OVERPRICED WATER SHOES?
I’ll admit -- before I bought a pair of Astral Brewess 2.0 I couldn’t wrap my head around spending over $100 on a pair of “water shoes.”
Seriously, how much different could these be than wearing shoes, crocs or sport sandals?
As I signed up for my Advanced Flat Water Instructor course I purchased a dry suit and on a whim I thought, why not try Astrals? They’d fit over my dry suit to protect the feet of the suit.
Astral Brewess 2.0 Review
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Photo Credit: Ashley Voykin
As I set off on my course I wore these with just bare feet and was surprised at how much my feet cramped less.
Being one of my first extended paddles of the year, my feet usually aren’t adjusted to standing. As most people experience: they cramp. This was alleviated instantly.
The final day of my course we had cool weather and needed to practice immersion rescues. Suiting up I put on my shoes over my dry suit feet and they fit, but I made the mistake of pulling the sock too tight which cut off the circulation to my feet.
A lunch break wardrobe adjustment fixed this problem. Since that time, I always remember to keep some slack in my booties when sliding them into my shoes.
THE BREWESS 2.0 SHOES ARE MADE FOR PADDLING
If you’ve ever been around rivers, or water bodies with rock, you’ve noticed how slippery the rocks are; essentially slime covered bowling balls. It feels impossible to walk on wet rock.
I can say with confidence I no longer feel a loss of traction walking into water bodies.
These shoes are unbelievably grippy like a Gecko stuck to the ceiling (I haven’t tried this).
To truly test these shoes they accompanied me on my Grand Rapids Trip. I travelled 196 km over 24 hours of paddle time.
Day 1 was 9 ½ hours of paddle time, Day 2 was 8 ½ hours and Day 3 ½ hrs. My feet with merino wool socks felt fantastic, other than just general fatigue from such long days.
OUTTA THIS WORLD
The shoes breathe well and dry quickly.
They fit true to size and accommodate my foot from barefoot to socks with dry suit.
Between the grip, the comfort and the style I cannot fault these shoes on anything except cost. Even the cost is worth the trade-off for how well they perform.
In life you can buy cheap things twice or a quality product once. Astral Brewess 2.0, taken care of, will last you for many adventures.
I haven’t hiked in these specifically. With arthritis in my feet, I’d be curious how well they’d support my foot. There is no arch support or stabilizer in these. That could be a consideration for sizing if you use orthotics.
However, if you do plan to spend time on the water in any capacity (even outside of paddling) these are a great shoe.
BREWESS 2.0 SPECIFICATIONS
Intended Use: Watersports, Traveling, Rock Scrambling
Uppers: Hydrophobic Canvas with Air mesh at vamp, tongue and medial side; Step-Down heel, built-in sock liner, embroidered tongue detail; Water resistant laces provided.
Midsole: Level heel to ball, medium arch, made from EVA
Outsole: Made from G.15™rubber, high surface-contact, razor-siped, and non-marking.
Foot to Ground Distance: 17mm heel, 16mm ball
Weight/ Shoe: Women's 7 = 199g (7.0 oz)
Sizes: Women's US 6-11
Fit: True to size (Up to D width)
ASTRAL BREWESS 2.0 SUMMARY
If you’re on the fence about getting Astrals, jump in with both feet and go for it. They are my staple water shoe and, in case I forgot my real shoes, they look good enough to get by on the street.
I’ve already got my money’s worth from these shoes and I’m planning to get another pair in the future.
Get them before they sell out! Inventory is flying off the shelf. Before summer is here and you even contemplate getting a pair, there won’t be any left.
Astral Brewess 2.0 Shoe
$160.00
Astral Brewess 2.0 Shoe Review From boat to bar, rafts to rockslides, the quick drying, performance minded Astral Brewess 2.0 Shoe is the answer. A paddling shoe with G rubber outsoles that keep you gripping, while the balanced Geometry midsoles… Read More
Happy paddling!
Sending You Love n SUP,
Lisa Stocking
CSEP-CPT/RYT 200
Advanced Flatwater SUP Instructor
@love_nsup
AQ Outdoors Contact
Edmonton: (p) 780 463-4892 (e) info@aquabaticsedmonton.com
Calgary: (p) 403 288-9283 (e) info@aqoutdoors.com
