Felt Sole Wading Shoes
- Thread starter steve98
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jayL
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They transmit invasive species such as Didymo.
This can be prevented by proper drying and cleaning of gear in between waterways.
An alternative, though one that I do not see as valid (read: cost effective, safe), is to use rubber boots, such as aquastealth.
This can be prevented by proper drying and cleaning of gear in between waterways.
An alternative, though one that I do not see as valid (read: cost effective, safe), is to use rubber boots, such as aquastealth.
People bleach the bottoms, which contributes to the production and sale of bleach. You may be able to kill organisms with a very acidic concentration of vinegar, I don't know high high the %s go in most stores, but the normal salad dressing %s are probably not high enough .
FlySwatter
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I have used felt for decades.
Last year I switched to studded aquastealth on LL Bean boots. The traction is very good in stream. I waded some heavy flows in Penns with no problems.
The studded rubber is MUCH safer out of the stream, especially if I'm hiking through the woods.
Last year I switched to studded aquastealth on LL Bean boots. The traction is very good in stream. I waded some heavy flows in Penns with no problems.
The studded rubber is MUCH safer out of the stream, especially if I'm hiking through the woods.
Treeguy
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Simms has made felt that is tighter, more dense. Also keeping small areas to catch spores less likely with material advances.
To kill the invasive just use a slat brine ( mixe salt and water a dip felts) This is what is mixed for a wader wash here in MD.
Like said also leaving them in the sun or a spot to dry is a great idea. But if you want to be safe and you are stream hopping just mix a slat and water solution and bring it with you with a small tub.
Keep um clean!
To kill the invasive just use a slat brine ( mixe salt and water a dip felts) This is what is mixed for a wader wash here in MD.
Like said also leaving them in the sun or a spot to dry is a great idea. But if you want to be safe and you are stream hopping just mix a slat and water solution and bring it with you with a small tub.
Keep um clean!
osprey
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C'mon guys n gals give an ol one legged fisherman a break , can't anyone see that the bats and the bees and the badgers and all the other critters that could and do transmit didymo and all the rest of it , i NEED my felt soles to fish , and unless i can learn how to levitate i'm gonna keep using them.
tomgamber
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You just have to use common sense and clean them well. When they stop making felt soles..then you'll still have to use common sense and clean them with a little less effort.
TimMurphy
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Dear Steve,
Osprey even added the unthinkable and said that despite the best marketing efforts of the premier names in fly fishing sometimes ducks and deer and bats and other woodland critters spread far more than good cheer in their travels.
I'm solidly in the camp of you and Osprey. Studded felt is the best. For those of you who differ with that opinion, Aquastealth with studs is OK but does not compare to studded felt, it's not even a contest so please do attempt to argue. Aquastealth only has an advantage over felt in snow, or in catalogs.
When people talk of the damp felt sole transmitting waterborne diseases why do they always forget about the padded tongues on their wading shoes, or the laces, or the neoprene gravel guards, or the neoprene booties on their waders? They are all things and places that offer safe haven to micro-organisms?
I know why.................................................................................................................................
But I'm reluctant to say.
Because if they really thought about that they'd feel pretty stupid knowing they won't save the environment with that $ 239.99 pair of Simms shoes they just bought.
I'd laugh but it really isn't all that funny.
You'd do far better for the creeks and your wallet if you bought two pairs of cheap waders and two pairs of cheap studded felt wading shoes and just rotated wearing them instead of traipsing all through the streams and rivers in your expensive stuff feeling all good and wonderful.
But you wouldn't have that "cool" factor that comes with the premier gear so I guess you'll have to make a choice?
Make the logical choice and not the emotional one and double up on everything instead of paying thrice the price for wading shoes!!!!!
The whole world will thank you!
Regards,
Tim Murphy
Osprey even added the unthinkable and said that despite the best marketing efforts of the premier names in fly fishing sometimes ducks and deer and bats and other woodland critters spread far more than good cheer in their travels.
I'm solidly in the camp of you and Osprey. Studded felt is the best. For those of you who differ with that opinion, Aquastealth with studs is OK but does not compare to studded felt, it's not even a contest so please do attempt to argue. Aquastealth only has an advantage over felt in snow, or in catalogs.
When people talk of the damp felt sole transmitting waterborne diseases why do they always forget about the padded tongues on their wading shoes, or the laces, or the neoprene gravel guards, or the neoprene booties on their waders? They are all things and places that offer safe haven to micro-organisms?
I know why.................................................................................................................................
But I'm reluctant to say.
Because if they really thought about that they'd feel pretty stupid knowing they won't save the environment with that $ 239.99 pair of Simms shoes they just bought.
I'd laugh but it really isn't all that funny.
You'd do far better for the creeks and your wallet if you bought two pairs of cheap waders and two pairs of cheap studded felt wading shoes and just rotated wearing them instead of traipsing all through the streams and rivers in your expensive stuff feeling all good and wonderful.
But you wouldn't have that "cool" factor that comes with the premier gear so I guess you'll have to make a choice?
Make the logical choice and not the emotional one and double up on everything instead of paying thrice the price for wading shoes!!!!!
The whole world will thank you!
Regards,
Tim Murphy
pcray1231
Well-known member
Wow, well said.
Use some common sense. If you just fished a stream known to have a problem, and plan on fishing another, still clean stream within a week or two, well then clean those waders well and do what you need to do.
But I don't think we all need to go out and buy $200 wading shoes!
