Shoes save us. We rely on shoes to get us there safe and fast where we need to be. Paddling in river canyons, we need to have quality and reliable shoes that will provide excellent grip on slippery surfaces. Wether we are scouting, portaging, or quickly assisting a friend, shoes make all the difference in our success. A friend of mine was paddling with poor footwear for ages; he even duct taped flip flops on saying it was better than nothing. Kayakers need to have quality shoes, we depend on it for walking on slick uneven surfaces and having traction for when we need to help out from shore. Recently, this friend of mine got some sweet Five Ten Canyoneers. What do you know, the very first day he used them, he was psyched to have them. We were paddling Escalante Creek and one of our team members got pinned in a rapid. Luckily, our buddy with his new shoes ran down the rocky river edge and helped the pinned kayaker get unstuck. Immediately, the shore assistance pointed to the shoes with a huge smile, thanking the shoes for their reliance. He couldn't believe it took him so long to get the proper gear. Canyoneers rule for kayak expeditions.