BUILT FOR ALL

THE UK’s FIRST EVER WOMEN’S SPEARFISHING EVENT!

Katy Davidson, aka ‘The Oyster Lady’ is an oyster pro, free diver and host of the UK’s first ever Women’s Spearfishing Event. XTRATUF® teamed up with Katy to provide the ladies with footwear to continue their adventures above the water!

Postcard from Antarctica: How do you stay warm in Antarctic conditions?

Well, the key of course is good kit and layering. And not just one layer on top of another for the sake of it but ensuring gaps for air between each layer too. If talking about your feet for example, it is useful to have different-sized socks – one normal size to go next to your feet and then a larger size which is thicker over the top.

This Blue Monday, we’d like to encourage you to lean into the blue.

Lydia Paleschi is a sailor, writer and one third of Wild Swimming Cornwall. A group of friends for whom wild swimming has had a profound impact on their lives. So much so, that in 2020 they published ‘A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall’ with the hope that it would make getting into the water more accessible for both locals and visitors to Cornwall.

Postcard from Antarctica - Life on base, what is it really like?

In 2022, XTRATUF were honoured to partner with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT). Providing the team with boots as they embarked on their mission to run the world’s most southernmost (and most remote) post office.

The Lift All Boats Project - A Student Mentorship Program Creating a Wave of Change

The purpose of the project is to encourage new generations to join Maine’s lobster fishery and make it easier for historically disadvantaged groups to get licensed.

From Mountains to Waves - Holiday Traditions with Cotty

My time, even at the holidays, is always planned around the weather and the waves. This has become my tradition.

Chasing Monster Swells from Nazare to Ireland

Huge Atlantic swells mean only one thing. Monster waves. XT Crew member, Louis Thomas-Hudson talk us through his mission to Ireland in early November, alongside XTRATUF Pro Team, Andrew ‘Cotty’ Cotton.

Exploring The Heartbeat of The Haisla

“Bathing suit, towel, extra set of warm clothes, binoculars, coffee, snacks?”
“Check!”

Warm Holiday Tradtions

When I was younger winter break from school was a super special time for me - being able to spend family time, fishing at the community lake or playing dominoes with my sister.

The End of The Season Marks Family Time

For our fishing family, the holidays mark the end of one season and begets another. Our nets are mended and put away; my brother, Luke, switches gears to long trips offshore, and my father has traded his Xtratuf boots for skis, snow, and mountains.

Holiday Traditions: Cinnamon rolls, Grapefruit, and Skis

I was born and raised in Keene, New Hampshire, and now reside in Winter Park, Colorado and absolutely love being outside and being active.

A Recipe from "The Salmon Sisters: Harvest & Heritage

In Alaska, eating well through the seasons takes work, preparation and preservation. Through the winter, our fishing family relies on the wild salmon we harvested and put away during the summer months for many of our favorite meals.

Yukon Sleigh Ride

Every holiday season our family heads up to the Yukon to my brother's ranch.

Sea to Ski in Iceland: A Family Affair

I come from a family of fishermen and skiers. We seek excitement and aren’t afraid of hard work. We are comfortable on top of high peaks in the dead of winter and traveling through the rough seas of the Pacific. We are not sailers. For as much time as we have spent navigating the ocean, we are collectively clueless when it comes to harnessing the power of wind to propel a vessel.

Fishing the Wild Seas of Cornwall

Earlier this year, XTRATUF teamed up with Wild Seas – a collective of friends from Cornwall, who all share the same passion. Fishing. Wild Seas aims to bring the highest quality films to YouTube, whilst giving an insigh into the teams lives, from their eyes to your screens!

Catch of the Week: Pro Team’s Emmanuel Williams, First Ever to Catch a Swordfish on a PWC

Four years ago, Emmanuel Williams told his circle of friends that he would be the first person in history to catch a Swordfish on a PWC. Last week, he did just that, proving that if you set your mind to something and believe, it will get done. As a fisherman who is fully dedicated to his craft, this catch signifies one of his biggest dreams turned into a reality.

