Well, Here we go again. I usually travel late August and am a complete wetfooter.
I wear my shoes/sandals all day. Canoeing, portaging and all the transition stages.

My footwear of choice for the last three years has been Teva Omnium 2 Sport Sandal. My ankles are in good shape so I'm fine with the low rise, and I wear a thin wool sock up above the ankle. They are great except they let in a lot of debris like small rocks and twigs. They also work well on my wide feet. Keens just don't fit me.

I saw the Hoka Hopara 2 and they look more shoe-ish. The sole looks much more hiking oriented and would still drain well out the back.

Has anyone tried these yet?

Of course you can always throw in your " I've been using blank for blank many years and it's the best thing out there" but remember above, wide feet and no Keens.

Well, can't help you with the Hoka Hopara, but I will be tripping in August this year as well and decided, in order to keep pack weight down, to ditch my usual Dryshod boots and get a proper wetfooting shoe.

After looking around I went with the Astral Rassler 2.0. Marketed to kayakers, what sold me was the claim on how well it drains, full protection against small debris, and the rubbery grip. I haven't had a chance to test a full immersion of the shoes to test the draining, however I just wore them as my primary footwear (to break them in a bit) for a solid week and I found them to be comfortable and live up to the grippyness of the tread.

If you are concerned about keeping debris out I’d look more at a shoe than a sport sandal. The Hoka Hop 2 still has openings. Hoka’s are comfortable so I am sure it would work well.


Columbia, Merrel, Salomon all make some good enclosed water shoes. Good traction, good drain, more enclosed. There are way more options. Just naming a few we’ve tried in the family. Basically purchase when we find one (as needed) that’s on sale/clearance.

I put some links in below as examples.

I’m with you can’t stand high tops or boots. I’ve posted this before but studies are mixed on using higher/more ankle support on whether they cause more harm than any benefit…other than perceived. That’s why you see professional sports teams going away from requiring high tops now and leaving it up to personal preference.

Merrel

Salomon

Columbia

Yeah I think the main reason to go with high tops today is for abrasion and impact protection. I've never felt a need for that, but I'm guessing one injury could change my mind.

I got the Astral TR1 Mesh. Haven't really had a real test yet, but so far, I like them. They are not Astral's grippiest soles but still a lot grippier than most shoes and sandals. Compared to the TR1, the Rassler sole is grippier but not as durable, while the upper on the Rassler is more durable but less breathable. One is not necessarily better than the other, it simply depends on what your priorities are.

Astral Shoes

My reason for wearing high-tops is that they don't get sucked off your foot in deep mud.

I was led to these by BWCA YouTuber Jodi Middendorf and I absolutly love them.

Seekway

My Astral Brewers finally need to be retired after something approaching 100 days of tripping over 4 years; used them from May to October.

Just ordered the Rasslers. We'll see how they do.

bottomtothetap: "I was led to these by BWCA YouTuber Jodi Middendorf and I absolutly love them.


Seekway "

the holes in the soles of these would worry me about possible puncture wounds.

plmn: "Yeah I think the main reason to go with high tops today is for abrasion and impact protection. I've never felt a need for that, but I'm guessing one injury could change my mind.


I got the Astral TR1 Mesh. Haven't really had a real test yet, but so far, I like them. They are not Astral's grippiest soles but still a lot grippier than most shoes and sandals. Compared to the TR1, the Rassler sole is grippier but not as durable, while the upper on the Rassler is more durable but less breathable. One is not necessarily better than the other, it simply depends on what your priorities are.


Astral Shoes "

Yep!

They're not a well-known brand, but TropicFeel makes shoes well-suited for wilderness canoeing. I've used the Lava on some trips and decided to give the AT-X a try this year. They drain and dry quickly, grip really well on all surfaces, and provide enough support while portaging.

Durability isn't as great as something like a hiking shoe, but it's not terrible. The other factors make up for it for me.

-Peter

Fellow wide-footer here. In the BW I almost exclusively wear Chaco Z1 sandals with wool socks. Years ago I had a sandal similar to your current shoe and the grit drove me nuts because it was so difficult to remove. With the Chacos if the grit gets in, it's so much easier to get back out. Tighten down the strap and have no fear of losing them in the muck. I'd say the biggest annoyance would be sticks sliding in between the sole and my socks. That happens occasionally but usually only on the really overgrown/non-existent portages.

