Another gear question for the PW experts: Wondering what people have found for a good portage shoe. I'm looking for the 'perfect' shoe for canoeing in the BWCAW and Quetico (with my big feet I can't wear anything but a sock in my kayak!!). In my opinion the perfect portage shoe/boot should: - have good ankle support to prevent injuries on portage trail (mid or high top) - be comfortable to wear all day - dry VERY quickly - I prefer wet foot landings so would be nice if my shoes dried fast - need not be waterproof (because of above point) An all nylon, hightop running shoe would seem to be perfect! Would seem that leather wouldn't dry very fast. Almost wondering if the old canvas Converse hightops might not be a good choice!! :o) I saw some Quetico portage shoes (hightop) by Chota (link below). From the name one would suspect these are perfect and they might be!. Seems like a lot of leather in terms of drying time. Seems like I recall someone finding an inexpensive place to buy Chota brand boots in Canada?? http://store.yahoo.com/highlandsports/noname3.html At any rate, would love input from anyone with an opinion (about this!) K *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
The consistently most common answer from the experienced BWCAW veterans on the Boy Scout Northern Tier List is jungle boots. The American made Altama boots getting a strong nod over the import knock offs which have multiple stories of falling apart three days in. The argument for them is that they give good ankle support and protection over rocky portages, and dry immediately. That being said, I usually wear Teva's. > > Wondering what people have found for a good portage shoe. I'm looking for > the 'perfect' shoe for canoeing in the BWCAW and Quetico (with my big feet > I can't wear anything but a sock in my kayak!!). > In my opinion the perfect portage shoe/boot should: > - have good ankle support to prevent injuries on portage trail (mid or > high top) > - be comfortable to wear all day > - dry VERY quickly - I prefer wet foot landings so would be nice if my > shoes dried fast > - need not be waterproof (because of above point) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 27 Mar 2005 at 18:57, Keith Wrage wrote: > Wondering what people have found for a good portage shoe. I'm looking > for the 'perfect' shoe for canoeing in the BWCAW and Quetico How rough are the portages in this area and how much load do you carry? There's a difference between carrying all your gear and the canoe in one go and saving your body and doing several portages with a some gear or only the canoe on each "lap". > opinion the perfect portage shoe/boot should: - have good ankle > support to prevent injuries on portage trail (mid or high top) I'm not enthusiastic about high top footgear for ankle support. In general, an ankle bandage with a low top will provide better support than an arbitrarily made high top. Some high top footwear will protect from abrasion etc, but not really protect the joint from strain. You'd have to get into some pretty heavy-duty footwear to get serious ankle protection. > An all nylon, hightop running shoe would seem to be perfect! Would > seem that leather wouldn't dry very fast. Almost wondering if the old > canvas Converse hightops might not be a good choice!! :o) Based on my above comments, I'd say no. In fact, you might be better off with an ankle support that you can slip on (Tensor) and a really good low hiking shoe - the fancier-than-a-running-shoe kind from a name brand. A good outer sole will prevent you from slipping and rotating and that will be safer than a poorer sole with a high top. I wouldn't expect that kind of performance from a shoe made for a basketball court - they only have to deal with flat wood floors. A cross-country running shoe would be better than a regular running shoe, but there's little $ saving over a decent hiking shoe. You'll improve your odds by keeping the weight down - like two loads or more for gear and one for canoe. This is fine for shorter portages, but time consuming for longer ones. > I saw some Quetico portage shoes (hightop) by Chota (link below). They look pretty decent from the photo. You'd have to inspect them in person to be sure. There's a lot to be said for a shoe that's made for wet conditions - slipping on rock can end a canoe trip fast. > recall someone finding an inexpensive place to buy Chota brand boots > in Canada?? MEC sells a clone of the basic Chota mukluk, but that's the low end of the Chota line. They don't have anything that matches the top end Chota paddling footwear. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
