Best Water / Boat Shoes.

[Marcio Paes]

Hi Guys,

I have tried many water shoes to use at the fishing boat.

Some are reasonable.

But many shoes are not practical at expedition because they remain wet or don’t dry very fast (a problem when you are living aboard or fishing for multiple days). Some of then don’t have a good fit, nor a secure grip at boat, or dont protect your feet from the sun, or get a bad smell very fast. etc.

I saw some news and I want to ask if someone had some experience with “Vibran Fivefingers KSO” water shoes?

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_KSO_m.cfm

What are you guys using? Do you know a perfect one?

PS: Must mention that I just don’t like Crocks.

Thanks in advance,

Marcio.

[Chuen Fan]

Brandon wears those, I call em super cool high grip shoes!

[Jamie Moir]

I'm using a pair too. I quite like them, the grip is good, the only slight issue is that the uppers are pretty lightweight. Mine got a tear already along the edge of the fabric upper/plastic lower on the outer edge of one foot.

[Chris Young]

Guy's these chinese safety shoes have been out for ages  .............much cheaper too !

Good thing is the upper (sock) is easily changed when stinky  or wet 

I have never seen the fivefinger thingies but I would be worried about catching one toe and breaking it.

[Mario Benedict]

I've got these

have had them for 3-4 years now.

More grippy and looks better than Crocs.
Dries pretty quick too.

[Greg Burt]

The 'looks better' bit is in the eye off the beholder 

[Peter Childs]

I'm a croc man, went acorss to the AC's shown above for a while, they definately give better heal support, but they weathered pretty quick.  Now back to the crocs again.

One thing I find with the crocs though, once the tread wears down a bit, they become as slippery as all %$&K - particularly at the boat ramp, got the odd bruised shin and tail bone to show for it!

PS I really like the Tiger suntan you get with the AC's compared to the leapord skin print from the Crocs.

[Mark Harris]

2 dollar flip flops or bare feet  .

[Greg Burt]

Used to be into the Shimano Evair's and still like them, but now into the 'Crocs' and some 'NothinZ' I picked up in NZ which have lasted 18 months.

[mark gaal]

X2 for the ACs, had some of the mesh shimano ones that got destroyed last trip to Fiji, comfortable enough but didn;t like the tropics one bit, chaseing cattle up hill and dale  didn't help either I'm guessing .

[Andre van Wyk]

I wear SImms Flats Sneakers, the ones designed for wading the flats, flyfishing I guess...
I've got a 5 year old pair of the orginal ones that have been through hell and back and are still kicking.... I've trekked the outer atolls of the seychelles with them, which is pure hell on any shoe, and since used them for fishing rock & surf, hiking into isolated high mountain creeks and streams to chase trout, and out chasing Yellwofin in the canyons... they are pretty toasted now, after 5 years of abuse, but the soles are still perfect... the uppers are ripped to shreds, but for 5 years of wear, I've been hell of a impressed...

My reasoning for wearing a full lightweight boot rather than sandals etc? I've seen what a 5/0 treble in a foot looks like.... and I've seen what a rolled ankle looks like after tripping on a boat... I've also seen what a stubbed toe looks like when kciking a fishbox in a moment of haste.... All these things can completely ruin a days fishing, or a fishing trip...

The added protection of a heavy soul, and ankle support goes a long way in my books....


I would prefer to just fish barefoot of course, feels so much better... but I don't fish enough to risk messing up a trip by getting a damaged foot...

[Jon Li]

Sperry Topsider sandals onboard is for me but Crocs when wading in the freshwater river bed full of stones .

Jon .

[Greg Burt]

Mark, I found those Shimano mesh shoes comfy but also very smelly after a days wear

Andre, I was fascinated by those wading shoes the guys were wearing on the videos of the Seychelles you sent me a couple of years back, they looked different but practical 

[Darren Cook]

Anyone tried the Varivas deck shoes that were around a couple of years back?

Pretty exxy unless you're Kozo Okubo. (sponsored).

[Mark Harris]

I amazed Fisherman do not offer a pair of re-badged Crocs at $1,000 per pair.... .