I just got notice of a new Hiking/Water shoe that is out. Im pretty excited about trying it out as the one qualm I have about my Merrell WaterPro Manistee was the grip on the bottom was somewhat lacking.

These seem to have a really nice grippy studded tread and a layered system for draining water out the bottom along with a quick dry mesh on top.

I found for the portages we were doing that grip was pretty important over the rocks in the rain.

Cant say that Im impressed with the looks of the shoe, but that is the last consideration for me.

http://www.examiner.com/outdoor-recreation-in-minneapolis/gear-review-baffin-amazon-wos-trail-shoes-review

http://www.baffin.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SPRTM001

http://www.amazon.com/Baffin-Mens-Amazon-Water-Black/dp/B00973KF1U

That's a great looking shoe.
If it were a better month financially I'd be tempted to buy a pair.
Wonder what the ideal shoe/sock combo would be..Maybe in combination w wool sock & Sealskins in colder weather?

Thanks for posting this--I'm very interested in these shoes...

If anyone tries them, let me know how the arch support is!

Thanks for the head's up. This looks like something I'd like to try as well. My Salomon trail runners flush out water pretty well, but they're not really made for that. Would like to see how the Baffin's compared.

I first used Keens for travel days, but found to many small rocks and sticks could get at the bottom of my feet. Next I got a pair of Irish Setters that looked a lot like these Baffins. They drained well but filled with sand and small rocks very quickly. Enough that I would have to take off shoe and dump out sand and small rocks. So now I have a pair of OTB's and I'll maybe get one small rock in them in a trip. The OTB's have by far been the best. They drain the fastest, don't let any debris in and have great support.

quote wifishncanoe: " So now I have a pair of OTB's and I'll maybe get one small rock in them in a trip. The OTB's have by far been the best. They drain the fastest, don't let any debris in and have great support."

What are the OTBs you speak of?

OTB is a brand. I have the SAR's, but I think they have been discontinued. A lot of other people on the forum have the OTB Ohdins and the OTB Abyss. They are boots made for being used in water. They have many drain ports throughout the boot and sole. There is ballistic nylon in the ports to keep out small rocks/sand and debris, but let the water flow out. They are great for boundary waters because they drain very fast, keep out debris and have great traction, plus additional ankle support because they are a boot. OTB boots

If you search around forum here you will find many happy people with them and discussions about boots.

The Baffin Amazons look like a great water shoe. However, I'd be more interested in a higher version with some ankle support. As far as drainage is concerned, they look like they'll drain just fine. drainage I've been seeking a pair of OTB's for the past couple months and can't seem to find what I want.

Just ordered a pair of Salomon Techamphibian 2 water shoes that look like they have a good Vibram-type sole. Hope they work--will be 10 days going through the Frost River area alone in a kayak on the 14th. You're always wet in a kayak! They were only $65 at REI.com. Will post a full review when I get back. I am a old land surveyor and footwear is the most important thing I need. Till then...

quote wifishncanoe: "I first used Keens for travel days, but found to many small rocks and sticks could get at the bottom of my feet. Next I got a pair of Irish Setters that looked a lot like these Baffins. They drained well but filled with sand and small rocks very quickly. Enough that I would have to take off shoe and dump out sand and small rocks. So now I have a pair of OTB's and I'll maybe get one small rock in them in a trip. The OTB's have by far been the best. They drain the fastest, don't let any debris in and have great support."

I'd be interested to see how small that metal grid is that stops the rock and debris is. I have pair of Teva "amphibian" shoes that seem similar to these and Irish Setters mentioned above, and I too have had the sand build up issue. Water drains great, but if in a area of heavy sand or small pebbles they seem to collect.

Both my husband and I have the Baffin Amazon water shoes for whitewater canoeing. We have had them now for 5 years. Mine are just now starting to show some wear in the toe area.
They are very comfortable to wear, dry fairly quickly and are perfect for portaging awkward trails. The traction is extremely good when scouting along the rivers over wet rocks. We wear ours with a thin nylon sock which also dries quickly and helps prevent any blisters. The first year I wore them barefoot (320km canoe trip) and had blisters to deal with. As for sizing I typically can wear an 8.5 Merrell but had to buy a size 9 Baffin. Lots of toe room.
My only complaint is that my Baffins come with round laces which always seem to come undone on a portage. Double knotting helps but not perfect. I would exchange the laces for another type. Will be ordering a new pair.

I'm in the market for a new pair of BWCA shoes and have saved this link. I liked my sandals but the darn bugs ate my feet up and brought me a lot of discomfort.

How long do you suppose they would last?

