Shoes become especially important if they are required for winter fishing. For this accessory requirements are separate and quite serious. Given the specifics of the situation, namely the slippery surface of a frozen river, frost or high humidity, it is necessary to pay special attention to the choice of uniforms such as winter fishing boots. The reviews of the owners of various types of products of this kind, given in this article, will help you make your own opinion about the convenience and functionality of the most famous brands of these accessories.
What should be the shoes for winter fishing?
The times when fishermen dressed for ice fishing in boots and galoshes have long sunk into oblivion. The modern market is filled with offers of special shoes for this winter activity.
However, it is quite difficult for a novice fisherman to figure out how to choose this item of equipment according to the situation. The advice of experienced winter fishing enthusiasts indicates some points that suitable shoes should satisfy:
- Be steady and not slip on ice. This is a very important and relevant wish. To implement it, the sole of the shoe is equipped with special treads and spikes.
- Be sized correctly. The foot should not be shy, but the situation where the foot dangles in shoes is also unacceptable. A person must feel comfortable. Closed shoes will lead to freezing, and too loose threatens the formation of corns.
- Provide good thermal insulation properties.
- Be easy enough.
- To be made of breathable material so that the foot does not get wet or freeze. Modern winter fishing boots the owners' reviews have earned positive thanks precisely to the presence of membrane fabric, which provides excellent air exchange. It is a multilayer material, is denoted by the inscription Gore-tex and is used in sewing the top of shoes. One of the components of the membrane is Teflon.
- Have proper insulation. Best of all, when this item is removable, it can be pulled out of shoes and dried. It is very inconvenient when this toe is inseparable.
If you choose shoes for winter fishing in accordance with all these criteria, then their owner has every chance to enjoy his favorite pastime with comfort even in severe cold.
Two main types of fisherman's winter ammunition
According to the peculiarities of execution and the principle of wearing, shoes for winter fishing can be divided into two types:
Each of these types has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a closer look at each type of shoe.
Shoe covers or boots?
There is always a dilemma for fishermen: what is better to choose for winter fishing - shoe covers or boots? A few decades ago, OZKs were the only way to go fishing in the winter and not to freeze or wet your feet. In their appearance, these shoe covers were unsightly, but they perfectly protected from getting wet even in a deep area. Previously, fishermen wore them with felt boots, however, such ammunition is uncomfortable and weighs quite a lot. Felt boots do not bend when walking and crouching, poorly removed. Fishermen thought of putting on shoe covers on ordinary boots and extending under them insoles of felt and other materials.
Shoe covers with inserts "ROKS"
About ten years ago, products on the market of fishing accessories appeared under the name "men's fishing shoe covers" of the ROKS company. They were galoshes made of rubber, to which shafts were sewn. Now you can also find these winter fishing boots for sale. The reviews of the owners of the “ROX” shoe covers note that their sole is thin and soft, and the metal anti-skid spikes on it do a poor job of their function. However, these boots are equipped with stockings-liners and at the time of their creation were considered products of a new generation. The lacing on them is non-functional, and the weight of one piece of fishing shoes is about 1200 g, so it’s rather exhausting to travel long distances in them. Many fishermen note that in shoe covers the foot often sweats and begins to freeze already at -15 ° C, and the seams between PVC and galoshes can burst.
EVA boots: light and dry
The real revolution of the market of goods for active leisure in the fresh air was the appearance of one-piece type boots made of EVA, or ethylene vinyl acetate.
This highly porous material has many advantages:
- Unrivaled thermal insulation. EVA pores are filled with air and it retains heat perfectly.
- Good cushioning. EVA is a material that in any cold is able to maintain its elasticity and not break. Owner reviews characterize such winter fishing boots . Up to 60 degrees below zero Celsius is an indicator of the temperature at which EVA shoes retain their performance and provide comfort to its owner.
- Resistant to aggressive chemicals such as organic solvents and oils. This will protect the fisherman’s feet from the ingress of petroleum products and other reagents while refueling his vehicle.
- A light weight. If we draw an analogy with products made of PVC and molded rubber, then EVA boots are 4 and 6 times lighter, respectively. Therefore, fishermen note increased comfort in operation, especially if you have to overcome long distances on foot.
- Hydrophobicity. You can safely move through the water without fear that your feet will get wet.
Do EVA boots have flaws?
Thanks to these wonderful qualities, EVA winter fishing boots have earned positive feedback from their owners, and in certain situations they are the best. However, one can not fail to note several significant drawbacks of these products:
- They are fairly easy to pierce. Due to the fact that EVA is a porous material, it can be damaged by contact with broken glass or sharp knots. Some models have a special reinforcement that prevents unexpected piercing of boots.
- Insufficient grip on slippery ice. This circumstance is due to the peculiarity of the production of EVA boots: when casting ethyl vinyl acetate into a mold, a rather smooth surface is obtained. On such a sole, moving on ice is rather problematic. New EVA boots are made with a more ribbed sole, which gives greater stability to the fisherman on a frozen water surface.
However, experienced ice-fishing enthusiasts give one important tip on how to choose sturdy ethylene vinyl acetate winter boots for fishing. Owner reviews (only shoes made of high-quality EVA are capable of withstanding temperatures up to 60 degrees below zero) are advised in this matter to trust boots only from well-known manufacturers that have proved themselves to be the best. Buying these is better in specialized stores. On the market, you can run into a handicraft that crackles with a little frost on the first fishing trip. The opinion of experienced fishermen is worth listening to novice lovers in order to avoid disappointment and worthless shopping.
