The Value of Sole in your Wading Boots

Last August, I found myself following a compadre into one of the classic swing runs of the Clearwater River for the first time in almost two years with only stock rubber soles on my Korkers.

I had forgotten just how treacherous the Clearwater's bottom was. If you have never fished here, just imagine trying to cross an area, give or take the size of a football field, layered with exercise balls, covered with a thousand gallons of 10w30 engine oil, all while the constant heavy push of the Clearwater's current on your legs.

Exaggerating? Maybe some. But some runs, some days, absolutely not.

Check out the review we did of the men's Korkers Darkhorse wading boot and the women's Buckskin Mary wading boots... both with interchangeable sole setup that sets Korkers apart.

I turned back. There were few fish in the river and being the already unstable wader I am, there was no doubt in my mind I wouldn’t make it through the run top to bottom without going under.

And I hate not taking my best crack at fish, especially steelhead. After all, you have to have a fly in the water to catch them.

When Barefooted... Get the Right Wading Sandals

Last week somewhere in Montana, I found myself dragging an inflatable over rocky ledges on the bottom of a river that was, in hindsight, probably a little too low for the boat we had. A few weeks earlier, my Simms wet wading shoes had seen their final day in the Idaho Backcountry.

I left for MT with Sanuk flip flops and running shoes. Flip flops for the drift boat on the Mo, shoes for everything else, and "figure it out later" for whatever else I may do. Maybe I'll get some wet wading shoes from Fred in Great Falls or something.

I should have bought these instead...

If you have never wet waded barefoot, it isn't exactly enjoyable. Navigating a boat down an un-navigable river barefoot is like pulling teeth.

I felt pretty stupid limping around toms market on stubbed, bloodied toes.

A Good Wading Boot Sole is Well Worth It

Anyways, the lesson here, and one most people probably don't need because they aren't as negligent as me, is don't devalue your wading footwear. After all, it is what connects us to the river. Safely, nonetheless. Here's a quick example of figuring out your wading boots value.

• Four summers out of $99, my wet wade Simms sandals @ approx. 50 days a year = $0.50 per day.
• One steelhead season in my $59 Alumatrax @ aprrox. 80 days = $0.75 per day and still going strong.

Not bad, considering I know how to burn a tank of gas on a day trip looking for trout.