OTB - Over The Beach Boots

[Iceaxe]

Hey, it looks like we have a new canyoneering shoe about to hit the market.

I hear OTB (Over The Beach) is about to release several civilian variations of the boot they designed for the Navy Seals. They are supposed to have product avaiable in about 6 weeks. The big question is probably how sticky is their rubber going to be? It appears they have developed their own rubber they call "Tactical Rubber Technology". The shoes are supposed to drain well and dry quickly.

After scanning their website I'm guessing the Abyss will be the version for canyoneering.

OTB Boots
www.otbboots.com

I can't wait to hear the first field report on this new shoe. A durable, comfortable and high traction shoe is the holy grail of canyoneering footwear. Currently all the canyoneering shoes available have a down side.

[Scott Card]

Down side you ask??? They are butt ugly. I wouldn't be caught dead in something that ugly, particularly after Labor Day.... Give me the good looking bumble bee 5.10's any day

[Iceaxe]

Oh man.... the bumble bees have to be one of the ugliest shoes on the planet.

But just like an ugly girlfriend..... so long as the performance is top notch the looks can be forgiven.

[Jaxx]

I dont think either of the brands look that bad. I'm with iceaxe, if they work who cares about looks.

[Scott Card]

if they work who cares about looks.

Not me. I was totally joking. I think the term "canyoneering fashion" is an oxymoron, particularly after a skinny scraper canyon.

[Iceaxe]

I'm just curious if the boots are any good. The military usually has some of the best equipment around because cost is no obstacle. What got my interest up was I have been told by OTB that the boots are already out in Europe and are becoming used by canyoneers....

[Scott Card]

[utidcapaco]

Personally, I'd be a little concerned about the slots (drain holes) in the soles. Not with regard to letting sand, etc. in, as I'm sure they are designed for that, but with regard to durability. I guess time will tell. Anxiously awaiting some beta!

[Iceaxe]

OK, I just picked up a pair of the OTB Abyss boot to test drive. The shoe looks nice and is light weight. I can't wait to see how it preforms and if its as sticky as I told they would be. I'll keep you posted, but from initial examination I can't see anything that looks like a flaw similar to those cute buckles and strapy things found on some shoes.

It will probably be a couple weeks before I can really give these bad boys a pounding.

[Iceaxe]

In the picture below - From the top going clockwise....

Five-Ten Canyoneer
Five-Ten Canyoneer II
Adam, what the heck are these?
Over The Beech (OTB) Abyss
Five-Ten Approach shoe (What model?)
La Sportiva Exum River

I finally got to try out a pair of OTB's new Abyss last weekend in Zion.... and I liked them.... Lets call this a First Impressions report....

The Abyss is of very sturdy construction and is built for serious outdoor activities... and not hiking along the beach at sunset like so many want-a-be canyoneer shoes. The Abyss was very comfortable and would be my current first choice if hiking out The Zion Narrows, Buckskin or Parunuweap. The shoe offers more support and a thicker sole then anything else I've used recently. When using this shoe the bottoms of my feet do not get sore from rock and boulder hopping as with most canyon shoes (particularly the 5-10's). The shoe also offers nice ankle support if packing a light to medium load. The drain holes in the bottom of the shoe were a non-issue to date. The shoe drains well and did not seem to let in much sand.

Now the big question is.... how sticky are they? Honestly it was kind of hard to tell in Zion where most the routes are rap-n-swim and involve no serious high stemming or climbing. My current answer is they are plenty sticky for everything in Zion. They are certainly as sticky as any current athletic shoe, and many of the current canyoneering shoes..... but I'm not certain if they are as sticky as the current king of sticky the Five-Ten Canyoneer. I really have just not spent enough time yet with the shoe to decide exactly how sticky they are. Part of the problem is it takes me a long time to completely trust a new shoe.

So for now the shoe has moved into my current rotation of canyon shoes and we'll see how they hold up. In the coming months I plan to use the shoe in a more difficult climbing environment and I'll let you know exactly how sticky I think the shoes are and how well they survive in a mae west slot.

[Stick]

So for now the shoe has moved into my current rotation of canyon shoes and we'll see how they hold up. In the coming months I plan to use the shoe in a more difficult climbing environment and I'll let you know exactly how sticky I think the shoes are and how well they survive in a mae west slot.

I am looking at getting some new shoes for canyoneering this season. Have you used your OTB boots more, and if you have what is your verdict?