Gear Review: Korkers Chrome Lite Wading Boots
Korkers released a new series of wading boots this year—the Wade Lite line. Included in the lineup are the Chrome Lite and Stealth Sneaker.
The Chrome Lite is, without a doubt, the most impressive wading boot I’ve ever seen from Korkers. Longtime readers of my gear reviews will know I hold the Devil’s Canyon boots in high regard. Those, to me, are the gold standard wading boots. As much as I love the River Ops boots, the lighter weight and greater flexibility of the Devil’s Canyon boot made it my top choice.
Now, if I was forced to pick, I’d snag a pair of Chrome Lite boots. They’re wonderfully light, durable, and even without the interchangeable soles Korkers has become known for, the Chrome Lites pack enough traction for the toughest wading environments out there.
That’s not a knock on the River Ops or any other Korkers boots. I’ll get into this later, but the Chrome Lites are perfect for me because they’re the best blend of wading and hiking boot that I’ve ever used. I spend a lot of time hiking and walking while fishing, so I highly value a boot that’s more comfortable for those tasks.
Let’s take a deeper look at why I love these boots so much.
Stability and Traction
A wading boot is useless if it doesn’t provide a stable platform for fishing and wading, and if it doesn’t have adequate traction to move around slippery, moss-covered rocks. I was initially skeptical when I saw the Chrome Lites were offered without interchangeable soles, which meant I’d be without my favorite aluminum-bar soles that I wear most of the time.
Compared to my other non-studded wading boots (from Korkers and other brands) the Chrome Lites provided more than adequate traction in a variety of environments. Whether I was picking my way down a steep bank, trying not to slip on moss-covered boulders, or walking right up the belly of a run, I didn’t notice a significant difference in traction.
Korkers made the Chrome Lites with a “proprietary Kling-On Rock” outsole that the company says “delivers lightweight, flexible performance with solid grip on dry and wet rock.” They do have optional carbide screw-in cleats available for purchase if you want extra traction. I think those are worth the extra cost, because even while the non-studded rubber is grippy enough, I don’t think you can have too much traction while wading.
Stability is ensured thanks to the BOA M4 Fit System, which features “sequence lace configuration.” It’s supposed to improve the fit with BOA laces, which can sometimes be too tight across the top of your foot, and too loose near the ankle. In my three months with the Chrome Lites, I did notice an improved fit compared to other BOA boots, with more support around my ankles. However, fit is fairly subjective, so I can’t promise you’ll have the same experience.
Photo: Courtesy Korkers
Comfort
The Chrome Lites are plenty comfortable, and felt similar to the Devil’s Canyon boots. The biggest difference you’ll notice is how light they are, especially compared to the River Ops. The Chrome Lites clock in at 2.6lbs per pair, while the River Ops are 3lbs, 6oz per pair. That’s something I noticed immediately, and particularly appreciated during the numerous mile-plus walks back to my truck while I’ve been fishing this summer.
The fit isn’t rock-solid, but more similar to a good pair of running shoes. Your feet have plenty of stability, but they’re able to flex and move with the demands of wading rivers.
Durability
I’ve had the Chrome Lites for about three months, and they’ve been almost the only wading boot I’ve worn during that time. While three months isn’t terribly long, it’s long enough to see that there aren’t any major durability problems with how the Chrome Lites are built. They actually share the same Exo-Tec material used on the River Ops boots, which offers “molded, abrasion-resistant protection in a flexible, hyper-light package.”
I’ve ran those River Ops since they were released and haven’t had any durability problems in that time. Since the Chrome Lites are made from largely similar materials—including the exact same Eco-Tec outer material—I don’t have any concerns about how long these boots will last. For the average angler who sees the water 10-15 days per year, the Chrome Lites will probably last you the better part of a decade.
Who They’re For
I alluded to this at the beginning of the review, but the Chrome Lites are the perfect boot for a wide swath of the angling public. In particular, those who spend a significant amount of time hiking or walking while wearing wading boots will love them, because they’re light and comfortable. I hiked down some steep, rough banks while in these boots, and never once felt like they weren’t up to the task.
I primarily wore these boots while wet wading, and used a thinner pair of neoprene wet wading socks with them, compared to the neoprene boots on my waders. I’d recommend, for anyone wearing these to wet wade, to either buy thicker wet wading socks, or look at the wet wading conversion kit Korkers offers on their website. For wet wading, I’ve yet to use a boot I enjoy more simply because the Chrome Lites are so light. Half the fun of wet wading is ditching the weight and bulk of waders, and losing the heavier wading boots is a nice touch.
With that said, the Chrome Lites are certainly up to the task of year-round wading. They’re not as bomber-built as the River Ops, but these two boots are different enough in purpose and intended design that I don’t think anyone should expect the Chrome Lites to be something they’re not. They’re lightweight, athletically-built boots that excel in wet wading, hiking, and walking. For those purposes, I can’t recommend them highly enough. That they clock in at $179 is surprising, as that’s firmly in the affordable territory for wading boots.
