Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out. When things are shiny and new you think you’re made for each other, but after a couple dates, you begin to reconsider.

Last weekend, the relationship fell flat on its face.

My marriage?

No.

My Patagonia Rock Grip wading boots.

No Better Than The Rest

Patagonia’s Rock Grip wading boots combine a more aggressive sole pattern than their sticky Riverwalker boots with a stiffer, more protective boot design.

Patagonia Rock Grip wading boots

More protective uppers; less grippy soles...

I was hoping that combination of goodies would create what I’ll call the Underground’s Ultimate Wading Boot.

But after three trips on the Rogue and Upper Sacramento — the latter flowing high enough that it feels like the river’s constantly pushing you around — I’m throwing in the towel.

Or, more accurately, screwing in the studs.

In a word, the stud-free grip of the rubber soles was untenable.

Last weekend, I needed help from Wayne Eng just to climb out of the river on a sloping rock bank. On the Rogue, I felt like I was on skates, and waded with less assurance than I can ever remember experiencing on that river.

Direct comparisons are difficult, but I’d suggest the Rock Grip soles were less grippy than my beloved Riverwalker soles — or even the straight rubber soles on the Simms and Korkers wading boots I tested (the Orvis boots came with metal studs installed).

I’m going to screw in the metal studs that Patagonia wisely included with the Rock Grip boots (no extra $$), and because studs represent what I’ll call “leveling technology,” I expect they’ll grip OK.

Still, they probably won’t adhere like the bladed metal studs that come with the Orvis wading boots — the winners from my earlier rubber soled boot test.

As the Rock Grip boots come out of the box, they’d function as an acceptable backcountry boot (they’re still lightweight and comfortable), though I’d suggest buying the lighter, less-expensive Riverwalker boots for small stream/backcountry use.

In truth, if all I ever fished were the small meadow and freestone streams I love so much, I’d buy a pair of the Patagonia Riverkeepers and never look back.

Because I don’t do that, I’m going to stud the Rock Grip boots (disclosure: I paid for these puppies), and see what comes next.

Regular readers know I like my Patagonia gear a lot (you’ll pry my Nano Puff jacket out of my coffin), but in a difficult wading environment, their unstudded Rock Grip wading boots grip poorly enough that I won’t go near a freestone river without the studs already installed.

In what amounts to a several-years-long rubber sole test, I still prefer rubber soles for all sorts of reasons (longevity, dryland performance, etc), but realize they require metal studs whenever the wading gets even a little difficult.

See you (staggering around) the river, Tom Chandler.

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