Boating Footwear

[Reef_fisher]

Hi all, Just wondering what fellow Ausfishers wear on their feet when launching/retrieving boat and when fishing. I used to wear thongs but now wear those crocodile brand shoes (cheap version)that have become popular lately. Have also worn old sandshoes and occassionaly nothing at all.

[murf]

I hate wearing anything but I am now hooked on crocs ;)
ugliest things i have seen and I wont wear them in public :-[ but they are so comfy
Murf

[BrandonH]

I wear Crocs to launch and retrive when its low, if high and when fishing Bare foot ;)
They are a good shoe, but get very very hot if warn in the sun

No matter what shoe I can't manage to get better grip and balance then bare feet [smiley=worried2.gif]

Cheers
Brandon...

[marlinqld]

I wear a slip on shoe made from wetsuit type material with rubber soles. never slip.

Also have a pair of boating shoes called Burke's. Bought the BURJKES #years ago at Rock Bottom Marine mANLY WHICH I THINK IS NOW CLOSED.

bUT THE SLIP ONS ARE GREAT.

mIKE

[PADDLES]

bare feet are the go, there's sometimes a bit of tiptoeing back to the car though on the hot bich' :o

[Reef_fisher]

Yeah, know the feeling about hot bich'. Live in the tropics!! I used to wear thongs down paper thin in a matter of days and they did nothing to protect from the heat. These croc things are very comfy, not a great fashion statement though unless bogan is what you are trying to say. ;D ;D

[Slient]

I just bought boating footwear for $20 at sport store few weeks ago...
I learnt my lesson after foot cut by oyster rock at night time... :-[

Silent

[PinHead]

barefoot always

[JasonT]

I generally wear a pair of old sneakers. Which I slip off if I have to get wet!
I got into the habit, not so much because of hot bitumen, or oysters, but , mainly because of the sun... I got tired of having the tops of my feet sunburnt!

when fishing during the day I ALWAYS wear a long sleeve shirt with collar up, broad brimmed hat, polarised sunglasses and 3/4 trousers.
Haven't been sunburnt in years!

JT

[squidgy-stew]

Over two years ago there was an add in one of the fishing magazines for a type of sandle called Solz.

I purchased a pair of these coz they looked very similar to a pair i had when I treked through the middle east in the early 80s. The temperature variants and conditions soon sorted out the good things for your feet and comfort was on top of the list along with something that did,nt increase any sweat or moisture under neath.

I wear these sandles everywhere from offshore to even the pub. They are still in excellant condition and the velcos still hold. They are quick drying and the soles are still stopping me from slippling even when I have to hang on to the boat at the ramp.

I think these are made in South Africa and I know one thing they certainly outlast any thing from China.

They are a little bit dearer than thongs, but If I can launch a boat, reel in billies and then go to the pub without slipping over, I am a happy man

I should be due for a new pair in another year or so # :)

[Eagle]

If such a thing were possible I would be turning green with envy and seething with hatred for all you fellas yacking on about footwear. I have an excellent grip on Australia and I have a terrible time finding ANY footwear to suit my needs. I walk into a store and ask for a pair of super-extra-wide shoes size 13. The salesman/woman replies, "sure, what colour?" My reply is always the same, " pink, yellow, blue, polkadot, with or without bows, black, white, green, I dont care! All I want is a pair of shoes that fit and don't cost an arm and a leg"
The salesmen/women ALWAYS come back and say "sorry sir, we dont have anything in that size or any thing above size 12".
I have a pair of sneakers that fit perfectly and I wear them to church, out on the tractor, up town, driving the car, everywhere I go except fishing in the boat. I finaly found a cheap pair of sandshoes that fit "a little tight in width" but work ok. The soles are a bit thin and small rocks hurt like crazy when I walk on them but they do work. Living up in the Rockhampton - Yeppoon area has severely restricted my shoe supply. You fellas dont know what a blessing you have in being able to walk into a shop and come out with your shoes of choice.
One thing for sure, I would never walk in bare feet on the ramps or around any rocks here in the tropics. Oyster cuts become so grossly infected that it becomes more than dangerous to ones health. I have had cellulitis twice from tiny cuts to my feet and leg and then spent days with pain and immobility. The worst infection was from a rock graze in fresh water. The graze didn't even bleed. but I was vomiting in two hours and begining to pass out. My entire leg went bright red, very scary stuff.
Most of my mates wear size 10 to 12 and of course have no problems with shoes. I am very wary about buying shoes, sight unseen, as in mail order 'cos of the difficulty in returning them. I actually found some this morning that did fit but at $150.00 they were out of my price range as I am on the aged-dole at the moment. The last time I found some wonderful shoes, I bought three pair. Alas, they have all worn out now. I have even been so desperate for boat shoes that I even thought of making some from old car tyres but "rag" tyres as needed in the plans that I found on the www, dont exist anymore. We wont mention the word "thongs".
Sighhh, maybe one day I will find some footwear like you guys talk about, here in R'ton. :'(

