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Hey everyone!
Thanksgiving week, 2 friends and I will be embarking on our first Fall trip into the Park. We've been discussing the necessary gear and I would like to know if anybody has any thoughts on rain boots for the Portages. I've been on half a dozen trips into the AP backcountry in the last 3 summers and 85% of the time I am barefoot from the access point, through the portages to our campsites. Seeing as how we may face some cooler weather, more (cold) mud and possibly more rain, I thought a pair of rain boots could come in handy. I'm not really looking to invest in a pair of hiking boots and the rain boots will surely do a better job of keeping my feet DRY. Not to mention, easy to put on and take off.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!
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We wear rubber boots in the spring. At that time of year the water is cold enough that I really want to keep my feet dry. With a couple of pairs of wool socks and a fairly snug fit the rubber boots work pretty well.
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Great! Thank you!
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You might want to look into neoprene hunting boots. Very similar to rubber boots but with a bit more tread and a little bit more support. I use them spring summer and fall. Like Rob said, just add socks as needed.
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Be carefull with rubber boots or neoprene boots. I have tried many times to wear regular rubber boots and two things always happen. 1 my feet are protected from outside moisture but the boots traps moisture from my feet and my feet still get damp. 2 like a pair of winter boots that are too tight or ill fitting, ill fitting rubber boots can rertict blood flow, make you feet fall asleep, compress your socks, push on certain parts of you foot, etc.... and even if your feet are dry they can still get cold.
I have friends that love them, but I have yet to have success. However, the ones with removable liners look like they would be better than regular ones.
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AND heavy, AND fill with water, awkward on portages, etc. etc.
I switched to neoprene socks that I can wear in any footwear, including light water shoes or trail runners. Sometimes I wear liner socks underneath for warmth and more comfort, but not really necessary.
I wear them with no shoes while in the boat, sometimes the same at camp and then on the portage trail, I wear them inside my light-weight hiking boots. In the canoe, my feet stay dry but my knees and feet don't cramp like they do if I wear shoes or boots while kneeling. If it's steady rain, I wear drypants with intregrated feet, and they too fit inside my Merrel Moab hiking boots.
I wish I'd though of this system years ago!
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Rain boots scare the crap out of me when canoeing! Either you have to take them off when entering the boat, and put them on to exit, or run the risk of entrapment under the seat if you flip. They are also impossible to swim with, and will hold enough water that they can prevent you from climbing out of the water on anythigh steeper than a gently sloping beach or rock. For spring and fall I wear neoprene socks and wading boots( fishermen wear them over stocking foot waders) They act like a hiker, but are designed to drain very quickly. Some have a felt sole which grip rock like a magnet but are slippery on mud, others have a cleated rubber sole designed to dig in and grip muddy banks.
lots of people use neoprene socks and old running shoes (punched full of holes for drainage) and are quite happy with them
Last edited by scoutergriz (9/08/2015 11:58 am)
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Wool socks make a big difference to keeping feet dry and warm. Cotton socks not so much.
When kneeling, my feet are rarely under the seat as I'll be kneeling in front of the seat with my butt resting on the front edge of the seat. That makes for a lower centre of gravity. Regardless, I would say that rubber boots are certainly no worse than hiking boots in terms of bulk.
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Rob; when you're kneeling,your heels are usually directly under your butt. So if you fall forward ( from the sudden deceleration like in a roll or swamping), your legs will normally slide back driving your heels under the edge of the seat. with large, stiff, and bulky boots on, they can then jam under the front rail of the seat.
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Chota boots are my go to boot for cold weather. Neoprene with a waterproof layer.
When you fall out your body twists laterally and so do your feet. Unless you have square feet that are more than nine inches wide entrapment ought not to be an issue.
Have you all done a practice capsize with a rescuer at hand so you can have some actual experience at how your body and wardrobe acts?
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do it every year at a pool session I run for beginning paddlers, you'd be surprised at how many trap their feet with boots on
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I use LL Bean Maine boots for the whole paddling season, just vary the thickness of the socks. They're waterproof (10" high), and fit really well as the leather wears in (and they lace up) - so I think they're better than rubber boots in this regard. They dry quickly when wet as they're made of leather and rubber with no insulation (that's where the wool socks come in).
The key is bringing three pairs of wool socks, two thin ones and one thick pair. The thin socks dry quickly and I wear one pair while the other dries. The thick socks are downright luxurious (soft, warm, cushiony). :D
Cheers,
Marko
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