Vision Hopper II wading boots review

What's special about the Vision Hopper II wading boots?

The Vision Hopper II wading boots are, as the name suggests, an upgrade on the previous version.

They're a modern looking beige wading boot with a large rubber bumper outsole to protect them from damage caused while wading.

They're very lightweight and extremely comfortable to wear, even when walking long distances.

They're big enough to take a typical wader bootee, but not so big that they make you look ridiculous.

What soles do they have?

The Vision Hopper wading boots only come in a felt soled version. Vision do make wading boots with a rubber sole, which are sold under the Loikka, Gummi and Mako names.

Felt soled wading boots are really grippy if you're wading on rock and gravel river or lake beds, so they're ideal for the sort of fishing I do.

However, they're pretty lethal when walking on wet grass, snow or mud. I've gone over a couple of times when trying to traverse grass, so wading boot studs are a good idea.

Are they hard wearing?

I've probably walked 10-15 miles around Llyn Brenig in mine over the past season - both in and out of the water. Externally, they still look great, but there are some signs of wear after not a huge amount of time.

The felt soles on these wading boots have been fairly resilient. But they're not attached by stitching and are prone to coming off. The stitching also hasn't held up that well. The fabric loops that the laces pull through have started to tear in places, which is a bit disappointing. They've also stopped being so firm and supportive.

What sizes do they come in?

Vision Hopper II wading boots come in sizes from a UK size 6 right up to a UK size 13. I take a UK size 11 shoe and I've gone for the size 11 wading boots and they fit me fine, with plenty of room for the neoprene wading bootee and a thick pair of socks in winter.

How much do they cost?

These wading boots retail for about £99.99. If you're buying them at the same time as a pair of Vision's lovely waders, then you can get the two together with a hefty discount, as I did.

Minor issues with stitching and support aside, I had been fairly happy with mine. They're comfortable to wear, look good and were moderately resilient, but, they're probably not the most hard-wearing boots on the market, so aren't ideal if you cover long distances.