Going to the BW the second week in June. For that time of the year, what would be the recommendations for footwear paddling in and then at camp? This will be our first trip.

Thanks.

Depends if you want to dry foot or wet foot. I personally despise wet footing so I wear stocking foot hip or knee waders with water shoes for paddling/portaging, and Crocs for in camp.

My waders are Kyle Booker brand from Amazon and I use Korkers water shoes.

Our crew all go with Muck knee high boots for paddling and portaging. Crocs for in camp.

We wet foot. Bring sandals for camp and fishing. Couple pair of dry socks too. There are plenty of times we hop out of the kevlar canoe while portaging near rocks. Wet shoes dry fairly quickly on a rock in camp! To us, there is no good option to keep dry.

Camp shoes can be any number of types, from sneakers to Crocs to some sort of sandal. The key for me in camp is some nice warm socks to go with them.

For wearing in the canoe when you're on the move, some good supportive boots with solid tread will be priceless. Wet footing it makes landing and launching easier and less cumbersome than trying to balance on a rock or log in order to get in and out of the canoe. Yes, there are times where that works fine, but if your feet stay dry at the landing, they might very well get wet and muddy on the portage.

How about when you wear rubber boots and you step into deeper water? Your feet get wet and the water doesn't drain out. Just wear good boots and change out when you get to camp.

Poop boots for traveling and crocs for in camp. I bought some extra spendy crocs a few years back that are more comfortable and are worth the money… they stink like heck now though

bwurts: "Going to the BW the second week in June. For that time of the year, what would be the recommendations for footwear paddling in and then at camp? This will be our first trip.

Thanks."

Welcome to the Boundary Waters!

First trip? While I know that you are most likely going to get hooked and want to come back, spending a lot of money on a portage shoe/boot doesn't make sense. Don't go overboard. Use what you have the first time. I think the most traded out equipment for any of us here is the shoes we use until we stumble upon a set up we like. Ask the question, "What is your favorite portage shoe?" And you will get at least a dozen different answers. (See the "Gear" forum.)

I have ankle problems so high tops are mandatory for me. I also wet foot to protect my canoe.

So, the problem with getting in and out of the canoe at portage ends is not the water. (IMHO). It is the footing. You will find everything from a sand beach to a total rock garden with the latter being the most likely. Those rocks sitting under water develop a layer of slime. Some are relatively flat and slightly slanted(very dangerous). And some are sharp and angled just enough or a lot (even more dangerous). And if the water is stirred up, you can't see what is there! Getting a grip here is more than just a metaphor. Lugs help in some cases and not in others. Just like your car tires, it depends on the material of the sole.

The reason Jackfish suggests the more rigid sole for the portage trail is that you will walk over all sorts of footing. Flat sand and gravel, rocks of every shape and size, and lots and lots of roots. Without some support in the sole (think thin modern running or walking sneakers), your feet are going to be very sore at the end of a day of portaging.

Do you have an old pair of hikers? Not so old the sole will fail and come off if they get wet though. These are what I would use until you decide you want to spend more money. You could even drill some holes in them to let water drain.

If you want to compare new for an idea, try looking online for Chota brand Caney Fork model or Simms brand fishing waders.

In camp? There are many different ideas out there for camp shoes. Here is the thing: Many people who come to the BW are fishing. Fishing means fishing hooks. Now many people are careful and clean up after themselves, but some are not. How many fishhooks do you want to find with your feet? The other thing is that those latrines can be relatively close in or a quarter mile away up a steep hill with rocks, roots and logs to walk over. While I don't think you want another pair of hikers, I don't go with the crocs or sandals anywhere in the BW. I want my feet covered. Until I wore them out, I had a pair of Keen water (deck) shoes I brought. They covered my toes and my heels. Now I use old walking sneakers. (I usually throw them away after the trip. They don't even make it back into the house. PHEW!). People use the crocs because they are super light weight. And sandals will let your feet dry (sometimes). I just want more protection.

Hope this helps.

Have a great first trip!

If you keep your feet warm and dry, the rest of your body will feel better too.

Muck boots or a similar brand are a good must have for portages.
Don’t let your first day on the trip be the first day you ‘try them out’,
Make sure they are comfortable beforehand.

Sandals or sneakers for around camp.

Last year I passed some collage age guys portaging a rugged and muddy portage in flip flops. That was the craziest thing I saw all summer.

