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straighthairedcurly
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gymcoachdon: "I prefer good ankle support, so I use Keen Voyageurs. They are not waterproof, so water drains. They will be wet most if not all of the trip, so I wear wool socks with a poly sock liner."
Same. My ankles are my weakest body part so I never portage without good ankle support.
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mmrocker13
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Keen Newport H2 (kids version) for portaging. In camp, an old pair of Teva Mush flip flops and Keen hikers.
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mschi772
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Astral Loyals are my choice. I wouldn't recommend going straight to tripping in them if your feet and ankles are accustomed to being locked-up in stiff, padded boots as you'll be likely to hurt yourself. If you ease into it giving your body time to adjust to a minimalist shoe and more natural use of your feet, you'll have stronger, healthier feet and ankles as a result.
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bombinbrian
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We wear Nike Boots, their combat boots. Found them on sale at a Sierra Trading store but not online. They're light and have support. I also take a pair of tennis shoes, usually just in camp but tail running shoes work great for portaging too.
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Unas10
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I am one of those with the old running shoes. I only make one trip per year and so far, they have worked well enough that other things are higher up on the list of items to upgrade.
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Cc26
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Regular old “poop boots”
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gymcoachdon
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I prefer good ankle support, so I use Keen Voyageurs. They are not waterproof, so water drains. They will be wet most if not all of the trip, so I wear wool socks with a poly sock liner.
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MikeinMpls
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I've always been a wet footer, and I always will be. I wear Chota high top boots with either the "Hippie" or "Caney Fork" waders. The Chota system looks good on paper, but the waders don't stay up very well. The Chota waders use a thin elastic cord with a plastic spring lock, but it's just not strong or durable enough. I end up using an elastic clip or suspenders to keep them up. The boots are rugged, BUT they only come in whole sizes. I don't understand why...so mine are a bit too big for me. I wear a 10.5 shoe, but an 11 Chota.
Perhaps one of these days I'll try a different system.
Mike
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TomT
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I use Chota lightweight hybrid boots for travel days and Astral water shoes for day trips and around camp.
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DanMN
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Worr Keen sandals last 2 years. My feet hurt after all day trip. So this year I'm trying Jungle boots.
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AmarilloJim
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I use Astral TR1's. Basically running shoes with drainage holes. Used old running shoes for decades without issue. My wife loves her Muck boots.
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Scout64
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With Kevlar canoes, I wet foot when I get in and out. I have been using the New Balance Abyss II 8-Inch Boot for years. They have drain holes in the sole to let the water out. They dry quickly and offer good ankle support. I highly recommend them. This reminds me I have 2 pairs of size 9 OTBs that my sons wore that I should put on the "for sale" forum.
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A1t2o
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Keens and Crocs
I have 2 pairs of Keens I use depending on the trip, waterproof if I plan on keeping my feet dry and the Voyagers if I plan to wet foot. I only take one pair along and it depends on the temp.
The Crocs I wear in camp. They are great for going in and out of the tent, or walking in the water since they are not porous.
I have noticed that my Keens can work as a shoe too. If I tie them loosely at the eye loops then I can slip them on and off easily for when I am getting firewood or if I want more substantial footwear than the Crocs. It is nice to just have another option without carrying anything extra.
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JWilder
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Solomon Quest Prime GTX
Great ankle support which provides confidence on the trail and around camp doing chores or exploring. Also wet the majority of the trip.
I sport the crocs ONLY when in leisure mode...
J
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Chuckles
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When I dryfoot (October) I wear 18" insulated neoprene boots. I wear a Lacrosse model that isn't made any more.
I took my first wetfoot trip this past summer and both me and my partner went with old high-top sneakers. I can't imagine I'll ever use anything else. Featherweight (~12oz per shoe) with ankle support, good traction and they dry quickly.
The trend in sneakers over the last few years has been very thin, breathable fabrics with vents. I picked up a pair of used Nike Hyperquickness for $5. I'm not sure this exact model is easy to find but you can see all the vents and holes in the link.
Nike Hyperquickness
My partner used a pair of basketball sneakers that were 20 years old and he said that despite them being heavier and drying slower, they were still better than anything he'd tripped in previously.
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StLouisPaddler
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I’ve had good luck with the Chota Hybrids.
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kjw
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I use Cabelas wading boots and bring regular hiking shoes (low cut - doesn't cover ankles) for camp. Any wading boot will do the trick. Only takes getting injured one time and you will never wear anything that does not cover your ankles again. I had an object pierce all the way into my ankle while in the water at a portage while wearing Keens that did not cover my ankle. Trip was over. Was on crutches and took extremely large doses of antibiotics for over a month to prevent bone infection. Emergency room had to cut 2nd hole in my ankle to insert tube to flush all the dirt/other items out the original hole with saline solution.
