Security equipment for photographing waves from slippery rocks?

[eriksen]

Are there any photographers here with experience who can advice a beginner in order to avoid a fatal accident in stormy weather? Which shoe soles will have the best grip on wet rocks? Can I use regular soles with carbide studs, or will it be better with wading shoes with felt soles?
And which other safety equipment will be advicable for that purpose?

 

[RVT1K]

You might find better answers on a rock-climbing forum.

 

[MSnowy]

Sounds like a life jacket might come in handy

 

[dunfly]

Try a fly fishing store like Orvis or Cabelas. Felt soles are banned in a lot of locations due to didimo contamination. I would look at Vibram soles with removable carbide studs.

 

[petrochemist]

In stormy weather never mind the shoes. To be safe you need a harness & a rope preferably to an A frame overhead...
Alternatively get the shot from a safer location with a longer lens

 

[AlanKlein]

Korkers Triple Threat Aluminum Hex Disc OmniTrax Sole

 

[Original katomi]

Two friends to go with you
1 to go for help if you fall and are hurt
The 2nd to stay and give first aid, keep you safe until help arrives
We all do daft things, this sounds like one of the things I would have done lol
Now I am a fossil according to my G kids but I still have the scars to prove I was young and a bit foolish once

 

[PJM]

Even with proper shoes, stay well away from waves. They are surprisingly powerful and if they knock you off the rocks the shoes will be useless.

 

[AlanKlein]

The boots are heavy, they can help you drown.

 

[dennyr]

Korkers Triple Threat Aluminum Hex Disc OmniTrax Sole

Wow..... that is less money than some people spend on a normal pair of tennis shoes

 

[Original katomi]

All this thought on kit....Q is your camera waterproof I mean really waterproof
I used to sail and even 50m watches do not alway cut it in salt water mine were/are 100m

 

[Eric Uberseder]

Several companies include a Vibram sole called Arctic Grip. I’m not sure they will work on slippery rocks but they do work on slippery wet ice that we have here in coastal Maine. You have to walk flat n your feet. Merrill and LLBean have shoes with this grip.

Other than that we use shoes here for hiking in the winter in Acadia National Park called Icers. They fit on the bottom of your shoes and have spikes that stick into surfaces. You can sharpen the spikes if you need to do so. Don’t get the ones with springs on the sole, they don’t work.

 

[Eric Uberseder]

However, I have broken lenses on slippery rocks. Fixing the lens or replacing it is less useful and more costly than buying a bigger telephoto.

 

[weepete]

Are there any photographers here with experience who can advice a beginner in order to avoid a fatal accident in stormy weather? Which shoe soles will have the best grip on wet rocks? Can I use regular soles with carbide studs, or will it be better with wading shoes with felt soles?
And which other safety equipment will be advicable for that purpose?

I spend a significant amout of my spare time clambering about wet slippy rocks to find good sea fishing stances, quite often at night and all through the winter. What you'll need is a cleated sole with softish good quality rubber, then stud them with some tungsten carbide studs. Forget the felt soled wading boots, they are designed for rivers and are not suitable for rock hopping on the coast or places with big rocks and can be very slippy in the wrong environment.

I use a stud brand called Supatracks, in the 1100 size as it's a good size to let the studs grip keeping a bit of traction from the soles of your boot. If you are regularly walking over kelp you may want longer studs, but for rock hopping the 1100s are ideal.

For boots I have a pair of Meindl Toronto boots, they have good soles with great ankle support but they are a very stiff boot designed for proper rugged mountain terrain and walking on rocks all day. You might want somthing a bit more flexable if you are not out on rocks for extened periods of time. I'd also be fine using my Vass wellies on rocks, but that's a bit more risky as they have no ankle support.

The best advice is go with someone who knows what they are doing, never go alone, stay well away from the sea, take a fully charged phone and don't take risks. There are some places where no amout of safety gear will protect you and if you get hit by a rouge wave or slip there is simply nothing you can do and death is almost inevitable. Don't put yourself in one of those places. In the UK we loose anglers every year and rock hopping is one the most damgerous things you can do.

 

[AlanKlein]

A fisherman drowned and another nearly died when they were washed off a jetty in Breezy Point Rhode Island.