Tom

Last year I tried a pair of the neoprene socks that came up almost to my knees and combined them with lightweight mesh top walking shoes. It was warm enough for the conditions but eliminated the bulky wet hiking shoes while still giving me reasonably good foot protection and traction.
That being said, more than fifty trips have convinced me that there is no real answer to this question.

during the shoulder season I wear knee high muck boots, and in the summer I wear wool socks with lightweight sneakers.

In camp I always have a dry pair of sturdy sneakers.

For that time of year, I am wet footing. I went through a handful of cheapo water/hiking combo shoes before investing a couple seasons back in Hoka Hoparas. Pretty pricy but are a great balance between quick drying water shoe and hiking shoe tread on the bottom. In the shoulder seasons I'll use muck boots but June - early September it's just easier to get in and out in the water, not to mention easier on the hull of the canoe.

In camp I'll usually have two sets of shoes, any non-specific closed toe shoe (tennis shoe/hiking shoe) and a cheap ($2 from wal mart) set of flip flops. I like having the sandals for a quick middle of the night bathroom run or relaxing in camp letting the feet dry out and the closed toe for exploring, wood processing, etc.

I use 3mm neoprene sox (calf high) and old hikers( not leather!) for wet footing in May. Neoprene sox and sneakers in August. My feet stay relatively warm despite real cold May water. I also wear gaiters on early trips, they keep my wet pants legs from flopping about and do a good job of helping keep my legs warm.
I use light weight Skechers with wool sox for camp shoes. I never wear open toe sandals of any kind at camp, too easy to get poked while gathering firewood or exploring.
I would suggest you use whatever footwear you already own or can buy reasonably priced, get a trip or two under your belt and see what works for you.

In June, I prefer wet footing. Sturdy, non-waterproof hiking boot such as Merell Moab mid. Some people like wearing Teva sandals (or similar) but I hate having pebbles get in. I wear a nice thick pair of wool socks that I rinse well each night to remove any mud or sand I picked up during the day. I just put on wet socks and boots in the morning. I find waterproof or neoprene socks to be too hot and sweaty for my feet except in May or October. But if you tend toward cold feet, this may be a good option.

In camp, any old tennis shoe, crocs, or other shoe you don't mind getting dirty will work. Crocs are nice because if there is a lot of morning dew they don't get soaking wet.

Have a great trip!

I'm Checking these out this year BPS Black 3mm Premium Neoprene Diving Boots, Non-Slip Rubber Sole w/zippered fly and double Velcro Straps. At a Price of $55 Canadian on Amazon.ca they are reasonably priced option with 2 pair you could swap them out to dry during the canoe trip with nylon dress socks to protect your feet from sand.

Having separate portage boots and camp shoes is a must.

Camp shoes should be light, easy to slip on, and comfortable. You have to carry them when portaging, so weight is the most important. Easy on and off makes getting in and out of the tent faster so less bugs get in. I like to use crocs because they are so light and don't hold water so it doesn't matter if they get wet. You want to be able to dry your feet out.

Portage boots. Make a choice early on. Commit to wet or dry feet when portaging. You do not want a draining boot that you are trying to keep dry or a waterproof boot filled with water. You can rock hop and put in a bunch of effort to keep your feet dry and you might have some success. I did it for my first few trips before I learned better. Draining shoes are ones you just walk in the water with and forget about trying to stay dry. Get something with ankle support, lightweight when wet, and has good traction.

Going on a trip with what you have right now and deciding what you need later on is not a terrible idea. There were a couple factors that I really only considered after getting hands on experience.

Not specifically footwear, but I'd highly recommend taking moleskin or something similar to cover up blisters or potential pressure points from whatever you use for portaging. Having open skin due to a popped blister or extra rubbing is just miserable, have a good way (more than a band aid) to cover it if necessary.

Barca: "Not specifically footwear, but I'd highly recommend taking moleskin or something similar to cover up blisters or potential pressure points from whatever you use for portaging. Having open skin due to a popped blister or extra rubbing is just miserable, have a good way (more than a band aid) to cover it if necessary. "

I recommend leukotape. It sticks better than moleskin for me.

Hiking shoe + neoprene sock or hip waders for canoe/portage. Crocs and wool socks for camp.

NEIowapaddler: "

Barca: "Not specifically footwear, but I'd highly recommend taking moleskin or something similar to cover up blisters or potential pressure points from whatever you use for portaging. Having open skin due to a popped blister or extra rubbing is just miserable, have a good way (more than a band aid) to cover it if necessary. "

I recommend leukotape. It sticks better than moleskin for me. "

Definitely leukotape. Over a blister bandage. Before leukotape there was duct tape.

