Chota Outdoor Gear Wading Boots, Caney Fork Rubber Soled Boots - WW705

I purchased these boots for use with the Chota Hippies I got for creek fishing. I wanted to try a rubber sole because my creek fishing sometimes includes considerable hiking. Having relied on felt soles for years, these boots are my first rubber soled wading shoes.I am very pleased with these wading boots. I have to agree with other reviewers who said how comfortable they are. The are very lightweight and comfy. They clean up very easily after used -- I just hose them off and let them dry. Size ten is my normal shoe size, so I bought a size ten in the Caney Forks. They fit wonderfully after I removed the sock liner. From what I understand, the sock liner is for use with people not wearing waders, those who use these as portage boots for canoeing. Sure enough, the boots were too tight with the sock liner when I wore them over the neoprene feet of the Hippies. Remove the sock liner and they fit great.First time I used them fishing, I was pleasantly surprised with the grip. I fish a creek with a freestone bottom, but there is considerable mossy gunk in places. My traction was fine. On my second use, I slipped a little in one place where I was trying to step out of some muddy gunk. I'm not sure my felt sole boots would have done any better in that situation. I have to give the rubber soles a good review for gripping a rocky stream bed. They are equally good for climbing up a dry rocky, sandy bank as well. These are great for my application -- they grip well enough in the water and are really nice to hike in between fishing spots. I haven't installed the optional studs. At this point, I don't need them.

Good hiking/wading shoe with great traction. I wore these on a 5 day 38mile trek in the spring for boundary waters. the first time they got into the water I stepped out and they were squirting water at my face (Left shoe only) each time I stepped on them until they were no longer water logged. As we progressed through the trip the hole got larger and it would only squirt in front of me and then eventually by the end of the week they would just drain. I wore these all day on, in, and off the water. I sat by the fire with them and let them dry out as well as in the sun. I believe these were purposely built for boundary waters and they worked well preventing me from twisting any ankles. I wore these a few days to break them in and could not figure out why the left shoe was tighter than the right until I found that the shoe liner was folded in half from the tip taking up twice the space. I am glad I figured this out before the trip. Also while on the trip the liners kept getting hung up and I ended up removing them completely. Since I had hippies on the sock provided the extra cushion I needed while hiking and portaging. The laces were simple and easy to use, but I don't feel that the system is very durable. The plastic can last if you don't cinch them up tight, but if you do or replace with laces I think this will be a problem. They do take a while to dry and even when left in the sun and wind they would not dry in a single day. They never dried out completely until I was on the drive home on the second day. Sitting by the fire I could get the toes to dry, but not the heels. I also ordered these a size larger than my feet to make sure they would fit the hippies I was wearing with them.Pros:Great traction in water and outgood ankle support to prevent twistsSimple to lace upCons:These all seem to be quality relatedLacing system is not very strongRubber soles were pulling away after 5 days of use on both shoesGetting hit in the face with water or hosing your friends downNot able to replace laces easily with regular lacingI removed two stars because of the quality issues. While I think it is a well designed shoe for boundary waters if you spend this much on a shoe it should last more than a single trip. While they did not blow out on the trip I think showing the wear that they have after 6 days of usage (One day to break in and 5 days on the trail) means that I MAY get another trip out of them at best. I will continue to use them for fishing to see how they hold up, but really I think a glue that can hold up against the water and heat from being by the fire is necessary and perhaps some light weight metal would be good for the lacing system if you want them tighter. Everyone else's old tennis shoes and water shoes were not seeing the same wear that these were.

After 6 seasons of use, including hiking in and out of canyons off trail, and fishing rocky and rugged streams, my last pair of Caney Fork boots started falling apart. I really put them to the test, because my wading boots also have to function as hiking boots to get in to the areas I like to fish. I ordered this pair to replace them, and can see that some of the redesigned areas may make the boots even sturdier than the prior model. The new materials in the uppers should delay the cracking issues in the prior version and the soles should stay attached longer.

The streams we fish are filled with lava shelves and river rock so cleats are a must. We got cleats for these boots, screwed them in and after a few hours of fishing in the river noticed I was slipping more than at the beginning, checked the bottom of the boots and all but 3 cleats were missing. The cleat receptacles are rubber and when you step on rocks etc they just rip right out because the holes are too flexible.

This is my second pair of Chotas and similar to my first pair which I had to give up because I got new waders they wouldn’t fit in my Chota boots (plus they were getting kind of worn). I finally decided to get new waders with the proper sized foot and these boots feel fine - more like a hiking boot than most clomping wading boots. We’ll see how they work next year.Love the removable footbed idea as I do prefer wet wading to wearing waders in warm weather.

Boots are comfortable. The problem lies within the green hexagons on the bottom of the boot where you are supposed to screw the metal studs into. I went fly fishing and lost all of the studs within 30 minutes. I purchased another pair of studs with a little thicker thread and proceeded to lose them within 30 minutes of the next trip. The green rubber is too soft and wont hold the studs. I had to return the boots.

I felt like Frankenstein walking in these. There has to be a better option with waders.

Great wading bootsBest feature is quick release laces.After long day of fishing easy to remove wet and cold boots.