by sflinux » Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:27 pm
Hi,
This year I tried shoes out. I'm used to riding with booties because I'm a wus when it comes to foot injuries. For years, I wore low top river booties (thick sole) as there are barnicles and other sharp stuff near the bay shore. In the surf, I wear a hi-top surf bootie for warmth (thin sole). I remember I used to always get blisters when I rode with straps, even with the booties. When I switched to strapless riding, my feet were much happier.
My river booties were getting worn and the size I had was feeling small (big toe used to get sore), so I tried an old pair of river running shoes. I love the feeling. My feet would fall asleep in my river booties. Now I use the shoes exclusively on the bay on surfboards, skimboards, and wakeskates. I was considering putting a deck pad on my skimboard and surfboard for padding and grip. But the shoes have plenty of grip and all the padding I need. I've heard others recommend cheap skate shoes for wake skating. I've also heard of other using running shoes. I'd definitely recommend that you try running shoes. They have plenty of grip of a EVA wakeskate, more grip than my thin sole surf booties.