The Two Best Wet Wading Shoes

These Shoes Keep the Gravel Out!

About ten years ago I was fishing the Railroad Ranch section of the Henry’s Fork. I was on a trip covering some of the most famous fly fishing water in the west, including such places as the Madison, Nelson Spring Creek, and Yellowstone National Park. I was wet wading the Ranch because it was mid-summer, and it was HOT! I had caught a couple fish earlier in the day a little lower down on the river where the water was broken and it was a little easier fishing. We were now in the smooth water and the fish were rising everywhere. As those of you know who have fished there before, these fish are extremely selective and difficult to catch. Downstream drifts are required or the line/leader will without doubt spook the fish. All my attention should have been on figuring out how to fool those big, beautiful, rising fish. Unfortunately my attention was only half on the fish. The other half was on my feet which were in pain. Real pain. As I said before I was wet wading. My customary apparel while wet wading was REI brand “quick-dry” pants, and Keen sandals. The problem I was facing was that the Henry’s Fork gravel was getting into my Keens between my feet and the soles of the shoes. When I emptied the gravel, which was not easy while standing thigh-deep in the river, it would return within seconds. Gravel would flow in, but it did not flow out. The arches of my feet were in great pain and there was nothing that I could do about it. After hours of frustration and discomfort I eventually left the river.

My wet wading shoes also frequently caused problems for me when I would go on backpacking trips. Often these trips involved walking from camp to an alpine lake several miles away. I almost always leave my boots and waders at home on such trips because of their weight. Instead, I take wet wading shoes on my backpacking trips. In the past I would take my Keen sandals because they are are relatively light, durable, and solid enough to hike in. They did well in almost every aspect except that I’d inevitably end up getting pine needles in the sandals while hiking. Like my Henry’s Fork experience described earlier, this would hurt my feet considerably.

Keen makes great, high quality sandals. The front of the sandals have thick rubber that protects toes extremely well in rivers and on trails when banged against rocks. They are solid, durable, and last a long time. Despite their high quality construction, the fact that gravel and pine needles consistently get into them eventually became a deal-breaker for me in terms of using them for wet wading. This happened about 6 or 7 years ago. It was at that time that my quest to find a better wet wading shoe began.

I first looked to see what other products Keen offered, to see if they had a water shoe with mesh sides to keep gravel out. They had previously offered a version with mesh sides, but for some reason had just discontinued them. The only pair I could find online were ones that were a size to small. I decided to give them a try anyway, but just as you would suspect, they functioned well but my feet hurt because they were too small. Next I settled on a pair of Body Glove water shoes I thought might work. They were light, which appealed to me from a backpacking standpoint. I used them for a couple summers, but in the end they weren’t solid enough. My feet would get sore if there was any hiking involved. That’s not a knock on their quality because I really wasn’t using them as they were intended to be used. Last summer (2023) I went back to the Keen sandals because I still hadn’t found anything better.

This year I finally had a breakthrough. Not only did I find one great solution for wet wading shoes, I found two! They are quite different from each other, but are both far better than the Keen sandals I’ve used in the past. I used them both extensively throughout this last summer. What follows is a quick review of both of them.

Simms Pursuit Shoe

What I really like about the Simms Pursuit is that they are specifically designed for fisherman, and you can tell. They are lightweight shoes (24 oz. per pair) that keep the gravel out. They are very comfortable to wear, much more so than any other wading shoe or boot I’ve ever worn. They are solid shoes, not like some of the water shoes on the market that are really designed for the deck of a boat. These are designed for fisherman, to be used wading rivers. They are breathable and quick-draining. At times this summer I wore them barefoot. At other times, if the water was colder or if I had to do a little hiking, I wore ultra-thin neoprene socks with them. The attribute of Simms Pursuit shoes that I’d like to emphasize the most is that they are very comfortable wet wading shoes.

