For anglers who spend time on the bow of boats, shoes are a critical piece of gear. Footwear is important for traction, comfort, mobility, and other aspects of any endeavor. And fishing is no exception.
Whether on the flats or offshore, anglers who’ve spent a good amount of time fishing the salt know that footwear actually makes a big difference in fishing. In saltwater, anglers can sometimes hunt fish for hours just for a chance at one shot. Or, in a moment of pandemonium, a new specie might emerge requiring a sudden change of gear or a big battle with a big fish could bring surprise demands for the angler. It’s in these moments that anglers see the importance of footwear. Whether running around the wet boat to change gear or dashing across the bow to fight a fish, good footwear can be key.
We’ve evolved when it comes to boat shoes. Now athletic footwear is the way to go, because after all, fishing can sometimes require athleticism. For me, I’ve seen what happens when boat shoes don’t evolve quickly enough to keep up with the evolution of angling or when poor design can add obstacles for anglers. I’ve been on the bow when after hours of looking for fish, I get one cast and my fly line catches part of my shoes. I’ve also been on bigger boats when a tuna suddenly makes a hard turn to get away from a shark and goes under the boat to the other side without warning (and putting my rod at risk of breaking). And I’ve been offshore when the swell makes even standing on the bow a bit of a challenge (let alone making big casts while trying to maintain balance). In each of these cases, good shoes are necessary for performance and absolutely cannot be a hindrance.
That said, when Huk announced their new Attack Shoes, my interest was immediately peaked. While anglers have been fly fishing the salt for a long time, the conventional side of the sport is often ahead of the game when it comes to offshore performance gear, and Huk has been a leader in that world now for some time. And this experience and expertise shows with the Attack.
The Attack Shoes are a low profile shoe that having performance in mind. Lacking unnecessary bulk, these minimalist shoes are less likely to catch line that’s stacked on the platform. Additionally, these shoes have a low-profile lacing system that will also cut down on catching line. And the laces are designed with a material that will not frequently come undone when wet. This is huge.
These shoes are comfortable, which is obviously important, but they also have a breathable, quick-drying inside that adds to comfort. The Attack Shoes also have an intelligently-designed draining system to keep the water out. As a traveling angler, this is especially important because I want my shoes to drain and dry as soon as possible while traveling with them.
The Attack Shoes also have a non-marking sole that will keep you from marking up boats, but even more importantly, these shoes have incredible traction, thereby giving the angler confidence for darting around the boat or standing strong against that monster fish. Simply put, good shoes are critical, and Huk has designed some impressive fishing shoes with the Attack.
The Huk Attack comes in three different color options and cost only $84.99. To check out more on the Attack Shoes from Huk, please click here.
– Tim Harden
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Disclosure: Huk is in a professional relationship with The Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.
Just bought my husband the blue shoes. He wore them today fishing with white socks and when he took his shoes off his socks were blue from the shoes???