shoes for wet rocks?

[Kevin Coppalotti]

Anyone found good footwear for scrambling along wet slippery rocky creeks? sometimes in the water sometimes along the creek bank, sometimes rock hopping.

I tried a pair of old sneakers, just way too slippery. Google has turned up a variety of 'water shoes', another possibility might be 'trail running ' shoes.
I don't have to travel huge distances, maybe 2-3 km taking pics with a tripod



--
Kevin Coppalotti
http://maxhr.zenfolio.com/

 

[Norm Neely]

I don't have to travel huge distances, maybe 2-3 km taking pics with a tripod

Boat deck shoes might work ok for short hikes.

On long hikes the softer rubber soles would not last as long. But they would be a lot safer than regular rubber soles.

http://au.shopping.com/shoes/sh-shoe-types-boat-shoes/products
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Norm

 

[Norm Neely]

Anyone found good footwear for scrambling along wet slippery rocky creeks? sometimes in the water sometimes along the creek bank, sometimes rock hopping.

Ps. Now that sounds very dangerous. You might want to consider boat deck shoes with sipes (like winter tires have) in the rubber soles for even better gripping.

They would wear faster than regular deck shoes but safety first.
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Norm

 

[dsjtecserv]

Salomon Tech Amphibians, if you can find them; they may be discontinued. They have become my all-purpose, three-season hiking shoes. I can wade through a stream and walk out the other side without missing a step, and just keep on going. Using them I routinely wade into streams and swamps for pictures without having to worry about compromising my feet for the rest of the day. They are very lightweight, mesh shoes designed to drain quickly and dry while you walk. Combined with light socks (I like smart wool liner socks) they do dry quickly; combined with GoreTex socks I have even used them in snow!

The tread has a pretty good gripping pattern for general purpose hiking, and the composition grips wet rocks reasonably well. They aren't the stickiest shoes I've had for streams, but they aren't bad, and the soles will last a lot longer than softer rubber.

Dave
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http://www.pbase.com/dsjtecserv

 

[nickoly]

I see you live in God's Own. If you are anywhere on the coast try a fishing tackle strore. Rock hoppers typically use a cheap pair of sandles which let the water out as fast as it gets in, and screw-on steel sawtooth cleats.

Anyone found good footwear for scrambling along wet slippery rocky creeks?
I don't have to travel huge distances, maybe 2-3 km taking pics with a tripod

 

[Birch_Tree]

Check out the footwear sold for fly fishing. The main sole used is felt which offers excellent grip on most surfaces (wet grass being the exception) although can be lacking in durability, these also a range of rubber soles with or without studs.

As a keen angler I have tried quite a range of different footwear and the specialized boots do offer the best grip in most cases. Basketball Boots also offer good grip, because the soles are soft and quite sticky. But they are not designed to be worn in water so the stitching might fail rather quickly or they could trap water and become heavy to wear.

 

[Ron Poelman]

available from most high fashion outlets, like Kmart or surf shops.
Neoprene body wih cleaty/grippy soles. Cheap.
Virtually a slip-on, people use them for rock pool snooping.

Big problem is ankle protection in case you do slip off something.
Better to have true Euro waterproof hiking boots, not cheap, but.
Commercial gum boots with non-slip soles, are a thought too.
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[Kevin Coppalotti]

Thanks everyone, plenty of good info for further research. I just could not believe how slippery those rocks are.
--
Kevin Coppalotti
http://maxhr.zenfolio.com/

 

[aardvark7]

Do bear in mind that often it is not the shoe and its composition affecting the 'slipperiness', but the moss and weeds that grow on the rocks.

There is nothing on Earth that will hold on to such surfaces without being able to spike through it and even then the rock underneath is often too hard and smooth to gain purchase.

It is a well known effect where the safer you feel, the more risk you take, so please do bear it in mind if the footwear you get gives you confidence about your footing!
--
2011 : My new year's resolution -
To be positive, not negative.
To help, not to hinder.
To praise, not to criticise.

 

[Norm Neely]

Do bear in mind that often it is not the shoe and its composition affecting the 'slipperiness', but the moss and weeds that grow on the rocks.

There is nothing on Earth that will hold on to such surfaces without being able to spike through it and even then the rock underneath is often too hard and smooth to gain purchase.

It is a well known effect where the safer you feel, the more risk you take, so please do bear it in mind if the footwear you get gives you confidence about your footing!

+1 Very good advice.
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Norm