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Footwear:
In My Previous Life I was a Turtle
Which would you prefer: dry feet wrapped in moisture-absorbing
inner socks, surrounded by cuddly-warm outer socks, protected
by comfy rubber boots-or cold swollen toes itching with salt water
sores and screaming for mercy from damp, smelly, salt-encrusted
river shoes? The former, of course. When I'm kayaking, though,
I opt for the latter. My wife, Chris, tells me that I was a turtle
in my previous life and that turtles expect their feet to be cold,
wet, and miserable. Most people just think I'm a crackpot, but
I'll stick to my guns. I wear footwear that I fully expect to
get wet.
My underlying
principle for footwear and kayaking apparel is that I'd rather
be uncomfortable all of the time than dead every once in a while.
In a perfect world, you'd pull on your rubber boots and step dryly
and demurely into the cockpit, stretch your sprayskirt tight,
and paddle off into the bonny blue. Boots work fine until the
water sneaks in over the top. Maybe you wade in a little too deep
or maybe you capsize, miss your roll, and swim.
No, give me
a pair of river shoes. Many manufacturers make light shoes with
a stiff sole and holes in the sides to let the water run in and
out. I'll get my feet wet for sure, but I can run agilely in the
surf to help my partner. If I capsize or swamp, my river shoes
won't pull me under like a pair of cement shoes on a New York
mobster.
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