@BWPaddler: You could always buy a Dr. Scholls arch support, I retrofit a lot of my shoes that way. Works well.

Looks pretty good. I might have to try them out.

Finding the perfect pair of tripping shoes. Not dissimilar from searching for the Holy Grail. I've tried Keen H2O's, OTBs and most recently Baffin Amazon Trail to Rapid shoes. I have to say that of them all I like the Baffin's best. They are incredibly comfortable, have reasonably good grip on wet rock, drain very well and are easy to get on and off when wet (which is important to me because I don't wear them when I'm paddling so getting them off and on after and prior to portaging matters.) The cons are two-fold in my experience. First, there isn't much ankle support, which for me is not a big deal since I've never had problems with turning my ankles. Second, they take a long time to dry. In that regard their virtue is also their problem. The reason they are so comfortable is the soft material inside the shoe and tongue but that same material gathers and holds water. I found giving that a quick squeeze helped in drying time. In all I liked them better than the closest competitor - OTB Abyss. The OTBs have ankle support and perhaps a hair better grip but are hotter and a beach to get off when wet. The Keens I reserve for camp, they're just too open and in thick bush or overgrown ports my feet just got too hacked up, although they're super comfortable and quick drying. As to the durability of the Baffin's - the jury is still out for me. I wore them for a month long canoe trip last summer and they came through with hardly a blemish. I'll be interested to see how they look after this year's jaunt.

Love my Keens sandals, but this year I'm going in the second week of September, so I'm wondering if I'll need something warmer. BTW, I have Baffin ice fishing boots and they are light weight and warm, very comfy and well made.

Fellas it's all about the Rocky SV2 tactical military water boots. These are tops hands down and I have tried quite a few. They are light, excellent support and traction and are comfortable to wear in the boat. And it doesn't hurt that they look great!

The OTB boots must have several manufacturers. Some guys love them and some guys hate them. Personally I am not impressed and mine seem to be on the verge of self destructing. Rocky SV2

I used the New Balance version of the OTB boot this spring w/ hippies inside and they worked great. I've yet to use them wet-footing but I think they'd do well there too.

I'm a big fan of Baffin products, I also have one of their boots for ice fishing and they are amazing. I'll have to give these a look if my OTB's ever die.

Cyclone why do you think OTB boots would do well wet footing if you have never even used them that way before? Wishful thinking perhaps. Maybe the New Balance version is vastly superior to what I have (New Balance is a good company)

Mine went on one trip........I typically wet foot and I usually go hard all day for at least a couple of weeks. They have shown significant wear after only one trip and to be blunt I wouldn't even consider taking them on another trip. Plus I hated how little support they offered in the ankle area. But who knows, maybe with the different manufacturer they might be just fine.

So let's see......I paid good money for my pair of OTB > a bit more than most I think (somewheres around $100 with shipping) and I got one trip out of them.

Sure the Rocky SV2 boots are pricey coming in close to 2 bills but after two very hard trips with numerous 1 mile double portages they look ready to go again. No problems and everything you could ask for in a portage boot. Did I mention they also come in a jungle version making an already light pair of boots even lighter if you desire.

Hey did this thread get hijacked? I thought we were talking about Baffin shoes? I don't have an opinion on Baffin having never tried them..............but did I ever tell you about the Rocky SV2 boots?

I do multiple canoe trips each summer and wet foot the portages. I have always used the Abyss boots until this year. I purchased the Baffin Swamp Buggy instead of the Baffin Amazon water shoe because I wanted more ankle support. I used the Swamp Buggy on two Q trips this summer (total of 22 nights).

The Swamp Buggy boots are much more comfortable on the trail than the Abyss. Both have good, similar traction, although wet rocks are still slippery for any portage boot. The Swamp Buggy drains water as fast as the Abyss and the mesh keeps out all debris. The Swamp Buggy also dries fairly quickly (a few hours) when soles are removed, but I think the Abyss dries a little quicker. After 22 nights and about 50 portages, the Swamp Buggy held up extremely well and shows very little wear.

Bottom-Line: The Swamp Buggy is the most comfortable wet-footing boot I've used. Fort those that prefer the lower tennis shoe style, I would expect the Amazon water shoe to be just as comfortable.

The Baffin looks good for river trips, but I must have a boot for portaging with a heavy load.

The OTB (Over The Beach) Abyss were originally designed for Navy Seals and sold to the US military as well as marketed to the public. An excellent and versatile water boot. I have a pair of the original OTBs and love 'em. Then New Balance bought them out and changed the materials, which were not as durable as the original. Since New Balance did not make the boots is the US, the military contract was pulled and they no longer make the boots. Anything you find online will be leftovers in odd sizes. Sad indeed.