DIY wading boot stud input

[J55tyger88]

I was fishing with a friend on Saturday, and through his convictions, convinced me on investing in some studs for my boots. I have the Korker boots with the interchangeable soles (Omni trax I think). The studded soles on their website are about 40 bucks, and me being frugal (some say cheap, as I made a vise-grip tying vise) thought about installing studs myself. Heres the website to the soles, my PC wont let me link it.

http://www.korkers.com/soles-accessories.html

Heres my plan,
Install the proper sized T nut on the inside of the interchangeable sole, and buying some sort of bolt, screw with the most aggressive head and just thread them in. Maybe put some loc-tite to ensure they don't unthread, stream side. I thought about just screwing sheet metal screws in but, eventually they will have to wiggle out, causing damage to the sole. Using the T nut, I can ensure less damage (potentially, if my plan works) to the sole by decreasing the amount of holes I would have to put in with just screwing sheet metal screws in.

My question to you is, do any of you have any experience in doing something like this? I have a separate set of felt bottom soles that came with the boot, so if I ruin the rubber pair im not SOL. Do you think this would work? I don't wanna start ripping and tearing without some go or no go advice.

Thanks in advance.

Tyger

 

[HopBack]

I also have a set of korkers with interchangable soles. I like them very much and I think it would be worth it to pay the 40 bucks and you will have 3 sets of soles. I think the regular treds would still be very usefull when hiking in somewhere. I currenty just use the rubber tred and it can be a bit slippery but I dont think they are that bad. Just curious, since the interchangeable soles are so thin, if you install bolts, nuts, or sheet metal screws or otherwise do you still think that the soles will seat properly on the boot?

 

[J55tyger88]

HopBack,
I feel that if I can find some 1/8 T nuts, the low profile would be give them enough room to seat in the boot well. As you know, the soles themselves aren't that thick so I feel that anything over 1/8" would cause problems, or stick out the bottom to far.

The more I think about it, the more I find myself leaning towards the extra set of soles.

I just watched the didymo video brookiechaser posted awhile back, and my sense for the issue is no more aware. I usually fish one stream USUALLY, but would not want to transfer the devilish rock snot to another stream or back to mine, from using my felt soles. I've tried the rubber soles, and they seem to slip to much to me. It may be my wading inexperience but they tricky to wade with safely for me.

 

[echuck66]

I can only recommend these... best boots I've ever owned (Simms Freestone)

I'm on the frugal side too, but after wearing them for a year, I have to say they're worth every penny!

 

[J55tyger88]

Im not able to buy new boots. I got my korkers from dicks on sale for about 60 bucks shipped I believe. Ive always owned cheapies and decided to buck up and get a decent pair. From my browsing and searching through fly fishing ive found if it says Simms, Sage, G Loomis, or Orvis its expensive. I think im gonna "redneck" these boots up before I think about buying a new pair.

 

[Railking]

I also have Simms freestones but I added my own studs in mine. 1/4 inch cold kutter ice racing studs are awesome. You can pick them up on eBay for about $20 per 200 studs. I'm not sure how they would work with Korkers because of the thin removable sole. If you weren't worried about removing the sole, you could screw them in through the interchangeable sole and into the boot. There are a few posts on here about the Cold Kutter studs if you search for it.

 

[KeithS]

You ARE talking about your safety here. Isn't that worth $40.00?
If they DON'T work and ruin the boots, you'll be out much more than $40.00 to replace them. I'd buy the extra soles.

 

[sandfly]

just buy some 1/4 x 3/8 hex screws(1/4) if you find them and screw into the nubs of the sole till the head just touches, cost only a few bucks. I bought a box of 100 (they pull out or break off) have been doing this since the 70's. used to do the same for my dirt bikes/3 wheelers/snow mobiles for ice racing. I have them in my orvis brogues with felt bottom.

 

[Aducker]

I would think the nuts would embed into your foot and cause foot issues. The studs that Korker use have a flat back to them so they won't stick into the bottom of your foot.
I wouldn't hike around with low profile nuts sticking into the bottom of my foot.

 

[echuck66]

Im not able to buy new boots. I got my korkers from dicks on sale for about 60 bucks shipped I believe. Ive always owned cheapies and decided to buck up and get a decent pair. From my browsing and searching through fly fishing ive found if it says Simms, Sage, G Loomis, or Orvis its expensive. I think im gonna "redneck" these boots up before I think about buying a new pair.

I think I paid just a little over $100 (It wasn't much over $100) for my Simms Freestone wading boots, plus another $40 or so for the studs. Before that, I was buying a new pair of cheaper boots about once ever two years but they never fit quite right or never provided the stability in wading that my Simms boots provide. My problem is that I wear a larger boot (14 wide), and all the boots I had tried previously were too narrow, or provided very little in the way of traction when wading.

As I said previously, they might be a bit pricier than other wading boots, but I honestly feel they're well worth the extra cost.

 

[J55tyger88]

I too have large feet and needed to order mine online. I liked the korkers because of the interchangeable sole. It looks like most people suggest to just buy the extra set of stud soles. I've been doing some research and it seems that these studs that simms sell are just overpriced screws, but I cant be sure because i've never used them. More research to be done.

 

[mcwillja]

I 2nd the Kold Kutter screws. I screw them into my brogues and don't worry about slipping they are super grippy. i get the 1/4 inch screws so you don't screw too far into the bottom of the sole.

 

[PennsylvaniaJesse]

A friend of mine is a guide in NY, lives in Pa. He uses the hex head screws. Replaces the bad ones every year, he is very pleased with the traction.

 

[vcregular]

Third the Kold Kutter. If you keep an eye on them, or even if you don't you can get them out to replace.

 

[Biggie]

Kold Kutters are the way to go and they do a great job. I'm with sandfly, have used them for years on all brands of boots from Orvis to Simms to Hodgemans and no problems with any of them and I use the 5/8" long ones and no, they don't poke through the bottom of your boot. Just measure the sole of the boot and buy the length accordlingly. I put some aqua seal on the screw before running it in just to keep it from working out. Still can unscrew them when the head wears down.

 

[JohnPowers]

What is the exact size of those koldkutter screws. I'm using plain home depot screws.

 

[Biggie]

John, here ya go: https://koldkutter.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22&osCsid=f7389ba89ada32b514158f24af3739b5

 

[Gone_Phishin]

I put some aluminum bars on my Korkers. Can't change the soles anymore but the traction in unbelievable. A little noisy though.

 

[FiveWeight]

5/8 in hex head self tappers. Just long enough to get thru the felt. I need to replace one or two every now n then but I have a 10k count box so it's no big deal. They help great on stream banks and Ice too.

 

[whheff]

Biggie wrote:
John, here ya go: https://koldkutter.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22&osCsid=f7389ba89ada32b514158f24af3739b5

My friend and I split an order of the 3/8 size. They work great on my Simms boots.