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< NovDec 2000
	Gear
Footwear for Paddlers More Features, More Flavor, More Fun Dan Berger

You should have seen the doozy on the bottom of Jim’s big toe and the way the half-inch of skin flapped back, getting thicker as it neared the meat of his foot and all the sand and gunk stuffed way up in there. Then there were the blood puddles on the beach from when he first walked down to the raft to dress it and after that, all his slimy, dirty bandages floating around that pool of filmy beer water in the bottom of the gear boat. It was disgusting. But that’s what happens when you run around camp barefoot. We tried to prevent that problem by bringing a small mountain of shoes with us on our Gates of Ladore trip down the Green River through Dinosaur National Monument. But the pair of shoes we gave Jim didn’t fair so well--they broke before we even got on the river--and I guess he just misplaced his backups. Here’s a report on how the rest of the shoes fared.

Five Ten’s Canyoneer, Nemo and Water Tennie
One glance at the Canyoneers, and they look more like moon boots than river shoes. But these hightops with two big buckles worked great for monkeying around on the rocks in or out of the water. The Aqua Stealth Rubber soles held tighter to wet boulders than any of the others and the additional ankle support made climbing around the canyon walls much easier. The thick tongues held water although the lower part of the shoes drained well. Too big for a kayak but if you’re headed to a slot canyon somewhere, these would be the ticket. The Nemos once again proved a favorite with the kayakers, being easy to get in and out of and having thick enough soles that you could get out and scout without feeling like you were in bedroom slippers. The rubber around the base does have a tendency to peel away after heavy use but nothing a little glue can’t fix. Five Ten’s Water Tennies are probably the best all-around water shoes for raft guides or those likely to be in and out of the water a lot, scrambling around on rock or possibly doing some trail running. These dry quicker than they look like they would and the neoprene ankle cuff helps keep out debris. Info: (909) 798-4222, www.fiveten.com

Body Glove’s Hydro
Body Glove’s Hydros are a good inexpensive alternative to a pricier kayaking shoe. They provide enough support and protection when walking around the banks or in shallow water and the bottom rubber sticks well when jammed into the boat. The shoe’s walls are a lightweight yet tight mesh that drains easily and keeps sand and pebbles out. One of our kayakers commented that the shoes tended to slip up off his heals in his boat, digging into his ankle and leaving no padding between his foot and the boat. Info: (310) 896-1266, www.bodyglovefootwear.com

Teva’s Wrapter
The Wrapter is the most innovative sport sandal of the bunch. Though too big to fit in a kayak, this shoe is equally at home while trail running or wading around in the river. The soft footbed soaks up a bit of water but the functional strap system allows them to be effectively tightened on even the smallest of feet. The problem with many sport sandals is that they are comfortable to put on and comfortable to wear around the living room but they just don’t last when subjected to real-world, river running abuse. Not so with the Wrapters. It might take a few weeks to really break them in but after that, they will be your best friend for years to come. Info: (800) 449-1118, www.teva.com

Chaco’s Z/1, three different soles
Chaco has tweaked their already top-notch designs in their 2001 sandal line. They have widened their Z/1 models, adjusted the footbeds and introduced the Walkabout outsole. The sandals, which look Greco-bucholic with their single buckle, single strap design, fit tighter and more comfortably than any of the other sandals we tried. They stayed on even in the strongest current and proved better for light hiking than the rest of the water moccasins did. A couple folks said that the ankle strap had a tendency to dig into their skin and I found that the Walkabout soles were not as grippy in the water as the older, Colorado sole, but otherwise, these are our open-toed preference on the river. Info: (970) 527-4990, www.chacosan.com

Rafter’s Swift, Tierra
The Swifts are the shoes that Jim broke. Fortunately, Rafters has addressed a defective plastic ring connecting the heel strap to the ankle strap and recalled all of the Swift shoes from their dealers. The plus side is that the Tierras were amazingly comfortable right out of the box and the straps didn’t dig into anybody’s feet. They faired well in swift water and didn’t slip a bit. The cushy sole made these a winner in the “lounge-around-the-campsite” category. Definitely a good option for an inexpensive sport sandal. Info: (800) 201-2070, www.raftersfootwear.com

LL Bean’s Tidal Zone
The stink factor on these shoes is enough to chase away even your best friends, but LL Bean’s Tidal Zone shoes were the sturdiest, most comfortable pair of river shoes I’ve worn in a long time. Their old-school lace-up and full low-cut design offered ample support in and out of the water. And their soft rubber soles provided plenty of traction on slick rocks. They don’t have ankle gaskets like many of the other water shoes do, so sand and pebbles often found their way in. The shoes, which are more dryland than water shoes, have adequate drainage holes, but the cushy mesh sides, tongue and insoles absorbed a lot of water. They took nearly all day to dry out and that is why they now smell so bad. Info: (207) 865-4761, www.llbean.com