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MichiganMan
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Dry footer here with a history of ankle issues. So Keen or Timberland hiking boots on the trail, and Keen closed-toe sandals for around camp or day trip fishing. There's no right or wrong way. It's all about what what works for you.
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AdmAckbar13
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I wet foot all portages and in the summer I either wear Chaco sandals or a well-draining trail running shoe like the LaSportiva Bushido. If I'm going to be doing relatively short, easy portages or it's super hot I'll opt for sandals. More challenging, longer portages or cooler weather I'll opt for the trail runners. In the shoulder seasons I add a thin neoprene sock under the trail runners. The system has worked very well for me for all the trips I've taken.
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Unas10
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For all those who talk about wanting ankle support, I saw an article about this many years ago on a running website. My recollection is foggy, but I believe it was written about a coach from one of the Oregon universities famous for their running program. A simple exercise that can be done while watching TV. Wearing no shoes, stand in one place and lift one foot into the air. Stand there like that for as long as you can and then switch and repeat for the other foot. When you reach the point of being able to do that for 5 minutes, make it a little tougher by standing on a pillow. After the coach instituted this exercise, he reported a 20% decrease in ankle injuries.
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Litehiker
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Ya know I have found my Merrill MOAB low hiking shoes drain very nicely in situations like canoeing and walking in Utah's Coyote Gulch where almost 1/2 of the trip is IN the creek.
I've used military "jungle boots" and they are just OK but not as comfortable as my MOAB hiking shoes. Want more protection? Merrill makes a MOAB Mid that covers the ankles.
But above all I wear all synthetic clothing, from my BVDs to my heavy nylon pants to my bug-proof shirts. Dries fast and is fairly lightweight. A far cry from the surplus wool pants and shirt I wore in the '80s in Quebec's Kippawa Game Preserve on a week long wilderness canoe trip.
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MM
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Hello, how do Atrals work for portaging? Ankle support?
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BPD
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For wet-footing I really like these:
Astral Rassler Water Boots
I wore jungle boots for years but the Astrals are much stickier and seem to provide plenty of ankle stability.
Brian
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thistlekicker
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Simms Riprap wading shoe for "normal" trips and OTB Abyss boots for more rugged trips.
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butthead
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Probably get crap for this but it's what I wear. Custom made leather hiking boots, and I do wet-foot. Current favorite pair has about 20 trips on them as well as daily wear at home. Yes they are looking at 10 years of almost daily use. Another pair has 20 years, 10 in daily use 10 partial use dedicated to hiking. I have short but wide feet at 8 1/2 EEEE, never had real foot comfort till buying custom made. Expensive? YES! Worth the cost? Most defiantly. Well treated and cared for, they will dry over nite in camp. Wet weight gain is within ounces of synthetic boots, 6 ounces wet vs dry. The 10 year old pair is as bought, the 20 have fresh soles from 5+ years ago.
butthead
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TrailZen
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DanMN: "Worr Keen sandals last 2 years. My feet hurt after all day trip. So this year I'm trying Jungle boots."
In the late '70s and early '80s I had good performance from jungle boots. When my second set of them died, I used some canvas portage boots for a couple years (don't remember the brand), and have used old running shoes, too. In 2018 I bought a pair of NRS Workboot Wetshoes and really like them EXCEPT for the odor after a week+ of wet-footing. If you get jungle boots, don't go cheap--I bought a Rothco pair in 2017; they began separating from the soles on the third day of a 10-day trip. I had to do some MacGyver crap to keep them together for the rest of the trip. Tried to get warranty replacement from Rothco, but couldn't return the trash boots because I'd put them in the Dumpster at Piragis...
TZ
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RunningFox
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Meindl. Tons of ankle support and foot protection. Uninsulated and waterproof. This model (Vakuum) with rubber surrounding the foot bed has never leaked.
I like Butthead’s answer. Russell boots rock and there is understandable pride in ownership. They last just about forever when cared for.
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BoundaryLife
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What are your favorite shoes for the BWCA trails? I've seen everything boots, water shoes to old running shoes. What do you like?
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mmrocker13
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Keen. Newport H2 (youth) for wet foot; hikers for camp and fishing.
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CS24
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LL Bean's Maine Hunting Shoe is the by far the best. I wear the 12" boot, but they also have a 16" model. Using a good beeswax water proofer is a must to keep your feet dry...but of course if you step in knee-deep water it doesn't matter what type of boot you're wearing! Also has great ankle support and decent tread for portages. In camp Crocs are the way to go: comfortable, light weight, cheap
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DanMN
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TrailZen: "DanMN: "Worr Keen sandals last 2 years. My feet hurt after all day trip. So this year I'm trying Jungle boots."
