Fording Rivers - Barefoot or booted?

[Wook]

When you ford a river do you do it barefoot or do you tip your boots out at the other side? What is a greater threat to your feet, sharp stones or damp boots?

My fancy AltBerg boots will supposedly self dry if tipped out, although I reckon dry socks would still be in order. I see a lot of folk fording barefoot and I always think lacerated feet would be a much bigger problem than wet feet.

Am I wrong?

 

[Goatboy]

Get a cheap pair of aquasocks, great for fording rivers, costal foraging and letting your feet breath at night round camp. Very light weight.

 

[santaman2000]

Here the bottoms are either sandy or muddy so usually barefoot. but if sharp bottoms are a concern then GB's got the right idea.

 

[Wook]

What an interesting idea Goatboy, never even occurred to me.

 

[Goatboy]

Well us Angus boys have to stick together. Immersing boots regularly will knacker your boots and feet. And crossing barefoot in cold rocky waters a good way to slip or hurt yer feet.
You'll get them in places like Lidle or Aldi for buttons, though slightly better ones have sole compounds that are grippy on wet rocks.

GB.

 

[santaman2000]

Or beach sandals:

 

[copper_head]

But is it worth carrying extra footwear just to cross a river? Although I can see the appeal of having something to change into at night...

 

[Goatboy]

Think it's worth doing if there will be a few crossings. Just heading to a dry wood site I wouldn't carry necessarily. Though it is good to let the feet breathe. Even the Altberg boots will degrade over time with constantly immersing them, though not as quickly as your feet walking in wet boots. Softens the skin and promotes blisters as the skin becomes macerated. Very painful.

 

[Wook]

I incorrectly assumed it was an either or proposition. I'm planning on having a bash at finding Balnamoon's Cave which will involve wet feet,so I may well get myself a set of those in preparation.

Still the question remains, where you don't have alternative footwear what is the best of the original two choices ?

 

[copper_head]

Hmmm food for thought, the only time I've waded through a river I did it in boots, but then it wasn't exactly intentional

 

[copper_head]

Hmmm food for thought, the only time I've waded through a river I did it in boots, but then it wasn't exactly intentional

To answer the OP, I had wet boots for 2 days afterwards so Im voting barefoot.

 

[Goatboy]

I incorrectly assumed it was an either or proposition. I'm planning on having a bash at finding Balnamoon's Cave which will involve wet feet,so I may well get myself a set of those in preparation.

Still the question remains, where you don't have alternative footwear what is the best of the original two choices ?

I sold boots (Mountaineering and general outdoor) for 17 years and none of the manufacturers would recommend crossing with boots on regularly as the damage it did to your feet as they softened the skin. You'd get away with it in military jungle boots as they drain through the soles. But dam cold in this country, and one of the things in jungle warfare is that you dry and powder your feet at the end of your day.

If you do wear the boots in the water you could drain them out at the other side and then with fresh socks wear waterproof bags between boots and socks. Will hopefully keep your feet dry 'till the boots dry off, though extra spare socks can weigh as much as the aquasocks.

 

[santaman2000]

I incorrectly assumed it was an either or proposition. I'm planning on having a bash at finding Balnamoon's Cave which will involve wet feet,so I may well get myself a set of those in preparation.

Still the question remains, where you don't have alternative footwear what is the best of the original two choices ?

I'd still say it's dictated by the individual crossing. As per my first post, is it a soft bottom or a had/sharp one? There's no real universal answer, just best judgement on the actual site.

 

[Goatboy]

I'd still say it's dictated by the individual crossing. As per my first post, is it a soft bottom or a had/sharp one? There's no real universal answer, just best judgement on the actual site.

Totally agree. Though not just muddy/sharp, but also amount of times and duration. Plus day walk against multiday trip.

 

[VANDEEN]

If I'm heading somewhere where I may be taking a dip, usually intentionally I hasten to add, I'll have a pair of neoprene swimming shoes, or flip flops with me.

I've never seen the mesh/neoprene combo ones that GB posted, I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

If I don't have the luxury of the second pair of footware , then the river would be crossed barefoot & with the aid of a staff.

I remember once when younger reaching a washed out bridge & throwing my shoes over ahead of me, I guess that committed me to the crossing but would have been risky if it had been fast flowing & I'd missed.

 

[Elen Sentier]

I have to be booted, or at least with good shoes, as my feet are very delicate after all the operations! I like using Hi-Tec Shore as they save my toes. If I sling them from my day-pack I can change into them to do any fording and then back ninto the boots for walking.

 

[Limaed]

On the whole boots unless your very confident about an easy surface to cross. The usual thing is to remove socks and trousers but put on waterproofs if the water is very cold. That way you have some dry(ish) kit on the other side.
Crocs are quite good but I've had one washed away before so boots would have been the better choice. Never underestimate the power of a river it's very easy to get knocked off your feet or break an ankle, the best river crossing technique is avoidance.

 

[santaman2000]

......the best river crossing technique is avoidance.

But that's not any fun

 

[santaman2000]

....Never underestimate the power of a river it's very easy to get knocked off your feet.....

And that's part of the fun

 

[Graham_S]

I usually have a pair of sandals or crocs or similar for these occasions.
I want something on my feet unless I'm very sure of the riverbed