Best Shoes To Wear When Kayak Fishing (In All Seasons)
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Fishing Tips, Kayak Fishing, Weekly Newsletter: 4-4-21
Here’s a question we’ve been getting a lot recently:
What shoes should you wear when you’re kayak fishing?
That’s a great question because if you’re not comfortable, you won’t be able to concentrate on catching fish and you won’t want to stay out long.
Personally, I’ve had to go in because my feet were soaked and freezing, and I don’t want that to happen to you!
So check out this video where Tony and I share our favorite shoes for kayak fishing.
Best Shoes For Kayak Fishing [VIDEO]
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What type of shoes you decide to wear when kayak fishing will primarily depend on the weather.
If it’s warm, you’ll want something light and breathable.
But if it’s cold, you’ll want something that will keep your feet dry and warm.
So here are our top two favorite shoes for both conditions:
Body Glove Water Shoes
Tony likes the Body Glove water shoes when fishing in the summer because they’re comfortable and water slides right out of them.
They’re also very affordable.
The only con with these is that you can easily get sand or shells in them, but they’re easy to take off and rinse out.
FlipRocks Boots
The FlipRocks neoprene boots are both of our current favorite shoes for when we’re kayaking and we want to keep our feet dry.
Here are the pros and cons of them:
Pros:
- Runs about mid-shin and does a good job of keeping your feet dry if you’re just launching your kayak in them
- Has interchangeable pads so you can change them depending on what surface you’ll be walking on
- Dries fast
Cons:
- They’re not totally waterproof. If you stand in the water for more than a few minutes in them, water will start to leak in.
Two other things to note with these shoes are that they’re very wide, so make sure you can fit in your kayak with them, and they run a little larger than normal.
Honorable Mention: XTRATUF Deck Boots
Before we discovered FlipRocks, we both used to wear these XTRATUF Deck Boots.
They’re great because they’re comfortable and durable (unless you’re walking over oyster bars — I sliced mine open doing this).
However, they’re relatively low, so water will likely get in them.
On the flip side, water and mud easily slides out of them, so it’s not too big of a deal if you do get water or mud in them.
As of now, these are our go-to shoes when we’re on a boat.
Conclusion
When you’re in your kayak, your shoes have a lot to do with how comfortable you’ll be.
In the summertime, you can go with a light, breathable water shoe like these Body Glove water shoes.
When it’s cooler out, you’ll want to go with something waterproof and a little higher to keep the water out, like these FlipRocks neoprene boots.
What shoes do you wear when you’re kayaking?
Have any questions about these shoes?
Let me know down in the comments!
And please TAG or SHARE this with your kayak fishing buddies!
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Related articles:
- SALTWATER KAYAK FISHING (BEST KAYAKS, ACCESSORIES, & MORE)
- HOW TO SIGHT FISH BIG TROUT FROM YOUR KAYAK OR PADDLEBOARD
- HOW TO SET UP YOUR KAYAK FOR INSHORE FISHING (TACKLE, TOOLS, & MORE)
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How do these compare to Keens water shoes?
Any footwear I use for any kiind of boating in salt or brackish inshore water, must be able to protect my feet from oysters. They also must stay on when walking in deep silty mud.
This is my thought. I wear EXTRATUF right now, but they are not oyster proof as demonstrated. What is?
Wyatt, I was expecting more pirate talk, ARRGH!
I like the felt bottoms when you will be out of the kayak a lot, although I understand illegal in some areas. I got some for SCUBA where Sea Urchins were common and they really help reduce punctures. Sea Urchins seem to be propagating more lately in many areas. Thanks for the insight.
Thank You for that informative video, gents.
However I have been searching for the best fishing shoe for years and have always been disappointed. I do most of my Fly and Spin/Bait Fishng from Hyde Drift boats fro the form are and Bay Boats for the later. Can you assist??
Thanks for the info guys. My sons gave me a 2020 Outback for my birthday and I have bought everything I need to rig it out (Thanks to Tony’s video) Everything except shoes, because I didn’t know what to buy. Now I at least have a very good idea what to look for.
How awesome!! Can’t wait to see some awesome reports from you soon out of it!
Hard to beat NRS Boundary Boots for winter time kayak fishing.
They’ve been a highly reccomended boot! We’ll have to give them a shot here soon and do a review.
Great thread! I own a pair of Pelagic deck boots similar to the Extratuf boots. The Body Gloves look nice, and they also have a newer model on amazon. I have been looking for a good pair of kayak shoes. Thanks!!!
Lots of companies are starting to mimic the XtraTuf style, and I won’t be surprised if someone doesn’t end up making a better rendition of those deck boots! How do the Pelagics hold up in terms of comfort and breathability?
I wear an old pair of NRS wet shoes from my whitewater kayaking days. They are neoprene and will let water in but, like a wet suit, your feet quickly warm up any water that gets. I’ve kayaked in water temps in the 40s 50s and never experienced cold feet.
NRS makes some quality gear for sure!
Found some good neoprene boots last fall on Amazon. Use them with no problems in the cold water up here in the Carolina Beach area. Also got a pair of neoprene socks that I can use if extra protection is needed. Here is the link on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SHEB9W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also have wet shoes also found on Amazon for less than $20.
Great suggestion! We’ll have to check them out!
As always great insight and information. I personally am rather cheap and wear gum boots that come up high on my calf and keep me 100% dry and also allow me to get out and wade in shallow water. Not great for walking long distances but for less than $35 a good option for the bargain fisherman.
Who makes those boots, Mike?