Ankle Deck Boots

In 2019, when I first moved back to Midcoast Maine, I quickly became aware that people around the boatyard docks where I was working were wearing short rubber deck boots in a variety of colors. In that commercial setting, the boots made sense: they were evidently comfortable, waterproof, and hardwearing. Then I noticed that many of the kids coming out of the middle and high schools at going-home time were wearing the same boots and proudly so, their pant legs rolled up just enough to display the contrasting gussets in the boots’ ankle sleeves. On those younger wearers, the boots looked stylish, and if someone can persuade a teen that a practical item of clothing also looks good, I’m all in. So when my daughter asked for a pair of Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots, I investigated. They weren’t inexpensive, but I reasoned that, apart from being a teen fashion statement, they would be practical for summer dinghy-sailing and for shoulder-season boating. When Santa delivered a gray pair for Christmas, she was thrilled, and I was a little jealous.

Photographs by the author

After three or more years of use, this pair of Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots is showing signs of wear, but they have held their shape both inside and out, and are still 100% waterproof. The heel spur is a thoughtful addition that makes it easy to get the boots off by pressing the toe of one foot down on the heel of the other. Since 2016, Salmon Sisters, an Alaskan apparel and seafood company, has been creating Alaska-fisheries-inspired designs for Xtratuf boots.

A couple of years later, in the height of mud season, I found a used pair of the Xtratuf deck boots in the local thrift store. I tried them on; they were my size, they were in decent shape, they were comfortable—really comfortable—and they were 80% cheaper than retail. I bought them.

That was almost three years ago, and those thrifted Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots are still going strong. I wear them for boating, but I also wear them for walking, gardening, running to the store. They have become my go-to footwear on chilly mud-season days, warmer rain days, even on cold snowy days—so long as the snow isn’t too deep.

All Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots have a non-marking, slip-resistant Chevron outsole in a color that complements the boots’ uppers.

The Xtratuf brand was created in the 1950s and for 60 years a range of boots was manufactured in Illinois. In 2011, production moved to China while design and development remained in the U.S. Supporters of the pre-China-made boots saw a decline in quality, but the U.S. parent company worked hard to reverse that trend and regain its reputation for producing quality long-lasting footwear. Since 2021, the Xtratuf brand has been owned by Rocky Brands, and while I can’t speak for every Xtratuf boot out there, from personal experience I can say my Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots have been long-lasting and are living up to their brand name.

The Ankle Deck Boot comes in men’s, women’s, and kids’ variations and in myriad colors from solids to patterned as well as limited-edition designs. Flexible and lightweight (the women’s size 9 weighs a little over 1 lb per boot), from sole to top of the ankle sleeve the boots have a height of approximately 6″ (men’s and women’s). The boots’ uppers are made of waterproof Bioprene, a bio-based rubber, with a stretch neoprene elastic gusset of a complementing or contrasting color. The molded inner footbed is Biolite, a material described on the Xtratuf website as “a low-compression high-performance injection-molded EVA foam that is easy to clean, and delivers superior impact absorption and support.” The flexible sole is non-marking and has a slip-resistant chevron tread. The webbing pull-on tabs, front and back, have a reflective stripe along the centerline, and the uppers of the boot’s toe and heel both have an added layer of Bioprene to offer greater stiffness, protection, and durability in those typically vulnerable areas. Low down on the back of each boot, molded into the rubber, is a wedge-shaped heel spur. This humble addition is one of my favorite elements of the boot: by pushing down on it with the toe of the opposite foot, a wearer can easily and swiftly slide the boot off. The integrated lining of the boot is antimicrobial and moisture-wicking. For extra warmth, Xtratuf also sells felt insoles separately.

Whether they are part of the men’s, women’s, or kids’ ranges, and regardless of color, all the Ankle Deck Boots have the same essential features: non-marking soles, moisture-wicking inner linings, heel spurs, reflective pull-on tabs, and comfort. Pictured from left to right are a men’s pair in Chocolate Tan, a women’s pair in Salmon Sisters Blue with mermaid design, and a women’s pair in Grey.

Despite the hours and miles I’ve put into my boots, they show little sign of wear: the off-white trim around the bottom of the boots is certainly scuffed, but the treads are still good, the inside footbeds have held their original shape, and both boots are still waterproof. No doubt, one day they will wear out, and when that happens I will be quick to buy a new pair, full price.

Jenny Bennett is editor of Small Boats.

Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots start at $115 for men and women, $68 for kids.

For more from Xtratuf see Bruce Bateau’s review of the Xtratuf Legacy Boot