Just as the hikers know the importance of the right hiking boots, similar can be said for an angler’s choice for wading boots. There are various reasons for and benefits of carrying a good pair of wading boots, of which the prime importance is of comfort. You see, while you are planning for a fishing expedition, you should think of spending a lot of time; in fact days in different environments including sub-merging in cool to very cold water. There is no way you can compromise on the quality of your wading boots, which won’t just add to the discomfort but actually can ruin the entire expedition for you. Thereby, while planning for your fishing trip, you have to be very thoughtful about choosing the right wading boots.
Now, other than comfort, there are various other points and aspects that require thorough consideration, while choosing a pair of new wading boots. Two important aspects to look out for include traction and stability. Again, since you will be spending most of the time in high moisture surfaces, you got to ensure a lot of traction in your boots or you’ll be facing the risk of slipping over and injuring your ankle. There are few boots with padded collars available in the market that is meant to help stabilize the ankles and reduce the chances of rolling over and injuring the ankle on slippery surfaces. However, the choice of soles is one tricky and important aspect to look out for.
So, before we list some of the best wading boots available on the market, let’s have a brief look into some of the different types of soles that comes with wading boots and what’re the benefits of each category.
Varieties and benefits of soles in wading boots:
As stated above, good, high traction and durable sole are one of the most important aspects to consider while choosing wading boots. Now, there are a variety of different soles available with wading shoes that can help you in different fly fishing or fishing environments. Just remember, whatever sole you choose the traction should be your first priority because while you plan to stand in icy cold fast moving streams, the last thing you would wish for is to step on a slippery stone and roll-over your ankle.
Thereby, make sure the wading boots you choose comes with the right sole material that is durable enough to withstand all long and give you a solid traction platform to stand on slipperiest of surfaces. Some of the different sole materials available in the market include:
Rubber Sole
When venturing on fishing expeditions, you will most definitely need to hike to some remote places. On average, anglers need to walk miles to discover the perfect fishing spot with high chances of scoring the catch.
Having said that; one of the best advantages of rubber sole is the material’s durability and resistance to abrasion. Rubber soles are considered one of the most durable soles that can withstand rugged environments and certainly compete with hiking boots.
Now, in terms of traction, rubber shoes definitely scored less than felt soles however, that’s the thing of the past. Today, the technological advancement has enabled manufacturers to produce high quality and high traction rubber soles that don’t lag behind anyway in terms of traction; add to it their inherent durability and you have the best boot sole to rely on.
Felt Sole
Now, felt stones have been the go-to sole material for wading boots in the past, however, over the years the material has lost its utility. Perhaps, the downward spiral for felt stone soles started as governments from various states started to ban wading boots with felt stone soles.
Well, the ban is not for nothing, but actually has its solid reason. Felt stone soles have an inherent feature to retain water for a long time, which make them prone to the nesting of various species. Now, as the angler moves from one spot to another, the species can be spread to locations they are not natural. A prime example of invasive species can be seen in Yellowstone River, where the naturally occurring trout is under attack by invasive species.
Nonetheless, not all states have banned the felt stone soles and if you reside in one of the states where they are legal and make sure to dry the soles before moving to another spot, these are still one of the best soles that offer amazing traction even on the slipperiest surfaces.
Stud Soles:
When the environment is exceptionally demanding, you can’t rely on soles without stud and just like hiking boots, various wading boots with rubber soles offer detachable studs to be used in such pressing conditions.
5 Best Wading boots
Ok, now that we have an idea about different sort of soles available for wading boots, let’s quickly jump onto few best wading boots that you can rely on, under demanding conditions:
Simms Freestone Wading Boots
Simms Freestone Wading Boots are undoubtedly one of the most renowned wading boots that are manufactured to perfection using the latest technology. The technology used in sole manufacturing of the boots ensures quick drying and easy cleaning than various other varieties available in the market. That’s one reason many pro-anglers prefer Simms Freestone Wading Boots, as they are almost immune to spread of invasive species.
The boots come with a neoprene-lined collar that ensures comfortable use even for extended hours. The sides of the boots are lined with specifically designed holds that enable fast and efficient draining of ware. The boots are available with cleated and felt stone soles and comes with additional traction feature.
Simms Women’s VaporTread Wading Boots
There is no doubt about the passion of women for angling sports and these Simms Women’s VaporTread Wading Boots are the perfect compliment for female anglers that are set to challenge the norms. The boots come with partially lined collars that assist in additional comfort during long use. The latest vapor tread platform used in Simms Women’s VaporTread Wading Boots ensures high traction on uneven and slippery surfaces.
Korkers RedSide Wading Boots
These special wading boots come with an exceptionally designed aesthetics and offer great comfort for long use. The Korkers OmniTrax 3.0 is the trademark of these wading boots that offer interchangeable sole systems; something that allows anglers to quickly change the sole as they move from one terrain to another. The midsole drainage ports help fast and efficient drainage of water, so you can easily move around without additional weight.
Frogg Toggs Anura II Technical Wading Boots
The molded midsole and padded collar integrated into Frogg Toggs Anura II Technical Wading Boots offers great comfort, stability, and traction. The boots are manufactured using highly durable leather with an additional toe layer made of rubber.
Compass 360 Ledges Wading Boots
Manufactured using embossed nylon and an additional layer of polyurethane; the Compass 360 Ledges Wading Boots are a great choice for anglers looking for comfort and durability. These use of nylon means, these boots are virtually non-shrinking and fir to size on the go. For additional traction, the boots come with “get a grip” steel wading studs.
