GRUNDÉNS ROCK ARMOR WADING BOOT REVIEW

Reviewing the brand new release from Grundéns and an on-the-water evaluation of them in a bunch of different conditions.

As an angler who seeks value in fishing over name, I would probably seem a bit schizophrenic if you looked at fishing gear. I bounce around from $1,500 combos to $50 combos and always find some in both dramatically varied price points that will provide you great enjoyment when fished. I also appreciate when I find products that project the obvious contemplation put towards the design and manufacturing of a good piece of gear. That’s the case for me with the new Grundéns Rock Armor Wading Boots just released.

I have learned over 3 decades that the higher prices for gear are all relative having reviewed thousands of products from hundreds of companies. A finely built tool that works so effortlessly and efficiently that it makes those thousands of cast and retrieves a year without a fish on the line as enjoyable as the fewer times you are hooked up. And, if it lasts you a bunch of seasons, then the investment pays dividends.

As anglers on foot, we are willing to invest in quality gear, like waders and wading boots, to expand our opportunities on the water. However, I don’t believe any of us are okay paying a lot of money on gear only to have it fail us in the first year. I was already a fan of the Grundén’s Boundary Zip Waders. I am in season four with these waders that get used 20-30 times a season. And my Bankside Wading Boots were also going on year four. So I had some high expectations for the new Grundéns Rock Armor Wading Boots.

UNIQUE FIT OF THE ROCK ARMOR BOOTS

Besides the impressive looks of these new wading boots (and yes that matters to a lot of anglers), these boots are quite literally the easiest to take off and put on I have fished. When you are young and bendy, this is no big deal, but when you get up in your 50s, and you’re not as skinny as you once were, getting in and out of your wading gear can be a chore. Downright painful for an angler like me dealing with arthritis in a lot of my joints.

These boots feature a slick custom gusset system that makes for a really big opening when you put your foot, with the wader stocking foot over it, into the boot. Then when you lace them up, you are able to really cinch them down and make them snug while still having some wiggle room in your boot.

When boots are too tight, you get cold feet much faster in conditions like fishing in the winter. If your toes are able to wiggle, your feet will stay warmer longer.

Likewise you don’t want your boots to be loose either as that can increase slip risks and lead to blisters later. These boots fit nicely from the high ankles to the toes. I am very pleased with the fit and reinforced ankles as well as the comfortable insoles.

RUGGED REINFORCEMENT

Maybe one of the best improvements on this boot design would be their molded wear resistant Rock Armor shield. It’s reinforced to not only protect your feet from abrasion and wear while trudging through stream beds, over rocks and logs and digging through thickets stream side. They finished the boot with a high-grip gum rubber outsole and a rubber sidewall wrap in higher-wear areas to ensure your boot holds up for a long time.

And their mesh sidewall design offers more than just style enhancement. They constructed the exterior Rock Armor shield with a a single sheet of perforated TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) bonded to a robust mesh backing, providing extreme toughness, elasticity and flexibility, while minimizing seam failure due to the limited need for stitching.

They claim the perforated hex pattern sheds water, increases flex for dynamic movement and leverages one of the strongest geometric structures to resist tearing under repeated stress. While I have had the boots in the creeks and rivers about 8 times since getting this new pair, it’s hard to argue against these boots holding up to years of abuse.

It took about 3 1/2 years before my Bank Sides really started showing wear, and it was exactly in the places where this new boot is reinforced. So to me, Grudéns not only designs new products, but they diagnose where they can improve existing designs in new products. I appreciate when I can see that obvious thought process in new products.

TRACTION IN ALL CONDITIONS

The soles on the Rock Armor Wading Boots offer rugged tread for a variety of muddy, sandy and rocky bottoms as well as snow and ice. And the souls are predesigned to incorporate their HEXAGRIP Cleat and Carbide Grip Kit. So where you need more grip on super slick flat rock mossy surfaces, you can be protected and balanced.

I found the boots to be extremely steady so far on every type of surface. Even the flattest moss covered rocks, the most dangerous of wading surfaces in my humble opinion. I have no doubt the cleats would support that. But I’ve had no issue anywhere I have tried to fish now on 3 different rivers and 2 small creeks with these boots.

GOOD INVESTMENT IN WADING BOOTS

The steep price seems warranted to me when I start considering I’m basically going to be paying $50 a year or less to wear arguably the best boots on the market for the next 5-7 years. The amount of support and reinforcement in these boots as well as how incredibly easy they were to slip on and off of my wader stocking feet — a benefit I gladly would have paid more for on my last 3 or 4 sets of wading boots — warrants the consideration.

I would argue these are maybe the nicest looking pair of wading boots I’ve owned. Many new memories will be captured trekking in out of wild places with these new skids.

To check out the Grundéns Rock Armor Wading Boot, visit Grundens.com.

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