In the late '70s and early '80s I had good performance from jungle boots. When my second set of them died, I used some canvas portage boots for a couple years (don't remember the brand), and have used old running shoes, too. In 2018 I bought a pair of NRS Workboot Wetshoes and really like them EXCEPT for the odor after a week+ of wet-footing. If you get jungle boots, don't go cheap--I bought a Rothco pair in 2017; they began separating from the soles on the third day of a 10-day trip. I had to do some MacGyver crap to keep them together for the rest of the trip. Tried to get warranty replacement from Rothco, but couldn't return the trash boots because I'd put them in the Dumpster at Piragis...
TZ
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I read the posts on this forum before I bought. So I knew not to cheap out on them. Thanks everyone for the info. I ended up buying a pair of McRae Vietnam era Jungle boots. Brand new made in the USA.
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pamonster
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butthead: "Probably get crap for this but it's what I wear. Custom made leather hiking boots, and I do wet-foot. Current favorite pair has about 20 trips on them as well as daily wear at home. Yes they are looking at 10 years of almost daily use. Another pair has 20 years, 10 in daily use 10 partial use dedicated to hiking. I have short but wide feet at 8 1/2 EEEE, never had real foot comfort till buying custom made. Expensive? YES! Worth the cost? Most defiantly. Well treated and cared for, they will dry over nite in camp. Wet weight gain is within ounces of synthetic boots, 6 ounces wet vs dry. The 10 year old pair is as bought, the 20 have fresh soles from 5+ years ago.
butthead"
The world would be a lot happier place if everyone took the time to indulge in a custom set of footwear. I've not gone to this extent but have paid up for a properly fitting boot. As someone working long shifts standing on hard surfaces it's not an overstatement to say it's changed my life. My legs used to kill by the end of 10-12 hours, not anymore!
As for BWCA boots, I got a pair of ECCO gortex leather ankle high hybrid boots 10 years ago. I want an upgrade but just haven't worn them out yet.
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Saberboys
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Scout64: "With Kevlar canoes, I wet foot when I get in and out. I have been using the New Balance Abyss II 8-Inch Boot for years. They have drain holes in the sole to let the water out. They dry quickly and offer good ankle support. I highly recommend them. This reminds me I have 2 pairs of size 9 OTBs that my sons wore that I should put on the "for sale" forum. "
I may be interested in a pair of these, what do you want for them?
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Rs130754
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This is a bit of a dated reply but I have been wearing these Lalo boots and shoes while wet footing and they offer great support, are lightweight, and dry quickly. They are pricey but both my boots and shoes from them have held up very well.
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dschult2
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Trail runners and Darn Tough socks. Wet foot.
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Blatz
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gymcoachdon: "I prefer good ankle support, so I use Keen Voyageurs. They are not waterproof, so water drains. They will be wet most if not all of the trip, so I wear wool socks with a poly sock liner." As another PE teacher/ coach for 35 years, I use the same boot. Keen Voyagers are light, drain well, great support, and hold up.
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cycle003
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dschult2: "Trail runners and Darn Tough socks. Wet foot."
This is what I have found works best for me when it’s warm.
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timatkn
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Salomon tech Amphibian are my favs.
T
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sns
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I wet-foot wearing low-top astral brewers, like them a lot.
No ankle support...I lack any connected ligaments on the outside of my left ankle. Tried high tops for years but the reality is that high tops provide so little additional support that it's not worth it to me. The only sure-fire way for me to ensure that I won't roll it is to wear a hinged, plastic Active Ankle brace. Which I don't do in canoe country.
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HighnDry
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Chotas. Lightweight keens in camp.
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mschi772
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MM: "Hello, how do Atrals work for portaging? Ankle support?"
My Astral Loyaks couldn't have less ankle support, and I don't care. I wear minimalist footwear so that my feet can work naturally and conform to the terrain as well as for maintaining strong foot and ankle muscles. In my past career as a biologist in the field, I have worn some pretty tall, rugged boots. I've never worn anything that can actually prevent an ankle injury--if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. In terms of support, all those boots ever did was restrict my motion, weigh me down, and atrophy my feet and ankle muscles, making them MORE vulnerable to injury. The one positive of my old boots was not as support but as armor--I wore them despite everything else because they protected my toes from being crushed and provided great puncture and abrasion armor for my feet and ankles, but those are protections I do not need on BWCAW trips.
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