Tim, what Fly Swatter is correct though, about out of stream. I wear studded felt. Great in the water, not so great out of the water.
Use some common sense. If you just fished a stream known to have a problem, and plan on fishing another, still clean stream within a week or two, well then clean those waders well and do what you need to do.
But I don't think we all need to go out and buy $200 wading shoes!
Tim, what Fly Swatter is correct though, about out of stream. I wear studded felt. Great in the water, not so great out of the water.
Padraic
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Tim,
I think you (intentionally?) overlook the message of Tom and others (in the threads on this subject that have come up in the past) that aquastealth sole shoes still have to be cleaned. It's just that they can be cleaned more easily, quickly and effectively.
I think you (intentionally?) overlook the message of Tom and others (in the threads on this subject that have come up in the past) that aquastealth sole shoes still have to be cleaned. It's just that they can be cleaned more easily, quickly and effectively.
moosehunter
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Wow..I did not know it had such an effect on the water. I wear a pair of hard plastic sandles made by sketchers over my waders ($5 investment). What am i doing to the waterways??
TimMurphy
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Dear Padraic,
I didn't dismiss cleaning and I'll agree that cleaning an Aquastealth sole is easier than cleaning a felt sole but if the soles are all that you clean you may as well skip the exercise.
Most of the wading shoes available today have numerous other pieces and parts that stay damp and can host micro-organisms as do many of the waders, booties, and socks that are are commonly worn.
Cleaning the soles with vigor while ignoring all the other potential hosting areas is a gigantic waste of time, akin to putting a band-aid on a bullet wound if you don't exercise the same level of concern for all parts of your gear that can host parasites.
Myself, I'm too lazy to go through all of that so I have a couple of pairs of waders and wading shoes and if I am traveling to several streams in a day or weekend I'll change them before I enter a new stream.
That gives the original pair a chance to dry thoroughly and the problem is solved.
I'll also agree that felts aren't the best choice for long distance land travelers but I don't usually walk all that far to go fishing so I rarely have a problem getting to the stream and back to the car in felts.
I have a pair of studded Aquastealth shoes and I generally like them. They are attached to a pair of very comfortable and roomy boots.
Unfortunately, they simply are not as grippy and sure-footed as studded felt for me and I'll continue wearing felt for as long as I am able to do so.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
I didn't dismiss cleaning and I'll agree that cleaning an Aquastealth sole is easier than cleaning a felt sole but if the soles are all that you clean you may as well skip the exercise.
Most of the wading shoes available today have numerous other pieces and parts that stay damp and can host micro-organisms as do many of the waders, booties, and socks that are are commonly worn.
Cleaning the soles with vigor while ignoring all the other potential hosting areas is a gigantic waste of time, akin to putting a band-aid on a bullet wound if you don't exercise the same level of concern for all parts of your gear that can host parasites.
Myself, I'm too lazy to go through all of that so I have a couple of pairs of waders and wading shoes and if I am traveling to several streams in a day or weekend I'll change them before I enter a new stream.
That gives the original pair a chance to dry thoroughly and the problem is solved.
I'll also agree that felts aren't the best choice for long distance land travelers but I don't usually walk all that far to go fishing so I rarely have a problem getting to the stream and back to the car in felts.
I have a pair of studded Aquastealth shoes and I generally like them. They are attached to a pair of very comfortable and roomy boots.
Unfortunately, they simply are not as grippy and sure-footed as studded felt for me and I'll continue wearing felt for as long as I am able to do so.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
TimMurphy
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Dear moosehunter,
If you don't jump around alot from stream to stream in the course of a day you probably aren't causing much damage at all.
Parasites live in the water and will die once things like your waders dry out. Your sandals that you wear over your waders are probably dried out sufficiently in a short period of time. If you put a pair of socks over your waders before you put the sandals on you may want to carry a couple of extra pairs if you switch streams frequently so you aren't wearing damp socks from stream to stream.
Honestly, I think some of of what people and companies promote as protecting streams is nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell more gear, but I'm a rather cynical old fart. ;-)
Many of these parasites have apparently survived intercontinental flights in the gear bags of well heeled anglers. I find that amazing because I've flown out West to fish many times and never once thought of stowing my gear for the flight back home without it being clean and thoroughly dry.
I'm thinking if you can spend $ 7000.00 to go to New Zealand for a week of fly fishing you can afford to drop a C-note on new wading shoes when you get there and you can afford to leave them on the island when you leave and not risk bringing something unwanted back home?
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
If you don't jump around alot from stream to stream in the course of a day you probably aren't causing much damage at all.
Parasites live in the water and will die once things like your waders dry out. Your sandals that you wear over your waders are probably dried out sufficiently in a short period of time. If you put a pair of socks over your waders before you put the sandals on you may want to carry a couple of extra pairs if you switch streams frequently so you aren't wearing damp socks from stream to stream.
Honestly, I think some of of what people and companies promote as protecting streams is nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell more gear, but I'm a rather cynical old fart. ;-)
Many of these parasites have apparently survived intercontinental flights in the gear bags of well heeled anglers. I find that amazing because I've flown out West to fish many times and never once thought of stowing my gear for the flight back home without it being clean and thoroughly dry.
I'm thinking if you can spend $ 7000.00 to go to New Zealand for a week of fly fishing you can afford to drop a C-note on new wading shoes when you get there and you can afford to leave them on the island when you leave and not risk bringing something unwanted back home?
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
