At ICAST/IFTD 2017, I was getting the tour of the new lineup of products from Grundéns and was stopped dead in my tracks with a product that ultimately made my best of show list at the end of the weekend. The Grundéns Deck-Boss Boot was an eye-catching new footwear item that screamed of potential use possibilities. And since getting my hands on (and feet in) a pair, they have been my go-to boots for a range of situations.
Last year’s rains in California were intense and did a number of my shoes and boots at home. I seemed to always have wet shoes or boots, and wet feet were often the outcome of everything from walking the dog to walking to the car. Likewise, even just loading or unloading the truck when steelheading in the Northwest brought opportunity to spend the rest of the day soaked.
While I noticed folks around me started investing absurd amounts of money on luxury rain boots, I was inclined to wait to find something that was more appropriate when it comes to cost and what might better suit my needs. Enter the Grundéns Deck-Boss boots.
“Built by Fishermen, for Fishermen,” these boots have every feature you can imagine. Frankly, I was content with simply having them be waterproof and comfortable. But these boots go beyond.
For me, the most important feature is the “Herkules Grip” — a rubber traction technology that gives an impressive amount of grip. As previously mentioned on this site, I have an artificial hip that I always have to be conscious of in the field. I tested the grip on these boots to see how much traction they have, and it’s pretty dang impressive. I don’t feel I will be worrying about taking a spill on the hip in these boots.
You wouldn’t think deck or rain boots could be comfortable all day, but these boots are. When I get indoors and have the opportunity to switch to regular shoes, I usually opt to leave the boots on. This is largely due to the soft, perforated insole that sits on top of a “lower deck” that allows accumulation of liquid and drains.
Finally, these 15-inch boots have a silicon band that can be detached from the boot to wrap around your pants to keep you dry or keep your pants our of mud, puddles, or other undesirable terrain. And the boots can also fold down for added comfort when desired.
The Grundéns Deck-Boss boots come in men’s sizes 3 through 14 (with women’s equivalent) and cost $129.
To check out more about Deck-Boss Boot from Grundéns, please click here.
— Tim Harden
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