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Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view

Category: Footwear (Page 4 of 5)

Baffin Trail To Rapids Shoes – First Look

26 August 2014 / / 0 Comments

Over the past few months I have been testing a couple of pairs of shoes from the Canadian company Baffin. They both fall within the companies Trail To Rapids range and are designed for use on and off the water (with more of bias to waterborne activities).

Baffin are probably better known for their cold weather footwear which by all accounts is damn good stuff, but their Trail To Rapids range including the two pairs I have here at the Unsponsored HQ are worth having a look at.

First up is the Swamp Buggy:

This is relatively large set of shoes that offer great support. If you are familiar with the Five Ten range then they are certainly comparable in many ways to the Canyoneer shoe.

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Astral’s New Shoe – The Loyak

7 August 2014 / / 1 Comment

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After the huge success of the Brewer and Brewess, Astral have developed a new shoe called the Loyak.

The Loyak has a much lower profile than the Brewer. The upper of the Loyak is constructed from 1000 denier Cordura Nylon and the sole is made of G.15 rubber (The replacement for 5:10 stealth rubber).

Five Ten New Cayoneer

2 August 2014 / / 5 Comments

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Available from Spring/Summer 2015 is the new Five Ten Canyoneer 3. Continue reading

Astral Moving Away From Stealth Rubber

15 April 2014 / / 0 Comments

Since 5:10 (Five Ten) were bought out by Adidas the ability of other brands to use 5:10’s world famous stealth rubber on their own footwear designs has ceased to exist. Astral have therefore decided to use the G.14 rubber compound.

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Real world feedback is suggesting that this compound is as good if not better than stealth rubber.

Astral Rasslers – Mid Year Thoughts

4 April 2014 / / 2 Comments

Finding a good shoe or boot that is robust enough for long walk ins/outs, offers good levels of protection/support and is comfortable to wear all day is pretty tough. Thankfully a number of big players have begun to expand the range of shoes available. For the last couple of years I have been using a pair of Five Ten Water Tennies and really like them. But I also have a but also have a set of Astral Brewers which are great in my playboat. The Brewers dry much faster that the Water Tennies but don’t have the same level of protection or stiffness as the Five Tens.

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Astral Rassler – First Look

30 October 2013 / / 1 Comment

I’ve been using my Five Ten Water Tennies for the last year + and really like them but also have a set of Astral Brewers which are great in my play boat. The Brewers dry much faster that the Water Tennies but don’t have the same level of protection or stiffness as the Water Tennies. The Rassler takes the Brewer and beefs it up for tougher walk ins/outs.

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Astral Brewer – Update

26 May 2013 / / 2 Comments

Since picking up a set of Astral Brewers last year they haven’t actually been used that much until quite recently. I also have a pair of Five Ten Water Tennies which I tend to wear with my drysuit and just love them so the Brewers haven’t seen much action. Which is unfair as the Brewers are a superb shoe. Read on….

We have had a small glimpse of summer so the shorts, short sleeved cag and Brewers have been put through there paces.

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ASTRAL Footwear Collection – the Brewer and Porter explained

7 May 2013 / / 0 Comments

Astral Brewer – First Look

23 August 2012 / / 0 Comments

My Astral Brewer shoes finally arrived today. Delays due to the Olympics meant they had been in the country for over 10 days waiting for customs to release them. Thankfully they (along with a few other goodies) have arrived in one piece.

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Astral Brewer

3 August 2012 / / 0 Comments

I have a pair of the new Astral Brewer shoes on there way to me as I type. I’m looking forward to trying these out. They will have to be pretty good to beat the Five Ten Water Tennies.

The Astral Brewers were born on the banks of the Green River Narrows giving the people a versatile shoe from a kayaker’s point of view. The upper is built to last with many of the same durable and fast-drying materials as our lifevests including Cordura® and AirMesh fabrics. Our Natural Balance™ midsole securely cradles your foot, providing stable navigation through unpredictable rocky terrain. For the bottom we use state of the art Stealth® Rubber for unsurpassed traction on wet rocks. Technical performance and classic style are blended perfectly to bring you the shoe whitewater kayakers have been waiting for.

Brewer Features:

Lightweight, Minimalist
Construction (avg. 214 grams)
Durable Cordura® Upper
Breathable Airmesh vamp & tongue
Natural Balance™ Midsole (zero drop)
Drainage at front sidewall and Silt Dump at heel
Stealth® Outsole
Step-Down Heel
Alternate lace color provided

Sandiline Neoprene socks

21 June 2012 / / 3 Comments

I wanted a pair of neoprene socks that I could wear with a pair of trainers or my river boots. Therefore they needed to be nice and thin whilst at the same time offering a good level of warmth and comfort. I had been looking for some time and then spotted the Sandiline socks at North Shore Watersports. The socks are constructed from 0.5mm neoprene and come in a range of different colours.

The shaping is just right, and for my size ten (UK) feet there is little bunching or excess material with the large sized socks. The shape has been achieved with a minimum number of seams and each seam has been sewn so that there are no ridges. I have worn these inside of my Five Ten Water Tennies and a pair of Salomon Trainers and have found on all occasions that they have been extremely comfy to wear.

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Five Ten (5.10) Water Tennies

18 March 2012 / / 11 Comments

I have been using Five Ten products on on off for the last 12+ years. Doing a very quick count I have found that I have gathered a number of Five Ten products, including climbing shoes, mountain bike shoes, approach shoes and now the Five Ten (5.10) Water Tennies.

A number of years ago I used the Nemo shoes for both whitewater rafting and kayaking, I found the grip very good even on greened up concrete. But I could never of got into my current play boat whilst wearing them.

Five Ten (5.10) Water Tennies Continue reading

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