Review: Patagonia Rock Grip aluminum bar wading boot

[flatheadmatt]

Im a big fan of Simms gear as they are my neighbor here in Bozeman. With that being said I was a bit disappointed with how "feltgate" played out over the last couple of years. I have used Simms boots with studs and vibram soles for the last two years. They worked good but sometimes I still feel unstable and have waded more cautiously since giving up the felt.
This winter I won a pair of the new patagonia rock grip boots at the fly fishing film festival. I was skeptical at first to try what I deemed as a "less than equal" alternative to felt.
The boots are extremely light. So light that I was worried my feet would be bruised after a tough day of wading. They also seemed to hurt my feet in a couple of places. After two days of wading during high water....I was in love with these boots. They took two days of heavy use before they were broke in. The weight of these boots is great! No bruised feet after using them almost daily for a couple of months now. They do well on the trail as well as the river. They grip rocks as good if not better than felt. I have worn them in high water and all different types of river bottom. It really is like how a aluminum boat will stick to rocks....they work! In my opinion they are better than felt and would recommend them to anyone.

[speyday]

Great review on a product that caught me by surprise.
I am into the aluminum bite factor in some home made franken-boot stuff.
My next boot purchase is these.
thanks for spotting them, man.

[fredaevans]

When Dan Bailey stopped making their 'Stream Cleats' over boot (awkward but those hummers just worked!) It was only a matter of time before someone picked up/ran with the idea of Allie bars on the bottom of boots.

Allie just sticks to rocks (think about that time you were in a Willie Boat and you high centered that damned rock); North Fork of the Umpqua? I won't even walk up to the water without my DB's on my feet. Wish the Korker Folks would come out with a swap out bottom with this sort of thing.

[bigbadbrent]

Used them up North at the start of the month, make you feel like a superman wading across where you shouldn't be anywhere thinking of going through.

However, I found them tough for hiking. Avoid down trees at all cost, or you're taking a serious tumble. Walked 6 k in them one day and felt more tired and sore feet than 12k with Vibrams a few days earlier. Very understandable considering the flex difference between a vibram and aluminum!

Can't wait for the Thompson with them

[rustyr]

Any thoughts on the river crampons? They appeal to me in the fact that I can hike in the rubber soles, and if the rock is slippy, just pop theses babies on, and bob's your uncle....

Could it be that simple?

I have the rock grip rubber soled boots, and found them ok for fishing one spot, but another, I felt like i was wearing ice skates. No confidence in 6 inches of water.

[chile66]

The old Dan Bailey overshoes are (were) amazing. I think I will leapfrog over the aluminum crampons however and go right to the Patagonia boot. When I first saw the crampons it brought to mind "Night Fishing" by Sparse Grey Hackle.

[laskier]

Originally Posted by rustyr

Any thoughts on the river crampons? They appeal to me in the fact that I can hike in the rubber soles, and if the rock is slippy, just pop theses babies on, and bob's your uncle....

Could it be that simple?

I have the rock grip rubber soled boots, and found them ok for fishing one spot, but another, I felt like i was wearing ice skates. No confidence in 6 inches of water.

So far there are not too many reviews in on the crampons. There is one extensive review that has these opinions.

"My first impression of the crampons was a slightly negative one; I found them difficult to put on. The buckles are on the outside of the foot/ankle, and it took some relative gymnastics for me to see what I was doing."

"As for traction? These babies are better than rubber, felt, studded rubber and studded felt combined. I have boots with all the aforementioned components and the only thing that comes close is studded felt and even that "technology" is a distant second to the traction that the crampons provide."

"As for the concerns about weight from the fly shop employees I quizzed. I have boots from a Five Letter Word manufacturer which are supposedly the industry standard. Those boots are heavier than the Patagonia River Walkers coupled with the crampons. While I did not confirm my assumption with a scale, my feet and the relative ease with which I was able to walk with were sufficient enough evidence."

"As for the idea that the crampons are best suited for big rivers and super snotty rocks; I couldn't disagree more. All of us have taken a dunk or two regardless of where we fish, and I may still find myself "bathing" while using the crampons, but I have never felt so secure while wading. That sense of security alone is enough for me to give the crampons a Five Star rating"

[MJC]

Matt, I'm curious if you've tried your new "super boots" in the Jefferson or the Clearwater in maybe September?

