Wow thanks you all for the great responses!
I've done some very sandy walks recently in Altra high tops, the non-waterproof kind, without getting sand in.
I'd also appreciate some desert gaiter recommendations. I own some very durable winter gaiters that are obviously too warm for warm-weather use, and a few brands of light gaiters that I've tried (Dirty Girl etc) I've destroyed in a very short amount of bushwacking, like less than a day.
I got something like these from a REI Garage Sale a few years ago. Still small and light, but made from something like a light softshell fabric. They have served me quite well, basically no damage thus far. Definitely more durable from the material Dirty Girl uses, though I have never seen those in person.
Skurka literally just posted about this exact topic, albeit briefly, on Instagram. Basically the results from his most recent groups out there,which is about a big a sample size as you'll get.
Footwear is very personal as others have said, but probably a good place to start.
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This is quite literally exactly the information I am looking for. I may grab the Speedcrosses, as they fit and work almost the exact same as the shoes I already love, but since I have a narrow fit I may try to check out those La Sportiva models as well. My only reservation is the really aggressive lugs on the Speedcross. It almost feels like a soccer cleat and I am not sure how comfortable or even grippy it would be on slickrock. If I could get an XA 3D Pro with the upper of a Speedcross, that would be the perfect shoe.
A few people mentioned additional options in the comments I am not familiar with:
-Scarpa Mescalito
-Astral TR1 Mesh
-Salomon S/Lab Cross 2
Two shoes I have found that look interesting, with no data or direct reviews:
-Scarpa Rapid
-Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3
The Mescalito, and TX4 both have leather in their upper, which is definitely a con for canyon trips with water.
Long pants and lightweight trail runners are pretty much my go to always and everywhere - except deep winter conditions. I've never had much problem w/ sand/debris and mostly attribute it to the longer pants and good socks. (Me and my fragile legs are always impressed by the folks that hike off-trail in shorts and skirts - or kilts, for that matter.
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Something like the La Sportiva TX4 seems like a solid option for the areas you mention - I have the TX3s and enjoy them for scrambles in CO (same basic build as the TX4s, but mesh upper). Not as overly narrow as most La Sportivas either.
I never wear waterproof shoes or gaiters outside of winter conditions.
Footwear is a super personal preference subject though - hard to give (or take) advice.
I only hike in long pants with light duty gaiters. I am not sure what role good socks play in this problem, obviously we should all use them, but if I end up with grit in my shoe it will do damage to the socks over time and make my foot uncomfortable in the meantime if there is enough accumulation. The problem is that the mesh on some shoes that breathe and drain really well simply let in fine sand in. If you haven't dealt with this problem in a sandy wash I would guess you already have a shoe that is performing in the way my shoe has not. I have found this fine sand on the plateau, as well as sand dunes and beaches in other places. Here is a photo of looking through the mesh of my XA 3D Pros.
Regarding the waterproof shoes, I don't hike in them either, but they still have this liner that bridges the tongue and blocks sand really well. Some shoes like the Speedcross also have a bit of material in the same area. I am attaching a photo of this "tongue seal" for anyone who searches and finds this thread and does not understand to what I am referring to. Most trail runners with a gap instead of a fabric seal can also let additional sand in past the edge of where a light duty gaiter reaches.
As an interesting aside, the guy who wrote "Fixing Your Feet" did a write up on these rather extreme over the shoe gaiters. They are designed for ultra distance desert running. I don't want to use something like this, but I was considering building something like it before I saw the Skurka post above.
The benefit of Rough Country Gaiters over the typical design is how they cover from the top of the ankle to the bottom of the shoe.
www.fixingyourfeet.com
I love the feature set, but the toe boxes are too constricting for me. Even my TX3s - supposedly the widest of their trail/approach shoes - are too tight in the toes for me to wear comfortably on multi-day trips.