MAKING WAVES: A Profile on Addison Farr From Sea Dogs Expeditions

The idea of evolving is desired, but the feeling of connection to the process - that impact is contagious. When it comes to making an environmental difference in the ocean, well that isn’t simply conceived or executed by one, it’s a series of people making waves of connections that unite and inspire many to make sustainable changes.

100ft Waves Andrew Cotty

The XTRATUF team headed down to Cotty’s hometown of Croyde, North Devon

I AM XTRATUF Tommy Snyder

Meet Tommy Snyder - fisherman, surfer, snowboarder - who lives to take on the challenges of all weather and environments.

Change of Season, Change of Shoes

XTRATUFs are the foundation, and with the change of season - from fishing to gear work and spring to winter - the Insulated Legacy Lace Boot and Legacy Clog are the perfect footings to take me from chilly predawn mornings - frosty nets and frozen fingers- to the warm golden midday sun that has you question whether it’s the same day you woke up to.

Wintertime in Alaska

When the dock ramp is a sheet of ice and it’s pitched at 45* degrees it's reassuring not having to worry about your footing. My go to for the wintertime in Alaska is the Men’s Swingsaw with the Glacier Trek sole. They’re warm boots so they end up being the first thing I grab before going out the door in most months. They’re comfortable to wear standing for long periods of time at the rail longlining and can handle whatever you throw at them off the boat and out in the wilderness.

Setting Goals

My favorite way to recuperate after the holiday is to set fitness goals. I start a very strict diet and go into hiding for about 90 days as I get ready for the next season.

The Home Pack

One of the many perks of spending the summer harvesting wild salmon in Alaska is the home pack —the fish that we bring home to feed our families. We make sure to smoke a good portion of the salmon that we bring home, creating a sweet and smoky treat that can be shared at family dinners or munched on for a quick healthy snack.

An Ode to the Crew of the F/V Arctic Lady

Words from the Ernest Henley poem “Invictus” which speaks to showing courage in the face of death.

XTRATUF x HIGH FIVES FOUNDATION

“We’re proud to celebrate the amazing work of the non-profit High Fives Foundation. High Fives helps people who experience life-changing injuries return to and enjoy outdoor physical activities...”

CHad and Craig Lowenberg

“The unpredictability of the sea is an intoxicating appeal. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Climbing and Riding Alaska's Peaks

"It's been my dream to climb and ride some of the biggest and wildest mountain peaks in the world."

This is just the beginning

"This is just the beginning"

Pushing Boundaries

"Meet Errin Casano- Outdoor enthusiast and self professed boundary-pusher. She packed up her kayak and Xtratufs to set out on an ocean adeventure on the sunshine coast in British Columbia where gnarly winds attempted to push her off course."

ADDICTED TO ADVENTURE: SHARKDIVING

"Sharkdiving isn’t for the faint of heart. For Tanner Mansell, the ocean and life around sharks is a lifestyle that he couldn’t ignore."

Xtratuf® Treks Beyond

“Lifelong water lover and climber Noah Kane pushed himself harder and farther to reach new heights when he attempted a climb El Toro in Northen Mexico. See how he faced the toughest challenge of his life.”

I am XTRATUF Lionel James

“You’re going to like me for me. I hope to see the fishing industry become more colorful.”

I am XTRATUF McKenna Peterson

"I thrive on the edge."

•ALLAN MATHISEN•

Why one fisherman spends his winters in the desert

I am XTRATUF AK Shellfish Farms

"If this place doesn't bring you to your knees crying...you're not working hard enough."

•Corey Forrest•
Toughing It Out

It’s still dark outside and my hands are already black with grease. I feel a bead of sweat make its way down my spine and I wipe my brow with the back of my hand. “It’s always something,” I mutter to myself at least fifty times a day. The old stapling machine has shit the bed again and I haven’t quite mastered all its ins and outs. It’s getting late. We haven’t had a designated box-maker in years since we’re short-handed and if we have fish today, I’ll need all hands on deck to pack them when we get in. So here I am.

•Martin Luther King Jr. Day•

On Martin Luther King Day, we are reminded of the importance of community. Dr. King is a transcending spirit whose lifelong mission for civil rights still inspires us to learn and actively participate in the positive change our world needs.

