Comments on: Gear Review: Are Patagonia’s Riverwalker “Sticky Rubber” Wading Boots Grippy or Gimpy?

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:22:33 +0000

I use Yak Trax here at TU/Man Cave World Headquarters sometimes to keep my feet under me during “snow removal.”

It’s an interesting idea, but I wonder how the things would hold up. The rubber might suffer pretty quickly at the hands of rock edges.

Be an interesting test, but the screw-in studs are cheaper and (perhaps) more durable.

By: eparamore

eparamore — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:58:46 +0000

Mike,
Just reading through some old post on rubber soled boots. Looking to make a purchase here soon. Reply to your stream cleats question, yes they are still avail. through Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop in Livingston, MT. If you want to stick, nothing holds like aluminum stream cleats.

Eric

By: Cardo

Cardo — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:24:22 +0000

Has anyone tried or considered slipping a pair of YakTrax over these sticky rubber boots? YakTrax are light and flexible rubber with coils of steel wrapped around the rubber webbing. They are light and easy to put on. They run about $30 (half the price of Stream Cleats) and you can stash them pretty easy. I think they’d work like studs would. They work great on ice. I’m getting a pair of Sticky Rubber RiverWalkers, if I find I start slipping in summer (I fish primarily in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia) I’ll get some YakTrax and I’ll update ya.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:19:59 +0000

I have fished in my Patagonia Riverwalkers in both gravel bottom and slippery boulders. They are light and comfortable and did great on gravel bottom, but I had a serious fall on a big flat-top boulder in 1 inch of water. My feet just shot out from under me and I fell hard on my backside–lucky I had no serious injury or broken fly rod–but I was stunned for several minutes and sore the next day. I have ordered Stream Cleats to pull over them in boulder-strewn waters.

By: Brian Dailey

Brian Dailey — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:02:05 +0000

Mikey,
Saw you on TU’s On The Rise and am now a huge fan!
Your films are outstanding and make me want to pack my gear and just FISH!!!
Thanks for being such a great steward of the sport and its resources…the world needs more like you!

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:12:30 +0000

I just had to send my boots back. stitching coming undone after about 10 trips… not so good and a problem I’ve had with other Patagonia Boots. I’ve also discovered that on many surfaces, the boots just nearly kill me… not for crazy waders, even with my trusty Hart River Staff. I love the concept but have switched my tune on how much I like these boots… I am now pretty unhappy with them, but the quality of the construction and their ability to keep me upright in river.

By: Sully

Sully — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:29:48 +0000

Just took possession of a pair of the sticky sole RiverWalkers and am willing to serve as ambassador to New Zealand.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:45:51 +0000

Caveat–I am not a great wader and do not spend a ton of time in the water. That said,
I have always used Patagonia felts and never had a problem. Recently bought Patagonia RiverWalkers and fished the Yuba twice in the last month or so. I love the boots and soles for rediculously easy on and off, easy walking on stream-side rocks and on steep trails. However, I simply could not get a grip on any of the snot covered cobble. So, for me, these are the greatest for all but the snot, but then they are a hazard to navigation.

By: Madisonman

Madisonman — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:32:04 +0000

I’ve got two yrs on my stickies, ~ 10 fishing weeks, spring/fall in MT and summers on martha’s vineyard. I will never go back to felt or studs. Anyone who has ever walked in snow will attest to the major plus’s of rubber vs felt. I would say that when wading rock snot that the rubber is maybe slightly less secure than felt, but all other conditions as stated in the review the stickies excel.

Not an ambassador, and over the yrs have used various weinbrenner’s, simms, and Patagonia’s studded, felts and will now stick with the stickies.

By: Wading Boots: The Move Away From Felt

Wading Boots: The Move Away From Felt — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:29:10 +0000

[...] to work very well. Tom Chandler over at The Trout Underground did a good review of these boots here. Simms is another company that is taking rubber soles seriously. The Bozeman-based company has [...]

By: Taku

Taku — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:49:10 +0000

My felt sole Riverwalkers are three years old, going on to the fourth, with the second pair of felts on the bottom (trying to get them to last one more season) but the uppers will definitely be toast after this year – unless I use about two tubes of Aquaseal per boot. Very comfortable, even for my wide feet. 95% of my fishing is on the Bitterroot, so I guess the rocks here did a good job of chewing them up in a few years. But I will replace them with the Sticky Rubber – as soon as they really wear out!

By: Topher Browne

Topher Browne — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:20:54 +0000

Like Mikey and Craig, I’m a Patagonia ambassador (insert bias). I would not have signed on with Patagonia, however, without putting their products through the paces.

I’m not the hardest guy on gear, but my Patagonia RiverWalkers have stood up well to three years worth of use at around 60 days per year. Pretty darn impressive considering they are one of the lightest boots–if not the lightest boot–on the market.

The sole of the Sticky RiverWalkers is immensely durable, and I fully expect it to outlast my other pair of felt soles w/studs. There WERE some delamination issues with the first generation of RiverWalkers, but this problem has been addressed in subsequent generations.

Sticky Rubber is not the magic sole for all conditions, but it is pretty darn good stuff on all but the greasiest of rocks. Unlike felt, sticky rubber remains light when wet. I especially notice this feature at the end of a long day.

Like Mikey, I don’t like the marks that studs leave on rocks. I now only use felt w/studs when things look or feel very dicey. Options are good. Sticky RiverWalkers do the job nicely in a wide range of settings.

Topher Browne

By: fishsmack.com

fishsmack.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:24:51 +0000

Gear Review: Patagonia’s Riverwalker Boots…

Sticky rubber wading boot soles are getting a lot of press. How do Patagonia’s stack up?…

By: Jakub

Jakub — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:33:33 +0000

Tom, you need to make a trip in these to the Pit. If you stay upright there they are good for anything. Let us know how it goes.

By: FlyfishinMT

FlyfishinMT — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:24:30 +0000

I forgot to mention, i have taken alot of swims up here, some have been this time of year and that makes for a crummy day, im all for staying upright and if rubber can do that thats good, but a swim sure feels good in august if the rivers are open!