Kokatat Seeker Water Shoe Review

Most Kokatat products that we sell are very easy to review because they are top shelf. The Seeker Water Shoes are no exception. They are comfortable, low profile, well made river booties that are awesome for playboating (or kayaking in a low volume free runner), stand up paddling and river surfing. If you find yourself constantly fighting foot wear, and want a river shoe that has a similar feel to being bare foot in the water, yet offers decent protection, the Seeker is worth looking at.

Specs:

Pro's:

• Easy to put on and take off. The Seekers have a grab loop on the top of the heel of the shoe, that helps with putting it on. It also has a shock cord that tightens around the ankle.
• They stay on. Some less expensive river socks come off in turbulent swims. Since the seekers have the shock cord lacing system built in, they stay on. This is good for down river play boaters and stand up paddlers that want a shoe that they can count on in case of a big swim.
• GREAT for playboating. I am 6'2", have size 11.5 feet, and am very comfortable in my Project X, which has a pretty thin bow. They are great for days at the play park, and even for down river paddling. The soles have the durability needed for scouting on rocks, mild portaging, and swimming to shore (hopefully not so much). I have been wearing the seekers as my primary river shoe since they are so comfortable, and I mostly paddle roadside runs.
  The Seeker is perfect for downriver playboating. You can fit them in a really small boat, and also scout, portage and swim in them.
  Big feet, little boat. I usually have to wear river socks to fit in play boats because I am 6'2" and size 11.5 feet. The Seekers get the job done.
• The sole is grippy, but not too sticky. Seeker's fit like big rock climbing shoes, but the rubber is not overly sticky. They are good for walking out of the river onto rocks. There is enough foot protection to walk wherever you want, and not worry too much about hurting your feet.
• Perfect for SUP. Tons of dexterity, and sticky enough to stay on all boards.
  The Seekers are the ideal shoe for a stand up paddle surf session at the park.
• Seeker's are a good choice to wear with dry suits. The 3/4 cut is easy to put on over dry suit socks. The slim design is also nice.
  A dry suit and Seeker booties are perfect for a crisp spring day of river SUP. The watermelon helmet is optional.
• As with all Kokatat products, Seekers are made with the highest level of craftsmanship. Kokatat is located in Northern California, and prides themselves on building as much of their products as possible by hand in the USA.

Con's:

• The Seekers do not have a very thick sole on them, which makes them NOT the ideal choice for full on creek boating or true wilderness trips. If you are looking for a river shoe that has a heavy duty sole that can withstand the rigors of long portage trails or hikes in and out of the river (Sierra runs) the Seekers may not be the best choice. The Kokatat Scout, Five Ten Water Tennie or Keen Gorge Boot are much better options. The Water Tennies in particular are GREAT for serious runs.
• Price. Kokatat is not inexpensive. Because these boots are stitched and glued, have quite a bit of a R and D budget (backed by the best water athletes in the world), and most products are made in the USA, they cost a bit more than other river booties.

The Verdict:

The Kokatat Seeker Water Shoe is a superb low volume river show for whitewater kayaking in a low volume boats, and stand up paddling. They are extremely well made and will outlast river socks. They've got more rubber on them than river socks do, but do not take up that much more room in a play boat. They provide lots of traction for slick surfaces like river rocks and stand up board decks. There's solid ankle protection, and lots of dexterity. If you are looking for something that feels pretty similar to going barefoot, but provides traction and solid protection, the Seeker is a top notch contender.