XTRATUF Legacy Series 15" Review
Cons: Heel made us worried about our ankles, no insulation
Bottom line: If you need traction on boat decks, these are your boots; if you're using these in the woods, they may not be suited for the job.
Editors' Rating:
Shaft Height (in inches - from bottom of sole to lowest point at top of shaft): 15.1
Lining/Insulation: Woven nylon
Manufacturer: Xtratuf Boots
Our Verdict
XTRATUFs belong to Alaska, and we were excited to see how they'd do in Pacific Northwest conditions. We have several friends who regularly wear XTRATUFs - all from Alaska or with Alaskan relatives - and they are zealots about the brand. They will strike up conversations with other people just because they're wearing XTRATUFs, and they'll often discover that they've got mutual friends as a result. But beyond the social benefits of these boots, we found that our tests didn't give these boots the highest marks. They're comfortable, but their heels are a bit high for our taste (they felt a bit wobbly on rough terrain), and their thin rubber was completely uninsulated and barely kept out the cold. We're certain these would be better than almost any of the other boots in our test on a boat, but we're primarily dry-land people. So while we liked these as a great option, we gave other boots the awards.
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Review by:
Richard Forbes
Richard Forbes
Last Updated:
Monday
February 12, 2018
Monday
February 12, 2018
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With good water resistance, traction on wet surfaces, and comfort underfoot, these boots are a good option for those who will be spending a lot of time in the water. The more time we spent in sloppy conditions, the more the grooves in the inverted outsole picked up rocks or got filled with material. And while the soft latex on the top could be rolled down to help the boots dry (and to ventilate our feet), we found the rubber often bent in and jabbed at our shins.
With a 15.1 inch shaft height, this model is the fourth highest boots in the review, and are definitely tall enough for most applications. We felt very confident in these, even in deeper water with small waves.
The Legacy boots have the second thickest insole, and their tall heel also provided an impressive amount of support and cushioning. Ultimately, these boots were workable for over 8 hours at a time with the stock insole. We didn't like the feel as much when we added our own insoles - it was too much with the heel plus the insole - but these are definitely comfortable. We wish there were a little less heel though, to let our feet stay a bit lower to the ground. It almost felt like we could roll our ankles in these, as the heel was a little bit narrower than the other boots.
We also had some issues with the softer latex neoprene folding in and pressing against our shins and the tops of our feet, though the soft latex did allow us to roll them down and vent our feet when they got hot. We had a similar but more painful issue with the stiffer RK Boots.
Ultimately, we didn't find these to be as comfortable as the more glove-like fit of the Bogs Ultra Classic High.
XTRATUFs go a completely different direction with traction - their outsoles are inverted, so the traction instead of studs, there are only grooves. As XTRATUF boots are primarily fishing boots, we assume this design is intended for slick boat decks, but we were impressed by how well they held onto other surfaces. We found that they did not do very well on wet grass or ice, but they gripped mud and snow adequately. Over time though, the grooves tended to fill up with mud and ice and didn't seem to hold as well. Options with positive outsoles, like the Baffin Enduro or the Arctic Sport tended to have better all around traction.
The Legacy boots we tested are uninsulated, with only around a 1/16th of an inch of thickness. Without thick socks, we were quite cold in these boots, and during the ice-water test, they let our bare feet get uncomfortably cold almost immediately (within 30 seconds). Do keep in mind that these boots come in an insulated version (down to -10 degrees F), so if you like the rest of the features, this shouldn't be a dealbreaker.
But if you're looking for boots for even colder conditions, check out the Arctic Sport, which its manufacturer states will be wearable down to -40 degrees (though we couldn't test this claim as it just doesn't get that cold in the Pacific Northwest).
The Legacy model is almost actively anti-fashionable, with their unique rubbery brown aesthetic. However, our style consultants liked the look, and in Seattle, we see people wearing these all winter with a wide variety of clothes. Don't expect to get away with wearing these without commentary, but they can definitely look good when paired with the right outfit! However, if fashion is a big consideration, the Bogs Carson are probably the best, followed by the Editors' Choice Bogs Classic Ultra High.
