Seeking wading boots that are designed to last

Vision Nahka wading boots, as they come: man-made felt soles, with the boot sporting rubber ‘bumpers’ at the toe, and all around the join between upper and sole.

I’m pretty good at wearing out wading boots.

I’ll often walk miles in my waders, and sometimes wade at the coast where, I’ve found, the erosive powers of sand combine with the corrosive potency of seawater to kill off wading boots in quick order.

My wading boots seem to deteriorate in the following order: the laces snap, some of the cleats break out, the upper then creases and cracks, the inner sole lifts and falls apart, and then the stitching between sole and upper usually opens out on the inside of where the foot bends. It’s at this stage that wading boots become unmanageable and dangerous, and a new pair is required.

So, this time I went for a pair of Vision Nahka felt-soled wading boots, which retail at over £250. Would they prove to be worth it in terms of durability and longevity?

The soles, each fitted with ten tungsten studs with cross-crown heads (a tool is provided to screw in the studs; the sole must be a minimum of 14mm thick).

First things first, I believe that for most upland Scottish (and Welsh) rivers where boulders, cobbles, slates, and sandstone rock is to expected t combine with algae, then felt soles with studs is the best you can get in terms of grip.

So I fitted each (man-made felt) sole with ten Vision tungsten screw-in tungsten studs, which are finished with a four-pointed crown design. These studs don’t just grip, they ‘bite’ rock, and the stability afforded by these on smooth and slippery surfaces is extraordinary. I like the fact that they cut deep, which also makes them a great addition when walking along and down silty, muddy river banks. Well worth the investment.

One word of warning, though. Be acutely aware of your fly line when using these studs: the cross-crown head can cut a fly line in half in one small step – believe me!

Back to the boots. Made in Finland, they have a rubber toe-guard – a good idea, as the toe area often takes a battering. The upper is mainly water treated nubuck leather, which should prevent it from creasing and cracking as the boot hinges. The laces thread up through six pairs of eyelets, then through three sets of cleats on the higher part of the boot.

That first cleat is double-riveted – a nod to the designers on the robust nature of these boots. Seams are triple and double-stitched, which is also good news, and I like the rubber ‘bumper’ which surrounds and protects that normally vulnerable area between sole and upper. The inner seems tough and robust, too.

Reasonably light in weight, these are comfortable boots to wear; they lace up and tighten up from the toe, and the uppers are finished with microfibre and nylon mesh, which is padded for comfort around the ankle and the tongue. The only down-side for me is the low sculpted section at the back of the heel, which actually makes them a little more awkward to pull on.

However, after four months of use, these boots are doing well; the only sign of any wear being slight abrasion at the top of the toe, which makes that toe-guard even more justified. Looks like they’ll be around for a while. And those tungsten studs still have their edge.

Price: £259.00
20 Vision tungsten studs + tool: £29.99.
Sample from: Anglers Lodge