Shedding Weight, Part 3: Backcountry Wading Boots

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Introducing our "Shedding Weight" content series, all about the latest lightest fly-fishing gear to help you get into the backcountry. It has been organized into multiple parts, published over the coming days. This is part 3. Find links to the entire series below.

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When moving fast and light through remote waters, every ounce matters—especially when it comes to footwear. In this third installment of our five-part series, we take a closer look at three lightweight backcountry wading boots designed for durability, stability, and all-day comfort. Whether you're scrambling over slick boulders or trekking deep into the wilderness, these boots aim to strike the perfect balance between weight savings and performance. Here’s how they stack up.

Orvis Ultralight Boots, $198

Whole Sizes, 7 – 14, available in Men’s and women’s

The boot category was a bit uneventful for me. This is not to say that they performed poorly—rather they all performed well, which is a testament to the thought that went into them. All three boots also weighed almost the same. If I had one criticism, across the board, is that laces feel so 90s, both aesthetically and from a functional standpoint. My favorite closure, which I have on numerous summer and winter footwear for numerous sports, is the BOA system. I’ve used it since its inception, with only one failure (the fault of a Lab puppy–laces would have met a similar catastrophic end).

Pros:

• Performed as expected. I did not have to think about it (until laces needed adjusting). If a piece of gear disappears from my consciousness, and I can get on with the task at hand, I view that as a success.
• The hook on the last eyelet is a nice touch. It allows for a double wrap at the top for more security, or if you need to do something with left over laces.

Cons:

• If I had one comment, and this is strictly subjective, the Orvis bit felt a bit more slippery than others on really greasy boulders. Studs would likely resolve this if your local river is an exercise in balance drills.

If I owned this item: It would be a solid go-to boot for all situations, including wearing with a neoprene sock for wet wading.

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Patagonia Forra Wading Boots, $299

Whole sizes 5 – 14, Unisex

If the Orvis and Simms wading boots were the 4Runners of the bunch in that they get the job done every time, the Patagonia Forra Wading boots may be the Lambos. Based on a canyoneering shoe, the Forra wrapped my foot with an authority that I have never experienced in a wading boot. It was game changing. I appreciated this when scrambling up a series of cascades in a voluminous creek for native cutthroat. The boots also come with an extra pair of purple laces (an NFL player, when asked why he painted his fingernails, once said: “Man, you can’t do pretty things if you don’t feel pretty”–I vibe with that).

Pros:

• Great fit and a secure wrap.
• The sole, subjectively, felt a bit more secure than the other boots.
• I normally don’t like a higher boot. The height of this boot did not restrict ankle dorsiflexion.
• No hooks for lacing makes this a great all-around boot for use with waders and wet wading, maximizing their utility, and your dollar.

Cons:

• A BOA closure would make this my perfect boot.

If I owned this item: It could be a go-to wading shoe for most of my fishing, with and without waders.

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Simms Flyweight Boot, $249.95

Whole sizes, 7 – 14, Available men’s and women’s, and in felt or Vibram soles

Like the Orvis boot, the Simms boot was unremarkable, because it just delivered. It subjectively felt like I had a bit more purchase on river greasy rocks with Simms Vibram sole as compared to the Orvis. For some years I have been a fan of the Simms Flyweight® Access Wet Wading Shoe. They feel and fit like a high-top trail runner and I have walked miles in them with a several-night kit. I thought that the Access boot paired with the Flyweight Waders would be the ticket. Surprisingly, the Flyweight Boot being reviewed weighs nearly the same on my gram scale, negating any advantage that the Access Shoe has.

Pros:

• Like the Orvis boot, the Simms just delivered.
• The soles were solid on a number of stream-bottom substrates.

Cons:

• My only comment is that I’d likely not recommend this boot for wader and wet wading. The two sets of hooks for laces tend to be magnets for fly line.

If I owned this item: It would be a solid all-round wading boot for use with waders.

See Marty’s complete deep-dive Shedding Weight reviews:

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Waders
• Part 3: Boots (this article)
• Part 4: Packs
• Part 5: Other Backcountry Essentials

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