My favorite portage "shoe" is the Teva sandal. It doesn't meet your requirement for ankle support, but I'm not convinced that so-called ankle support has any benefit for normally healthy, strong ankles. However, I may be biased because I have a special problem: High, close-fitting, restrictive boot tops aggravate an old skiing sprain to the point that my right ankle swells and becomes extremely painful. Add to that 6-1/2 EEEEE-size feet with high insteps and narrow heels, and few boots fit me well anyway. So when Tevas came on on the market, they were a god-send. I portaged 100-pound loads many a rod through mud and over broken rock in those sandals and never had a problem. But I always watched my step! I even stopped bringing additional footwear with me other than wool socks and Goretex oversocks to keep the bugs and rain off in camp. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> From:cholst_at_bitstream.net > > My favorite portage "shoe" is the Teva sandal. It doesn't meet your After the first hour my Tevas were driving me mad -- they kept getting caught, bound, and tangled with my seasock. There are too many ridges and edges on them, and of course that sticky rubber I guess. I replaced them with some Teva ?slippers? -- the types of things a scuba diver would wear, but low cut, not high above the ankle. They work great, although I am not portaging canoes through mountain passes, I'm paddling in the equatorial sun.... *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Chuck posted (snip): >My favourite portage "shoe" is the Teva sandal. It doesn't meet your >requirement for ankle support, but I'm not convinced that so-called >anklesupport has any benefit for normally healthy, strong ankles. < Not sure how true this is, but a friend of mine who has paddled for years with Tevas, claims they contribute to fallen arches. Doug Lloyd (who just adopted a rescue Jack Russell cross yesterday, so can't go gnarly storm paddling tonight) Victoria BC *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Wednesday 30 March 2005 04.06, Doug Lloyd wrote: > 2005-03-30 04.06 > > Chuck posted (snip): > >My favourite portage "shoe" is the Teva sandal. It doesn't meet your > >requirement for ankle support, but I'm not convinced that so-called > >anklesupport has any benefit for normally healthy, strong ankles. < > > Not sure how true this is, but a friend of mine who has paddled for years > with Tevas, claims they contribute to fallen arches. The eternal debate if arch support is good for your feet or not. A natural effect of aging is that the arches fall, slowly but surely. But if you normally use no arch support, and you haven't been born with fallen arches, like yours truely, the muscles and tendons in the feet are used to function without support, thus a shoe with arch support can be dangerous, as then the muscles will relax! On the other hand, if they get support normally, using a shoe with no, or little arch support, can lead to damage. So, my advise is to use similar shoes, if possible! > Doug Lloyd (who just adopted a rescue Jack Russell cross yesterday, so > can't go gnarly storm paddling tonight) Here's a shoulder is misbehaving, so no paddling under any circumstances :-(! Tord *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Not sure how true this is, but a friend of mine who has paddled for years > with Tevas, claims they contribute to fallen arches. I've never heard that before, but then I have super arches, which I guess goes with the high insteps and short feet. So, neither ankle support nor arch support for me -- I just go natural. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/30/2005 10:03:23 AM Pacific Standard Time, cholst_at_bitstream.net writes: > Not sure how true this is, but a friend of mine who has paddled for years > with Tevas, claims they contribute to fallen arches. Duane wrote: I have fallen arches, and because of it, I need a sandal with good arch support, or else my arches, knees and lower back hurts. I used Teva sandals in the past, but their soles are made of EVA foam, which is nice and soft but quickly breaks down and wears out. For the last several years, I've used Chaco sandals, and their soles are made of a polyurethane, which isn't as soft as EVA, but they last much, much longer. Also, some of the Chaco models have excellent arch support, which is rarely found in a sport sandal. I agree with Duane that Chaco's can have better support than Teva's if you purchase the correct model. I think they raise the profile inside the cockpit too much for myself and the boats I choose to padedle so I stick with Teva's. I have returned from a paddling trip in Costa Rica where it was my only footwear for paddling and light hiking. Additionally, I have used the Teva for long beach and trail hikes in the tropics with no adverse effects. I have big flat tough feet and racked up probably 10 miles in them once on the trail. They offer zero snake protection, but then again the original poster was worried about BOWCA, not the tropics. I doubt that they contribute to fallen arches, for that information I'd consult a podiatrist. Rob G Sasquatch Lives! *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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