Review: Patagonia RiverWalker Sticky Feet
- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated Nov 1, 2007 at 10:50 pm by
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I mentioned before my trip that I would be breaking in a new pair or Patagonia’s new Sticky Feet wading boots.
I got my first pair of sticky rubber Riverwalkers last fall, and managed to blow out the seams over the summer. Durability issues aside, I was pretty pleased with them in certain environments.
There are some rivers where they’re very likely to end up sending you into the drink if you’re not careful- River X that Zach and I fish is a great example of this. On slick non-algae coated rocks they just don’t work well. I haven’t used them on any rivers with lots of moss/algae, so I can’t say how they’ll work there.
For 75% of the rivers I’ve used them in I never noticed any significant difference in traction compared to felt. The other 25% were experiences where I very much regretted wearing them.
On the plus side, at least the soles didn’t fall off of the boots like my felt riverwalkers have. I’ve also yet to find a boot as comfortable and light as the Patagonia’s, so I’ve just gotten used to replacing them every year.
I have a brand new pair of these awaiting a steelhead trip in a couple of weeks, glad to hear the positive reviews.
Ian, I’d try to get in touch with El Pescador of the wayupstream blog and let him know your experiences – I’d imagine you fish a lot harder than the average angler(as most folks here do) but one season still seems a bit short for the lifespan of a pair of high end boots.
-Matt
Hey Matt,
I’ve talked with Steve at some length about the Riverwalkers and the durability issues I’ve had. They’re being redesigned this spring, so hopefully some of the issues will be resolved.
The 2007 models I received seem a little more robust than previous versions.
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