Wading boots suggestions?

J Watrous said:
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but if you pay a bit more for some Patagonia boots you’ll never need to buy another pair—even if you destroy or wear them out. Free repairs and replacements for the rest of your life. Ditto their waders.

I hesitated for years because they’re more than I prefer to spend and I tend to go through a pair every year or two. Bought and started using a pair of the foot tractors 1 January 2025 and have put a little over 300 days on them, mostly saltwater. I clean and treat them every few months and they look like this:

View attachment 181434View attachment 181435View attachment 181436

I’ve replaced the bars twice and the laces twice.

Edit: Oh, and the zinc wire. I replace that every few months.
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I'll bite: zinc wire? Cathodic protection?
 
J Watrous said:
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but if you pay a bit more for some Patagonia boots you’ll never need to buy another pair—even if you destroy or wear them out. Free repairs and replacements for the rest of your life. Ditto their waders.

I hesitated for years because they’re more than I prefer to spend and I tend to go through a pair every year or two. Bought and started using a pair of the foot tractors 1 January 2025 and have put a little over 300 days on them, mostly saltwater. I clean and treat them every few months and they look like this:

View attachment 181434View attachment 181435View attachment 181436

I’ve replaced the bars twice and the laces twice.

Edit: Oh, and the zinc wire. I replace that every few months.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but the average human has a rough time with the weight of those things over the course of a day.

Yes, you are correct, I'm a kinda a pussy. But, I also still love my Patagucci's like those! They're simply bad ass boots.
 
Buzzy said:
I'll bite: zinc wire? Cathodic protection?
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Not sure of the technical term, but the idea was/is that it would protect the metal on the boots like the zincs on a sailboat.

I’ve been told that it doesn’t work the same, but the boots have zero corrosion where my Simms boots would have had corrosion by now. Anecdotal and a sample size of one, but even if it doesn’t work and something else is keeping the eyelets from corroding, I’m only out like $5 for the wire.
 
clarkman said:
Yeah, but the average human has a rough time with the weight of those things over the course of a day.

Yes, you are correct, I'm a kinda a pussy. But, I also still love my Patagucci's like those! They're simply bad ass boots.
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They are a bit heavier on land but for whatever reason they don’t seem to be once they are in the water.
 
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J Watrous said:
They are a bit heavier on land but for whatever reason they don’t seem to be once they are in the water.
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I guess I should hike on dry land less then.

In all seriousness, they are damn nice boots. It's too bad they're no longer made.
 
I also love the Patagonia Foot Tractors that they made with Danner. I was bummed when they got discontinued and bought a second pair with the bars on them. You still might be able to find them in the wild for a discount though since they only got discontinued in January I think. The weight is definitely noticeable over my old Korkers but unlike Korkers I trust them to hold up for years and Danner will repair them.
 
J Watrous said:
Not sure of the technical term, but the idea was/is that it would protect the metal on the boots like the zincs on a sailboat.

I’ve been told that it doesn’t work the same, but the boots have zero corrosion where my Simms boots would have had corrosion by now. Anecdotal and a sample size of one, but even if it doesn’t work and something else is keeping the eyelets from corroding, I’m only out like $5 for the wire.
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Fascinating, cathodic protection!
 
J Watrous said:
Maybe not?

Someone on this forum explained to me in a very detailed and hyperlinked email yesterday that the zinc has to be touching the metal. I learned two things:

1. There are some very knowledgeable and passionate chemists(?) out there.

2. I shouldn’t list my email on here.
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Well I guess I don't need to go buy some zinc wire then!
 
offensivename said:
I also love the Patagonia Foot Tractors that they made with Danner. I was bummed when they got discontinued and bought a second pair with the bars on them. You still might be able to find them in the wild for a discount though since they only got discontinued in January I think. The weight is definitely noticeable over my old Korkers but unlike Korkers I trust them to hold up for years and Danner will repair them.
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Avid Angler in Seattle has a bunch in stock still, and at a damn good discount.
 
J Watrous said:
Maybe, maybe not. All I know is I’ve got no corrosion. But I could just be lucky or something.
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Living right, maybe?

I decided to contact Simms and ask for a pair of replacement boots. After two emails, they agreed and have replaced my flyweight boots with their new, "upgraded" boots (the eyelets look substantially stronger). Good on Simms for standing by their product.
 
A little background I’m fairly tall and have always hated wearing boots. If I go hiking I will choose running shoes over any sort of hiking boot. The flyweight style has been good for me.

I just retired a pair of Simms Flyweights I picked up in 2022. I started them off wet wading but quickly added studs and made them my everyday pair for wading in rivers plus the Sound. I don’t keep track of total days but over 100 seems conservative. They finally tore in half this spring.

I picked up a pair of the Patagonia Forras last week and they feel comfortable. The only con I noticed right away was the vibram is slick. I took them for a test wade this weekend without the stud kit and had no stability walking a local creek.
 
BassBarbell said:
A little background I’m fairly tall and have always hated wearing boots. If I go hiking I will choose running shoes over any sort of hiking boot. The flyweight style has been good for me.

I just retired a pair of Simms Flyweights I picked up in 2022. I started them off wet wading but quickly added studs and made them my everyday pair for wading in rivers plus the Sound. I don’t keep track of total days but over 100 seems conservative. They finally tore in half this spring.

I picked up a pair of the Patagonia Forras last week and they feel comfortable. The only con I noticed right away was the vibram is slick. I took them for a test wade this weekend without the stud kit and had no stability walking a local creek.
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Have you ever looked at like the wading shoes? Ive just seen them, don't know the traction on them! But the idea seems similar to how you hike also!
 
Jacob Watrous said:
Not sure of the technical term, but the idea was/is that it would protect the metal on the boots like the zincs on a sailboat.

I’ve been told that it doesn’t work the same, but the boots have zero corrosion where my Simms boots would have had corrosion by now. Anecdotal and a sample size of one, but even if it doesn’t work and something else is keeping the eyelets from corroding, I’m only out like $5 for the wire.
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I believe the zinc needs to be in direct physical or electrical contact with the metal eyelets to protect them.

BTW back in the day I used to drop about a 1.5" x 0.25" piece of zinc rod into the top of my cars' radiators, and it did become oxidized and provided some protection for the core. Modern antifreeze is real good at preventing galvanic corrosion when changed regularly so I don't bother anymore.
 
Jim Allen said:
Korkers!! That's all I got to say. Love my pair

FlyHunt said:
Im with you! Love my Korkers!
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👆make it 3.
The Klingon soles are very lightweight for hiking but don't wade in them!
Studded Klingon's are acceptable in easy conditions.
I feel very secure in gnarly conditions after changing to their "Triple Threat" soles with aluminum bars AND using a RIVERSTICK staff.
 
Lotta Business Curruption in the wader and boot Industry. Known to be! These Big Cunglomerate businesses need to pay up!!!
 
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