Materials, models & care

What Is XTRATUF BioLite?

BioLite is XTRATUF’s EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam, used for cushioning in outsoles, footbeds and molded footwear. In Sport boots, it forms the outsole beneath a rubber upper. In selected Ankle Deck styles, it is the footbed beneath your foot; in Riptide, it forms the shoe itself. BioLite describes the material, while the footwear’s construction determines how it handles water: Sport keeps rain out, while Riptide and DriftTech let water drain.

By X-Tough Editorial Team Updated September 15, 2026

Compare BioLite boots & shoes How to wash BioLite

Ankle Deck Boot Sport worn beside a stream; the pale BioLite outsole is visible beneath the rubber upper. — The pale sole under this Ankle Deck Boot Sport is BioLite.

Where the foam goes

One Foam, Three Different Jobs

BioLite is injection-molded EVA foam. Gold highlights its location in these conceptual cutaways. The illustrations do not show the exact construction or color of a particular model.

01 · Under the shoe

Outsole

The part that touches the ground. Sport, DriftTech and Sharkbyte 2.0 Eco use BioLite here. Their uppers and drainage designs handle water differently.

02 · Inside the boot

Footbed

The insert beneath your foot, above a separate outsole. Selected Ankle Deck styles use BioLite here.

Conceptual cutaway: gold foam forms a whole molded water shoe with drainage openings.

03 · Around the foot

Molded shoe

The foam forms the footwear itself. Riptide’s holes let water through; the closed TUFS boot keeps it out.

Find your pair

Find the BioLite Model for Your Day

Keeping rain out? Start with Sport. Need water to drain? Compare DriftTech with Riptide. For faux-shearling warmth, choose Fleece-lined. Browse 15 U.S. model families below, with colors and prints grouped together.

Women’s Dark Gull Grey

Ankle Deck Boot Sport

Choose Sport to keep rain and splashes out. Choose DriftTech instead when you need drainage. Men’s and women’s ranges.

BioLite Outsole

Water Waterproof construction; no drainage holes

Inside XpressCool lining

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Ultimate Grey

Sport DriftTech

For water that needs to escape through mesh and sole. DriftTech drains; it will not keep rain out like Sport.

BioLite Outsole

Upper Engineered mesh with abrasion overlays

Water Drainage through upper and outsole

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Gold Ochre

Sharkbyte 2.0 Eco

A low textile deck shoe for occasional splashes. Its water-repelling coating does not make it waterproof. Men’s and women’s ranges.

BioLite Outsole

Upper REPREVE Our Ocean textile

Water Water-resistant, not waterproof

Material note XTRATUF lists PFAS chemicals for the pictured Gold Ochre style and women’s style XSB2W100. Check the listing for your chosen color.

Check sizes & colors

Adult Mahi Green

Riptide

A low slip-on that drains. Adult, Little Kids and Big Kids versions. For adult unisex sizing, XTRATUF gives men’s 9 = women’s 11.

BioLite Molded footwear

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Deep Storm

Hightide

An ankle-high molded shoe that drains. Its holes let rain in, too.

BioLite Molded footwear

Check sizes & colors

Kids’ Transformative Teal

TUFS Ankle Deck Boot

For kids who need waterproof coverage instead of drainage. Check child/youth sizing.

BioLite Molded footwear

Check sizes & colors

Kids’ Stormy Blue

TUFS Cruiser

A kids’ water shoe with drainage holes, rather than a waterproof boot.

BioLite Molded footwear

Check sizes & colors

Women’s Pink Tie Dye

Après Fish Slide

An open-toe, open-heel slide for after the boots come off.

BioLite Molded footwear

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Black / Deep Storm

Ankle Deck Boot

A smooth-sided rubber rain boot. Selected styles have a BioLite footbed above a separate rubber outsole.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof. Selected men’s, women’s, Salmon Sisters, Guy Harvey, FisheWear and Sesame Street editions use BioLite footbeds. Check your chosen color’s listing to confirm its footbed.

Lining & tread Moisture-wicking XpressCool lining; chevron tread.

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Legacy Marine

Ankle Deck Boot Pro

For layered construction: three dipped rubber layers plus extra rubber over the toe. The BioLite footbed sits above the rubber outsole.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof; three dipped rubber layers plus extra rubber over the toe. XTRATUF lists oil, acid and chemical resistance for this style.

Lining & tread Moisture-wicking XpressCool lining; chevron tread.

