----- Original Message ----- From: "PeterO" <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>> > As springtime approaches and with the recent posts on "stinky boots" I was > wondering about sandals. Someone once told me they were hazardous and could > trap a kayaker in a boat if they caught in the foot pedals. > > Are sandals appropriate foot gear or are they a real hazard? Oh no, the ole trapped sandal hazard! I agree with Rick of Poquoson, VA. You need to worry about any shoe form that could snag. But there is another side of the issue and that is the nature and shape of your pedals or bracing point and if you are using a sea sock or not. By and large foldables do not have pedals or their pedals are not like those on hardshells. For example, it would be extremely difficult to get a sandal caught on a Feathercraft pedal. It is not a flat piece of plastic but rather a three dimensional wedge. Any strap that would start slipping on to it would only get a quarter of a half inch on to the Feathercraft paddle and would not be like having a spatula slip under the sandal strap or between your foot and the sandal footbed. As for sandals some are worse than others. The standard Teva has just too much distance between straps attaching your foot to the footbed and thus invites a pedal to get well caught between foot and sandal. The Alps type sandal made by Teva these days offers little for the pedal to sneak under. Chacos are also good for the same reason. So in answer to your question, Tevas and standard foot pedals could mean entrapment. But so too can other things, say paddling pants whose velcro cuffs are on loose. Take the advice of a local club here, the Paddling Bares, i.e. go naked! :-) ralph diaz *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Aug 26 2002 - 14:47:14 PDT
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