Huk Rogue Wave Review

Deck boots are becoming trendy, and we're seeing them more and more often off the boat deck. From our friends who are fishermen and yacht captains, we know these aren't the best deck boots, and we don't have anywhere near enough experience to want to argue with them. What we do know is that other deck boots aren't really that comfortable if you're not on a boat. However, the Huk Rogue Wave boots are comfortable enough for off-the-deck wear. They've got better traction, more cushioning, and overall feel better on our feet than other models we've tested.

We're not saying they're the best boot for regular boat use (the only boats we own are packrafts, kayaks, and paddleboards), but if you're planning to use these as low chore boots, and maybe hopping on a boat occasionally, we definitely recommend the Huk.

Performance Comparison

Weather Protection

We recommend considering your location, regional weather patterns, and intended use while deciding how much significance weather protection should hold in your rain boot purchasing decision. If you know you're going to be forging some streams or facing torrential downpours, you'll likely want something a little burlier to fend off the water than an ankle-high slip-on. On the other hand, if you're strolling the city in lighter rain or just need something to keep your feet dry while you run out to the mailbox, an extra tall or lace-on boot might be overkill. 

The Huk boots have a shaft height of 6.5 inches, which puts them on the higher side of our low boots. So, while they're not going to keep you dry wading through creeks, they will keep you dry and warm in rain storms and puddles. The neoprene panels on the sides of the ankles are waterproof, too - we even pulled them around underwater with our fingers to make sure no water snuck in.

Comfort

To test comfort, we wore the heck out of the boots. We were sure to wear them for at least five hours at a time, and we wore them on a variety of surfaces, including concrete, logs, mud, and rocks, and even took some strolls through a few streams. At the end of testing, we carefully noted how the products compared to one another and awarded scores accordingly. 

We were really impressed by the comfort of the Huk boots. While they don't look much different than other deck boots we've worn, they've got a lot more cushion underfoot. We also liked how they fit a little snugly, keeping our feet from rattling around. Like almost all the boots we test, they do have a seam behind the heel, and our heels got a little aggravated by this on our first long day with them, but this cleared itself up after a few more days of wear.

Traction

The grip a boot sole provides is yet another element that wholly depends on your terrain, local weather, and personal use. If you're in slippery mud, you're going to want a model with some big lugs underfoot – so probably not deck boots. However, if you're truly going to be using this type of boot for its intended purpose, you're going to want to know that it grips smooth, wet surfaces. 

We were impressed with the traction of the Huk, whether we were on smooth surfaces, wet rocks, dry wood, sopping mud, or otherwise. The inverted hexagonal grid composed of Grip-X Non-Marking rubber does a great job of grabbing onto any surface we wore them on. 

Warmth

The warmness of a boot is a tricky one. If they aren't warm enough, your feet will get cold from frigid air and brisk water. If they're the type that doesn't allow for breathability and your feet get too hot, they will sweat and get wet, which defeats the whole purpose of the rain boot. Like several considerations in this category, we'd recommend taking into account the regional weather, forecast, and intended use of the boot before purchasing. 

We appreciated the warmth of these boots - they were warm enough to wear on chilly winter mornings thanks to their neoprene liners, but also breathable enough not to get too sweaty on spring days. The boots did well in our ice tests, performing similarly to other neoprene-lined boots.

Wearability

This metric is a blend of curb appeal, style, ease of use, and whether or not they fit true to size. While sizing can be measured, style is largely subjective. And while everybody has different tastes, we consider our panel of judges to be quite the outdoor fashionistas. 

While the collar on these boots was just a teeny bit too small for us to be able to step into these boots (they wouldn't fit our heel without bending over to finagle them on), we still found them to be quite wearable, aided by their helpful loops on the front and back. And they've got just enough of a heel stud to kick off without being too obtrusive.

We loved all the fun colors and patterns these boots came in. And it's hard to say whether they're stylish, but we see more and more people wearing boots like this, so they must be, right? We did dock them a few points in the wearability section because of the tendency of the outsole to pick up rocks and dirt. 

Fit

These boots fit perfectly with our standard approach of sizing up one size from our Brannock (foot measuring device) size, especially when paired with a slightly thicker sock. They do run very slightly narrow, so if you tend to wear wide sizes, you might want to steer clear.

Should You Buy the Huk Rogue Wave?

There's a reason everyone is wearing deck boots nowadays. They're comfortable for quick errands and chores around town, and they've got a clunky/cute aesthetic that seems to be in. While we wish the outsole picked up a bit less dirt, we're confident you'll like these if you give them a try!

What Other Rain Boots Should You Consider?