fishing in the afternoon and evening. "

Same here - the only difference is I switch over to Keen Arroyo IIs in camp. My Chotas were bought at Canoecopia when they first came out - 3 years? I love 'em.
I may wear hippies in cold water months.

+1 on polyprop liners under outer socks always. Also helps prevent blisters.
I carry an extra pair or two of liners as "clean" socks. Weigh next to nothing and take up minimal space.

I wear Keens with no socks... Even my on my late May trip last year.

There are many portages that will fill them up with grit but I just rinse them out after we launch.

Then I leave a pair of Crocs or sanuks in camp for dry feet. This is really the most important part of whatever your wetfoot option ends up as. If brushing your teeth is a +5 morale boost: dry, clean shoes in camp is a +10.