learn the dry weight of your wading boots so you know when they are dry

[k-bob]

better to hike in and store lighter dry boots. my Patagonia boots weigh 24 oz each dry but 32 oz or more wet. easier to tell dry condition if you know dry weight. they can look and feel pretty dry without really being dry

 

[PennKev]

And they can be a little damp without being wet.

If you are worried about invasive species, treat them in using one of the generally accepted methods and don't worry about weighing them. Between small amounts of water, dirt clinging to them, and the soles wearing down, they will never be the exact same weight each time and without an exact, consistent dry weight you will never know when they are totally dry.

Kev

 

[poopdeck]

Ummmmmm, yeah, aaaaah, I don't think ill be weighing my boots. To save the extra weight I will just take one less sweet and salty peanut bar.

 

[Van_Cleaver]

My boot are almost always dry because I just don't fish enough!

 

[lv2nymph]

I combat this by not letting my boots dry out...

 

[duckfoot]

lv2nymph wrote:
I combat this by not letting my boots dry out...

Keep your feet wet and your ammo dry!

I just go with rubber mudboots that come up to my knee. Works for fishing, camping, and waterfowling. Flip them upside down, they air out well, don't rot, and are dry within a couple hours.

 

[pcray1231]

poop,

It's not about trying to make boots lighter. The reason for the above is invasives. Wear boots in one stream, don't let em dry, then wear em in another. That's how didymo, mud snails, and other invasives spread.

You have several options. Treat them as PennKev suggested. Or let them dry, completely, if you fish enough perhaps have multiple pairs to rotate so that there's time for this to happen.

It's not an either/or situation, and I see this as a decent trick that doesn't take much effort. If you go a week or so between outings, and the boots appear dry, measure em. If they're still a bit heavy, then you gotta go with a another pair or treat em.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

I do as pcray suggests. I have a half dozen pairs of boots in the rotation, and I still wash and disinfect each pair after each use.
It's part of my routine when I get home from fishing, and it takes less than 10 minutes to get everything done.

When I worked for LL Bean, I picked up one of these things with my discount. One of my best investments ever! Boots are dry overnight, but I leave them on it for 2 days, just to be safe. Doesn't hurt the boots at all, and greatly speeds up the rotation cycle. Pretty much puts an end to wader stink too. Dries waders completely in a couple of hours. I'd pay full price for one - it's that good. I swear it extends the life of expensive gear.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/45419?feat=sr&term=Peet+wader+dryer

 

[poopdeck]

better to hike in and store lighter dry boots.

Pcray, if you say so okay but that's not how I read it. Makes perfect sense under your pervasive scenario but that's not how it reads. I'm sure that's what was meant just not fully articulated. Thanks for cleaning it up cause I would hate to have one less sweet and salty peanut bar.