Are Waterproof Boots Needed?

[jormot]

We leave next month for our 1st cruise to Alaska. We don't intend to bring waterproof boots but wanted to get some experienced opinions. None of our excursions require them so we are thinking sneakers will suffice. Can I get thoughts from those who've been?

[Casey12]

Sneakers are fine. If you want to spray waterproof them you can.

[hollon]

Sneakers are fine. If you want to spray waterproof them you can.

what will spraying them do? Sorry, for such a dumb question, will the water just roll off?

[jonsmom]

I just purchased a pair of waterproof hiking boots. I am not planning on hiking, lol but it is rainy in Juneau and we are planning a whale watch & Mendenhall Glacier. Figured it can't hurt. In Skagway we are planning a Glacier Safari and may need them also....we live in the Northeast so it's not really a bad investment. I will wear them again.

[Crew News]

We leave next month for our 1st cruise to Alaska. We don't intend to bring waterproof boots but wanted to get some experienced opinions. None of our excursions require them so we are thinking sneakers will suffice. Can I get thoughts from those who've been?

 

Forget the boots unless you are planning to not stick to trails. Sneakers are fine but the probability of getting wet feet with all of the rain is pretty high. Waterproofing your sneakers is like applying a coat of oil that repels water but make sure that you don't miss any spots..

 

I wear Merrell MOAB waterproof hiking shoes on all of my Alaksa excursions over the past 9 years and will be wearing them next month on my next Alaska cruise. Hiking shoes got wet but feet stayed dry.

[DaKa2002]

...

I wear Merrell MOAB waterproof hiking shoes on all of my Alaksa excursions over the past 9 years and will be wearing them next month on my next Alaska cruise. Hiking shoes got wet but feet stayed dry.

 

I will second that! The Merrell MOAB low cut hikers are terrific - I wear them almost year round, walking dogs, camping, and hiking, and always travel with them. Comfortable and waterproof. Wife and I will both wear them in August when we take another Alaskan cruise.

[CCJack]

I would also agree that light weight hiking boots are a good idea. I took mid height rather than low cut. My Merrells are light weight and I did spray them well with waterproofing. We went on a glacier safari out of skagway, and also we hiked up Mt. Roberts in Juneau (starting at the top of the tram and hiking up). In both cases, I think sneakers would have done in a pinch, but not the best. Because I didn't want to pack my boots in a suitcase, I wore them on the plane.

 

Have fun.....

[jimsig]

I would not buy something that you might not ever wear again. I bought a pair of the Columbia sneaker type boots for our Alaskan cruise and wear them all the time. My wife bought a pair of Merrells, not sure of the type, and she also wears hers all the time. As for our then 6yo DD she had an older pair of sneakers and we water proofed those and she had no issues.

[martincath]

I'd also not buy them special - if you needed such things in your day-to-day life you'd already have them. Plus breaking in new boots can be painful, so unless you have time before your trip to do that, it would be better to have wet feet! Comfortable shoes for the win.

 

Cheap & effective waterproofing of sneakers/canvas shoes can be done for the cost of a candle, a bit of elbow grease, and a hot hairdryer. It's actually more efficient than spray-on, since you know exactly where you've put the wax and can easily target seams with an extra go-over to really work it in these weak points.

 

Ankle support is certainly never a bad thing - so if you already have a pair of boots, great, but unless you are going off trails anything with a grippy sole should work fine.

[Frank12]

Not necessary IMO.

[Mitch2016]

I will second that! The Merrell MOAB low cut hikers are terrific - I wear them almost year round, walking dogs, camping, and hiking, and always travel with them. Comfortable and waterproof. Wife and I will both wear them in August when we take another Alaskan cruise.

 

I'll also chip in here.....love my Merrill low cut shoes. They look like tennis shoes but my feet won't get wet. Plus, they are slip resistant.....for those wet slippery boat decks if you are out on some small boat excursions. We've had a lot of rain this spring in Iowa and they have been great for being out in it....especially the wet grass while walking the dog! Feet stay dry. :D

[Hdnwaters]

I need a wide shoe & while I really like Merrill's they don't fit me as well as others. I actually purchased a pair of Ariat Terrain H2O boots. They are really comfortable. They were made for endurance riders who often dismount & run with their horses. They are not as bulky as some hiking boots & you can usually find them on sale online.

 

 

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[Herfnerd]

Forget the boots unless you are planning to not stick to trails. Sneakers are fine but the probability of getting wet feet with all of the rain is pretty high. Waterproofing your sneakers is like applying a coat of oil that repels water but make sure that you don't miss any spots..

 

I wear Merrell MOAB waterproof hiking shoes on all of my Alaksa excursions over the past 9 years and will be wearing them next month on my next Alaska cruise. Hiking shoes got wet but feet stayed dry.

 

Just look for any silicone waterproofing spray like Atsko Silicone Water-Guard spray and follow the directions - you can find them in the camping section of Walmart, Target, etc.

[xlxo]

I found boots handy when it rains. I found boots handy when exploring Mendenhall's Nugget Falls trail when it was partially flooded.