What kind of shoes for water hunting

[dobbratacus]

I'm not new to the hobby. Problem is I've never settled on what kind of shoe to wear detecting in the water. I've seen guys with electrical tape at the top of dive booties. Sometimes I go barefooted. Sometimes a boat shoe on one foot and bare on the other to feel for sunglasses. Sandals when in real soft silty sand. I've made do through the years but looking for something better especially for beach hunting that won't give me abrasions from a day walking in the surf and on the wet sand. If this has been discussed to death please lead me to the link. Thanks for your time.

 

[dewcon4414]

I dislike shells in my shoes. I use a high top Mares with hard bottoms and side zippers. I used to use regular dive boots, but the scoop wore the heck out of them fast and about every 4 mos i had to buy a new pair. Had this pair now a couple years. Just read the reviews on any shoe..... some you have to get a size bigger. These boots are easy to get on and off and stay tighter at the top than most ive used. You can normally catch them on sale somewhere. Ive pulled way to many lures and sharp stuff to wonder around out there barefoot. Another trick..... if a dive boots starts to tear or rubber separated......get ya some Aqua Seal works pretty good on them.

Dew

 

[OldBeechnut]

Crazy but I wear waders, in the summer. Very light weight, boot foot. no sand, no salty body coating, no sunburned lower body and when I get hot I just roll them down to my waist. Seems like I can do this in the hottest of temps because the ocean always has that nice misty breeze. And being covered on the lower body does not seem to affect me heat wise. And the deepest I hunt the ocean is between the waist and knees, no deeper. Now this is the Mid-Atlantic where temps run at most maybe 90 in Aug...And it sounds Crazy and looks strange but when treasure is involved... well I will do just about anything, that's legal.

 

[KinTN]

I'll never go barefoot on a beach again after all the fishhooks I have dung up. I usually wear some form of sandal with enclosed toes to protect them from the inevitable bumps on my scoop when underwater digging. dewcon's comment re shells in your shoes is a valid one. My sandals are loose enough to allow me to shake the extraneous shells and sand out of them (when theyre underwater).

 

[GeorgeinSC]

I use a pair of Scubapro hard soled dive boots. Two years use so far and still going strong. They are tight enough at the top that I do not get enough sand in them to be bothersome.

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah, we talk about this all the time!.....it seems to boil down to where you are hunting and how tough your feet are, etc..that said, a glass bottle bottom will shut a barefooter down right good and proper...

I hunt barefoot and have been extremely lucky....or maybe its because a guy plants his feet somewhat differently when going barefoot? I dont know...we have big sand to cover in season and theres nothing better than barefeet to to it...its a trade off...depending upon your area and tolerance...a guy should have a set of boots handy in case he gets into some real glass and trash..
Mud

 

[finnfoto]

I do the same. I wear neoprene chest waders with the neoprene feet. I just some times slip on a pair of crocks over them.

 

[Oldguy]

Swift water rescue boots. Used by fire department water rescue people. Basically a tuff boot with a neoprene wet suit sock inside. Available to the general public online.

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t

 

[dobbratacus]

Thanks for the replies. I ordered a pair of World Wide Flats Shoes from bass Pro today. They have the strap at the top with Velcro so that ought to hold out some of the sand from sifting. 30 dollars. Free shipping using code spring15.

 

[tvr]

Those World Wide Flats Shoes look a lot like high top dive boots and the price is similar. I used high top dive boots for a while until plantar fasciitis hit me and slowed me down some for the better part of a year. Changed all the footwear over to ones with better support. The waders were fine with respect to foot support, but unlike OldBeechnut, rolling them down when it is hot leaves me still too hot. I got a pair of NRS ATB Wetshoes and have been happy with them. The ATB wetshoes have better support and a good firm gripping sole on them than the high top dive boots. They are similar to the high top Mares with hard bottoms that Dew spoke of.

Good luck and be safe!
tvr

 

[roninrus1]

Hi-top tennis type shoe.
Like the old US Keds black hi-top.
Keeps sand out pretty well while protecting the feet from glass, hooks and the scoop.

Also cheap when U can find them.

 

[RandyNorthridgeca]

I use NRS ATB Wetshoes. These are pricey ($70) but they are the best I've tried and I've tried my share. I like them because they have an arch and they keep the sand out. They use to be a bear to get off after you come out of the water until someone tipped me off on buying a pair of scuba socks (the silky thin ones that cost about $9 a pair). Now they slip on and off with no effort at all.

Be nice to you feet and your feet will be nice to you

 

[Finderskeeper]

I sometimes hunt South Beach in Miami. It is a top optional beach. It is amazing how many guys think there is things to find around the women who go topless. I see them hunting all around the topless women. There must be something to it because they do it all the time.

 

[EbbTide]

Mares Hard sole bottoms are excellent! Great forward and lateral support and perform awesome when being pushed around a bit in the shallow waters!

 

[goldnugget]

I do wear a pair of Crew Socks with them since the day I beach Detect I usually detect between 9 - 12 hours . Every once in a while a small shell will get under the arch of my foot. I use an Excaliber with an 8 inch coil and a Babbs scoop with a Stainless Steel tip

 

[BootyHunter]

Fila 5 toes, they fit like a glove for your foot, have drain holes to drain the sand out and have a tough bottom to protect against rocks and sharp objects. I love mine, used in river, lake and ocean. They are comfortable too.

 

[robinb]

The amount of glass and sharp objects in the water is horrendous here.

I would never go bear footed.

I wear a heavy duty beach boot made out of neoprene

Goes just past ankle with a plastic zip on the side, its sold by a large sports chain in Europe and made for beach sports/ fishing.

Shortie wet suit now until october.
Then full length wet suit in cooler months and in mid winter a dry suit (diving).
Some places I do wear a set of fishing waders if its calm but not in summer as its too hot.

 

[PSS1963]

I don't water hunt, but I do dive and considering entry/exit needs I think some of the requirements may be similar. Currently I'm using XS Scuba Pyro Stretch dive boots. These are a hard soled, high top boot with good lateral support and no zippers!

I used to use the Henderson Hyperstretch but they had poor lateral support and one day in 2007 I actually broke my foot in them. Stepped on some algae and my foot/boot slipped quickly to the side then caught fast when it found clean rock. Problem was even though the boot stopped short, my foot with all the weight of me and my gear (about 220 + 110 = 330 lbs) behind it kept going, stretched out the sidewall and rolled right off the sole so now all that weight was bearing down on the side of my foot - oooh snap - 5th metatarsal avulsion fracture and weeks hobbling around in an air cast. Luckily it was October because it ended the dive season right quick.

-pete

 

[rustyshovel]

I just bought a pair of AuqaLung dive boots. 5mm neoprene, rubber bottoms with toe and heal guards. I also wanted something that covers my ankles and these were perfect.