Waders and wading boots are often afterthoughts in fly fishing gear discussions.
But if you fish a lot, would you rather have a great fly rod and mediocre boots or a mediocre fly rod and great boots? I don’t think I’m overstating things when I say that another few feet of “castability” isn’t going to matter much if your footing is unstable and your back hurts.
In this episode of the podcast I discuss a few (potentially controversial) things that you should think about the next time you go out to buy waders and wading boots.
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.
Episode Recommendation: Loon Outdoors UV Kit
… & here is my review of the Astral Brewer shoe.
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Solid listen. Agree with your opinion on spending on footwear. I’m currently wearing a pair of Orvis Ultralight wading boots (with aftermarket studs added) that I like for wading (either with waders or wet wading with neoprene booties). Super light, comfortable for hiking in, supportive for hopping rocks, all that stuff. In future, I think I might invest in a pair of Montbell “shower climbing” shoes. (Google japanese shower climbing if you’re not sure what I’m talking about). They seem perfect for maneuvering around the blue lines of the Smokies, with ankle support, good grip, but not too rigid where you’d lose tactile sensation on your soles. Think you’d appreciate them since you’re already fond of your Astrals.
I did have to Google “Japanese Shower Climbing”… which I used a private browser for, just in case. 🙂
Those do seem like great shoes. Thanks for sharing!
I like shoes that are a little higher and protect my ankles. I’m always banging the joint of my ankle.
That is a very good point, Bob. I know that Astral makes “high tops” with padding for that very purpose. To be honest, I would have bought a pair of those if the retailer I was at had them!