When I was asked by Craghoppers to write a review of one of their products from their latest range, I selected the Jacara, an insect repelling, waterproof, light-weight trainer-style travel shoe. They sounded perfect for my upcoming trip to the rainforest of Borneo. As well as the technical features, I really loved the colour, a natural sand, that looked perfect for everything from African safaris to city breaks. After three months of testing them out, how did my insect repellent, waterproof shoes perform?Thanks to Craghoppers for gifting me these shoes for review purposes.

Jacara Review | Insect repelling, waterproof trainers

Comfortable walking shoes

I wore my new shoes on numerous occasions throughout my visit to Sabah in Borneo, for forest walks and boat rides. Not only did they look the part, but they also remained comfortable throughout. I found that the EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) mid-sole provided adequate cushioning for our walks.

Insect-repelling shoes

The full suede leather upper has a durable NosiLife padded mesh collar. I’ve tried Craghoppers’ NosiLife clothing before and they are excellent at warding off mosquitoes. When I wore these shoes in Borneo I didn’t get bitten once. When I didn’t wear them one evening and forgot to use insect repellent around my ankles, I was eaten alive! So full marks here to Craghoppers.

Water-proof shoes

I’d be told that in Borneo you get plenty of sunshine but also plenty of rain, every single day. So, I was surprised that it didn’t rain once while I was there. However, when I got home, I was able to test whether my Jacara shoes were indeed waterproof.

I live by the coast and love walking along my local beach at low tide, across the sands, looking to see what’s in the rock pools and admiring the stunning sunsets. In March, when I got back from Borneo, it was far too cold to go barefoot and the sand is always quite wet in places, so I was eager to test my Jacara shoes out. Not only did they keep my feet dry walking through the little streams that run across the sand, they even remained waterproof when I stood in a rock pool. They are also handy for morning walks in the countryside. Previously my feet got soaked walking through wet grass. My Jacara Shoes are proofing extremely useful.

Grip on tricky terrain

As well as through the forests of Borneo and scrambling over rock at the British Seaside, I’ve now also worn my Jacara shoes hiking in the hills of the South Downs. While much of the terrain is easy going there are portions of steep climbs up and down loose chalky hillsides but my Jacara shoes again proved perfect for the job, having plenty of grip provided by the Vibram outsole.

Durability

This is’t my first experience of Nosilife clothing. I’ve owned a Nosilife sarong from Craghoppers for many years now and, having washed it numerous times, I still love it just as much as I always did, the colour hasn’t lost any of its vibrancy and it still seems to be repelling insects effectively. This reassures me that my Jacara shoes will be equally as long-lasting. They certainly seem very well made. I’ve had them a few months now and despite having walked through saltwater on many occasions, as well as numerous countryside hikes, the shoes remain completely waterproof and still look great.

In conclusion, I’m delighted with my Jacara shoes. While I haven’t been on any really long hikes in them, they are perfect for my needs. They are comfortable, lightweight and waterproof with a great grippy sole, as well as insect repelling. They’re certainly the best waterproof shoes I’ve ever owned. Jacara Shoes are available for women in UK sizes 3 to 8 and currently cost £90 from Craghoppers’s NosiLife range.