The Orvis Christmas Island wet wading shoes are designed for a very specific use: wade fishing on the flats, these shallow, sandy or coral expanses of water, found in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles or the Pacific. It is precisely on these terrains that bonefish, permit, triggerfish and other warm water species are tracked on sight, progressing silently in a few centimeters of water.
On the flats, the ideal shoe must be lightweight, flexible, protective and capable to instantly drain water. That's exactly what the Christmas Island offers, with a design thought from A to Z for this demanding type of fishing.
The upper of the Christmas Island is made of Airprene, a technical material derived from neoprene, airy and permeable. This construction ensures two essential functions on the flats:
- Filter the sand and gravel that would infiltrate a classic shoe, causing irritation and blisters over the hours of wading.
- Drain water quickly with each step, avoiding the waterlogged shoe effect which weighs down the walk and tires the fisherman over long sessions.
The Airprene upper also offers a flexible and enveloping foot support, without excessive rigidity, which is essential for walking comfortably on irregular bottoms for several hours.
The thick vulcanized rubber sole is the other strong point of this shoe. It combines:
- Sufficient rigidity to protect the sole of the foot from rocks, corals and sea urchins hidden under the water.
- Natural flexibility that preserves foot mobility and comfort when walking on the sand.
- Reliable traction on various types of bottoms: sand, mud, flat rock or coral.
The lateral rubber walls strengthen the protection of the sides of the foot without weighing the whole thing down - a well-achieved balance between robustness and lightness.
The Christmas Island integrates two complementary closure systems, chosen for their reliability in marine conditions:
- Anticorrosive YKK side zip: the YKK zipper is a worldwide reference in terms of quality and durability. Its anticorrosive design makes it perfectly suited for repeated use in salt water. It allows quick putting on and taking off, even with wet hands.
- Velcro closure with polyurethane coating: The polyurethane treatment of the Velcro performs an important safety function on the flats - it prevents hooks from getting caught in the loops of the scratch, thus reducing the risks of injury when handling lures or flies.
The Christmas Island are provided with a transport mesh bag, convenient for storage and transport. This type of bag allows the shoe to dry between two sessions without mold or bad odors - a detail appreciated during fishing trips.
Features:
- Type: Wet wading shoes
- Upper: Airprene (sand filtration, rapid drainage)
- Sole: Thick vulcanized rubber
- Side walls: Flexible rubber
- Main closure: Anticorrosive YKK side zip
- Secondary closure: Anti-hook polyurethane-coated Velcro
- Accessory included: Transport mesh bag
- Use: Fishing on the flats, warm water wet wading
These boots are the obvious choice for any fly fisherman heading on an exotic fishing trip: Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, Seychelles, Maldives, New Caledonia... They are also suitable for warm water wading in general, as long as lightness and drainage take precedence over thermal insulation. If you target bonefish, permit or jack in shallow water, the Christmas Islands are simply the market benchmark in this category.