Due to the snug fit in the ankle, and the extreme flexibility of the neoprene shaft, these were impossible to step into (as they'd collapse). Instead, you just have to pull them on, and they often got stuck on our heels. They're also finicky to get off, and require you to grab them by the heel and really twist them off, a problem shared by the Hunter Boots. The Baffin Enduro and the Bogs Classic Ultra High both were significantly easier to get on and off.
We were also a bit frustrated by the inverted outsole, in which rocks and grit would get stuck for days, making gentle clicking sounds with every step, till we pried them out with pliers or something else.
There's a ½ inch of room forward and back, and very little play left and right for our size 12 D width fit. And due to the snug fit in the ankle, even when you lift your foot, your feet are still touching the bottom of the boot (which is not the case for the flappier Baffin Enduro). That being said, there's not a lot of room in these boots for larger volume feet.
These boots are a staple in Alaska, and we know a lot of fishermen (and fisherwomen) who love these boots for their nonslip traction in super wet conditions. And you can totally wear these around town and on errands. We did find that due to the heel height we didn't feel totally secure on rougher terrain, so we're not certain if we'd recommend them as highly if you're not going to spend lots of time on boats. And we wouldn't recommend the Legacy in cold conditions, or you'll get pretty chilly feet.
At ~$135, these cost the same amount as the Bogs Ultra Classic High. For our landlubber uses, we think the Bogs are significantly better, but we don't even know what sort of conditions fishermen (and fisherwomen) are facing up on the Alaskan seas. We did read some reports that quality had fallen off in 2012 when manufacturing moved to China, but through all our testing we saw no evidence that these boots would wear out quickly. Our friends who have them all get at least two or three years of heavy use out of them (though they do occasionally have to be aquasealed in the heels, as they seem to rip through there after a lot of use).
From what we understand, XTRATUFs are the unofficial fishing footwear of Alaska, and as such, they're designed for a wholly different set of conditions than we were testing for. But, they're a good height and feature out-of-the-box comfort. Their traction worked surprisingly well on more surfaces than we expected, and our fashion consultants thought they looked good too! So as long as you're not looking for warmth or ease of use, these are a great option.
Performance Comparison
Practicing competitive rock-skipping in the XTRATUFs.
Water Resistance
With a 15.1 inch shaft height, this model is the fourth highest boots in the review, and are definitely tall enough for most applications. We felt very confident in these, even in deeper water with small waves.
This crab is basking in the glory of the XTRATUF.
Comfort
The Legacy boots have the second thickest insole, and their tall heel also provided an impressive amount of support and cushioning. Ultimately, these boots were workable for over 8 hours at a time with the stock insole. We didn't like the feel as much when we added our own insoles - it was too much with the heel plus the insole - but these are definitely comfortable. We wish there were a little less heel though, to let our feet stay a bit lower to the ground. It almost felt like we could roll our ankles in these, as the heel was a little bit narrower than the other boots.
We also had some issues with the softer latex neoprene folding in and pressing against our shins and the tops of our feet, though the soft latex did allow us to roll them down and vent our feet when they got hot. We had a similar but more painful issue with the stiffer RK Boots.
Second thickest insole in the test (though we realize it doesn't look like much)
Ultimately, we didn't find these to be as comfortable as the more glove-like fit of the Bogs Ultra Classic High.
You can see how the front of the shaft folds in and pushes against the front of the ankle (and this is only a mild example)
Traction
XTRATUFs go a completely different direction with traction - their outsoles are inverted, so the traction instead of studs, there are only grooves. As XTRATUF boots are primarily fishing boots, we assume this design is intended for slick boat decks, but we were impressed by how well they held onto other surfaces. We found that they did not do very well on wet grass or ice, but they gripped mud and snow adequately. Over time though, the grooves tended to fill up with mud and ice and didn't seem to hold as well. Options with positive outsoles, like the Baffin Enduro or the Arctic Sport tended to have better all around traction.
