Boa Laces for Wading Boots

Other Gear
1

I didn’t want to hijack the thread on soles…

For many years I would lace up hiking boots tightly over the instep, tie a double overhand knot above the lace rings to lock my foot in place, then lace up less tightly through the lace hooks to the top of the tongue for more ankle flexibility and comfort before hiking downhill.

I agree that the Korkers Devils Canyon and Dark Horse boots are both amazing boots. Both have the Boa closure rather than shoe laces. In 5 years of using the Devils Canyon boots the Boa closures never failed me or stuck after wading through muck and there is a no questions asked replacement guarantee from Boa.

However the tension is uniform thought the entire length of the Boa closure. I found that during 6 to 8 hours of walking-wading on uneven river cobble that my foot would slip in the boot even though the boot was very tight around my upper ankle. My toes could get jammed into the toe box and my toenails would become injured. After losing two toenails I took to a routine of tightening the Boa laces, tapping my heel on the ground, tighten some more, and repeat until I couldn’t tighten them any more. I thought it might just be me-my feet but interestingly, my long-time fishing buddy bought a pair of Devils Canyon boots 3 years after I did. One day as we were gearing up and I was going through my “lacing routine” he commented that he wondered why I did that, until he discovered he had the same issue with toes getting jammed.

As a result, I went back to laces on my newest Wraptr boots so I can tweak the fit.

Anyone else having that issue with, or loving their Boa laces?

2

Wow! Lace and Boa user here. I have laced like you but the tension always evens out. I’m a Boa fan but it isn’t a selling or buying point for me. Jamming toes on downhills? I would up size a half or whole and adjust with different thickness neo sock.

3

Yeah, it was painful but my tightening routine worked, once I figured it out. If the DC boots hadn’t had the neoprene insert for the Achilles, it would have been painful to tighten them that much.

The placement of the first set of lace hooks on my leather hiking boots is further down from the instep; close to the ankle bone than the lace rings so throwing a double overhand knot there holds to keep my feet locked into the heel counter. The first set of hooks on the Wraptr boots are jam cleats so the dbl overhand knot has held well with them too.

I suppose I could have tried sizing up a full size but only my left foot was injured and I was hoping to use the same bar cleat soles on my new boots. On the first two hike-in/bushwhacking trips when I loosend the upper ankle section for extra comfort and flexibility it did work as I had hoped.

4

Shoes can be tricky for sure. I will need new wading boots next year, my Montbell are wearing out. I’ll probably get the Pattagucci Danners. They are like jungle boots which I dig. I like to be able to wiggle my toes when the boots are laced snug.

5

“The last wading boots you will ever buy”, especially with the Patagonia warranty. But they are way out of my price range. NICE boots!