Yosemite Forum

Anybody have suggestions on a shoe/sandal that can be used for wet wading up to mid thigh depth and also work for 3-8 mile hikes over rugged terrain? In spring a lot of creeks by me are warm enough to wet wade but I'll have to hike 3-8 miles by the end of the day, partly bouldering, rough terrain, on fairly warm days, 70-80°. I have a cheap water shoe I use now, but walking or hiking over 2-3 miles in them kills my heels and arches.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Prolly Keens, which are heavy but appear to be built like their shoes only with sandal uppers. Not many sandals have any arch support but the Keen amphibious sandals have enough to them that you could insert an orthotic of some kind.

There is a route that I routinely do that's about 2 miles, wading up a creek and often in it, where I use crocs.

A lot of hiking shoes can handle water, at least for a few miles. I would worry more about fit and comfort that hiking in the water. I've used lots of different boots and shoes over the years, and very few of them really caused problems once they got wet. Get boots that fit well. That's the main priority.

Now, hiking in wet boots will bother your feet if you do it for a long time, unless you either switch to dry socks or wear at least two pairs of good socks. The inner pair should be synthetic to wick moister away from your feet. Again, this is more of an issue over a many day hike than it is for a single day-hike.

And like AT, I've hiked a few miles in Crocs--but the trail was flat and not rocky. Rocks can chew up Crocs quicker than they chew up Vibram soles.