Crocs (the shoes, not the animals)

[Conan The Librarian]

I needed a new pair of wading shoes and wanted to try something different. I tried a pair of "crocs", those incredibly ugly hideous geek shoes. Fortunately they are available in unobtrusive tan now.
 
Yes, they look stupid. No I do not wear them in public, only when fishing.
 
But they are really excellent wading shoes in areas where gravel is not an issue. This means they make good beach shoes, and good shoes for anyplace where you're wading on a sandy bottom.
 
They dry quickly and are easy to slip on and off. Overall these are the best wading shoes I've used.
 
They would be no good on a marl or gravel bottom because the gravel gets between your foot and the sole and it won't come out until you remove the shoe.

[Poopers]

How is traction? My wife loves her crocs but says they are slippery when wet.


I wade in a rocky river at least 4 days a week, right now I have a cheap pair of water shoes..but next season Im going to get a pair of these: [size=78%]http://www.rei.com/product/796831/keen-newport-sandals-mens[/size]


I have always hated sandals but for my application I think they are ideal, ESPECIALLY this closed toe model

[Old Fart]

I wear crocs almost everyday. They have some that are quite tolerable visually. I wear them because they are as comfortable or more so as anything out there and priced reasonable when bought on sale.
My first exposure was backpacking. Some guys were using them as camp shoe. Comfortable and extremely lightwieght. I carried a pair on the outside of my pack for years.

[jhm]

     I have a 15 yr. old grandson who wears them all the time, and I mean all the time, it has to be real cold outside for him to not be in a pair, me if wading in the water I just wear a old pair of tennis shoes until the water get cold then the Mucks and if deep the Orvis neapreme chest waters come out of storage.   Jim

[redboot612]

I just bought a pair and I'm using them as house shoes...

[Dee]

I'm not even sure what they are.

[Bigeasy]

Its funny, I went out to CT last year for a good friends birthday.  He was upset (cant use the language here) because his ex wife got him a pair of "Crocs", purple and lime green.  You have to know this guy - Real men wear jeans and cowboy boots, no exception.
 
Went by his place this summer, and of course he was wearing his Crocs, couldn't say enough good about them.  This guy makes me look small, and has a short fuse to boot, so I guess the boys don't say much about them weird shoes....
 
Larry

[Scibaer]

they started out as foot wear in the prison systems.
you'd never catch me wearing them for any reason.

[Conan The Librarian]

Old Fart, hey that should be my handle...


You're in luck. I may very well be the world's leading authority on wading footwear because I've tried a lot of styles and have strong opinions about all of them.


Also to Poopers question first: The traction depends on what you're walking on. If its sandy orlike a lake bottom or beach, they are fabulous, but traction isnt much of an issue. They are OK on a boat deck, about the same as conventional deck shoes. It is a smooth rubber, so i think some surfaces are going to be a problem. I know they are popular in some professional kitchens, so they must be reasonably safe on things like kitchen floor.


Back to Old Fart and the question about rocky rivers. No, no,no!!! Bad! No good! For fishing rocky bottomed rivers, the best combination i have found, bar none, is the studded wading sandal. I use the Hodgman sandals like the one in the link below. Instead of a boot i wear cheap water shoes simmilar to sperry canvas slip on topsiders. The sandals make it possible to wade slippery rocks like driving a tank. You put your water shoes on, then lace the sandals over them. They are just fantastic. Even algae covered rocks in smallmouth and warmish trout streams are very wadable with these metal studded sandals. Let me know if this doesn't answer your question. I think hodgman sells the studs separately so you might be able to add them to the shoes you are considering.i



http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/hodgman-xxhodgman-gladiator-carbide-spike-wading-sandal-disc-reviews

[Conan The Librarian]

Dee, a picture cannot be shown here because this is, after all, a family forum. Just google crocs shoes.

[Dee]

I did, and I already have a pair. I just didn't know somethin that ugly had a name. Their good for washin the cars and the bike.

[bilmac]

My neighbor pulled in from a several day elk hunt wearing those things. PINK. He ain't never going to live that down.

[Conan The Librarian]

They make them in camo or tan now. They are at least somewhat masculine that way. Did your elk hunting friend get the matching purse?

[twoshooter]

They ARE butt ugly, they are also very comfortable and extremely light. They don't work well for me when wet, but I keep them next to the door for anytime I need to run out in the yard and back. My grandson out grew his and left them here, that is how I came to try them.

[Sourdough]

I have a brown pair, a camo pair, a pair with leather uppers, and a pair of flip flops.  Love them for indoor wear.  After a little wear they get as slick as snot on wet surfaces and in light mud.  I would never try them for wading.  The fall I took a month ago that laid me up for two weeks, I was wearing a pair of Crocks.  It was raining and the dirt road was wet and slick.  If I had put on my New Balance I would not have fallen.  Never, never try wearing them in snow.  I've watched both my wife and son go down in snow with Crocks on.

[Old Fart]

Here's a pic of the ones I have on today.

Not the most NYC stylish but acceptable for where I work. Also this particular style have a better sole with tread that actually grips.
 
Conan: I think you confused me with someone else. 

[Sourdough]

Will say they are great for my heel spurs.

[Conan The Librarian]

From your earlier description, they may also make dandy ice skates, as is.
 
One thing about them as wading shoes is that they float. If you do need to remove it for some reason while wading, it will pop right up to the surface.

[Mxpe78a]

I have a brown pair, a camo pair, a pair with leather uppers, and a pair of flip flops.  Love them for indoor wear.  After a little wear they get as slick as snot on wet surfaces and in light mud.  I would never try them for wading.  The fall I took a month ago that laid me up for two weeks, I was wearing a pair of Crocks.  It was raining and the dirt road was wet and slick.  If I had put on my New Balance I would not have fallen.  Never, never try wearing them in snow.  I've watched both my wife and son go down in snow with Crocks on.

I have a pair made for the snow they are great. Even good on ice.


Got my first pair about 2 years ago. Don't wear anything else.

[Sourdough]

Have not seen a pair made for snow.  If they make them why don't they send them to Fairbanks?

[Mxpe78a]

Have not seen a pair made for snow.  If they make them why don't they send them to Fairbanks?

Don't have any idea. The soles are very rough, kinda like a rasp, and stiff and the top and sides are non vented. They are the best snow and ice shoes I have.

[KIMBER45]

How is traction? My wife loves her crocs but says they are slippery when wet.


I wade in a rocky river at least 4 days a week, right now I have a cheap pair of water shoes..but next season Im going to get a pair of these: [size=78%]http://www.rei.com/product/796831/keen-newport-sandals-mens[/size]


I have always hated sandals but for my application I think they are ideal, ESPECIALLY this closed toe model

That's what I use. they are excellent. I use them for wading and kayaking. For very slippery bottoms or algae covered jetties ,I attach a pair of Korkers.http://www.tackledirect.com/korkers-casttrax-fishing-overshoe.html