Passing on the Tradition of Fishing

For part-owner of Pike's Place Fish Market, Jaison, fishing has been in his life since his earliest memories spending time with his grandfather fishing for salmon and crab on the Puget Sound.

•Gnarly Bay•
To The Surface

TO THE SURFACE. from gnarly bay on Vimeo. Producers - Aaron Schurman, Dana Saint, Dan RiordanDP / Photos / Audio / VO - Tyler MurgoAdditional footage - Jack Ieronimo, Rúni DjurhuusPost Production - Jack Ieronimo & Jordan IngramSound Design - Jared Blizzard Like most things, Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the...

Fishcake Benny Recipe by @castandiron

Teddy Cosco is a passionate outdoorsman, enthusiastic camp cook, and sometimes-lucky fly fisherman. Exploring the tundra via floatplane, fishing off the Alaskan coast, and camping throughout the PNW, the Whitehorse-born now-Vancouverite grew up with the outdoors in his blood.

•Daniel Stephen•
The Most Extreme Fishing Adventure You Can Have on Each Continent

One of the great things about fishing is that you can make it as involved and adventurous as you want. You could fish with the family in a rowboat on a calm lake. Or, you could choose a deep-sea expedition with friends from college and even embark on extreme adventures. Napping on a riverbank with a pole in the water is still fishing, whether or not you catch anything.

•Corey Forrest•
Her?

My family has been making a living on the water and commercial fishing for hundreds of years, so I suppose it is in our blood. But, unlike my brothers who seemed inclined to be part of it from a young age, there were never any women working on my family's dock or coming off one of the fishing boats, so it hadn't crossed my mind or interested me that I could or would be a fisherman.

•Gear Junkie•
The Best Work Boots of 2021

Manual labor can be hard on the feet. But don't worry. We rounded up the best work boots so you can carefully tread over sharps, hot surfaces, high voltage, and dangerous objects — or just stand on a hard surface for hours at a time.

•CRAFT BREWING BUSINESS•
Check out XTRATUF's Legacy boots, perfect for work in the brewhouse

Brewers have realized what Commercial Fisherman in Alaska have known for decades, that XTRATUF boots offer all day comfort and the best protection against the broadest range of acids, corrosives, and contaminants – keeping brewers protected no matter what's brewing.

•Keree Smith•
All Aboard Amidst a Pandemic

For many months, we dreamed. We dreamed of a shimmering golden sea stretching across the horizon. We dreamed of dramatic granite faces rising from the depths of infinite blue, of mountains drawing lines of white from the sky to the ocean.

•Money Crashers•
Best 44 Ski & Snowboard Brands for Clothing and Gear

Alpine sports such as skiing and snowboarding aren't cheap. Even getting to the mountain can be expensive. Equipment rentals or purchases weigh on the wallet too, and for safety and comfort, skiers and boarders should buy the right apparel and gear. The high-end brands listed in this post are trusted for quality, durability, and fit. When properly cared for, they'll remain useful – and stylish – season after season.

•Holiday Tradition•
Drifter's Fish

Our favorite holiday tradition is making our family's wild salmon gravlax recipe. We love this simple recipe for curing fish and always have a batch going through December to share with friends and family.

•Holiday Tradition•
Allan Mathisen

Our small town's take on the Scandinavian tradition. Instead of masked carolers going house to house and getting treats, its community members going business to business and getting food. For us Julebukking takes place the week before Christmas and is a way for the small business community of our town to give a thanks back to their patrons for their business throughout the year.

•Matchstick Productions•
McKenna Peterson Bonafide Badass

Besides being an absolute shredder on snow, she is also Captain McKenna of her families fishing boat. Winters atop giant mountain peaks and summers catching Alaska salmon with her siblings teach a permanent lesson of hard work makes you a better skier.

•McKenna Peterson•
Resilience

Fishermen are expert story tellers. The more salty the fishermen, the better the story.

•Fish Travel Eat•
The Evolution of XTRATUF®: A Fishing Story

In the last 10 years an entire category in the fishing world has been taken over by what amounts to a pretty incredible fishing story. A fishing story for sure, this one involves brand evolution couched equally in Alaskan identity and keeping feet safe, dry, and stable while on the water.

