Paddling Shoes & foot-rest distances

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Paddling Shoes & foot-rest distances

(17 posts) (9 voices)

Started 7 years ago by Wingkeel
Latest reply from feralcat

Tags:

shoes crocks keens keen crock

Wingkeel
Member

What kind of shoe do you wear when you paddle? I've been paddling barefoot but the hard suface is murder on my heel-bone. Also, how do you keep you're knees from beginning to ache aft er a few hours. Where should the foot-rests be positioned. I've tried long, short and in between and nothing seems to be "just-right". I've looked in my four keyak books and they are all pretty vague about distances. is there a "prefered" distance based on leg-length or iis it a matter of personal preference and experiences over time?

I'm going to try Crocks next and see if that does the trick. Not only are they waterproof but they are antifungal and antibacterial as well. What about hard-soled neoprene booties. My only worry there is if I get water in them, my feet will stay wet for hours. I also thought about deck-shoes but they are either canvas and may not last long or leather, in which case they'll get hard and crusty after they dry.

Posted 7 years ago #
feralcat
Blocked

Wingkeel, I was a big perponent of paddling barefoot till my mishap during last years EC (stepped out of my kayak into oyster ridden mud). there are a couple of things you can do; 1. paddle with shoes, I have a hybred type of crocs that have a full heel (bought a walmart) or 2. use some closed cell foam paddling (cut from a sleeping mat) and glue it down where you feet rest. For the knees I use my closed cell sleeping mat rolled up as a thigh riser inside the cockpit. I like it and it can be rolled into an number of positions during a long paddle to give your knees some relief. Play with the position of you foot pegs, as you get more comfortable you will be able to adjust them on the fly during your paddles. BTW if you do go with option 2 and pad the deck where you feet go remember: NEVER GET OUT OF YOUR BOAT in unfamilar territory.

Cheers, FeralCat

Posted 7 years ago #
feralcat
Blocked

Let me add to: THE NEVER GET OUT OF THE BOAT IN UN FAMILAR TERRITORY WITHOUT SHOES ON YOUR FEET!

Posted 7 years ago #
Wingkeel
Member

FeralCat, after ten-years in the Army, I'm a stickler for taking care of my feet before my stomach. I can go hungry for a week without any ill effects beside loss of energy but mess up my feet and I'm stuck, pun intended. What I've used in the past was Teva's which have worked really well for me except in deep mud. They aren't the best protection but they do protect the soles of my feet. I could install a type of heal on the tevas but they don't fit in the cockpit because of their length while a standard shoe fits fine. I'm leaning heavily toward the full-heel crocks from Walmart you mentioned. I did a 30-page report on Crock's for my Master's thesis in Business Management and like the company.

I've been first-responder at two mishaps so far since I've been in Florida and both times it was Oyster Bed issues causing heavy bleeding. Both times it was superficial wounds that looked like they were bleeding to death but it was all appearances. The first boat looked like someone had slaughtered a goat in it. A small amount of blood looks like a "LOT OF BLOOD" but in actuality is less than a quarter cup or so. The pain is the big thing and once the throbbing starts, the imagination begins to run wild unless someone is there to talk them down and get them calmed enough to bring their heart-rate down out of the Stratosphere, which is easier than it sounds. Me? I don't want any part of puncturing my foot with nails, oyster shells or anything else, so the chicken part of me will ensure I cover appropriately, especially after your post!

We'll see what the rest of the tribe has to say on the subject before I go buying a dozen different types of footwear, but the full-heel Crock's are looking real good.

Posted 7 years ago #
Wingkeel
Member

Wingkeel wrote:

FeralCat, after ten-years in the Army, I'm a stickler for taking care of my feet before my stomach. I can go hungry for a week without any ill effects beside loss of energy but mess up my feet and I'm stuck, pun intended. What I've used in the past was Teva's which have worked really well for me except in deep mud. They aren't the best protection but they do protect the soles of my feet. I could install a type of heal on the tevas but they don't fit in the cockpit because of their length while a standard shoe fits fine. I'm leaning heavily toward the full-heel crocks from Walmart you mentioned. I did a 30-page report on Crock's for my Master's thesis in Business Management and like the company.

