Lets talk wading boots

TheDuke44 said:

I've never understood how people fish with felt bottoms. Don't get me wrong, they grip well in water, but man do I slide around like a baby giraffe trying to get up or down a bank in them.

Click to expand...

TimMurphy said:

Dear salmo,

One thing I never understood about the felt bans. Most wading shoes have uppers made of synthetic materials with lots of stitched panels and have thick padded tongues along with thick woven laces. Yet somehow, invasive parasites manage only to attach themselves to felt. That has never seemed likely to me.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

Click to expand...

greywolf said:

I never have understood that either. Seems like someone felt the need to come up with a rule without a lot of research or thought. One of the main reasons I switched to Korkers was due to the different requirements for soles so I just swap as needed.

Click to expand...

ROVERT said:

If you ever fish in the snow, no one will have to convince you.

Felt is really bad in snow and bad out of the water in general. Every plain rubber sole I've used has been inferior to felt for wading on rocks. With studs, though, I don't feel like I'm giving up anything. Out of the water, there is no comparison, I'll take the studded rubber every time.

I haven't used studded felt but I imagine that would be fantastic in the water and a compromise out of it.

Click to expand...

Sharknado5 said:

I just bought Korker studded felt soles. The studs are pretty small, not sure how they would help much in hiking or even in most stream beds. But maybe they help the felt stick on.

Click to expand...

tomgamber said:

The studded felt are great. They absolutely do not help the felt stay on. I've had two sets peel right off so far. But when they ate on they are great for wading in places like Penns

Click to expand...

Sneaky Pete said:

Patagonia Forra is worth a look. Very light. Got mine at TCO they installed carbide studs. If you like to hike longer distances into spots they are very comfortable.

Patagonia Foot Tractor is my go to for heavy wading in fast current. The aluminum bars are like magnets on the bottom. Mine are 7 years old and still holding up. I change the bars out every couple of years. Made by Danner Boots and they are the most durable boots I've ever had. Not very good for long hikes at all. Way too heavy for that.

I couldn't find an all rounder that I liked so I have two specialty boots a hiker and a combat fishing boot.

Korkers are the most versatile but they didn't fit me right. I was in between sizes with them. One of the guys I fish with has the Black Canyon and I'm a little jealous because he can just swap out treads depending on what he's doing that day. Aluminum bars, felt, rubber stud...whatever. They are holding up well for him too.

Click to expand...

jrcll said:

just noticed my Korkers starting to split and come apart at seams and the plastic part over my toes is cracking , they are about 8 years old

Click to expand...