There are a lot of different imperfect options (I've tried most of them), different conditions, and personal preferences. I prefer an ankle height wet foot boot that drains and has good grip on wet rock. Better protection than closed toe sandals and less likely to get things in there - really irritating in the middle of a long portage. Also less likely to get sucked off in deep boot-sucking mud. I've never been a fan of Crocs and prefer an old hiking or running shoe that ties on around camp. Three pair of wool socks - travel, camp, sleep.

There are a lot of good answers here, and I agree that there is no perfect option. That being said, having tried most options, if you are traveling all day across many portages, wet feet are a guarantee of blisters. Feet that are wet for many hours usually end up being a problem, the skin will get very soft and wrinkled and become damaged. If you travel fast and light and just a few hours a day over reasonable portages then wet footing makes more sense. Temperature is the other factor, 40 degree water is awful to wet foot in, but in summer it is fine. Always protect your feet, I have seen too many horrible injuries from open toe sandals, even partially close can be a liability. My wife ran a stick in to her foot through an opening in her Keen closed toe sandals. Very nasty. Ruined the trip. If the portages are extremely rugged(ie Quetico interior or bushwhacking) be sure to have some ankle protection. Rolled ankles are so common it is ridiculous. I am not at all against wet footing, one just needs to be careful how and when it is done. These days I mostly go with the Muck boots on portages and Crocs or sandals in camp and when fishing/out paddling. I loath wet feet and even in camp they tend to get wet. Crocs pretty much solve that issue with their almost instant drying. Nothing is perfect!

A lot of good input already here.
Only a couple of additions:
*Consider a camp shoe that could serve as a contingency portage shoe if your primary shoe has a blowout. I would never take any flip-flop shoe for this reason. While I do gamble with Crocs depending on the route, as they at least have a heel strap.
*Shoe-sucking muck is a major concern on some routes. For a portage shoe, avoid anything that doesn't strap or tie one securely. These same locations tend to allow flotsam and jetsam into your shoe that you wont notice until you're 30 rods into a 200 rod portage with pack and canoe on.... So I have moved away from traveling in sandals and anything without enclosed fabric or mesh over the whole foot. Know your portages before you go.

Also along the "know your portages" logic, I change up what I take depending on whether there is more paddling or portaging. If more paddling, I like Astral shoes. They have amazing grip on wet rocks which are everywhere in the BW. The don't last long, but if a pair lasts me a half dozen trips then that is cheaper than a major knee or leg injury due to slipping. If more portaging, consider options already mentioned above.

I would affirm:
*Neoprene socks are something I won't turn back from, however you may find certain thicknesses and cuts don't work well. These are worth the cost of a couple pair to find the ones you like.
*There is no perfect answer to this question.

I did muk boots for all my trips and swore by them until I twisted my ankle. Muk boots are great for keeping your feet dry, but they offer little ankle support. This year I am changing it up to a pair of knee high waterproof socks and and pair of high top sneakers. Extra pair of sneakers for camp.

I take many new folks to the BW. I recommend sneakers for the first trips. They are cheap and easy. No need to spend money on something you don't really need.

I also recommend "wet footing" portages. That means to just step out of the canoe into the water. It is way easier than trying to keep your feet dry.

Just rinse out your sneakers when you get to camp and they will dry in a few hours.

Also bring crocs to wear around camp.

One detail I don't see mentioned here much is that the challenge of keeping your feet dry is not the getting in and out of the boat part. That part can be worked around, especially if you are younger and willing to do a little rock hopping and crawling on the gunwales.

The part that is really difficult for keeping your feet dry is the puddles on the trail. Sometimes the trail is a stream and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get across the portage without stepping in the water. Other times the water on the trail will be high because of recent rain. Dry ground is not guaranteed. It takes a lot more effort and time to keep your feet dry on the typical portage. It's easier and safer to say "screw it" and stomp through the water and mud.

For a first trip, just going with what you've got then upgrade where needed is not a bad strategy. That's what most of us do.

Remember what I said about getting at least a dozen different answers?

Wet foot - Dry Foot

Open toe - Full Boot

Light weight - Sturdy sole

Wool Socks - Neoprene

High top - Low rise

Waders - shorts

And then the camp shoe debate starts this all over again!

It is all personal preference. And I guarantee that yours will change through the years.

I think that other than my canoe and maybe my tent(s), I have spent more money on shoes than any other single item.

The best advice that I have for you, keep going back and have fun testing new footwear!