Best fishing boots are essential for comfortable and successful angling adventures in Alaska’s rugged terrain. These are the top picks for fishing footwear from the team at Fish Alaska.
Best Fishing Boots and Shoes
Rocky Trophy Series 3” Waterproof Slip-On Rugged Casual
These nice-looking slip-on mocs feature waterproof full-grain leather, the Rocky Air-Port Lite Sponge PU footbed with memory foam, and an aggressive sole. These are great shoes for around town or in the lodge after a long day’s fishing.
XTRATUF Unisex Riptide Sandal
The Riptide is a one-piece, injection-molded, slip-on sandal made of BioLite material. It’s essentially impervious to water, and with drainage holes throughout the upper, you can wade right in knowing the sandal and your feet will dry out quickly once you’re out of the water. The BioLite material is non-marking, really light, slip resistant, and provides excellent support. A good test of foot support is to stand in the shoes on a boat deck for several hours without sitting down. If a shoe has good support, you won’t notice. But if a shoe has poor support, you will definitely notice. Publisher Marcus Weiner enjoyed wearing these shoes in 2024 and commented, “These lightweight slip-on sandals are comfortable, functional and clean up easily. They provide solid support and a slip-resistant sole. In my opinion, XTRATUF makes the best boat footwear in the industry.”
Minus33 Mountain Heritage All Season Boot Sock
These are high-quality, calf-high boot socks with an added cool factor: the No Pebble and Fish Alaska logos. They are composed of 68% merino wool, 20% nylon, 11% stretch nylon, and 1% spandex. These socks are great for fishing, hiking, and hunting in the spring through fall seasons. Publisher Marcus Weiner wore these socks for several months in 2024 during both fishing- and hunting trips, and says that they are comfortable, warm, odor resistant and are now his first-choice sock.
Salmon Sisters/XTRATUF Halibut 6” Deck Boots
Created by a commercial-fishing sister team from Homer, Emma and Claire, they harvest salmon in a sustainable fishing style the way many Alaskan families do. Their prized salmon is available online for those of you who have not stocked up this year or who have run out. We love what they stand for and are proud to sport items by their brand. Our testing staff loves XTRATUF too, so when Salmon Sisters and XTRATUF get together, we know it’s going to be good. Enter the Halibut 6” Deck Boots. They’re very stylish in a 2-tone lavender and gray-green color scheme with our tester’s favorite bottomfish in a custom Salmon Sisters design.
Fishe Wear/XTRATUF Women’s 15 Inch Legacy Boot, Haliborealis
Shout out to Fishe Wear and XTRATUF, two of our tester’s favorite brands. Publisher Melissa Norris wears her fair share of each brand, but better together comes to mind like the song by Jack Johnson. The 15-inch Legacy is a longtime iconic boot by XTRATUF, as we all know, but in the last decade they’ve blasted the market with the icon turned every which way. There are so many new styles and patterns. Not only are they the most-versatile footwear for Alaskans, but now anglers also have a whole slew of patterns and styles to round out our wardrobes.
Rocky MTN Stalker Pro Waterproof Mountain Boot
These 6-inch-tall boots feature a fiberglass shank, Rocky rebound footbed and PU midsole, and Vibram mountaineering outsole. These are great hiking boots and early season hunting boots, and they’re stylish enough to wear around town, though around town wasn’t what Rocky designed them for.
XTRATUF Women’s Ice Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boot
These are easily the prettiest boots in the pile of footwear that chokes the entrance to the garage. Not surprisingly for an XTRATUF boot, they are also warm, dry, and comfortable. This boot features a Glacier Trek Pro sole and was designed especially for traction and stability on wet ice and other wet surfaces. While the super-grip sole keeps you upright, the faux-shearling lining keeps you cozy and warm.
Korkers Women’s Neo Flex Thermo Winter Ankle Boot
Well, Korkers knocked it out of the park with these winter boots. The fleece lining is so very comfortable as is the overall fit of the boot. Some rubber boots have a slight heel-kick feature to help you remove your boots hands free, but these boots by Korkers have an enhanced rubber heel-kick making them super easy to kick off without your hands. Extremely cozy underfoot, these warm boots are the best winter rubber boot our tester has tried. They are her new go-to and caused her to cull out some others.
Muck Men’s Mossy Oak Country DNA Outscape Max Lace Up Hiker Boot
These boots are an excellent blend of neoprene ankle boot combined with a rugged, high-traction hiking boot. The outside features a trail-gripping rubber outsole with a lace-up design for better fit. The inside is a 3 mm neoprene bootie with BioLite foam midsole, fancied up with extra proprietary technology to control moisture and odor. These boots are comfortable, tough, and functional.
Muck Women’s Arctic Sport II Ankle Boot
This ankle boot is a solid choice for all-day footwear for the hard-working or adventurous. The 5 mm neoprene bootie over an EVA midsole is warm, waterproof, and comfortable. Muck Boots are known for their solid construction and long life—this boot lives up to the reputation.
Rocky Men’s NOWAKE Outdoor Shoe
These good-looking boat shoes feature mesh uppers made of recycled fishing nets, a perforated drainable footbed, integrated neoprene-sock construction, non-marking oil- and slip-resistant soles, and locking bungee-cord laces. The shoes are light and comfortable, and they dry quickly when wet. One feature we especially appreciated is the reinforced toe box. It’s not like a steel-toed boot, but it is reinforced enough to protect your toes if you accidentally bang into something.
Columbia Men’s PFG Castback TC Shoe
These are comfortable boat shoes with very grippy, non-marking rubber soles. The upper fabric resists fluids and stains, is quick drying, and the collapsible heel lets you just slide into them if you want to. These are shoes you can stand in for hours without fatigue.
Zamberlan 972 Guide Max GTX RR
At a certain age, taking excellent care of your feet goes from an indulgence to a necessity. These durable luxury boots, handcrafted in Italy, will keep your feet safe and comfortable for miles. Your desire to hike will wear out long before these hikers. Filled with technology based on modern materials, and designed with decades of experience, these boots are an investment that will pay off with years of service.
Lowa Boots Women’s Ferrox GTX Mid WS
This is a really lightweight comfortable hiking boot by LOWA. Our tester finds these boots super stylish and easy to wear. They feel snug around the top of the foot without any high pressure or pinch points and the sole is sturdy as needed. The ankle support in Lowa’s Ferrox GRX Mid is solid. They are the top hiking boot she has tried in several years and always appreciates how LOWA’s feel are stable and supportive.