NRS Kicker Remix Review

Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Good traction, very sensitive, sock-like feel, fun to swim in
Cons: Slip off feet slighty when walking, uncomfortable in rough terrain
Manufacturer: NRS
Our Verdict
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NRS Kicker Remix | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Price | $49.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $119.95 at Amazon | $39.83 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $90.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $59.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Good traction, very sensitive, sock-like feel, fun to swim in | Extremely versatile, adjustable, excellent balance of support and flexibility | Protective midsole and toe, incredibly sticky rubber, versatile | High traction, flexible, snug fit, great drainage, stylish | Comfortable, warm, great traction on wet rock |
Cons | Slip off feet slighty when walking, uncomfortable in rough terrain | Not the stickiest rubber, not the most durable | Weak mesh impairs durability | Not warm, not durable | Little support on rough terrain, no drainage |
Bottom Line | While not a great all-around shoe, these water shoes have great sensitivity for kayaking and swimming at a very low price | These comfortable and versatile shoes are excellent in and out of the water | While not the most durable, this shoe is crazy sticky and feels great in most conditions | Thoughtful design creates a snug but adjustable fit and high performance around water and even around town | These booties provide stellar warmth and comfort while boating |
Rating Categories | NRS Kicker Remix | Astral TR1 Junction | Terrex Summer.RDY Voyager Sp... | Astral Loyak | NRS Paddle Wetshoe |
Comfort (25%) | |||||
Traction (25%) | |||||
Warmth (15%) | |||||
Versatility (15%) | |||||
Sensitivity (10%) | |||||
Durability (10%) | |||||
Specs | NRS Kicker Remix | Astral TR1 Junction | Terrex Summer.RDY... | Astral Loyak | NRS Paddle Wetshoe |
Measured Weight (per pair, in lbs) | 1.8 lbs | 1.6 lbs | 1.6 lbs | 1.1 lbs | 1.9 lbs |
Size Tested (US Men's) | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Drainage Features | None | Front/side holes, top mesh | Mesh upper, side holes | Front/back/side holes, top mesh | None |
Removeable Insole | No Insole | Yes | Yes | Yes | No Insole |
Available Widths | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
Footwear Closure | Pull-on/elastic synch | Lace | Lace | Lace | Zipper |
Upper Materials | Neoprene | Hydrophobic canvas with TPU | Climacool mesh | Hydrophobic canvas and Airmesh | 3 mm neoprene |
Midsole | None | EVA | EVA | EVA | None |
Outsole | Rubber | G15 | Stealth rubber | Siped G15 | Rubber |
Relative Fit | Wide toebox, and stretches to accomodate a wide variety of foot shapes | Wide toebox, high volume midfoot and heel | Wide toebox, medium volume heel and midfoot | Wide toebox, medium volume midfoot and heel | Wide toebox, and stretches to accomodate a wide variety of foot shapes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Kicker Remix is a warm, kayaking- and whitewater boating-oriented shoe. It wraps around your feet like a sock, with a warm, neoprene upper and thin, sensitive, sticky rubber outsoles. While they aren't light (1.8 lbs for a size 12), they compress to a tiny package that's great for travel.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
The Kicker's neoprene upper and smooth, stitchless inside make it a very comfortable shoe, whether you are wearing it with a drysuit sock or bare feet. You can fit this shoe well with a huge range of insulation thanks to the high stretch of its neoprene upper. We were comfortable (and usually warm) wearing anything from no socks at all to thick wool socks under our drysuit socks.
A major drawback to the Kicker is the lack of a secure closure. The drawstring cinch in the back of the ankle is fine to keep it on your feet, but you might find that your feet slide around a bit as you walk or swim.
The outsoles are among the thinnest of the shoes we tested and provide very little protection from sharp sticks or just rough terrain. If you're used to walking around barefoot, you might find these pretty nice, but if you need protection and support, look elsewhere.