Eagle

[PADDLES]

far out eagle, that's one big set of clod hoppers you've got!

may i suggest making a custom set from 2 boogie boards and a bit of fencing wire ;D

[Chimo]

Hi Eagle

Sorry to hear about your shoe problems but on a different but maybe slightly related issue have you met the woman at the Yeppoon Pub who moved up from Sydney to have a bit of a seachange?.

You could probably get and give some sympathy in her direction, you, about shoes and she, about the lack of things she may have expected on her arrival in Yeppoon. ;) ;) Shoes could have been but one of those things ::) ::)

Have you got much rain up there yet?

Cheers

Chimo

[squidgy-stew]

Those shoes made from old tyres were called "Treads" they were made from Nylon band tyres coz the steel belts were to hard to cut in those days.

They are very heavy and leave skid marks, especially on fibreglass surfaces.

Do some net hunting but only do business with sites that provide all contact details such as phone numbers and a physical address.
;)

[saurian]

I wear those hard soled reef boots .
Stepped on little cobbler in river years ago .
The barb went into the part of your foot where.
little toe meets main part of foot.
Talk about swearing , lots and lots........
Had a knumb little toe for 4/5 months .
So i make sure wetboots have the really hard sole now...
Ta...

[saurian]

Hey , are those " croc" shoes the poofter looking fluro jobs ???
If they are my mates got them , I just havn't got the courage he has....

[marlinqld]

Hey , are those " croc" shoes the poofter looking fluro jobs ???


Very eloquently put saurian ;D ;D ;D

[Duyz72]

I usually wear rubber soled shoes in the boat.
But can get lazy when after launching the boat in bare feet and don't put them back on.
One time we got caught in a little drain on the outgoing tide, so I hop out to tow the boat nad I step on a sea urchin! :o :o :o :o
I was picking spine tips out of my feet for months!

Plus I always think, what if we did capsize or sink or such, what kind of footwear do I want to have on in those situations? Can I scramble up a rocky outcrop or am I going to rip myself to shreds because I was too lazy to put some decent footwear on?

[Slient]

barefoot always
Becareful what you're saying... :-X

This nasty thing has happened to me last year but I'm so fortunately and sharp point of broken glass didn't touch my heel... :o phew

Photo does evident

[Slient]

More pic

[Slient]

This caused by hoons on Wave break island...So disgrace and digust... >:(

[Reef_fisher]

Hey saurian, they also come in black and grey. ::) ::) I have black. 8-) And yeah a very subtle description. ;D ;D

[Lone_Wolf]

I also love my Crocs however they are slippery as hell on a boat ramp as most shoes are. They are great in the boat too.

I have one mate and rules of the boat are, no shoes for everyone. The reason is he has gout. If you all wear no shoes you are a lot more careful with hooks, knives and snappy fish and you feel the other persons feet if you walk on them before it's too late. It does work!

LW

[saurian]

I think grey would suit me..???? lol....

