Looking for great footwear for rafting, canoeing, or any other activity that involves water? Earlier this month I had the opportunity to test Chaco's OutCross Evo 2 on a five-day river trip through Dinosaur National Monument in Utah and just might have ended my search for a great water shoe.
I've tried Tevas, KEENs, and Fivefingers from Vibram, all with varying levels of satisfaction. But the Chacos have surpassed all in comfort, stability, and sure-footedness.
With a mesh outer, neoprene foot liner, and lugged sole, the OutCross Evo 2 (MSRP $110) went from land to water and back again without a glitch. While footwear I've experimented with during past watery adventures either allowed sand and pebbles to infiltrate the interior of the shoes or failed to protect my toes, my time on the Yampa River was remarkable in both lack of irritation caused by debris that in past testing with other brands has somehow gotten inside the liners, and the shoe's ability to comfortably navigate trails on land.
I found the shoes need a little work to get on, but that tight fit provides the seal necessary to keep river or lake debris out. And once they're on, the fit is nice and comfortable. A synthetic rubber toe cap helps protect your feet from rocks, while a nylon shank provides good stability, and the lugged sole great gripping.
The fit, size 11, was true. The mesh outer ensured the shoes quickly dried once ashore.
With further testing in store this summer on the Main Salmon in Idaho and the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park in Utah, we'll see how these stand up to use. So far, they've been impressive.
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