My only concern when I first bought the Pursuit shoes was the tread on the bottom. Would they slip on wet rocks, and would they hold up while hiking in them. I understand wet wading shoes aren’t necessarily designed to also be hiking shoes, but I sometimes need them to function that way. The answer to the first question above is that the Simms Pursuit shoes function well on wet rocks in rivers and in lakes. They have a better grip than all the wet wading shoes I’ve used in the past. Now, no shoe is perfect, and a slippery rock is a slippery rock. You have to be careful no matter what wading boot or shoe you end up with. That said, they performed well for me while wading. The answer to the second question above, their use while hiking, is that they were not as sturdy as I’d hoped, and that they can slip on rock and gravel when scrambling around alpine lakes. In fairness, they’re not hiking boots! However, if that is something that you sometimes may require, there may be a better solution that I’ll discuss in the next section below.

In summary, I highly recommend the Simms Pursuit wading shoes. I believe you will really like these shoes if most of your time will be spent in the water or on a drift boat, as opposed to hiking or scrambling around high mountain terrain. They look great, they are extremely comfortable, they keep the gravel out, and they function as they should. Simms Pursuit shoes typically retail for around $140 and can be found at many retail outlets. They really are a high-quality wet wading shoe!

Salomon Techamphibian 5 Water Shoe

The other wet wading shoes I used extensively this last summer were the Salomon Techamphibian 5. I gave them a try because I’ve used Salomon hiking boots for years and I believe in the quality of Salomon products. Also, the Techamphibians have a sole that is essentially the sole of a hiking boot. That stood out to me when I was doing my research. A typical scenario for me is to begin wet wading near where I park my truck, but then to finish the day several miles away. It is very common for me to have a long hike back that requires sturdy shoes. Another common scenario for me where my selection of shoes is important is on our backpacking trips. The high mountain lakes we fish are often several miles from our camp. In situations like that I either need to wear my hiking boots and carry my wet wading shoes with me, or I need water shoes that can also function as hiking boots. Salomon Techamphibian water shoes work perfectly in both of the situations I just described.

Salomon Techamphibians are relatively light (21 oz. per pair). The outsoles are solid, durable, and have excellent grip on slippery terrain. The upper section is made of a mesh that dries quickly and keeps the gravel and pine needles out. The heel is collapsible for versatility and ease of getting in and out of them. As with any Salomon product, these are high quality shoes. They typically retail for around $110 which is not terribly expensive.

One comment that I frequently read while researching these shoes was that they are quite narrow and that they are not as comfortable as other shoes. I agree with this comment. When I first tried them on I felt they were too uncomfortable to keep, but here’s what happened. Some of you may know that my “day job” is working for the Colorado Rockies baseball team. When I placed my order for these shoes I used my Rockies email address. That fact did not go unnoticed by the person filling my order. Whoever filled it, their child wrote Go Rockies and drew the Rockies logo all over the shipping box. They were so excited to send it to me that I didn’t have the heart to send the shoes back. I kept them, and I’m thankful that I did! I’ve been able to adjust the straps, and break in the shoes to the point that they are no longer uncomfortable to wear. Still not as comfortable as my Simms Pursuit shoes are, but they do just fine. Especially if I’m wearing thin socks or neoprene socks while hiking. The key though, as I’ve said, is the treads on them. I went on quite a few trips last summer where I hiked many miles in them to high mountain lakes. They did a wonderful job on steep, slippery, slopes where it was absolutely critical that my shoes did not slide. They functioned extremely well on rough terrain and over many miles of trails. However, if you have wide feet these may not be the shoes for you.

Conclusion

I recommend both the Simms Pursuit and the Salomon Techamphibian 5 water shoes for wet wading. The best solution is to have both available so that you can pick which shoes make the most sense for the specific trip you’re taking them on. That’s pretty expensive though. If I had to choose only one pair, I’d probably give the nod to the Simms Pursuit shoes because of their comfort. On hiking trips to alpine lakes I’d wear hiking boots and pack the Simms Pursuits to the lake if I felt I needed wading shoes. What I recommend is to find a store that sells both, or order both of them and have them sent to your house. See which ones you prefer and that fit best, and return the other pair. That is how you will really know which ones to buy.

Simms Pursuit and Salomon Techamphibians are both high quality shoes, so you really can’t go wrong. They’ll both do the job. Still, make sure whichever ones you choose are comfortable and won’t hurt your feet. You will enjoy not having gravel and pine needles constantly in between your feet and the soles of your shoes. It has made a huge difference for me.