Also, if you're looking for great tennis shoes for wide feet check out Topo Athletic. I just recently bought the Magnifly5 and love them. Altras used to be my go-to but they've sold out to the skinny-footed masses.

I'm a long time Chaco Z2 sandal wearer. They are robust enough for backpacking or hiking rough terrain. I spent 80 percent of my time on last year's BWCA trip in August in Chacos, then the other 20% in trail running shoes. The trail shoes were used on a BRT day hike and Stairway Portage.

I've been wearing the Hoka Hopara 2 all summer. Great for wet footing and supportive and stable enough for pretty heavy loads! The mesh helps them drain and dry fast, but the open heal area does allow some debris in sometimes. I like them so much I bought 2 pairs, one a size larger for use with wetsuit socks and/or Kokotat Launch Socks. Now considering them as the only footwear for 280 miles of the border route + Grand Portage....

Salomon Techamphibian 5
Best wet shoes out there (says me!)

sns: "My Astral Brewers finally need to be retired after something approaching 100 days of tripping over 4 years; used them from May to October.


Just ordered the Rasslers. We'll see how they do."

Please let us know! My cobbler repaired my Brewers (4+ years) for my July trip and the repair blew out on the last day, so it looks like I’ll need a new pair next summer. I’m really interested in your take on the Rasslers. I have been totally happy with the Brewers. I wear Boundary Boots in Fall.

I paddle solo in a Prism. It’s also my year round training canoe. Seat height is a tad higher than the Northwind solo canoe, but still…flexibility in ankle:footwear is needed at those low seat heights. Please tell me if you think I would like the Rasslers as a soloist?

I hear you! I’ll just comment with a technical point. Notice how the sole has a bit of rock to it. How does that work for you on slippery flat rock landings etc? One of the reasons I have always gone with Astrals is the incredible ground feel (low drop) and huge contact surface area of the sole. You are not off balance snd slipping around on rocks in Astrals. So just curious about your experience on flat rocks with the Salomons.

scottiebaldwin: "Salomon Techamphibian 5
Best wet shoes out there (says me!)


"

I’ve been a fan for many years! Although I think they were higher quality back in the early 2000’s than they are now.

T

timatkn: "

scottiebaldwin: "Salomon Techamphibian 5
Best wet shoes out there (says me!)



"

I’ve been a fan for many years! Although I think they were higher quality back in the early 2000’s than they are now.


T"

I agree. I have a pair of the Techamphibian 3 that I bought a few years ago and they felt weird right off the bat. My favorite were my green Salomon Crossamphibian but they are long gone. These 5’s really feel solid. They are the fastest draining and drying shoes I’ve had and the grip is unbelievably good. It’s like having a BMX tire underneath you.

My green Crossamphibians are in heaven now.

Rest In Portage. (I just made that quote up. Please give me credit in the future!)

Astral makes the best water shoes I’ve found.

Crappiekillah: "

bottomtothetap: "I was led to these by BWCA YouTuber Jodi Middendorf and I absolutly love them.



Seekway "

the holes in the soles of these would worry me about possible puncture wounds."

I've worn boots with holes in the soles for some time. I've never had any type of puncture situation (though I suppose it could happen) - my biggest beef is that if you step in ANY water, even a shallow 1" puddle, and you now have wet feet all day. Even with shoes/boots that drain, I like to try to maintain dry feet if I can, and with the 'hole in the sole' types, you get wet before you know it!

I bought some Merrell Wildwood Aerosports this past week and tried them out wet-wading while fly fishing on Saturday. Overall I think they're going to be great in the BWCA but I may replace the bungie laces with traditional laces before my trip next week. I could seem the getting sucked off my feet in deep mud. Otherwise, they are comfy, they have a pretty firm sole, and they dry really quick. The mesh also seems to hold up well to stick pokes and abrasion.

