Redington Palix River wading boot review

I needed to upgrade my fishing footwear from my new balence tennis shoes. I had a few guidelines that I wanted to use to pick a pair of wading boots. It needed to be a good reputable brand and be under a $100. Obviously the price point I was looking at limited what brands I could look at. Orvis? Yeah right. Simms? HAHA. Korkers? Nope. Redington? Yes. The more and more I looked I kept coming back to the Redington Palix River. The problem? I really couldn't find a review or one local to look at. I knew Redington had a good reputation for quality so I figured I really couldn't go wrong.

I ended up ordering a pair from Avidmax.com as they offer free shipping. I normally don't order shoes online because you really don't know how they are going to fit. I wear a size 10 so I figured with the neoprene booties on my waders /wet wading socks I needed to go a size larger. What I didn't know is these boots are over-sized probably for that reason. So I had to send my first pair back to avidmax and order a size 10. They made the return painless and even called me about the return to make sure I was happy.

The first thing I noticed when opening the box was that the boots looked good. Upon examination it was clear that quality was the top priority. I couldent find a loose thread or anything. Sometimes you don't know with things made in China but these were well made. The canvas outer shell and rubber abrasion guard should keep the outside looking good. The thin inner neoprene liner gives the boot a little more cushion and support.

The rubber sole is soft and flexible. The Caney fork doesn't have a lot of slick rock but the traction on the soft bottom was great. Even climbing up the step banks the sole was giving me all the grip I need. I went to the Stones river where I knew there was large flat moss covered rocks so I could test out the traction under less then ideal conditions. The walnut encrusted soles did their job. Redington says they are stud compatible I have no use for this feature but you may.

The lace hooks opening is small and it takes a little getting used too. I actually like this because I don't have to worry about the laces coming unhooked. The laces have a generous length and are quality also. The two drainage holes above the sole are large enough to let water out but small enough to keep debris out.

These boots have exceeded my expectations. The traction has been superb. The boots have been very comfortable. If your looking for a value priced wading boot you should really consider these boots. I see no reason I shouldn't get 3+ fishing seasons out of these boots.

Just a note on Redington. They seem to be active with their customers on their Twitter and Facebook pages. So make sure you 'follow' or 'like' them and say Hello.

Also be sure to check out avidmax outfitters. They offer free shipping to the lower 48 states and deliver awesome customer service. You can follow them on Twitter here and like them on Facebook here.

Update 1/20/13

I have gotten a few good mud secessions in with these boots. I am still satisfied with the performance.