Old Salt wrote on Feb 27^th, 2013 at 5:09pm:

Last year I became a convert to rubber knee high boots. I bought a cheap pair in AK that ran $20 or so. Nothing fancy. They are pull ons. Only possible drawback would be the mudsucking bogs, which were not on last years menu.

Not the ONLY possible drawback.

Seventeen years ago during one Spring trip, I pulled a young man out of frigid froth in Sturgeon Narrows who was wearing such boots when his canoe flipped over.  He could barely keep his nose above water despite wearing a perfectly functional life preserver. Later, after he stopped convulsing from the shivers and recovered his voice by our fire, we heard no end of curses for his knee-high rubber LaCrosse boots which had completely filled, nearly dragging him under & drowning him.

Two behaviors changed that day.  He STOPPED wearing knee-high rubber boots.  My brother & I STARTED wearing our life preservers.

I think such boots are fine on the portage trail.  I have a pair myself that I'll occasionally use... but I'll never wear them in the canoe.

Just a thought.

Jimbo   8-)