I've been first-responder at two mishaps so far since I've been in Florida and both times it was Oyster Bed issues causing heavy bleeding. Both times it was superficial wounds that looked like they were bleeding to death but it was all appearances. The first boat looked like someone had slaughtered a goat in it. A small amount of blood looks like a "LOT OF BLOOD" but in actuality is less than a quarter cup or so. The pain is the big thing and once the throbbing starts, the imagination begins to run wild unless someone is there to talk them down and get them calmed enough to bring their heart-rate down out of the Stratosphere, which is easier than it sounds. Both times I was fishing in my 16' Tarpon and happened on the scene after the fact. I don't carry a full first-aid kit but I do have enough handy for smallish issues. Anything life-threatening and a first-aid kit probably won't surfices as well as a larger piece of material and a belt to keep the pressure on. I never leave the house without my trusty neckerchiefs, which I think are about the best large bandage you can carry becuase it's so versatile. Me? I don't want any part of puncturing my foot with nails, oyster shells or anything else, so the chicken part of me will ensure I cover appropriately, especially after your post!

We'll see what the rest of the tribe has to say on the subject before I go buying a dozen different types of footwear, but the full-heel Crock's are looking real good.

Posted 7 years ago #
SaltwaterJunkie
Member

Take a look at Keen sandals. http://www.keenfootware.com That what I use when canoeing, fishing or just hanging out. They are by far the best boating shoes I've used. The olny problem, that is if you consider it a problem and many women will is, the funky suntan pattern on your feet. Tight lines... Pete

Posted 7 years ago #
SaltwaterJunkie
Member

SaltwaterJunkie wrote:

Take a look at Keen sandals. http://www.keenfootware.com That what I use when canoeing, fishing or just hanging out. They are by far the best boating shoes I've used. The olny problem, that is if you consider it a problem and many women will is, the funky suntan pattern on your feet.

There is also a foam padding product called Seadek that is easy on your feet, heals and easy to install. http://www.seadek.com Tight lines... Pete

Posted 7 years ago #
TreeTop
Member

I wore these Helly Hansons last year for the UM. I love them for kayaking because they are snug, but not frustratingly snug like the toe shoes (five fingers) I have worn in other races. Easy on and off, good drainage, super light and strong soles.

Posted 7 years ago #
TreeTop
Member

I wore these Helly Hansons last year for the UM. I love them for kayaking because they are snug, but not frustratingly snug like the toe shoes (five fingers) I have worn in other races. Easy on and off, good drainage, super light and strong soles.

Posted 7 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

I've used my crocs constantly for shorter rows and paddles, and would not do an EC without them. But in an EC they are my camp shoes, I worry about their being soft (foot pegs started to hurt), not breathing, and collecting sand.

Tried the finger shoes but what a pain to get on, and get some sand in - forget it!

For rowing I had great results with low-rise water boots with a hard sole.
But no good heel, so for kayaking I switched to Ahnu sandals and loved them - more breathable than crocs for sure.
With both water shoes and sandals, the key for me was using hiking sock liners. This prevented chafing but still allowed breath ability and drying, and after a few days my paddling partner was a convert.

Posted 7 years ago #
FalconSails
Member

Previous to getting involved with the water tribe, my paddles days where mostly all under 20 miles. Then I went with neoprene booties with solid soles. Unless you wear a dry suit, they are completely wrong for paddling the EC. That would be nasty.

So I went with standard keen sandals. They were great.
Though after 2 days the minor rubbing points, became an irritation.
After 3 days it was becoming a problem.

It takes me a really long time to change what I wear, what boat I use, what paddle I use etc. That is one of the beauties of the water tribe events. You will find holes in your plan, and will make decisions much faster than usual.

At the Marco inlet I decided to try my Crocks, which I had on hand as my camp shoes. Right away, I liked the way they felt. They were amazing. The down side is they could easily be lost if you go for a swim, or if you are walking in muck or the dreaded oyster bars. The other down side for me is they started to hurt my feet after some days of paddling.