[Seahorse]

will be wareing something from now on. jumped out at cabbage tree point onto broken stubbielast week. rotten mongrels.
Bloody sore foot this week

[The_Walrus]

Always wear a pair of hard soled neoprene slip ons.

Once in the boat, put on sox & shoes in cold weather.

Luc

[Tony_N]

Best for no-slip I reckon are Dunlop Volleys (tennis shoes) - but after a soaking they do tend to pong - at least after I've been wearing them. My missus threw mine out - so i have been wearing the saurian delicately puts. Crocs may not be quite as slip resistant as the volleys - but they are better than anything else i have tried and they are sooooo comfortable. I have learned to be able to overlook the derision of my saurian-type friends and my missus loves the pristine olfaction. Mine are dark blue.

Tony

[wayne_cook]

crocs rule just carn't find anything more comfortable.nearly as good as bare feet

[backhoe]

I know how you feel Eagle. I just walk in to the shoe shops now and say "show me what you've got in size 13 4E or wider". Usually it's nothing or a couple of pair only. Know quite a few people in the same boat. Surely there must be a market out there. Because of this I usually end up in bare feet around the boat.

[Alex9797]

I've been doing the old bare foot shuffle for years now but after several close calls will be investing in some crocs ( thanks for the tip dodgy back ) or some sandles called tevas. One of the guys who launches the trailer boats down at horizon shores swears by them. Made in the US around $100 :o.

Alex

[sandsy]

If such a thing were possible I would be turning green with envy and seething with hatred for all you fellas yacking on about footwear. I have an excellent grip on Australia and I have a terrible time finding ANY footwear to suit my needs. I walk into a store and ask for a pair of super-extra-wide shoes size 13. The salesman/woman replies, "sure, what colour?" My reply is always the same, " pink, yellow, blue, polkadot, with or without bows, black, white, green, I dont care! All I want is a pair of shoes that fit and don't cost an arm and a leg"
The salesmen/women ALWAYS come back and say "sorry sir, we dont have anything in that size or any thing above size 12".
I have a pair of sneakers that fit perfectly and I wear them to church, out on the tractor, up town, driving the car, everywhere I go except fishing in the boat. I finaly found a cheap pair of sandshoes that fit "a little tight in width" but work ok. The soles are a bit thin and small rocks hurt like crazy when I walk on them but they do work. Living up in the Rockhampton - Yeppoon area has severely restricted my shoe supply. You fellas dont know what a blessing you have in being able to walk into a shop and come out with your shoes of choice.
One thing for sure, I would never walk in bare feet on the ramps or around any rocks here in the tropics. Oyster cuts become so grossly infected that it becomes more than dangerous to ones health. I have had cellulitis twice from tiny cuts to my feet and leg and then spent days with pain and immobility. The worst infection was from a rock graze in fresh water. The graze didn't even bleed. but I was vomiting in two hours and begining to pass out. My entire leg went bright red, very scary stuff.
Most of my mates wear size 10 to 12 and of course have no problems with shoes. I am very wary about buying shoes, sight unseen, as in mail order 'cos of the difficulty in returning them. I actually found some this morning that did fit but at $150.00 they were out of my price range as I am on the aged-dole at the moment. The last time I found some wonderful shoes, I bought three pair. Alas, they have all worn out now. I have even been so desperate for boat shoes that I even thought of making some from old car tyres but "rag" tyres as needed in the plans that I found on the www, dont exist anymore. We wont mention the word "thongs".
Sighhh, maybe one day I will find some footwear like you guys talk about, here in R'ton. :'(

Eagle

Mate,
Go and get an old tire cut into feet shaped slabs. Then get some velcro strips to go round and hold them to your flippers.
I have the same problem. Can't find shoes to fit, but no one will ever push me over with these skis!

Cheers
Sandsy

[DazSamFishing]

I generally use bare feet... And have been lucky to escape any injury.

I'll be investing in some crocs... So will the missus!

I was originally considering dunlop volleys...