One thing I do when I hear any glowing non-felt boot sole reports is to factor in the age of the reporter. Many times the reporter is about 1/3rd my age and in way better physical condition which alters the info from my standpoint.

The above is not meant to take anything away from my friend Matt's report. Just a reminder to us older dudes that we don't always wade the same as the younger crowd.

[gastch]

Originally Posted by fredaevans

Wish the Korker Folks would come out with a swap out bottom with this sort of thing.

X2 on that, I just got Korkers last year and just about broke my neck Friday with the felt bottoms wading on shale rock. These look like they are the ticket for that pool.

[Steelie Addict]

I believe I am old enough to qualify as an older dude. 72 come September. Anyway I took a bad spill a few weeks ago on some really snotty rocks on a western river. Banged my knee good and proper.

So, when I seen some of the reviews on the Rock Grip aluminum bar shoes, I decided my health is worth the price so I ordered a pair. Tried em out today on the slipperiest rocks I could find and in heavy current to boot. Like walking on fly paper. You know how studded felts are treacherous on smooth dry rocks. Well these stick without any slippage on those as well. I had to be careful as they stuck so well on the rocks in the water that I would almost trip expecting to slide a little. Now, I hope they hold up. Look like they are well built, and have really great ankle support also.
SA

[Siskiyoublues]

Been wearing these on the McCloud river in Northern California for the past couple days.
It's a real slip and slider of a river and the studded rubber I was using over the winter lasted a whole day when the season opened up before I went and got myself a new pair of felt boots.
These Aluminum bar boots do much better then I could of ever expected them to do in the water. Better then felt? just might be,
That being said my feet have been sore in certain spots, could just be getting used to them .
All in all if they were about a hundred bucks cheaper and/or I could afford them I would probably buy them. When I saw the first promo picture I laughed out loud. "No way that will work" but they have some slick boots that break away from the felt stigma.

[colchilibeck]

I read an extensive review on multiple rubber soled boots and these came out on top by a lot! I forget who reviewed it but I'm sure if you google it youll find it.
When my current felt soled boots are needing replacement (which will be sooner then later), these are when I am going to get!

[Larry66666]

Originally Posted by MJC

Matt, I'm curious if you've tried your new "super boots" in the Jefferson or the Clearwater in maybe September?

One thing I do when I hear any glowing non-felt boot sole reports is to factor in the age of the reporter. Many times the reporter is about 1/3rd my age and in way better physical condition which alters the info from my standpoint.

The above is not meant to take anything away from my friend Matt's report. Just a reminder to us older dudes that we don't always wade the same as the younger crowd.

I will turn 77 in August, and have had a decline in balance and leg strength over the last 3 or 4 years. Two weeks ago I waded the American River in my old well worn felt soled boots and felt very unsteady and insecure, slipped a lot and fell once. After reading this thread and other reviews, I bought a pair of the Patagonia boots with aluminum cleats. Waded the same river yesterday in them and the difference was striking; I was steadier, more confident, and could wade more aggressively, with no slip-sliding around. I even managed to land a few shad while I was at it. I think that these boots represent a significant technological advance and would recommend that anyone thinking of new boots seriously consider these. Larry

[moethedog]

Holy snot! At $229 (the price I found) they better stick like super glue.

But they look like they put a whole lot of aluminum against whatever surface you're standing on.

I fished all last summer on the NU in a pair of Redington felt-soled boots with Simms Alumibite cleat screwed into the soles. Egads, those things stick.

I fished all winter in a pair of Redington rubber-soled boots with the same cleats in them (augmented by the odd sheet metal screw). Same results.

I generally had to tighten a few screws after a day in the river with the rubber-soled boots. Never had to with the felt soles. I thinkn I used different screws than came with them when I put them in the felts.

I can get one whole season (summer or winter) out of a set of the Alumibites.

Probably not a good as your bars....but pretty great, all the same.

moe

[Larry66666]

I'd rather put the money into boots which are a safety item and economize on waders. A $200 pair of Dan Bailey Lightweights will keep you as dry and probably last as long as the $300 to $700 waders featured by the industry leaders. Larry