Shoe/sandal?

In my situation, I like to fish small streams. When wet wading I Usually takes a hike of at least 30 minutes or so before I get to the water. Smoky Mountains is my preferred fishing waters. If you've never been you've missed a beautiful spot. Tough fishing though, you have to climb over one boulder, fish a small pool then climb over another one. I've been using some hiking sandals and they worked ok. But they was a cheap pair and they started coming apart so I'm looking to upgrade. I have used neoprene booties and my wading boots before. That works good but they are heavy and bother my knees. Plus I'm afraid the felt will give out on the trail somewhere. So, does anyone have any suggestions of a good pair of hiking/wading shoes or sandals that might fit my situation?

Thanks in advance,
hNt

I can't make any recommendations, but I'd think twice about wearing sandals in the back country where you might encounter snakes.

I'm not a big fan of sandals as I've been poked by sticks and sharp rocks before and stuff tends to get in under my feet too easily. You might consider some good water shoes. Nice and light, but they protect your feet fairly well. If you wear socks, they're also pretty comfortable. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/cha...colorFamily=01 Just one possibility...

Jim Smith

I just bought the Simms Riprap shoes. I chose them over the sandals for the reasons listed above. They have a rubber soles and they are not cleat compatible. I still prefer felt. Next year, I heard, Simms will introduce wading shoes that have felt. When it comes to shoes and boots and sandals I've found you get what you pay for.
Randy

I have been going into this place, on the Western slope of the Southern Sierras, since the late 70's. It is a series of step pools on a very steep gradient, down in a canyon with wait-a-minute bushes, scrub oak and redwoods. The boulders, in some places, are larger than boxcars. There are no trails. I have tried a lot of footwear, Simms & Orvis, in here and have found that an older pair of Lowa Baffin boots work the best and provide the support for my feet and ankles that I need for a lot of hiking and wet wading. I always wear jeans to protect my legs from stinging nettles, fireweed and a host of crawling and flying critters...

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...psaud4umyq.jpg

Lowa Baffin Boots...

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...psyvemesnt.jpg

My son Michael on a typical step pool...the Arctic Creel holds lunch and drinks - not Trout


PT/TB

I've got a pair of Merrill wading shoes...they are mesh-sided, closed heal and toe. I like them, but had issues with sand and pebbles getting in and making wading uncomfortable enough that I would have to occasionally stop and empty the shoes out. I've recently added a pair of short neoprene socks to that, and it has helped immensely. I still get some sand, but it remains comfortable wading and walking.

The Solomon TechAmphibian are the best water shoes I have ever used. They don't offer the protection of a boot like PlanetTrout's recommendation but they give full coverage of toes and heels with mesh sides that don't let pebbles and twigs in yet drain and dry quickly.

Here is a link for what they look like but sometimes with some research you ccan find really good sales when they change the model year (color) http://www.salomon.com/us/product/techamphibian-3.html

I fish some small creeks and for,several years have used Ice Creepers. They look like a pair of sandals, very firm synthetic rubber with web straps and Velcro , and a worn out pair of sneakers. Creepers are studded with hex headed sheet metal screws. I walk on loose stone , sized from gravel to the size of a king size bed. Not to mention the solid rock bottoms. Trust them more than my felt bottom shoes.

I picked up a pair of Simms riprap wading shoes last year for a trip to YNP where I usually wet wade.used some Simms neoprene socks and did fine on streams like the soda butte and lamar where tough wading is not the norm. On some tougher streams with algea and faster moving water I was slipping and sliding. Like Randy said, they are , unfortunately non stud compatible. Decide I was going back to studded felt for future trips and would just use my hiking boots to hike in and change into the wading shoe streamside. My Folstaf was worth its weight in gold this last trip.
Best,
Steve

Some (most?) Korker boots have interchangeable soles - use the rubber to hike in and change to felt when you're ready to wade.

Cliff

I recently screwed in hardbite studs to my ripraps even though I was told I shouldn't. I also added size 8 washers. So far, I don't feel the studs coming through. Time will tell if the washers work.

Randy

I will second the Korkers, you can pick up the Greenback model for $99.00 with two soles( felt and sticky rubber) the change over is simple. as was said hike in with rubber sole if needed can change to the felt. fairly light and with a pair of neoprene sock fit is really good. I have an old original pair that has been retired from everyday us that I use for all my wet wading have been happy with them for a long time.

Steve