I recently picked up a pair of Orvis Approach shoes . These newish shoes from Orvis have an interesting look. They look like an all-purpos...
I recently picked up a pair of Orvis Approach shoes. These newish shoes from Orvis have an interesting look. They look like an all-purpose water shoe. Maybe a little wet wading, working some tropical flats, maybe a little hiking up a creek. More of a shoe, less of a wading boot. I grabbed these shoes thinking that they might work out well for an adventure I had planned.
I was lucky enough to pick up a permit to backpack the South Coast section of Olympic National Park this summer. A bucket list adventure checked off the list. Backpacking is one of my favorite activities and it is really nice when I can get some fishing in while I am out in the backcountry.
I do not have much to report as far as fishing went. I fished decently hard, did not catch much. There was a lot of kelp where I fished the first day, it was pretty wide open surf breaks over the next few days. I did not find any really good spots that were easily accessible at the times that I had available to fish. Otherwise a really lovely trip.
I picked up some new gear for this trip, including these Approach shoes. I spent weeks contemplating whether I should bring my big hiking boots instead, but I wanted to give these a shot at a big trip. Plus I need a replacement for my Chacos that are truly falling apart.
I chose to hike with these Approach Shoes for a couple of reasons. While they are not as sturdy as a set of traditional hiking boots, one outstanding feature is they are much lighter. I like to move fast and go light, so I though that these would help me stay nimble on my feet.
A couple of sections of this trail require climbing up cliffs using a series of ropes to go around submerged tidal areas. The lightweight shoes seemed to be quite helpful for that, plus the super-grippy tread gave me the confidence to scurry up those sections like a goat.
While the lightweight aspects of the shoes were fantastic, it was the grip that was
about as good as any that I have experienced. Michelin rubber on the
soles really kept me sturdy. I made sure to pay attention to where and
when other folks I saw were slipping and I did not have any serious
problems. They are not perfect, but the grip definitely outperformed others.
The Approach Shoes proved their worth at getting up the cliff sides. They were also really nice down near the water. Much of the trek involved walking on the beach, and I really like being in the water. I spent quite a bit of time fishing in the surf. I needed shoes that could help me catch a fish or two while being able to dry out and be ready for hiking the next day. Regular hiking boots would not be able to help me with the fishing. Fishing required me to either wade out waist-deep on the sandy beaches, or to climb out all over wet, slippery rock outcroppings with occasional leaps of faith into the ocean to get over to other rock sets. (Don't tell me about the sharks).
These shoes also feature a neoprene ankle cuff, which is a bit of a pain to get into. It does not seem to keep the water out very well, but rocks and sand were not a problem. I do highly recommend that anyone that buys these does wear socks with them. I am very confident that I would have had some severe blisters had I not worn socks. I also think that I would have had bad blisters if that ankle cuff had not been so effective at keeping the sand out.
I did have a few typical blisters and cramps when I was finished, but nothing that was unexpected. I did hike 20+ miles over a couple of days with a decently heavy pack. I was certainly prepared for much worse feet after I was done, especially given that I had
not done a very good job at breaking those new shoes in first. I wore them for one
half-day of trout fishing a few weeks before.
They handled being in and near the water well. While they did take some time to dry out after being soaked, it was a pretty quick drying time. The big thing is that they did not become uncomfortable when they got wet. Some material gets soggy or can cause serious blisters when it gets wet, but these shoes held up really well.
So these shoes are not going to replace my wading boots. They lack solid ankle support, and an overall rigid construction that are crucial for an all-day deep wading boot. That being said, these shoes will have a lineup in my starting rotation. Weekends at the lake with the kiddos, quick after-work fishing sessions, paddleboarding or rafting trips. I can't imagine a better shoe for fishing out of a drift boat. These will certainly get worn plenty.
Overall, these shoes have exceeded my expectations. They performed very well on a 3-day backpacking trip. The insoles were supportive even with a 40 pound pack. They are comfortable, the grip on them is spectacular, they are lightweight. They did a wonderful job at taking on water. I am glad that I wore them on my trip instead of a heavier pair of hiking boots.
While I will almost certainly opt for hiking boots on my next backpacking trip (next weekend), I feel that because of the location and terrain, Orvis Approach Shoes were a really nice pick up that made my trip better than it would have been otherwise. This was a good purchase for me this summer.
We hope that you can get out on an adventure of your own soon. Please give us a call if you have any questions, concerns or otherwise. Tight lines
