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The Keen Hood River Boot is the perfect footwear for the seasoned paddler or fisherman who finds themselves in toe-banging rocky situations, and does well as a normal duty trail shoe for long portages and side canyon hikes.
Five drain holes on the bottom of each shoe–and several along the perimeter of the uppe–let water escape quickly, so I wasn’t walking around in water buckets on land!
The Velcro strap gave my ankle some support and the above ankle cuff kept mud and pebbles out, but I was a little worried about ripping the reflective pulls on the front and back. These loops see a lot of stress, and I wish they were double stitched.
If you’ve ever paddled in an estuary, you know that toe protection is a big deal with razor sharp oyster beds around. The rubber toe bumper and thick abrasion patches provide plenty of protection all the way around the shoe.
While fishing the Little River, the low profile rubber sole (see photo 2 or the final photo) held onto slick, wet surfaces, and performed well on the algae-covered stones.
In the normal muddy situations that come with canoeing, the Hood River did not get caked with mud pies on the sole, making for stumble-free, comfortable portages without having to change into different footwear.
The Specs
$95
1lb. 12 oz. (men’s 10 size on BP scales)
Available sizes: M 7-17, W 5-12
Website: www.keenfootwear.com