Emergency Fix For Peeled-Off Wading Boot Sole

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barbless

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Jun 28, 2008
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Headed for the hills again Thursday

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Uh-oh! the Floppy Boot Stomp

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What to do? No duck tape on board (definitely an oversight). Removing shoestrings from my sneakers to lash down the sole? Ehhh...

hmm, what about those large knee socks I had packed along with me?

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I was pleased to find that they stretched over the boot with a perfectly tight fit.

Effectiveness as a temporary solution:approximately 100%. Maybe even better- the sock was an excellent gravel guard. Gripped as well in the water as the other boot. Planted my foot on all sorts of slippery rocks with the same footing as provided by the other sole. The sock didn't even get ruined (although I wouldn't expect it to last all that long under those conditions.)

In fact, I have some cheap rubber-soled zip-up water shoes that I'm going to try the same idea on. Wading shoes with detachable, washable wool felt soles, for maybe 1/5 the price of wading boots? I'd be up for that.

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Nicely done, way to save the day. :pint: Nice pic btw.
 
I'd try the "GORILLA GLUE" pay particular attention to the directions.
 
Rubber roof adhesive. But I maybe one of the few that usually has some of that in the truck. Small bottle of contact sement would do the same. Great save for the day by the way.
 
I know a guide who uses short self tapping screws, just long enough to pierce and hold the felt without going through the boot. They become studs for traction, of course he does this at home. It works.
 
Same thing happened to my boot. I plan on buying new boots in the spring so I opted to just fix the sole for now. I used Gorilla Glue and it worked great. I have probably fished ten times with the repair and so far, so good. After the stuff dries, it's like a piece of cement.
 
I think the point of the thread was "what to do to save day and continue fishing". Although all are good options posted for long term and "dry" fixes.

Personally I would have looked a little longer for a solution rather than ruin a pair of $15-$20 dollar woolrich socks.

So with that in mind...rather than throw my old socks away with holes in the heel, perhaps I will put the holy ones in my fishing bag to use for such an event. Although I no longer use felt soles but it could come in handy if my fishing partners loses his sole.
 
The socks weren't ruined, fwiw. I still have them. Tough socks.

Even if I had ruined them, it was worth it. I drove 100 miles to fish that stream. The problem developed within the first 1/2 hour I was there. I was extremely grateful for an emergency solution that didn't require any other prep, and didn't require 1-2 days for the glue to dry.

I'd recommend using more beat up socks, or anyway less expensive ones. It's possible to find wool socks for about 1/2 the price of the Woolrich ones. They run big, have a looser weave and tend to develop fit problems around the calf, which is what makes them cheap wool socks. But for stretching over boots or water shoes, they work fine. I tie them around my calf with shoestrings to keep them from sagging when they get wet.

I've used the method several times since- it makes for comfortable wet wading with neoprene water shoes (which are otherwise terrible for most stream wading, with their non-gripping rubber soles), and works real well to insure against transferring organisms from one stream to another (as long as you peel off the socks and dry everything out thoroughly before using them again, of course). I've gotten around 3-4 outings out of a pair. By the second use, the socks start getting holes on the pressure points at the heel and ball. Eventually the holes get too big for them to be effective at gripping the bottom. But up until then, they work pretty well. The cost adds up to about $3 for an afternoon.

I like the idea of using this method when backpacking and fishing small brookie streams. Lugging waders and boots can be a real hassle in terms of both weight and volume. Packing wool socks and water shoes (and long underwear) is no trouble at all, in comparison. And they dry quickly, compared to even lightweight wading boots.

The one thing I'd want to know about is what the law says, in states that have prohibited the use of "felt soles". Even though these aren't soles, and they're completely detachable and fairly fast-drying.
 
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