In general, booties like this perform poorly on land, as they don't protect feet well and usually don't have drainage to allow your foot to dry. The Kicker holds onto water and dries slowly, which can lead to unnecessarily soggy feet if you use it for long periods out of the water. That said, this bootie is not designed for being anywhere other than on the water.
Traction
The sticky rubber used on the Kicker Remix is some of the best we've tested for river environments. It sticks great to wet rocks and logs. Getting into and out of a boat, and even doing some short portages, we never felt like we were slipping more than is usual given the wet, algae-covered rocks in the rivers we tested these shoes on.
The major drawback to the outsoles on the Kicker is their thin lugs. While this helps a lot with sensitivity, it means that they just won't provide much traction in mud. After having to climb a steep, muddy bank with these, we really wished for deeper lugs.
Warmth
As a bootie, these shoes are warm! The combination of the stretchy uppers and insulation provided from the shoe itself allows you to be sure your feet will stay warm, even boating in the cold winter months.
We were able to fit our feet into wool socks, our drysuit socks, and then a third layer of protective polyester socks before then easily fitting them in the stretchy Kicker. This combination kept our feet warm boating, even during a frigid, near-freezing early morning lap on the local river.
Versatility
The Kicker Remix is a boating-specific shoe. Its sensitivity, traction, and warmth make it great for long days on the water. However, its lack of foot protection or drainage, and its super-flexible soles make it far less than ideal for any activity in which you'll need to be on your feet for long periods or traversing rough terrain.
We liked the Kicker for boating and swimming, and it would be high on our list as a decent shoe for cliff jumping. It lacks the necessary durability or foot protection we usually look for in a canyoneering shoe, and we'd feel pretty odd wearing it as a hiking or running shoe for wet environments.
Sensitivity
The Kicker Remix excels at providing good ground feel and providing a low profile. That means that your feet will feel every cobble, stick, and curve of the terrain. Good ground feel can improve balance on uneven terrain like murky riverbeds by letting your feet sense what your eyes might not be able to see.
That might sound nice if you intend to use these shoes primarily for play-boating or are very comfortable walking around on rough terrain with minimalist shoes. The Kicker also excels for swimming. If you like spending time outside your boat or just like to have some sticky footwear while cliff jumping or spending time by the water, these work great for those applications.
Durability
The neoprene upper on the Kicker is glued to the outsole as well as reinforcement patches of rubber around the upper front of the shoe. We have had good experiences with the quality of NRS's neoprene in the past, and have no reason to expect these to wear out any faster than other booties. That said, neoprene is not a particularly durable material. It can easily be abraded or cut by sharp rocks or pointy sticks.
If used primarily inside a boat, you'll mostly just have to worry about drying these shoes after use. Leaving booties wet all season long can degrade the neoprene and the glue that holds the shoe together. Because the Kicker has no drainage whatsoever, you need to be mindful to dry them ideally after each use. However, they are noticeably easier to dry than taller cut booties we tested.
The outsole of the Kicker is a flexible and sticky rubber that wraps around the shoe. We liked the bumper formed by the outsole for protecting the shoe when we accidentally stubbed a toe. While we didn't test these shoes long enough to see how long the rubber takes to wear down, if you plan on using these primarily for boating, it's unlikely that you'll wear through the outsole before tearing up the neoprene upper.
Value
As one of the cheapest shoes we've tested, the Kicker is a great value. If you require a great boating shoe to replace those worn out and ineffective trainers you've been stuffing your drysocks into, these are just the ticket to save some cash. While the NRS Paddle (a high-top bootie similar to the Kicker) does slightly better in terms of warmth, traction, and comfort, it also costs a little bit more. NRS regularly produces high-quality products at very reasonable prices, and the Kicker is no exception.
Conclusion
The NRS Kicker Remix is a great boating shoe at a very reasonable price. It snagged our Best Buy Award with its super low price and very adequate performance for kayaking. While it won't get you comfortably down canyons or through long portages, it will do the basic job of keeping your feet warm in your boat and keeping you upright as you heft your kayak around at the put in and take out.
— Dan Scott