If you're going to be in a boat--felt (unless the boat's owner doesn't mind scratches in his floor)

If you're going to be banking it--studded felt

I have a pair of Korkers. If I'm boating it, I throw on the felt. If I'm going to be banking it the whole day, I go with the studded felt.

 

If you're going to be in a boat--felt (unless the boat's owner doesn't mind scratches in his floor)

If you're going to be banking it--studded felt

I have a pair of Korkers. If I'm boating it, I throw on the felt. If I'm going to be banking it the whole day, I go with the studded felt.

Does that system really work? I have used Simms for years. My drift boat is aluminum so no issue there, but I do raft from time to time and have to put on something that looks like a very large flip flop.
What make of Korkers do you suggest?

 

Sheet metal screws in felt has always worked well for me. Much less expensive than the options sold by fly fishing companies so I don't glue them in and wouldn't worry if I lost one. Though I have never lost one, but I can take them out in about 5 minutes when boat fishing.

 

^that^

that's what I use out on the jetty...screwed into a pair of old Patagonias. For the rest of my fishing (anything non-salt), I use Korkers...pretty solid boot (I have the Chromes), great customer service, and interchangeable soles (they've fixed any issues from the gen 1 or 2 soles).

out of all of the wading boots I've ever had, Simms held up the best (were pretty heavy--this was 7 or 8 years ago), Patagonias were the most comfortable (they wore out pretty quick), but I've liked the newer Korkers the best. Once broken in, I wasn't too keen on how comfortable they were over the course of a long day of hiking, but I've since started using an extra insole and that solved that problem. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't had a problem with how they held up (2 years with the Chromes), but took them in to Korkers to see if they could do anything for me and walked out with a new pair of Chromes...totally unexpected, but that's the type of thing that will keep me going back to them.

 

Studs, studs, and more studs... Unless you're in a woody. Then be nice.. Korkers are real nice for that, with the omnitraxx sole system. You can change soles in about 5 seconds from studded to non studded.

Personally I stick with Simms boots. Felt with lots of grip studs. They last a long time and put up with days upon days of abuse. I'm fishing 2-3 days a week on average. Up to 5-6 days a week in the summer, and 2 days a week during the winter (except for vacation and that's more like 14 days straight on the rivers). I put a lot of wear and time on boots and waders. I have to replace my boots about every 12 to 18 months. Studs get replaced about every 3-6 months. I fish a lot, and most of that is bank crawling.

I had a pair of Korkers, the upper wore out before the soles did (I had to replace in about 8 months). So, I'm a little leery of Korkers. But if you're a guy that's out fishing 2-3 times a month, pretty much anything you buy will last you a good long time.

 

I switched from felt with studs to rubber soled boots with aluminum bars. I have better traction and they don't harm the boat.

 

Yes they do work... There are a couple issues with the Korkers. 1 they have a large rubber toe where the sole inserts into the boot. I have run into issues where this caused some slipping and falling that did not and can not happen with Simms fixed soles. 2. The studded Kling-On soles (rubber) lost almost every single stud in the first 2 hours of wading. I'm not the only one this happened to.

However, if I were looking into the Korkers, I'd be looking towards the KGB's and the Chromes. The Chrome boots (if you can still find them) are on sale most places because they are being replaced. It looks like the KGB's are also on sale. I like the boa lace system on the higher end Korkers. And Korkers are usually friendly when something goes wrong.

Now would I give up my Simms felts? Nope. Plain and simple as that.

 

I'm not sure if you can still get them but I used, and still have a few pair, of a Dan Bailey's item called Stream Cleats. I could not get the Bailey's On-Line Catalog page to load up. They are like rubber slippers that you pull on over your wading boots, black rubber with a set of 3 W shaped aluminum bar stock riveted across the bottom surface of felt and a D shaped one on the heel. They are heavy and clunky and will tear a hole in your waders when new (unless you round off the ends of the aluminum with a file), but I'd never consider going to a venue like the Umpqua or other slimy bouldery places without them. When I first got them I felt invincible and that I could wade just about anyplace that wasn't over my waders. Now that I'm older, I'm just happy to not fall down in the riffles.

I looked up what Patagonia offers as Ultra River Crampons but good gawd, the price is nearly $200. I'm sure they are worth every penny but I'm still flush on Steam Cleats.

 

A have an old pair of stream cleats in my fishing closet. The patagonia aluminum bars are much better. The cleats are staying in the closet... Patagonias are worth it because they will last a lifetime...

 

I like had felt with studs. That said felt is not popular in some parts. Rubber with studs would be good I would bet.

 

Solid aluminum sheet metal screws in felt. About 30 per boot. Nothing grips slimy rocks better than aluminum.

The old Dan Baily Stream Cleats would nearly glue you to the worst bottom on the NU.

I used to make my own version with rubber goloshes and some indoor outdoor catpeting and pop-rivet some aluminum channel stock through the carpeting and the golosh. The one pair I made for myself lasted over ten years, never dumped me, and only failed when I tried to stretch the rubber over a pair of new Simms--the Simms were bigger and the rubber had deteriorated due years of exposure to ultraviolet(?)

 

The old Dan Baily Stream Cleats would nearly glue you to the worst bottom on the NU.

those things were solid

I still have a couple pairs of my old pairs, only draw back was the added weight but they did work well

 

Go to the bottom of this old thread. Great link.

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=344797&highlight=boot

And don't worry about the places that have banned felt. They will reverse that stupid rule soon enough. Felt with studs is safe and has worked for many many years.

 

Studs or not? Are you kidding? Of course metal studs, or aluminum bars. They always help. There are a lot of boot manufacturers out there, and I have found that the new rubber studs on rubber soles are all crap by comparison for being sticky. It doesn't matter who makes them or how much hipe the company puts out. How much is your life worth?

 

studs, the screw ins from Simms, no need to glue em. I tried the aluminum on the rubber soles, not as good and cost much much more plus I ground em down then off.

 

Resurrecting this...

I have been suffering with the Boggs boots available on the USIA waders and slipping, slipping, slipping; I miss the boots I used to drive sheet metal screws into (the Boggs sole is too thin to risk driving them through).

I like the idea of the Patagonia River Crampon, but the price for a few strips of metal and straps was insane. So, I followed same suit as this post: http://www.paflyfish.com/forums/ope...ms/gear-talk/patagonia-river-crampon--039-s/3,23838,368877.html#forumpost368877

A cheap pair of Due North ice cleats, broke the studs off. A few strips of aluminum drilled with a hole the size of the rivet diameter, another larger hole partially through like for a countersunk screw, some stainless washers and a riveter. Put the flat side of the rivet toward the boot side and the mushroomed end of the rivet would sit in the area I fashioned for a countersunk screw, below the contact surface of the aluminum bar. I also added the ropes for additional securing to the foot.

Tried it out yesterday on the slimy rocks and what a difference! Works well.