Just look at that inverted outsole (and how much stuff gets stuck in it).
Warmth
The Legacy boots we tested are uninsulated, with only around a 1/16th of an inch of thickness. Without thick socks, we were quite cold in these boots, and during the ice-water test, they let our bare feet get uncomfortably cold almost immediately (within 30 seconds). Do keep in mind that these boots come in an insulated version (down to -10 degrees F), so if you like the rest of the features, this shouldn't be a dealbreaker.
But if you're looking for boots for even colder conditions, check out the Arctic Sport, which its manufacturer states will be wearable down to -40 degrees (though we couldn't test this claim as it just doesn't get that cold in the Pacific Northwest).
These boots are not warm in the cold
Style
The Legacy model is almost actively anti-fashionable, with their unique rubbery brown aesthetic. However, our style consultants liked the look, and in Seattle, we see people wearing these all winter with a wide variety of clothes. Don't expect to get away with wearing these without commentary, but they can definitely look good when paired with the right outfit! However, if fashion is a big consideration, the Bogs Carson are probably the best, followed by the Editors' Choice Bogs Classic Ultra High.
They look pretty good, right?
Ease of Use
Due to the snug fit in the ankle, and the extreme flexibility of the neoprene shaft, these were impossible to step into (as they'd collapse). Instead, you just have to pull them on, and they often got stuck on our heels. They're also finicky to get off, and require you to grab them by the heel and really twist them off, a problem shared by the Hunter Boots. The Baffin Enduro and the Bogs Classic Ultra High both were significantly easier to get on and off.
They're pretty annoying to jam your pant legs into due to the snug fit
We were also a bit frustrated by the inverted outsole, in which rocks and grit would get stuck for days, making gentle clicking sounds with every step, till we pried them out with pliers or something else.
Close-up of the gravel stuck in the base of the XTRATUF. The rocks wouldn't come out without prying.
Fit
There's a ½ inch of room forward and back, and very little play left and right for our size 12 D width fit. And due to the snug fit in the ankle, even when you lift your foot, your feet are still touching the bottom of the boot (which is not the case for the flappier Baffin Enduro). That being said, there's not a lot of room in these boots for larger volume feet.
The snug fit in the ankle meant they could be annoying to get off.
Best Applications
These boots are a staple in Alaska, and we know a lot of fishermen (and fisherwomen) who love these boots for their nonslip traction in super wet conditions. And you can totally wear these around town and on errands. We did find that due to the heel height we didn't feel totally secure on rougher terrain, so we're not certain if we'd recommend them as highly if you're not going to spend lots of time on boats. And we wouldn't recommend the Legacy in cold conditions, or you'll get pretty chilly feet.
Value
At ~$135, these cost the same amount as the Bogs Ultra Classic High. For our landlubber uses, we think the Bogs are significantly better, but we don't even know what sort of conditions fishermen (and fisherwomen) are facing up on the Alaskan seas. We did read some reports that quality had fallen off in 2012 when manufacturing moved to China, but through all our testing we saw no evidence that these boots would wear out quickly. Our friends who have them all get at least two or three years of heavy use out of them (though they do occasionally have to be aquasealed in the heels, as they seem to rip through there after a lot of use).
The XTRATUF truly shines on and near the ocean, though pebbles do get caught in its tread fairly often.
Conclusion
From what we understand, XTRATUFs are the unofficial fishing footwear of Alaska, and as such, they're designed for a wholly different set of conditions than we were testing for. But, they're a good height and feature out-of-the-box comfort. Their traction worked surprisingly well on more surfaces than we expected, and our fashion consultants thought they looked good too! So as long as you're not looking for warmth or ease of use, these are a great option.
—
Richard Forbes
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