Astral Brewer- Initial Thoughts

The Brewer:

For weeks I have been hounding on about wanting a pair of these all purpose, kayak, water, casual style shoes from Astral out in North Carolina. And today, they came via FedEx to my door. I had read about the multiple drains, non-skid tread, fold down heel, and durable construction. I had heard about the sheer style, design and cool look. I heard all I needed to hear. After connecting with @AstralBuoyancy (Astral) and
@CKS_Paddler (Colorado Kayak Supply) on Twitter, I found out they had them in stock and ready to ship. That was all I needed to drop my money on the virtual counter and say “SEND THEM!”.

I asked Emily last night if she knew what tomorrow was? She said “Tuesday”. I said yes but what else? She said she didn’t know and I said, “It’s Brewer Day!!!”. To say I was excited with anticipation for the FedEx truck to arrive is a vast understatement. But enough gushing. On to the thoughts:

This shoe is finely crafted. The material mix is both durable and versatile in the environments I’ll be fishing in. It is also a good looking shoe! I don’t have to be shin deep in a flat somewhere to wear these shoes. As advertised I can get out the surf and into the shops without changing shoes. The interior sole has a cushiony soft feel much like some of the popular footwear out now but with an alternating pattern on the interior, you should see reduced slippage and higher grip from the inside out. And speaking of grip, that out-sole is ridiculous! It gives good grip but putting moisture to it just activates the gripping power and furthers your adventures with better portage capability on those slick limestone rocks we have here in Texas. For the fashion savvy the Brewer comes with alternate laces so you can chill it down or spice it up depending on your mood. The fold down heel is a nice touch to convert these lace ups to slip-ons quickly. While we are at the heel, the big drains in the back will keep the weight to a minimum and with the front rocker drains as well, you’ll have to find somewhere else to store water. I put these shoes on and immediately it felt right. I appreciate the availability of laces to fit them tighter to my feet when in current. Most shoes and sandals don’t offer that and most guys fish the surf in some heavy boots or neoprene, neither of which is a good option in the extreme heat of Texas in summer. Tennis shoes are ok but they drain slower than a swimming pool and are not made of water friendly materials. In all fairness, I haven’t fished in these yet. I plan on putting them through the ringer in a couple of weeks down at Jamaica Beach on the Texas Coast. I’ll report back then with performance results but until then, here are some shots of the shoe.