We’re happy to introduce our August Member of the Month, Forrest Rogers with Rock Treads. Here’s what Forrest had to say about the new company:
Talk to us about Rock Treads — the who, what, why: Rock Treads are a simple-to-install aluminum traction kit that works on ANY boot or shoe. The Rock Treads discs can be placed in any pattern one chooses, based on their own foot pressure points. Aluminum is softer than the rock, with just 50LBS of pressure our aluminum will mold to the surface you are stepping on and provide extreme traction. The round shape of the discs allows them to spin on your boot vs being ripped out like other stud alternatives. We also have a custom triangle post screw that won’t naturally back out like other alternatives on the market today. The screws are also flat tipped, so no one ever feels the point of a screw in their boot/shoe. We are 100% made in the USA and will retail for less than $45 for our 1 pair of boots set.
How did your business start? Two fishing friends who couldn’t afford a drift boat, borrowed an aluminum canoe one time to get into the federal trophy waters of the Watagua River in NE Tennessee. Water was low, and it took us 2 hours to get down the river because we would get stuck on every single rock in the river. The light bulb went off, as our home waters of the South Holston River, also in NE TN, are known for its extra slimy rocks. We went to a machine shop, got our first discs made and there was born the idea for Rock Treads. Two years, a U.S. Patent and countless hours of R&D later, we are ready to hit the entire fishing world! If you wade in rivers to catch fish, we are the most cost effective, grip producing alternative to felt and rubber bottom boots on the market today.
How has AFFTA membership benefitted you? We used the IFTD/ICast show to launch our product just a few weeks ago. Response from EVERYONE has been tremendous in a good way: from packaging changes and pricing structures, to contacts and sales channels- we are a viable product and brand in the industry! We are currently working out multiple agreements all stemming from contacts made at this great event. We can’t wait to support and help AFFTA grow for many years to come.
This year was your first IFTD experience. What did you think? It was incredible. Even with a last-minute booth in the corner, we reached the entire fly-fishing market in just 3 days!
What’s one things you wish AFFTA members knew about your business? We are new, our product works and we can help them keep rivers safe and clean, waders safe and dry — all while making great margins on a product EVERY fly fisherman needs!
When you’re not in the office, what are you most likely to be found doing? Sadly my day job, thinking about fishing and fitting Rock Treads into the work day to make it a success!
One a side note, there are two of us as founders, Scott Boggs and myself — Forrest Rogers — but there are many people behind us giving us the support to pursue this great idea, most importantly our wives. Two days after we got home from the IFTD show, Scott learned that his wife Tiffany had a tumor in the back of her brain. We ask for all of AFFTA’s support in her long battle ahead, for their two children and for Scott who are all working everyday to get Tiffany well. We are still in the early stages of discovery, but after the first surgery by the great doctors at the University of Virginia, they were able to remove over 90% of the tumor, but we are all still learning more. We don’t mention this for sympathy, or guilt- we need your prayers and good vibes to get everyone through this difficult time.
Thank you all for everything and fish on!
Forrest & Scott