Wading Boots Question

L_soult

L_soult

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Joined
Oct 26, 2012
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155
What attributes do wading boots have that separate them from any other boots? I figure less insulation and a felt sole. All synthetic maybe?

 
Wading boots are all about the sole. Felt, rubbers, studded, etc. Each provide a different degree of traction on the stream bottom. Other than that there is the sturdyness and support to ankles that define the quality of a particular boot.

Normal hiking boots area very slippery on the slimy rocks of a stream and can cause injury on a slip or fall.
 
sneakers are just as good imho.

i have simms flats boots that i use.

 
geebee wrote:
sneakers are just as good imho.

i have simms flats boots that i use.
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I have to disagree. No way IMO are sneakers or saltwater flats boots as good as a pair of wading boots. Big difference between them and my Simm's Guide boots with Vibram soles and star cleats.
 
Wading boots also tend to be designed to drain better
 
Just remember. You get what you pay for. Sometimes it's better to save up a little to get boots the will last more then a season. With that being said. I have ruined a pair of rivershed simms boots in less then 2 years. If they where any other boots they wouldn't have lasted 6 months. Still wear my riversheds, but they are in dire straights. Got a pair of G4s waiting to replace them.
 
WildTigerTrout wrote:
geebee wrote:
sneakers are just as good imho.

i have simms flats boots that i use.
Click to expand...
I have to disagree. No way IMO are sneakers or saltwater flats boots as good as a pair of wading boots. Big difference between them and my Simm's Guide boots with Vibram soles and star cleats.
Click to expand...

sorry, i should have qualified that - for rubber or felt wading boots i think they are.

just my .02 but what i lose in cleats grip, i gain in flex. i wouldn't wear my flats boots on flat rock but anything else is fine ( i have some cleats for jetties) but i also find most cleated boots way too heavy.

i'm 42 now and my balance sucks so having a flexible sole is a necessity for me if i'm not to go A over T.
 
Phish_On wrote:
Just remember. You get what you pay for. Sometimes it's better to save up a little to get boots the will last more then a season. With that being said. I have ruined a pair of rivershed simms boots in less then 2 years. If they where any other boots they wouldn't have lasted 6 months. Still wear my riversheds, but they are in dire straights. Got a pair of G4s waiting to replace them.
Click to expand...
I agree, you get what you pay for. I got 4 years out of my last pair of Simm's Guide Boots. I put alot of miles on them and time in the stream and just recently replaced them with an identical pair.This time however I installed the star cleats instead of the studs.
 
one thing i would try and find out is how much they weigh wet - i had a pair that wet weighed about 3lbs each...

 
I love my Patagonia River Walkers. I added studs before my western trip last summer and they're even better.
 
The reason I'm asking is, it's hard to outfit myself for FF in the first season (last year didn't count). Especially if I want to make sound investments on on quality gear.

So with that being said and all comments above taken into consideration, I'm thinking I can glue some heavy felt to the bottoms of an old pair of worn soled (leaky :)) hiking boots provided I can fit my wader feet into them?

At least til they fall apart or I come across a sweet deal on boots.

Any tangible downsides to this?
 
L_soult wrote:
The reason I'm asking is, it's hard to outfit myself for FF in the first season (last year didn't count). Especially if I want to make sound investments on on quality gear.

So with that being said and all comments above taken into consideration, I'm thinking I can glue some heavy felt to the bottoms of an old pair of worn soled (leaky :)) hiking boots provided I can fit my wader feet into them?

At least til they fall apart or I come across a sweet deal on boots.

Any tangible downsides to this?
Click to expand...

Downside - trying to save some coin, and then finding that the boots catastrophically fail at some horribly inopportune time, like wading across a stream in high flow three miles in to a fishing excursion somewhere, and your glued on sole decided to delaminate.. Best case, you have to walk out with a floppy boot. Worst case, you float back to where you started and someone fishes you out of the drink. I like to save money as much as possible, but wading boots are not what I would target as the source of the savings. Think about the amount of time you spend on your feet and the wear and tear the boots take in the environment we fish in (dirt, mud, stones, sand, logs, hot, cold, wet/dry cycles) and something engineered for that is probably a better investment.
 
there are real cheap wading boots. i think bpro has some 'cheapo' boots for well under 100$
 
What size street shoes do you wear?

There's lots of deals out there on clearance gear. Trying to squeeze a neoprene stocking foot into a boot that fits with just a hiking sock probably won't work too well.

Depending on what size you need, I've found some boots for under $25 - not much more than a pair of felt replacement soles.

IMO, even the cheapest wading boots will work out better for you than trying to rig a pair of old hiking boots.

Also, if we know your shoe size, maybe someone can offer up a pair of free used boots. Worth a shot...
 
yeah, gluing anything is a disaster waiting to happen.

i'd keep an eye on eBay and clearance sales
 
-Downsides duly noted and agreed. I dont want to be in that situation.

-Gluing is def a hit or miss. Especially if you don't know what your doing.

- Used boots are a good way to go. 9.5 if anyone's selling.

- I'm keeping an eye on ebay and the discount gear sites.

Which reminds me of something I came across today, and you'll have to for give me for a slight change in topic:

My wife has committed to getting me a pair of waders for my birthday to replace the cheapoes I got to try out FF. I just need to tell her which ones to get. I'm looking at all the
 
These might be OK:

http://www.albrightflyfish.com/bridgestone-boots-felt.html

They look nice, but fit might be an issue. Worth a shot, IMO.
 
Heritage - Awesome find! That's right up my ally :)
 
+1 to keep an eye on ebay. I bought my wife and I both pairs of used Orvis Clearwater wadding boots. Both were in close to new condition...Mine were around $40 and hers around $20. I've worn mine for two years now.
 
First of all sneakers aren't made for wading. Oh I used sneakers when I was a kid for things like getting in and out of canoes, but that's about all they are good for with relation to water.
There are many different wading boots for many purposes, like long hikes into the stream, they make light weight boots for that. That's what I use for wet wading as a matter of fact. If you're not hiking anywhere you can limit the types of boots in your inventory to probably 1 pair.
 
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