So now my plan is to do the same thing. I will use my Keens until I notice some discomfort, and then switch over to the crocks at my next landing. Then switch back to the keens after a half day or so. I think this will work nicely, and will provide some versatility.

Posted 7 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Wear thin liner socks inside your Keens. It works. Quick drying type used as liners for hiking.

Posted 7 years ago #
CleanSlate
Member

In the OkoumeFest race back in May (which took me 4 days and quite a bit of paddling) I started out wearing some water shoes but the pressure points started getting to my heels after a couple of days. I have also had similar problems with wearing my camp crocks in the cockpit for two or more days at a time in earlier trips. In the OkoumeFest, I ended up using the boots that I would normally use over my dry-suit booties. I wore them with some spare socks (and got the socks a bit wet after a while) but didn't care because my feet were happy with the relief from the pressure points of my other shoes. The moral of the story is that what can work fine for a 20 mile paddle may not work well after a couple of days. It is good to have some options of other footwear to use if necessary later on in the trip. Padding is good.

Posted 7 years ago #
OysterSlayer
Member

The foot thing is by far my biggest comfort issue.

The only size 12 shoe I can fit in my Raven is some form of thin water shoe. I wore NRS mens paddle wet shoe

http://www.nrs.com/product/23071/nrs-mens-paddle-wetshoe-closeout

for the UM2013 and was feet wet from the beginning. After 13-14 hours of leg pumping I had huge blisters on both feet, with the worst being on my left. I am still searching for the perfect long distance multi day solution. I am currently using a speedo water shoe along with moisture control short socks as a liner. I would not want to get in mud with them since they are low cut and offer no ancle protection. I am planning on using the NRS's with a sock liner for cold weather and something like the Helly Hansons or speedos also with a liner. The nice feature with the Speedos is they have a comfortable and well fitting heel cup.

Posted 7 years ago #
KayakVagabond
Member

For daytrips I often go barefoot, but not for the EC. The problem with a lot of water shoes and barefoot shoes is that sand gets inside easily, can't get out, and can shred your toes.

My current shoe of choice is the Astral Brewer's water shoe . Not much sand enters but that which does can usually be flushed out easily via a "Silt Dump" at the heel. I have been impressed with them. I have had to remove the shoes to remove some small pebbles and shells, but sand, which previously was my biggest issue, has not been a problem. I don't currently use these shoes with my ruddered kayaks, so can't yet advise on the feel for "gas-pedal" systems.

Shoes usually aren't the entire solution. I HATE postage-stamp sized Yakima and other footrests that are not ergonomic (not angled, too small) and don't let you move your feet to have heels together to promote good torso rotation. A more supportive footrest, or padding the footrest or heel contact points can be a great help. Both Minicell foam and "eggshell" sleeping pad material like the Thermarest Z-rest, is popular material for padding.

Greg Stamer

Posted 7 years ago #
Wingkeel
Member

Oysterslayer, I have the same problems with my size-12 feet. Even barefoot, I don't have a lot or room but enough, I think for thinnish shoes like the Astral Berwer's Water Shoe. The heal-dump might be just enough to let me wear them while also being able to move my feet positions wherever I want.

I'm having another related problem in that when I try to paddle without the rudder, the kayak tends to skew one way or another. I'm sure it's the way I'm sitting or something I haven't figured out yet but it means my feet never leave the pedals even to rest them cross legged.

I feel like at this stage, I'm going to have to pay for provate lessons so I don't get into too many bad habits. It's much easier to prevent bad habits than to change them after the fact.

Posted 7 years ago #
feralcat
Blocked

Foot size is a issue, I wear size 13 shoes for the most part. Last year in addition to slicing up my feet I had blisters on the top of my big toes where the rubbed againg the underside of the deck.

Wingkeel the slewing of your kayak me be caused by your paddle stroke. Pay attention to where you paddle is exiting the water, it should be at your hip.

Cheers, FeralCat

Posted 7 years ago #

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