•Corey Forrest•
A Familiar Wave of Exhaustion & Satisfaction

It's 3:30 am, the third time waking up since I went to bed at 8:30, tossing and turning for who-knows-how-long. I have another 40 minutes before my alarm goes off. I roll over to face my husband and listen to his steady breathing. I close my eyes and wish I could fall asleep straight away as he does, or sleep through the night just once, but it's fishing season and my brain laughs at me...

•Nelly Hand•
From the waters of Prince William Sound

This summer, I've been working my gear and learning the waters of Alaska's Prince William Sound through June, July, and now into August. Chasing the sockeye, keta, and pink salmon runs swimming their way through the bays, islands, and fjords that surround this wild place. Together, my partner Michael and...

•Allan Mathisen•
Southeast Dungeness Crab

Setting your alarm for a 4:30 AM wake-up can make for a long day working on the water. But for Pro Team Member Allan Mathisen, Dungeness crab fishing season is underway in Southeast Alaska. Last year was marked by a record price and harvest level, but this year with the market uncertainty, the price is about half of what it was last year. Here's hoping hard work pays off this season.

Our Path Forward

The events which have unfolded over the past weeks and that are happening as we type this are tragic and disheartening. They have brought to light many sad truths that aren't new, that racial inequality is far from uncommon. So, what do we do about it? What can we do...

Linda Leary & the Fishe®Wear Story

Growing up in Maine, Linda developed a love of fishing at an early age, learning the sport from her father who would bring her fishing on their local lakes and rivers for panfish, brook trout, and landlocked salmon. She carried this passion with her when she moved to Alaska after college...

Treat Mom to Dinner

Experience the ocean's freshest delicacies with our mom's favorite fish stew. Originating in San Francisco, this Italian American dish was traditionally made from the cold and salty Pacific Ocean's catch of the day stewed with juicy fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce. Our mom's recipe pulls in Alaska's seasonal shellfish, halibut, crab, and shrimp.

Q & A:
The Salmon Sisters

In honor of National Siblings Day, we are celebrating The Salmon Sisters, Claire and Emma. Raised on a homestead in Alaska, they embody the hard work, dedication and commitment to community that we admire.

•National Fisherman•
This is important

If you like the Salmon Sisters you're going to love what the Salmon Bros bring to the table.

•Craft Brewing Business•
These boots are made for brewin'

What do brewers and fishermen have in common? Boots for starters. Maybe isinglass too.

•Fish Alaska•
Editors' Choice Awards 2020

We've made the 2020 Fish Alaska Editors' Choice Awards!

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Your footwear is the foundation for a productive, safe and comfortable day at work. Employers and workers want to avoid injuries while on the job, and standing for long periods of time can lead to tired, accident-prone feet.

•wirecutter•
The Best Rain Boots for Men & Women

The XTRATUF Ankle Deck Boot (in men's and women's sizes) is designed for staying upright on a wet fishing boat, but despite its utilitarian origins, it looks good enough for city wear. This boot has a versatile and comfortable shape as functional as the workwear it's descended from, and it's styled sort of like a Chuck Taylor.

The Last Trap Family

Learn how Rhode Island Trap Fisherman and XTRATUF Pro-Team member, Corey Forest and her family work together off the coast of our country's smallest state.

Eenie, meenie, minie, mo

We've taken the guessing out of it.

Where the Magic Happens
The Hatchery

The farm tour at Island Creek Oysters will take you through The Hatchery. If you've ever seen an episode of MTV Cribs, this is the part where the celebrity host would say, "this is where the magic happens." And yes, we are also referring to reproductive magic...

Mother & Fisherman

I wasn't sure how I was going to balance motherhood with fishing, but parting from either did not seem to be an option or a thought I could bear.

The Holeman Brothers

I don't think either of us really believed that we would make a career out of fishing, much less a career fishing together. The Holeman Brothers, Travis and Bear (Bryan) just had such crazy different personalities and views of the world.

Capt. Sean Dwyer

I was an eager young 14 year old innocently arriving to a beautifully-treacherous place where I would learn to love the simplicity of a cup of black coffee and a granola bar.