By Andrew Ragas

Believe it or not, customer service for some industry brands still works wonders. Korkers Footwear lived up to its customer-friendly reputation by replacing defective product and outfitting with new and improved. Combining high performance, traditional styling, innovative technology and comfort, the Korkers Metalhead wading and fishing boots demonstrated why it’s an award-winning product during the 2013 fishing season.

Each spring, I fish and wade through the backwaters of my local river systems in search for northern pike and other gamefish. I also wade rivers throughout the upper Midwest on a year-round basis and run a good number of rugged musky and bass float trips with small watercraft. In March 2013, I encountered a misfortune while wading through flooded swampy marshland in Northern Illinois. My two year-old pair of first-generation Korkers Cross Current wading boots fell apart; sole and boot completely separated from one another. Because of defective product, I was barely able to make it back to land and my vehicle due to the difficulty of walking bootless through vegetation, mud, and other debris.

No longer covered by manufacturers warranty, I contacted the Korkers brand about my experience with the product and what happened with the boots. As they stress on their website about the three qualities of ease of use, reliability and durability, and that hundreds of hours of field testing have resulted in an absolutely reliable design I felt this was unacceptable so I voiced my displeasure with their customer service department.

A few short days later,  I was on the telephone with Korkers majority owner, Brian Chaney. After receiving an apology and information concerning their newest lines of wading and fishing boots, I was outfitted with a new pair of replacement boots at zero cost. This goes to show you that customer service for some industry brands still works, and it never hurts to complain about a product’s failure with hopes that the right people see it and read it.

Turning a negative experience into a positive, Korkers gets it, and I want to thank them for an amazingly improved product.

Korkers Metalhead Wading Boots

The Korkers Metalhead Wading Boot blends high performance and traditional styling with innovative technology. The waterproof construction materials reduce water absorption, thereby reducing overall weight, and dry faster. The integrated midsole drainage ports allow water to drain quickly keeping boots lighter and the strategically placed seams reduce fatigue and the possibility of seam failure. Metalhead wading boots feature the Korkers OmniTrax 3.0 Interchangeable Sole System which allows you to change soles quickly to adapt your traction to meet the performance needs of each river system or weather condition.

Standard features of Korkers Metalhead Wading Boots include:

• OmniTrax 3.0 Interchangeable Sole System
• Boa speed lacing system for quick on/off and custom fit
• Waterproof materials
• Strategically placed seams reduce fatigue and the possibility of seam failure
• Integrated midsole drainage ports allow water to drain quickly keeping boots lighter
• True Fit sizing

Whether it’s wading or floating downstream in my jon boat, I spend a lot of time in rivers. I am very demanding of my apparel and wading gear. All wading boots and river gear is destined to fall apart at some point in its life but we hope it’s from age and excessive use rather than failure. When it comes to acquiring new boots and other footwear, the most important qualities I look for are ergonomics (how easy are they to slip into and off, lace up, etc), foot and ankle support & protection, and how flexible and lightweight they are which is important for fishing from boat and managing the foot pedal of a bow-mount trolling motor.

The Metalheads allowed me to do all of this, and more.

Korkers manufactures some of the best wading boots on the market. When my Cross-Currents fell apart it was fair for me to question the brand and look at alternative footwear. But thanks to Brian’s persuasion I’m glad I stuck with the brand I enjoyed wearing, and use a product I truly enjoy wearing for most of my river fishing and outdoor activities.

One of the finest, most ergonomic features with these boots is the BOA lace system. When Brian helped me make this order, I had no idea what this lacing system was all about nor how it functioned. I was skeptical of it. This unique lacing system features a tightening knob that can be adjusted (pushed in to tighten and pulled out to loosen) with one hand. This is a very quick and easy lacing system….. no more fighting with your boots for them to slip over the waders. This system removes pressure points and allows for a super firm fit with no discomfort. This firm fit translates into support and increased wading ability and mobility. Additionally, Korkers also utilizes “True Fit” sizing, that allows you to order the same boot size as your street shoe size. Sizing your feet and waders has never been easier.

Another notable feature is the Korkers’ OmniTrax 3.0 soles. These interchangeable soles allow you to customize the boots to meet the requirements of terrain and river bottom composition. The options include Kling-On rubber (pictured), studded Kling-on rubber, felt, studded felt, studded rubber, and the felt substitute Svelt. These soles offer full coverage and snap in place quickly, and connecting them to the boot is substantially easier and seamless in comparison to the first generation soles that did not offer these snap-on and snap-off properties.

At the price point of $150-180, Korkers Metalheads are without question the most expensive wading boots I’ve ever worn. Expensive footwear and fishing in the rugged outdoors usually never complement each other well. But with the technological advancements within this product, its comfort, and ergonomics, it’s a price that serious anglers and river fishermen will pay to acquire.

In closing, I would like to thank Brian Chaney for making me a believer again in the Korkers brand and for his actions of turning a negative experience into a positive.