I'm told that I should expect to get my feet wet on my upcoming Caprivi hunt (August). In lieu of a couple pairs of heavy, soggy boots, I'm wondering if a pair of "water shoes" would work. I see a lot of them advertised these days, and picked up a pair today. Basically sandals but offering a bit more enclosure and protection to the foot. I'm thinking to wear them either on my bare feet, or perhaps with a synthetic super-fast-drying liner-type synthetic sock to prevent blisters.

Any suggestions? My wife is telling me to wear Crocs!

John

Could you walk several miles in either? The "water shoes" sound like a good idea.
Peter.

For hot wet/humid weather you can't go past the US Military jungle boot.
Quick drying, vents to let water out, available in a billion different size combos.
Lots of different armies just buy 'em direct from the Yanks - they are by far and away the very best boot for hot and wet places.
Make sure you get the genuine mil-spec article from Altama or one of the other manufacturers,direct or via someone like US Cavalry.
Danner do a desert combat boot with vents that might do as well, but I've not seen or used them.
Altberg - a UK company - do a desert boot and a jungle boot which are both excellent. They both have no linings making them quick to dry, but the jungle boots have vents.
But if you are based in the States I'd get the jungle boots and try both Thor Lo light hikers and all wool (smart wool) socks and see which you prefer.
Also think about some Courteneys, because they are a good straightforward all leather boot, and won't absorb much water. They also offer good thorn protection.
In NZ a lot of hunting can be up river flats etc, and I might spend all day up to my knees. I wouldn't wear anything other than a boot, because I like to know I can always walk out, whatever the situation, so I'd give the crocs a miss...
Cheers mate!

Ask your PH. He will have tried about everything.

When I hunted with Norm Crooks in Zim in 07 he wore Crocs all day and said they were the best hunting shoe he ever wore and he wore them without socks. I have a pair but just can't wear them but then I can't wear any kind of sandal.

The USGI jungle boot is great but close to $100. I think you would be better off with a pair of Hi-top converse tennis shoes.

For my next wet-season hunt, I looked at these:

http://www.sportsauthority.com...7&CAWELAID=115776833

But for fear that the majority of the time when not in the muck and/or water is not past the top of the boot, that the jungle boots would give me other foot problems, I bought these:

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7506402/c/7386.html

We'll see!

I take a pair of Keens as camp shoes, which are perfect for when around the water fishing and such, and would be a good plan-b if hunting out of a boat.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
But for fear that the majority of the time when not in the muck and/or water is not past the top of the boot, that the jungle boots would give me other foot problems, I bought these:

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7506402/c/7386.html

I have the older version of these:
http://www.zappos.com/product/7303578/color/133639

But I like that the Lowa's are GoreTex.

The specially modified, supercharged Buzz Charlton hunting crocs:

Back in 1982 when I was in Thailand teaching English in a refugee camp I wore flip-flops when it was dry, but generally wore US Army boots others have mentioned. Very comfortable, even in high heat and humidity (I got there at the beginning of the monsoons, but in that part of the country it rains alsmost every day.) I did get some kinda scary looks from some KPNLF guys one time when I went with some friends on a "field trip" across the border into Cambodia to visit a KPNLF camp. Wish I still had those boots, but I left them behind when I went home with one of my interpreters, who needed a good pair of shoes much more than I did.

Thanks everyone. Goretex, IMHO, is great until the moment that you step in over the top of your boot. It then becomes the greatest curse of the ages.

The Army jungle boots were and are a consideration, althought I'd love to find the type I remember wearing years ago, with a fabric (canvas?) upper and drain holes.

But the Crocs!!! The wife was kidding, and I took it as a joke. However, I can and do wear them all day in the yard and around the barn, in great comfort. For a one-week hunt, I doubt that I would even need to modify or supercharge them! I've even seen them in camo. They could double as shower sandals and camp footwear as well. I think an all-day test hike is in order.

John

We booked with Zambeze Delta Safaris in Mozambique and he recommended canvas Converse All Stars for the swamp hunts. But I haven't been yet, so I can't speak from experience.

If I am wading up to my knees, I am thinking that I want Chuck Taylors.

Chuckies are lighter, and can be had for mucho less dinero, than anything else out there.

And when they start to rot, I can chuck my Chuckies with nary a second thought.

Just bring lots of socks and keep them handy.

Chucks for me.

We did a buff hunt in the Caprivi in 2006.

Basically, we walked out of camp at dawn and got back into camp after dark. It was something like 2 1/2 miles from camp to the hunt area and then you walked over the hunting area looking for the buff. We probably walked ten to fifteen miles every day. Got the buff on day three when we flushed him at something less than ten yards.

And we were wet from the knees down from daylight to after dark. Deepest water we went through was almost waist deep.

So my advice would be to take something you can walk in all day for several days through mud, water, wet grass and sand. And something that will hold together after being submerged for days, I took a pair of Nike walkers that were falling apart at the seams by the third day.

To me, socks aren't that important, as you couldn't carry enough to change them out regularly, shouldn't waste time changing them, and they'll just be wet again in five minutes. But that's just me. Some feet require them to stay happy

I'm sure you'll have a great hunt, one that you'll remember the rest of your life.

I used Orvis Navy Seal boots to hike a couple weeks in South east Cameroon. They worked perfect and dry in the humid sun of the forest.

I've used G.I. jungle boots, and salt water flats fishing boots to good effect in the swamps of Mozambique and Zambia. The French have a canvas jungle boot that looks like it would be fine and the Orvis "seal boot" also looks like it would work well.

I used two pair of courtneys last summer, and alternated days. Worked great.

Vaughan had the same set up. I think he said the one pair he had been using for 5 seasons, and they were still doing the job.

The trackers would take their shoes off to walk through some of the deeper parts, but one of them ended up with a nasty cut on his foot. That was enough to convince me that wet boots weren't too bad. The courtneys have no insulation or lining, so they dry out in that climate while you walk.

Get your Chucks right here, boys.

Cheap Chucks and Camo Too!

Wear 'em and chuck 'em.

Navy Seal boots at Orvis

Jim

The French jungle boot mentioned by lionhunter were called Palladium and were imported by LL Bean. Check out www.zahal.org. $39 plus shipping.Used them hunting snipe in the Philippines.

I'm considering hunting in Vibram's Fivefingers water shoes this early deer archery season. http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

They make your feet look like monkey feet. But the soles are so thin that I feel every stick that I step on in time to pull my foot back. The sole is thick enough that I can run on gravel; albeit uncomfortably.

Salt Water Fly fisherman use a Synthetic shoe for wading made by the likes of "Columbia".
They should be good for flat land like the Chobe area.