What are the liners intended for?
If the manufacturer promises that boots for winter fishing are able to withstand frosts of -70 ° C, then this is solely due to removable liners. They are designed to maintain a comfortable feeling even at critical subzero ambient temperatures.
Thanks to the use of modern materials, the liners prevent fogging of the feet, providing moisture removal. This allows a person to perfectly withstand frost for a long time.
The insert for winter fishing boots has a multilayer structure:
- The first layer, the inner one, is adjacent to the foot. It is made of a material that removes moisture in the form of sweat or condensation. Separate models are saturated with a special antibacterial and antifungal composition, which prevents the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
- The next layer is responsible for the preservation of heat and thermal insulation. It maintains the temperature of warm air inside the boot and wicks moisture out.
- The subsequent layer, like a sponge, absorbs moisture from the deeper structures and releases it to the surface.
- The final outer layer is a thermofoil. It is made of a nylon metallized film and has a dual function: it reflects the thermal radiation from the person’s legs back, prevents cold air from entering the boot from the outside.
High-quality winter fishing boots, the reviews of which are positive, owe their unbeatable performance to a good-quality liner. It works on the principle of thermal underwear, and moisture removed from the legs accumulates in a special tank as part of a multilayer structure, which is easy to dry after fishing. In cheap counterparts of boots made in the artisanal way, the liner is made of simple insulation. In such shoes, the foot sweats and quickly freezes.
It is best when the sole of the liner is sewn from a material with low creaseability, and the inner layer is made of fabric with increased wear resistance. A patch to prevent abrasion should be stitched on the heel.
What should I look for when buying winter fishing boots?
Experienced fishermen have their own opinions about what the best winter fishing boots should look like. Reviews of avid fishing enthusiasts allow us to conclude: shoes should be carefully tried before buying.
Therefore, it is better to test an unfamiliar model of boots in a specialized goods store. When trying on boots, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Foot width The duration and success of fishing depends on how comfortable the toes are. In tight shoes, the feet freeze faster, and the comfort of movement suffers.
- Lifting height. This is a very important indicator, because if the liner gets wet when fishing, it will be very difficult to pull a foot out of a low-rise boot. In addition, this indicator will certainly affect the comfort of walking.
- The thickness of the sole and shaft directly affects heat saving.
- The height of the shafts of the boots is significant when overcoming water obstacles.
- The boot should be wide enough to tuck the trousers into the boots so that they are not wet or frozen.
- The presence of the upper protective cuff on the lace with a stopper protects against the ingress of snow into the boot.
Be sure to try before buying!
The bootlegs of EVA boots do not bend well, so before buying in them, you definitely need to go around and evaluate comfort. For this reason, online shopping lovers should only buy models that have been tested on their own experience online. By the way, when looking at fishing shoes in chain stores, carefully study the item “weight of boots”. Some sellers are cunning, indicating the mass of one piece of shoes, not a pair. Another marketing move is to indicate the weight of the boots without inserts, so be careful and check with the seller this figure before ordering.
If you first thought about what to choose boots for winter fishing, feedback from the owners of various models will help in this and warn about the need to think ahead of the future functional load. Will you travel a lot along a difficult route, drill many holes, stay in one place for a long time? All these points matter in choosing a shoe model. If the temperature load and the wear resistance limit are exceeded, then the boots will not last long.
Most popular models
Today you can easily buy any winter fishing boots. Owner reviews allow you to identify several items of these accessories that are most popular.
These shoes can be viewed from the standpoint of: quality, reliability, comfort, design and ease of care.
Bigfoot
Boots for winter fishing "Yeti" customer reviews are positive. Among the pluses, many note their lightness and ability to perfectly keep their feet warm even in severe frost (up to -60 ˚). The design of the boots allows you to protect your foot from getting wet from the outside and fogging. At the expense of their stability on ice, the opinions of the owners were divided: some are satisfied with the degree of adhesion of the sole to a slippery surface, while other consumers consider it insufficient. The durability of the boots is generally good. Also, these products are easy to maintain and have an attractive design. However, Yeti winter fishing boots have negative reviews from the owners. Some respondents noted excessive stiffness when walking and lack of durability of shoes to punctures. The price of these boots is about 2000 rubles.
Torvey
Winter boots for fishing “Torvi” reviews of the owners earned positive. Most users agree that this shoe is free from flaws. These boots protect the fisherman's legs from winter cold and moisture.
They are comfortable to walk, lightweight and durable. The seven-layer liner perfectly retains heat and removes moisture. A rather thick sole with a powerful slip protector and a raised toe provides additional comfort when walking on any surface. The peculiarity of the upper layer is that even at a temperature of -60 ° C it remains elastic and does not break. However, the liner is not recommended to be washed, and the boots themselves should be protected from open flame and washed without the use of aggressive cleaning agents. The cost of this shoe is about 2000 rubles.
Nordman
A special place in the assortment of similar products is occupied by the Nordman winter fishing boots. The feedback of many experienced fishermen suggests that these products are very high quality and wearable. The foot in them is warm and comfortable.
No wonder professional fishermen choose these boots for winter fishing. Owner reviews allow us to conclude that a wide range of these products can satisfy the needs of any fishing enthusiast in the cold season at ambient temperatures from -15 ˚ to -60 ˚. Aesthetic design, the presence of female models, wear resistance, practicality and affordable price (from 1000 rubles) - all this makes Nordman boots a sales leader.
If you approach the issue of choosing boots for winter fishing with all responsibility, then the purchased product will last a long time, and you will enjoy excellent fishing in any weather.