Daz

[Glenn_Woods]

Dunlop volleys for me on most outings, or it's bare feet. One thing i learnt when i moved from Tassie to Queensland back in 72 was no one wore shoes up here. Luv it. :)

Woodsy

[Fat_Chilli]

I've been doing the old bare foot shuffle for years now but after several close calls will be investing in some crocs ( thanks for the tip dodgy back ) or some sandles called tevas. One of the guys who launches the trailer boats down at horizon shores swears by them. Made in the US around $100 #:o.

Alex

Alex - try to get some Teva Wraptors, if you can get them here, I bought mine when living in Canada 3 yrs ago and they last really well (even wore them for 9 months walking around Europe). I have synthetic upper versions, but I don't know if they make them anymore, the leather versions are still available. Overall they are expensive for sandals but well made and very comfortable.

[griz066]

The old double pluggers will do me ;D ;D ;D

[ele-phrez]

crocs

[Dirtysanchez]

My son was asking for crocs a few weeks back, I got him a pair so he fits in at school (whatever happened to mandatory black school shoes)
Anyway, he said I should get some, but at $40 I said forget it.. Bigg W have the $10 ones, that'll do fine, but my son who is 5 advised me not to get the black ones, but the army camouflage coloured ones :-[

Yeah, I get the WTF looks from a lot of people ::)

Still they are comfy and I have it on good authority they are good in the boat..

Used to lauch boats in Sydney, so no way would I go to any ramp now bare foot

[BrandonH]

yeah they are good, I have a dark blue pair and the misses has the bright pink ones ::)

Great grip but make funny noises when wet :P

don't forget about the heat from the sun.. I have nearly burnt my feet a couple of times on the water standing on the front casting deck with them on in full sun. I get about an hour outa them before I have to take them off because they get soooooooo hot!!

Cheers
Brandon...

[Argle]

Dunlop volleys when its cold and Surfer Joes thongs when its hot and barefoot once in the boat (fully carpeted floor ;)) My missus bought some crocs at the boat show and loves em but I just cant come at the look of them :o Comfy they may be but as a bloke called Saurian once said "what those poofter looking things?" ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cheers and beers
Scott

[Bashir]

dunlop volleys on the boat, a bit annoying when they're wet but I can live with it.

[StevenM]

Been wearing crocs for about 8 months now, before that for bloody years it was a pair of volleys. Bring them staight home, take the laces out and cut the tongue out. Fantastic but bloody stink.

[eve]

I like my trusty booties (hard sole) or bare feet but after all this 'interesting' debate about crocs I think I will have to try some. I have a mate who wears them all the time, yellow and lime green, we roll our eyes. Anyway I'll try them on and see if I feel any different...i can always take them off, right?!

[giarc72]

tried those crocs and they are perfect, also good for keeping the crabs away from the toeswhen they escape in the tinnie, they also float.

[Reef_fisher]

Gee I am glad I started this thread, haven't laughed so hard in a while. Didn't think these shoes were so popular. For the poofter brigade, you don't have to wear them anywhere but the boat. If it makes you feel better paint a skull or something on em. ;D ;D I can also report they give great grip when on the roof, and I have a two storey house.

[winston]

I also wear crocs (bright orange ones) because thay are sooo comfortable and offer protection from slipping and cutting on the boat ramp. Thank god I am not bound by the social constructions of masculinity that some of you are. I can wear orange crocs and even pink shirts beacause I want to, not because they are the colours to be avoided else risk being called a poofta (my wife loves my crocs), come fish in the deeper water , the shallow water is too confining. cheers Winston.

[Reef_fisher]

I guess noone would steal bright orange ones and you wouldn't lose them in the dark.

[JT]

Go the Crocs, I have had mine for a couple of months. They are great for the boat and so comfy I now wear them everywhere and I could care less what people think when I wear them. Funny thing is I just wore mine for 11 days in Thailand and nearly every shop over there has them for sale. They have the original crocs but also have the no name ones and ones with a Hippo on them :o. The cheapies cost around $4.00.

Cheers

John