Chota Wading Boots

Who Chota is

Chota Outdoor Gear says it has been designing and distributing outdoor gear since 1974. Its about page names Frank Bryant as the founder, lists a Charleston, Tennessee address, and says Chota merged with Ranger Outdoors in 2019, with Anglers Sport Group and Miss Mayfly as sister companies. It also says every product comes with a warranty against defects, without stating a term. A 2013 MidCurrent report described Chota as Tennessee-based, when the company released the Lost Creek and Rock Creek wading boots, so the name has been in wading boots for a while.

One note. When we opened Chota's site, the home page announced an inventory liquidation sale and a final-sale banner, and said it could not ship to two states because of state regulations. The page did not say the company is closing, and I will not guess at what it means. It does mean stock may be limited and returns may be limited, so check the seller's terms on any listing before you buy.

The Rough Ridge on Amazon

At our last check (October 2026) we track one Chota boot on Amazon US: the Rough Ridge Rubber Soled Boot. Per Chota's own page:

• the upper is rubber-coated polyurethane (PU), with a hard rubber rand at the toe and heel;
• the lining is synthetic and the insole is 3 mm, so little of the boot absorbs water;
• the midsole is EVA, a light foam that cushions without soaking up water;
• the sole is a high-traction rubber that accepts Chota cleats.

The Amazon listing sells it in men's whole sizes 8 to 14 and describes it as a wading boot with drainage. That drainage is a listing statement, and the maker's page we read does not confirm it. The maker's page does not give a weight, a lacing system or a warranty, so those cells in the table show a dash. Chota's site also lists a felt-soled version of the boot, and a trade report on the launch described a felt option, but only the rubber-soled boot is on Amazon in our data.

Reading the boot columns

Each value carries a small mark. Maker means the manufacturer's own page states it. Claimed means a manufacturer's claim with no independent standard behind it. Listing means it comes from the Amazon listing and the maker has not confirmed it. A dash means we could not confirm it, and we do not guess. "More specs" under each model shows the rest.

The wading boot columns are Sole, Closure, Style, Fit, Weight and Warranty.

Sole. Rubber, felt, felt or rubber option, or interchangeable. Rubber is durable and works with studs. Felt is widely used for grip on slick, algae-covered rock, and the frogg toggs buying guide notes it may be banned in some states, so look up the rules where you fish before you buy. Our felt vs rubber guide explains. Interchangeable soles, on the Korkers boots, let you carry different soles for different rivers.

Closure. Laces, speed laces or a dial system (Korkers lists BOA on one River Ops). Laces are simple and fix easily in the field. Speed laces are quick and can slip or trap debris. A dial is quick to adjust with cold hands, and it is another part that can fail.

Style. All are wading boots, the over-the-bootie kind. A wet-wading shoe is a different tool for use without waders. See wet wading shoes.

Weight. A pair's weight matters on a long walk and when you fall. We list weight per pair from the maker, as in the Simms Freestone at 54 oz and the Korkers Bantam Lite at 40 oz. The Rough Ridge has no weight in our data.

Warranty. The Simms Freestone and Tributary list a lifetime guarantee, the Korkers River Ops two years, the Bantam Lite one year, and the frogg toggs Hellbender 60 days. Chota's is a dash.

Choosing a sole

The sole is the decision that matters most, so decide it first.

Rubber with studs or cleats is the common choice for general river wading. It lasts, it is allowed almost everywhere, and studs add grip on slick rock. Studs can slip on a boat floor and damage it, and they wear down. The Rough Ridge, the Simms boots and the Korkers boots are all listed as stud compatible or studded option.

Felt is widely used for grip on algae-covered rock. The downside is that some states restrict it, as the frogg toggs buying guide notes. Look up the rule for the water you will fish, and rinse and dry your boots between rivers whatever the sole. Chota's felt-soled Rough Ridge is not on Amazon in our data, but the Simms Freestone and Tributary, and the frogg toggs Hellbender, offer felt.

Interchangeable. The Korkers boots take swappable soles. That is useful if you fish different rivers and want to carry a rubber and a studded sole, and a nuisance if you hate swapping.

Choosing between the alternatives

Light and simple. The Korkers Bantam Lite lists 40 oz per pair, the Bassdash Flex 44 oz and the Simms Tributary 50 oz. These are the lighter boots in the table. The Rough Ridge is described as lightweight but without a published weight, so you cannot compare it directly.

Rugged and long-lived. The Simms G3 Guide Vibram lists 77.84 oz per pair, the heaviest here, with a lifetime guarantee, and it is for the angler who walks over rough ground. The Freestone is a lighter lace-up alternative.

Flexible. The Korkers River Ops and BOA take interchangeable soles, with a two-year warranty.

Occasional use. If you only fish a few times a year, any of the lighter lace-up rubber boots will do, and the lacing and the fit matter more than the brand.

Fit and sizing

Wading boots are sized over a bootie, so most people go up from their shoe size to leave room for the neoprene. The Rough Ridge is in whole sizes 8 to 14, the Simms Freestone in men's 5 to 16, the Korkers River Ops in 8 to 15, and the Bassdash in 6 to 13. Women's options exist in the table too: the Simms Women's Freestone in sizes 5 to 12, the Korkers Women's Bantam Lite in 5 to 11 and the frogg toggs Women's Hellbender in 5 to 10. Boot sizing is the one place where being between sizes is a personality, not a size.

If you can, try the boot with your wader on, at the end of the day when your feet are largest. Our wader size chart guide explains how to measure, and Simms and frogg toggs link their own charts.

What the Rough Ridge's materials tell you

A rubber-coated PU upper is a synthetic fabric with a rubberized outer face. It sheds water and mud, resists scuffs better than plain mesh and dries faster than leather. The trade-off is that it does not stretch to your foot as leather does, so the fit you get on day one is largely the fit you keep. The hard rubber rand at the toe and heel is the part that takes the knocks from rocks and from other boots, and it is where you should look first for wear after a season. A synthetic lining and a thin 3 mm insole are there to hold little water: a boot that soaks up a liter of river weighs more on every step, and stays wet for days.

The EVA midsole is light foam that cushions the arch. EVA compresses over time, so a boot used for many days will feel flatter than a new one. It is not a defect, and it is a reason to ask about the warranty on any boot, including this one.

None of these are tested claims. They are the maker's description of its boot, and the only thing I can add is what each material is generally for.

A quick fit check with your wader on

Take a few minutes to check any boot properly. Put on the wader, pull the bootie smooth so there are no wrinkles, and put the boot on without lacing it. Slide your foot forward until your toes touch the front, and check that you can slide a finger between your heel and the back. Lace it and walk up and down stairs or a slope. Your heel should stay put and your toes should not jam. Kneel, and check that nothing pinches. A boot that is a half size too big with the wrong laces will rub; a half size too small will push your toes into the front on every downhill step.

Care and safety

Rinse mud and sand off the boots, dry them, and clean them between waters, particularly with felt. Replace worn studs. Wading boots do not make a river safe: wade slowly, use a wading staff, and wear a belt on your wader. Cold or fast water is dangerous in any boot.

More boots

For the full range, see wading boots, lightweight wading boots, felt sole boots and the best wading boots list. Brands in the table have their own pages: Simms, Korkers, frogg toggs and Bassdash.