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My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

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My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

Postby flybob » June 16th, 2017, 11:41 am

As those of you who have been up to the CWL with me know, I like to get into the water to get closer to those big fish, I typically wear lightweight waist high waders with Keen Owyhee water sandals. This combo had served me well for a few years, that is until I sprung a leak in one the booties of my waders, and ended up with a very cold very soaked leg up to the knee!
Apparently the gravel (decomposed granite) got between my bootie and the sandal and just ground into the neoprene until they wore through! UGH!
Well, I got the 3 year old waders replaced no charge (thank you LL Bean), but I was still not sure what my solution would be for the future shoe. The water is way too cold to consider wet wading, and not too mention walking around in the muck and mire around lake 1....which is where I like to fish from, would make for a nasty mess of my pants. And of course, regular wading boots are just too heavy to pack in.

About two months ago I was cruising though the Cabela's site, and low and behold I saw these flats boots with killer soles on them!
As I had considered taking my float tubing flats boots up, but they are just not stout enough to handle the hiking from lake to lake, I dismissed that idea. But seeing these boots got my interest way up.
I himmed and hawed for about a month, do I need to spend more money on ANOTHER pair of fishing shoes?
YES, I finally decided to pull the trigger last week!
Darn glad I did! They just came in yesterday, and I am duly impressed with their ruggedness and at a few ounces more than the Keen sandals, I still consider them in the lightweight category, at least in the backpack-able sense.

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I ordered them 1 size larger than my shoe size, I tried them on with my 3mm gravel guards over a pair of socks, they feel perfect, and the top zipper makes putting them on a breeze, I am going to love that! Note: At 11,000ft, I often found myself huffing and puffing to put the sandals on over the wader booties!

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What really impressed me were the soles and the durability of the pvc uppers around them! This feature should provide good foot protection. The neoprene is about as thick as your typical flats/float tubing boots.

I will report back on their actual performance after the trip. At minimum, I will no longer have to worry about the gravel boring through my booties.
"The accomplishment of flyfishing is all about the experience of diversity......and the occasional element of surprise."
(rmg/2012)
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Re: My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

Postby Gary C. » June 20th, 2017, 2:23 am

They should do very nicely Bob.
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Re: My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

Postby DrCreek » June 20th, 2017, 7:30 am

Flashy ! And practical. I like them. If I could figure out what I'd use them for, I'd buy me a pair !
"You can't keep a good Dr down."
Days On The Salt in 2017 - 114
Days On The Salt in 2018 - 39


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Re: My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

Postby briansII » June 20th, 2017, 8:35 am

Those look like they will work great. Interesting thing about them, the soles and upper construction look like Keen made them.

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Re: My New Cottonwood Lakes Wading Boots!

Postby Wildman » June 20th, 2017, 9:19 am

Waiting to hear your report on the trip and the boots. They look pretty handy for what you're doing.
"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learnt something from yesterday."
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