Up: Equipment Reviews

Lotus Playboot - Defective and Slippery


by Joe Box


Lotus Playboot, click to
    enlarge! I ordered 4 pairs of these booties and Lotus cut me an excellent deal as a result. Unfortunately, the boot itself gets very low marks from me due to its poor durability and its slippery rubber sole.

There are several very good aspects to this boot including their small size for fitting into little boats, the general quality of manufacture, and the lace-up style. I am 6'2'' and in the past have only been able to fit rodeo socks into my boats. In my Micro I have my seat and bulkhead footbrace all the way forward and the Playboot fits tight but comfortable.

The construction of the boot is solid with typically great Lotus quality control on stitching, glue, and materials. The exception is the stitching on the outside of the shoe around the arch (the area with which you would pass a soccer ball). Both my booties and my paddling partner's booties have come apart in the same area. I figured it was my buddy's fault because he is hard on gear but then my stitching started ripping at the same spot. This isn't cool at all. This damage has occurred after only 20 or so days of use. We will be returning our booties for replacement soon.





Lotus Playboot, click to
    enlarge! I really appreciate the lace-up style of the boot. I have done some significant hiking, shuttle jogging, and portaging and the best thing about these boots is that they fit like a light walking shoe. This is something I need because I hate all the blisters and unhappiness associated with lengthy hikes in typical neoprene booties.

The most significant downfall of this boot is the sole. I can't figure out what Lotus was thinking when they attached this small skating rink to the bottom of my shoe. Even on dry rocks these boots are dangerously slippery. I believe the idea was to create a more durable sole but the trade-off with grip is unacceptable.

These boots, for the defective stitching and the slippery sole, get a failing grade from me. I will continue searching for that perfect boot.








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