Thanks for all the advice. I've decided to give the Hopara2 a try .They feel real comfortable and the sole looks like a nice platform. Very aggressive tread pattern but still soft enough to flex. I'll let you know in a couple of weeks when I get back from 10 days in Quetico. Heading to(wards) Agnes on Wed for 10 days.

I've been eyeing the Simms Pursuit shoe.

sedges: "My reason for wearing high-tops is that they don't get sucked off your foot in deep mud."

One of the reason I wear high-tops. Another is I like protection from the rocks and sticks they provide.

I’ve had lots of Keen type sandals, but by far the best wet foot boot I’ve ever worn is the Merrel Moab Mid Ventilator boot. Drains excellently, is light enough and is rugged enough to last years. Price is reasonable too. Merrel Moab Mid Ventilator tony

I've done two trips in my Astral TR1 Meshes now. They are very comfortable and grip wet rocks fairly well. They drain water fast so you can keep on wearing them wet without too much issue. The soles are too soft for long hikes on rocky terrain but that's part of what makes them grip well. The zero drop footbed makes them more stable than they first appear, though I wouldn't exactly call them stable.

However, I don't think they dry completely all that fast. The insole is still solid foam and it stays wet a long time. It took nearly three hours to dry them completely in direct sunlight and 20+ MPH wind gusts. I think most shoes could manage that. And at the end of each trip the shoes stunk to high heaven. I don't know why they did but my much heavier and thickly padded Merrell Moabs did not. The Moabs always impress me with how versatile they are. The soles grip a lot of stuff well...except wet rocks.

Anyway, when I was wandering around Piragis I saw they carried Rocky Nowakes. The insoles on these are heavily perforated and overall the shoe is even more ventilated than my Astrals. Don't know much else about them but when my Astrals give out I'll be giving them a look.

Quick evaluation of the Hopara 2 from my trip.
Extremely comfortable, drains well, keeps sticks out, dries quickly, large wide footprint to spread out the load, and very grippy (grip able, gripsteresque?)

The bad is it seems to suck in a lot of little pebbles in through the back . And mud is the worst! It flows in and fills every nook and cranny. Though not uncomfortably.
All in all not perfect but I’ll use them again if solely because of the comfort and stability

To keep stuff out of your shoes, wear a short pair of gaiters. I did this the last trip and the difference was amazing.

Never liked sandals due to the rocks/debris issues noted here, but I recently picked up a pair of Oboz Katabatic Mid hikers which I really like so far. (Be sure not to get the waterproof version if you're using it for canoeing!). They're fully synthetic, relatively lightweight (lighter than the Merrel Moabs I formerly used), and dry out much faster than anything with real leather uppers. Can't quite comment on wear yet, but they look as if they should hold up.

If you keep a search going on Ebay, you can find new for about $90, which is much better than the normal $165 retail price.

I used to wear the Keen heavy sandals, but they wore down and my pinky toe started popping out and getting banged up. So I went to these the past four trips and love them. Wildwood Aerosport

I have been using the Men's Abyss II 8-Inch Tactical Boot for the last 10 years. It offers great ankle support (which is very important to me) and drains very well (has holes in the sole and draining on the sides.

I've been wearing the Keen Voyageur mid boot for the past dozen trips and they have worked great for me. They provide excellent support and protection, they aren't too heavy and they drain well.

I'm a big fan of the Astral shoes. I find they run a little narrow, so something to keep in mind.
All that being said, they drain well, don't let in much gunk, and dry out almost as fast as a set of Teva's or Keens with material straps. They are also very grippy in my experience. I have not slipped once as best I can remember.

I do keep another pair of shoes strictly for camp, but those are generally some old sneakers.

One thing I don’t see mentioned here are neoprene socks. Have been using them for a long time and they work great for keeping out rocks, sand, etc.

Has anyone tried the topo Athletic traverse?

They are made for thru hikers. They have a vibram sole, drain holes, a closed-cell padding. They are made to drain and dry quickly.

Look perfect for portaging...


Topo traverse

If you are into zero drop shoes Xero makes a pair of water shoes. I have never tried them out so I can't say how they'd hold up. I have two pairs of their other shoes that are extremely comfortable.

Here is the link:

https://xeroshoes.com/shop/shoes/axs-men/