How to Choose a Wading Boot for Fly Fishing

Read the accompanying article, and find reviews of these specific boots, here:
castingacross....
Wading boots are a lot more than shoes that fit over waders. The right pair of boots will help you stay safe and keep you comfortable, ensuring more time on the water.
But choosing a wading boot is about more than does it fit. It also goes beyond the kind of sole on the bottom and how much it costs. Companies that make footwear to use in the water have specific purposes behind their designs. Based upon the kind of fly fishing you do, where you do it, and how long you spend doing it, there are some principles you can use when you're picking a boot.
In this short video, I walk through three styles of wading footwear. I use all three for various fly fishing situations, and there is a good chance that your angling checks some of the same boxes.

[@pierevojzola9737]

Hi, I did like your review and comments. I am 80 + years old and have been fishing since I was a young teenager. I now fish for trout in a fast running boulder strewn river on the NZ volcanic plateau. I fish for a week every couple of months and have tested most fly fishing manufacturers gear to its limits. I too can recommend the Redington boots as they have lasted me into the first trip of the second season. The laces are wearing out fast and the studs stay in for only a few weeks. Some places I have to walk for about 45 minutes to reach a pool and then fish for six hours. So, mi gear gets a good workout. No, and I repeat NO pair of boots or waders have lasted me more then a season! The only bit of wearable gear that has lasted me is the Simms wading jacket, although I have had problems with the wrist straps de-laminating and that the actual wrist opening is too tight and it’s a real struggle to pull my wrists out of the sleeves. I still have my original sets of rods and reels, but the rest of the gear needs constant renewal. I can understand rods and reels breaking, but then they do carry a lifetime warrantee, the wearable fishing gear in comparison to our hunting gear is absolutely crap. Keep up the good work. Nil desperandum. Harera....

[@castingacross]

Thanks for the comment and the review! There are some folks, like yourself, that experience conditions that few ever do. Hopefully the fishing makes it all worthwhile.

[@pierevojzola9737]

Casting Across Hi, thanks for your comment etc. Yes, the effort is worthwhile, especially this year as it started with the brownees making their run in February and they were huge, I have not seen such good fish for over 30 years. When the Steelhead jacks started their run this winter they were deep and strong, they are huge and so are the hens. If we come out of Lockdown we will take a week off and go fishing in 3 weeks time. Fingers crossed! Harera....

[@vizzini2510]

Did you intentionally quote Willy Wonka? LOL You must be unusually rough on your gear. I have had the same Simms waders for 15+ years. The boots fall apart every few years, but the waders are still in excellent condition. The most important thing I have learned about protecting waders is to never step on anything with the neoprene stockings. My friend taught me to pull out the rubber floor mat from my car, and stand on that while changing into my waders. Just one step onto a small rock can easily puncture the stocking. I have seen guys walking along the river bank or in the parking lot without their wading boots, and I am certain they have leaky waders. I often fish in frozen rivers, so any leak is unacceptable.

[@gregpatterson134]

thanks for a very nice review and explanation for someone totally new to waders. I think the Redington will work for me.

[@castingacross]

Glad to hear it Greg. I think you'll like them.

[@jessemcnalley2074]

Well put and very helpful.

[@dannyingamells6642]

Great video! Really helped!

[@castingacross]

Excellent! Which style are you going to go with?

[@Troutaholic1961]

Felt all the way rubber boots good for hiking , still slippery on rocks ans with studs grip gets bettrr but just as slippery on rocky stream banks . Chose wisely

[@castingacross]

Felt definitely has clear advantages... but I have taken some real spills in snow and ice with felt soles. Choose wisely, indeed!

[@davepanichelle1478]

I definitely need the Korker style but I have a really wide foot(5or6E). Do you know a brand that makes a wide wading boot?

[@castingacross]

Hi Dave. I don't have a wide foot, so I have never really investigated. That being said, I know the platform/footbed that the Redington boots are built on is the widest I've fished with recently. There are other, more rugged models that might be worth checking out.

[@davepanichelle1478]

@@castingacross thank you for your reply. I’ll definitely check it out. Love your posts.

[@SaskFisher]

Great video. But what size? Should we order 1 sizer bigger with compensation with the stocking size? Or stick to the exact size of our boots? Wonder if that would be to small. Just getting into fly fishing here. Love it so far. Thanks

[@castingacross]

Good question. For a shoe like the Astral, I order true to size. They're not meant to accommodate a neoprene bootie. With traditional wading boots, I always check the manufacturer's recommendation - or better, try them on. Usually they're sized with a thick sock/stocking in mind.

[@russellthompson6204]

I was hoping to learn what size boot to buy. If I wear size 14 boot do I buy size 14 wading boot expecting it to fit over my neoprene wader foot? Or do I buy larger boots and if so how many sizes larger?

[@castingacross]

Great question. It really depends on the manufacturer. That being said, these days I've found that most are true to size: I wear the same wading boot size as my shoe. If your shoe is a half size, I'd suggest going up. But head to a fly shop and try some on, if possible - that is the best way to figure it out.

[@TrilobitesRTasty]

I wonder if you got an answer to your question about size. I wear 13EEEEEE. It’s annoying how wading boot manufacturers give us pretty much ZERO information on the width of their products. Because my foot is so wide, should I buy a 15 and then fill the space with neoprene booties? No handy fly shops to try on different brands, of course.

[@ag.3153]

Is the Redington true to size or do I need to go a size bigger?

[@castingacross]

Great question. I'm between a 9.5 and a 10 in most shoes. I went with a 10 and they fit perfectly with a mid-weight sock and neoprene stocking foot.

[@hntrains2]

Can I use my old hiking shoes instead?

[@castingacross]

They will work in a pinch, but they might not dry out very quickly or give you the traction you’re going to need. Fit (with waders) will be an issue, too.

[@hntrains2]

@@castingacross, I see. As I would not like to spend much - I am not really a fisherman -, can I opt for a pair of wading boots which will be good under most circumstances?

[@castingacross]

@@hntrains2 Definitely. I fished with wading boots from a big box store for quite a few seasons.

[@rickmorse9884]

My first and only experience with a rubber-soled wading boot (Simms G3 Vibram Idrogrip sole) almost cost me my life. If I hadn't been wearing an inflatable life vest, I would have drowned. Rubber soles of any kind are NO WHERE NEAR as slip resistant as a felt sole. What a waste of $450 ... I put my life ahead of concerns about transferring invasive species.

[@castingacross]

Hi Rick. I'm sorry to hear about that terrible experience! There are certainly plenty of surfaces that are not ideal for rubber. But I can anecdotally say the same thing for felt. It is good to know the pros, cons, and limitations of each.