Wet Wading with Sandals
At the risk of sounding overly sentimental or cheesy, I’ll confess that I like wet wading because I feel that it gives me a better connection to the river and fish.
I suppose I acquired this feeling a long time ago when I was fly fishing in the surf for Striped Bass and Bluefish in my swim trunks on the East coast. There’s something about being in the water that just makes it a “fuller experience” for me as opposed to being completely disconnected in a boat or quarantined off and in waders.
Luckily, most of the small streams I fish out here in Colorado are perfect for wet wading and don’t require hot, sweaty waders. For the last few years, Ive been using Chacos which are OK but have poor traction and seem to invite toe stubbing:
Chacos Z/1
I’ve also used Keen Newports which are very comfortable and provide toe protection but the traction isn’t any better than the Chacos:
Keen Newports
The poor traction is simply because the rubber soles of both of these sandals isn’t grippy enough to grab rocks (especially when they’re covered in algae:
Keen (left) and Chacos (right) soles
I thought about adding felt to the soles, but there are a lot of concerns with felt helping to spread invasive species from one stream to another. Also, felt would compromise my traction on trail and I hike in to a lot of places so I need something that works equally as well on the trail as it does in the water.
Enter Grip Studs. Grip Studs are a DIY solution that allows you to install tungsten carbide studs into your soles to improve traction. The kit comes with 20 studs, an installation tool, and a pattern guide to show you where to put the studs:
Grip Studs Kit
The kind I got are specifically designed for wading boots so I thought they would work well on my sandals. Installation is easy. You just insert the stud into the tool, place it where you want it, and turn it like a screwdriver:
Installing Grip Studs
Within about 10 minutes, I had all 20 studs installed. And, in case you’re wondering, yes, the studs are removable.
Grip Studs Installed
Now, I’ve got exactly what I need for wet wading: traction on the trail, traction in the water, and toe protection.
Do you wet wade? What do you wear?
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About Me
Jason Klass is a former fly fishing guide who now exclusively fishes Tenkara for trout in the streams and lakes of Colorado...Read More
Good idea, Jason. How is the traction in the water on those slippery rocks?
I have waded in sandals, tabi’s and booties since the early 70′s. First out of necessity because I couldn’t afford waders and then because I have a wide foot that’s hard to fit into normal wading shoes so sandals were the answer in cool to warm conditions. I often used scuba booties (with felt soles glued on). The “feel” is much better than regular wading shoes. To make them more comfy, take out the thin insole they come with and replace it with a running shoe insole.
More recently I’ve waded lots in EVA sandals (the ugly, cheap Walmart ones that look like clogs). The EVA foam is durable and molds well to the shape of anything you step on. They are wide, comfortable and grip well on stream surfaces with texture, (not good on flat, slick surfaces). They are too soft to insert studs but do well enough by themselves. They are very lightweight, you can hike moderate distances in them and they are also a great camp shoe. Multi-purpose makes them my ultralight choice on many Tenkara or backpack trips.
Thanks for the comment Larry. Those EVA clogs you’re talking about–are they the ones that look like Crocs?
I tried Crocs for wet wading and almost killed myself because they fit so loosely, I couldn’t get any stability.
SCUBA bootie is an interesting idea.
Great idea. I live in my Keens and adding studs for wet wading to a pair would be the best.
Can one wet wade in regular felt wading boots? Pros and cons doing this? Tj
Hi T. J.
Yes. I’ve done it before and it works well. All you really need are some neoprene socks. The advantage is that you get maximum traction and foot protection without having to wear a full wader that might be hot and restrictive. The disadvantage would be if you have to hike a long distance to your fishing destination. I find wading boots uncomfortable for long hikes and the felt doesn’t provide the best traction on the trail.
I always wet wade. I like wearing swim trunks or prefer old khakis without underwear to “hang loose. I always wear socks. I put on a pair of regular white cotton socks, then pull heavy wool socks over those. This gives my feet a comfortable cushion, yet I have full sensation of the river bed. Fantastic!
I have always wet waded. My normal garb is a pair of neutral colored board shorts (quick drying) and a pair of trailrunners. The places I fish you usually have to do a little bit of hiking to get to so I’ve never owned a pair of wading boots and I’ve used my chest waders one time lol. I have always wondered if putting spikes in my trailrunners would work, but i was always afraid the sole wouldn’t be thick enough and the spikes would come through the inside where my foot is.