NRS Paddle Wet Shoes

Have been happy with my Chota mid-calf boots in warmer times but if any water gets over the top it's held in the shoe and a bit chilly in the winter.  Stopped at REI to look at NRS Paddle Wet Shoes and they are $55. If you're a member you get about $5 back.  For a few days if you spent $100 you get a $20 gift card that has to be spent by 12-18.  So, a few pair of really nice Christmas socks (were actually on sale as well) and I can apply the $20 the to the Paddle shoes and declare them $35, a good price.  Just an FYI.  Two pair with discounts and the credit would come to about $80 for the pair. 5MM thick.
I went a couple of sizes up due to extra socks and the Kokatat Feet.    I expect the above ankle fit allowing the the Kokatat suit "gator sleeves" to go over the top of them will keep the insides dry during the launch.  The Chota's didn't leak, nor does the kokatat feet,just hoping to avoid the layer of water inside between them.

I picked up those same shoes a couple weeks ago from Kayak Academy and paid the full retail price for them. I am loving them so far and they are worth every penny of full price, so getting them cheaper just sweetens the deal.

I expect the above ankle fit allowing the the Kokatat suit "gator sleeves" to go over the top of them will keep the insides dry during the launch.  The Chota's didn't leak, nor does the kokatat feet,just hoping to avoid the layer of water inside between them.

So what's the verdict on the insides staying dry during the launch?  Have you waded deeper than the top of the shoe?

-Aaron

Wet suit booties will fill up with water unless you are very careful when launching, and you never hang your feet in the water when kayaking.  Assume that your feet will be wet.  Wet suit booties protect the bottom of your feet, but they don't keep your feet very warm when they're full of water.  If the water and weather are cool, wear dry pants or a dry suit with warm socks underneath to keep your feet dry and warm.

I should have been more specific.  I'm curious to know when used with dry suit socks and cuffs, how likely is water to seep in between the socks and the booties, assuming minimal submersion time (i.e. during a launch). 

While I don't have any personal experience with this, my understanding is that even with heavy socks and dry booties your feet can get cold if the insides of the booties are full of water (trapped between).

-Aaron

When you wear wet suit booties over the dry socks of a dry suit or dry pants when kayaking, water will definitely get between the dry socks and the booties and will fill up the booties.  The ankle cuffs of your dry suit or dry pants won't keep water out of your booties.  But that doesn't matter.  The booties don't keep your feet warm.  What keeps your feet warm are the thick fuzzy pairs of socks which you wear under your dry socks.  All the booties do is protect your dry socks from abrasion and the bottoms of your feet from bruising.  A couple of pairs of  thick socks will keep your feet warm even in cold rainy miserable weather, or when it's snowing.

When buying wet suit booties, buy them about two sizes larger than your street shoe size to provide space for a couple of pairs of thick fuzzy socks.  If your wet suit booties are too tight, they will constrict your feet and make them cold. 

My kokatak dry suit has "gators".  I put my feet in, tighten the boots, roll the dry suit gators down over the boots and tighten the velcro straps around the boots well below the top of them.  This creates an airlock of sorts and seems to hold keep most of the water out.  A small amount still gets in, but my socks inside the dry suit stay dry.  I can hang my feet over the side and it's no different than launching, enough water to see a small bit pour out, but no balloon effect.
So, for me, it's much better than using the mid-calf boot that goes over the outside of the wet suite and can fill up like a balloon.  Everything now is under a degree of tension so there is no build up (ballooning) of the water in the boot and my feet stay warm.  I'm a paddler with the Trident 13 and do fine, but I don't get cold very often regardless.  I would suspect that the water restriction of the boot dry suit combination would make it easier to peddle.  While it might seem that peddling would keep blood circulating in your feet to keep them warmer, if you use your opposite foot to brace and use your upper body to move the paddle rather than your arms, it's a good workout regardless.

So, I like them, mine still get some water but far less than the mid-calf boots I like to use in the summer.  I might disagree with Pete just a bit, I think they do keep your feet warmer.  I went one size larger because I use my foot pegs to not only control my rudder, but to brace as well and feel a boot two sizes larger would be a detriment.  Just my style and maybe not for all.  For me, I'm lucky and regardless of the water temp, good dry socks inside my dry suit provided enough warmth so my issues wasn't warmth, it was just less comfortable and adding 3-4 pounds of water inside the boot was a PIA.

I've tried several boots and the NRS Boundary Shoe / boot are high for wading while you launch.  They come up the calve and are just enough to not take water over the top when launching my Hobie https://www.nrs.com/product/2308/nrs-boundary-shoe