Check sizes & colors

Dark Sea Green Men's Ankle Deck Boot OOTO

Men’s Dark Sea Green

OOTO Ankle Deck Boot

A rubber ankle boot with recycled-yarn pull loops and chevron tread.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof

Lining & tread Moisture-wicking XpressCool lining; chevron tread.

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Sand Storm

Camp Ankle Deck Boot

The woven ripstop ankle panel and distinct rubber tread pattern set Camp apart.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof

Lining & tread Rubber tread with a pattern designed for the Camp collection.

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Brown

Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boot

For faux shearling inside a rubber ankle boot. The lining provides the cold-weather difference. The BioLite footbed does not.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof

Lining & tread Faux-shearling lining; chevron tread.

Check sizes & colors

Men’s Dark Olive / Spice

Camp Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boot

Camp’s woven ripstop panel plus faux shearling. The pictured style includes fleece-lined and standard insole sets.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof

Lining & tread Faux-shearling lining; Camp tread.

Check sizes & colors

Woodsmoke Finisterre and XTRATUF Ankle Deck Boot.

Unisex Woodsmoke

Finisterre + XTRATUF

A Yulex natural-rubber inner boot and recycled-yarn pull loops distinguish this collaboration. XTRATUF recommends going up for half sizes.

BioLite Footbed

Construction Waterproof

Lining & tread BioLite EVA footbed; non-marking rubber outsole.

Check sizes & colors

At-home boot sizing setup with a socked foot on paper against a wall, pencil marks, a rigid ruler, socks, and tall brown Legacy-style boots nearby.

Before you order

Found Your Pair? Check the Fit.

Start with your foot measurement and the socks you plan to wear.

Measure at home, compare nearby sizes and check heel movement before wearing a new pair outdoors. The fit guide walks you through those checks.

Check your size before ordering

Faux-shearling lining inside the Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boot.

Want a Warmer Boot? Look at the Lining.

Faux shearling inside the Fleece Lined Ankle Deck Boot.

A BioLite footbed sits beneath your foot. Faux shearling lines the inside of a Fleece Lined boot. If warmth is why you’re shopping, look at that lining. The BioLite name alone won’t tell you how warm the boot is.

Camp Fleece adds that lining to Camp’s woven ankle panel. Use the Fleece-lined filter above to compare the two pictured styles.

Compare fleece-lined boots

Weight and comfort

Does BioLite Mean a Lighter Shoe?

BioLite is cushioning foam, but the whole shoe determines what you carry. These are XTRATUF’s model-specific weight claims.

Compared with other six-inch boots

Ankle Deck Boot Sport

XTRATUF claims up to 30% less weight than other six-inch boots in its category.

See Sport sizes & colors

Compared with other Sharkbyte styles

Sharkbyte 2.0 Eco

XTRATUF claims up to 30% less weight than other Sharkbyte styles. That comparison group differs from Sport’s.

See Sharkbyte sizes & colors

These are different comparison groups, not a measured Sport-versus-Sharkbyte test. There is no universal 30% reduction for BioLite footwear. Choose waterproof coverage or drainage first.

Molded drainable deck footwear being hand-rinsed in a marina sink.

Molded BioLite Footwear: Hand-Wash and Skip the Heat

Hand-rinse molded footwear, then let it air-dry away from heat.

For Riptide, Hightide, TUFS boots, TUFS Cruiser and Après Fish, XTRATUF gives a simple routine: clean by hand with lukewarm water, then air-dry and store in moderate temperatures. Keep them out of the washing machine and dishwasher.

XTRATUF warns that high heat or cold can shrink or warp molded BioLite. Don’t leave it to dry in a hot car, near a heater or in a tumble dryer.

For boots with a BioLite outsole or footbed, follow the care guidance for the whole model as well. Its rubber, textile upper or lining may need different treatment.

Get the cleaning steps for your boots

What Does the Biodegradability Claim Cover?

BioLite landfill-test claim does not establish whole-boot biodegradability or home compostability. — The reported test concerns BioLite foam under specified landfill conditions.

XTRATUF says BioLite received Intertek Green Leaf verification for biodegradation under bioreactor-landfill conditions. Read XTRATUF’s BioLite FAQ for the named test methods, ASTM D5511-18 and ISO 15985. A bioreactor landfill manages moisture to support decomposition; that is a specific setting.

Read this as a claim about BioLite under those conditions. It does not establish that BioLite belongs in home compost, that it will break down in the ocean, or that an entire boot is biodegradable. It also gives you no household disposal timetable. Follow your local waste guidance when the footwear is worn out.

XTRATUF says BioLite is not designed to biodegrade during ordinary storage. That claim is separate from the heat and cold warnings above: a shoe can warp without biodegrading.