New wading boots

When Patagonia introduced new wading boots last summer, it intrigued me.

Spending as much time in mountain streams as I do, wading boots are one of the most important parts of my kit. First and foremost, I must be confident they will provide a secure grip in the water. In the backcountry, a slip and fall in the water is no joke, and if it results in serious injury, then things get sporty real fast. Second, they need to be comfortable. I don’t need my feet hurting while I’m trying to guide or fish, I’ve got better things to think about. Weight comes next. Heavy boots sap my energy, tire me out quicker and shorten my effective day. Durability is also important, but I have no illusions on that score. Wading mountain streams is tough on gear and boots take the brunt of it. I expect normal wear and tear to take its toll, so I look for well-constructed boots to hold up.

Could Patagonia’s Forra Wading Boot be a replacement for my well used Foot Tractors?¹ I have two pairs of Foot Tractors because I wanted to have a backup pair in case something happened. That’s how much I like them. I’ve put a lot of miles on both pairs, they check all the boxes above and continue to do so. Making a change took some thought.

There were three features of the Forra that got my attention. The uppers were abrasion-resistant Cordura nylon mesh, allowing water to drain from the boot quickly. The high collar design provides support and protection. And the Vibram® Mars sole “provides a large contact area for superior grip; outsole features HexaBase lugs for maximum traction and stability.” The soles can be enhanced with the Grip Studs Traction Kit for added traction.

This all sounded good and the prospect of “light weight and comfort during overland approaches and for reliability in all types of wading” was tempting enough to convince myself to order a pair for Christmas.

I’ll admit to being skeptical enough about the Mars Vibram soles and HexaBase lugs to order the stud kit. I’ve used Vibram soles without studs in the past and got dumped. My Foot Tractors always had the aluminum bars on them for that reason. I saw enough favorable reviews of the Mars sole and lugs to hold off on putting the studs in. I wanted to see if they were as good as folks said.

I had the chance to put them to test the other day on one of my favorite mountain streams.² Winter wading³ would be an excellent test of comfort and traction. I wasn’t expecting the fishing to be anything special, but with a growing case of the shack nasties I needed to get out. At the very least it would be an opportunity to test the boots both in and out of the water.

As it turned out, both the fishing and boots were better than anticipated. Notwithstanding my inflated skepticism, the boots exceeded my expectations by a long shot. I tested the “grippyness” in a variety of situations and the traction was as good as my Foot Tractors, something I wasn’t expecting. They fit fine out of the box although I was a little worried about the narrowness. They went right on over heavy socks and waders and were comfortable throughout the five hours I wore them. After I took them off, I didn’t feel like I had been in boots at all. The profile of the sole is narrower, more like my hiking boots than my Foot Tractors affording a bit more nimbleness moving along the stream.⁴ Given how well they performed, I’m going to hold off on adding the studs⁵. I did add a little flair, swapping out the laces they came with for my fancy Yakoda laces.

They will be my boots of choice going forward and hopefully the weather will hold and I’ll have plenty of occasions to get them wet.⁶

1. I’m talking about the original, pre-Danner models.

2. I took a pair of Foot Tractors along just in case. I didn’t want to fool around with installing the studs during the trip if the boots didn’t have enough traction.

3. Water temperature was 46 degrees, and the air temp was in the mid-50s.

4. Nimbleness in my case may be more aspirational than reality.

5. 07/08/24 Update: I did install the studs. As warm weather and low water levels here in the Valley increased the slime level on the rocks increased significantly. The studs added improved tractions in those situations.

6. Disclosure: I get a pro pricing on Patagonia products.