MidCurrent Tested and Trusted: Xero Shoes Barefoot Sandals

Wet wading is a simple pleasure that brings me back to the early days of my childhood. Back then, when I was on summer break, unleashed from school and free to fish all I wanted, I’d leave my sneakers on the stream bank and go trout fishing barefooted like a high-minded Huckleberry Finn. I’d still do that now—if I could—but as both a trout fishing guide who needs to look somewhat professional and as an older man whose feet aren’t as tough as they were when I was 12 years old, I’m always on the lookout for a good pair of wet-wading sandals.

Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of different brands and types of wading sandals with varying results. Some have had good grip on slippery stream bottoms but felt as uncomfortable as wearing a pair of Stilettos to a barn dance. Others fit like a glove and were as comfortable as a pair of sheepskin slippers, but made walking in the water feel like I was crossing a freshly Zamboni’d ice rink. It just seemed like I was never going to find the right balance and I’d almost given up on the dream of the perfect wading sandals—until I found the Xero Shoes Barefoot Sandals and now I won’t wear anything else.

Like Going Barefoot

The first and probably most obvious thing I noticed about Xero Shoes Sandals was just how comfortable they are. Unlike many other brands of sandals which have thick soles and tight straps and make you feel like you’re putting on some sort of convertible-top ski boot, Xero Shoes feel like you’re wearing—well nothing. Designed with an extremely thin and light sole, Xero Shoes weigh practically naught and deliver a sort of “barely there” type of comfort. With an impact absorbing FeelLite sole and built-in conturing heel cup, they’re the perfect sandal for wearing all day and every day because you practically forget that they’re there.

This thin FeelLite sole design of Xero Shoes is made of a flexible rubber base that were designed to move and contort and flex with your feet as you walk without restricting your motion or squeezing your feet at all. This allows you to feel the ground through the soles, which is handy when you’re rock hopping through fast or cloudy rivers and streams where you can’t see the bottom. Yet, despite its thin design the sole of the Xero Sandal remains thick enough that the bottom of your feet are still protected from all the sharp rocks, broken bottles, playful crayfish, and other pointy/cutting things you may encounter along the stream bottom.

Surprisingly Tough

As a full-time Montana fly fishing guide, I really put my wading sandals to the test. Throughout the summer, I am constantly leaping out of moving rafts and drift boats, hiking in to different backcountry rivers and lakes, and even occasionally running from curious grizzlies and disgruntled bison. Other sandal brands that I’ve worn under such punishing conditions have disintegrated faster than a set of do-it-yourself IKEA furniture during an earthquake, but Xero Shoes have held up with most pairs lasting several fishing seasons.

In addition, both the treads on the bottom of Xero Shoes and their quick-drying, waterproof webbing really separate them from other sandal brands. The light but flexible treads of Xero Shoes have great grip on even the rock-snottiest of river bottoms, keeping you from doing an unnecessary backstroke in fast water. Plus, the waterproof webbing stops the sandals from getting waterlogged and heavy when you’re out of the water which makes them ideal for dry land hiking into your favorite secret spots or for running hell-bent for leather on occasions when you’ve got an especially big animal on your six.

Worth The Price

Perhaps the only downside of the Xero Shoe sandals is their price. Retailing at $85.00 to $97.00, you’re definitely not going to find a pair of Xero Shoes in the bargain bin of flip-flops at your local gas station. Yet, if you’re a dedicated wet-wading angler who dislikes wearing waders as much as I do, then Xero Shoes are really worth the price. In fact, they’re an investment.

It’s rare to find a pair of wading sandals that will hold up all summer long, especially if you fish every day (believe me I’ve tried). Yet Xero Shoes will do all that and more. You can put them through the ringer, climbing rocky ridges, sliding down muddy riverbanks, and hiking for miles through trout-infested waters, and then as soon as it get cold and the waders need to come out you can put them in the closest for next year or at least until the weather gets warm again.

Fish Naked

I honestly hate wearing waders, unless I have to. They’re hot, a pain to travel with, a hassle to put on (especially when you see the fish rising), and they just seem to spring leaks whenever you look at them wrong. But, during the summer when the days are hot and everything just feels sticky and sweaty, you really don’t need waders because getting into a nice cold trout stream bare-legged can almost be a relief. So when things get warm, I just leave my waders at home, put on my Xero Shoes, and hop into the water as God, or at least those Biblical paintings of him, intended—in good a pair of sandals and nothing else.