Wading Boot Advice

[bartman]

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on site. Didn't get out in the Berkshire's much this fall but the few times I got over there I did well. My son's now attending a college in Springfield so I'll probably have the fly rod in the car when I'm over that way in the spring.

Question: It's time to purchase a new pair of (non-felt) wading boots but I don't have much of a clue as to best traction of all the new-fangled boots. I'm not looking to break the bank but I don't want to break my leg either.

Does anybody have any experience with the new boots?

Thanks and Happy Holidays,
Bart

[Mark Patenaude]

Chota just came out with a new rubber soled boot that has carbide bits that you can screw into the bottom. I have the felt soled version but will be changing when they start to show wear.

[AgMD]

Since my felt sole Cabella's will be illegal here in VT, I figured I had to do something else.
I bought a pair of Simms Freestone with Vibram soles and the Star Bright cleats. They fit better than any other wading shoe I have ever tried and they seem rugged enough to protect my feet from the mill rubble and rocks but I have not yet tried them on stream so I can't say how effective they are compared to felt. If I get a weekend of nice weather when the Battenkill isn't too high, I may try them out. If I do I will post my observations.
AgMD

[bartman]

Thanks for the replies guys and happy holidays.

AgMd, I've done well dead drifting #10 montana nymphs on the Battenkill during February thaws.

[hoxie]

I bought a pair of Hodgman's stocking foot chestwaders on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for about $25 a couple of years ago.

I rounded out my ensemble with a $10 pair of black Nike hiking shoes from Goodwill (1 & 1/2 sizes too large) to wear over them.

Together, they've served me pretty well ever since.

(I'm pretty hard on my gear, clambering over rocks, bushwacking through brambles, and stepping over barbed wire).

[6wt]

...korkers streamborns with the studded rubber changeable sole is pretty nice. Use them on the salmon river and haven't taken a bath since.... ;D

[bartman]

Thanks for the addtional posts on the subject. I'm surely going with studs.

Hoxie, I've been a bushwaacker too and have found myself in some interesting situtaions over the years. I think the worst was many years ago one September down on the Delaware where I got caught in the middle of a 6 foot high thorn bramble and I really didn't think I was getting out of there alive.

Happy New Year all.

Bart

[AgMD]

Well I tried out the new Simms Freestone w/ cleats -- and I like them a lot.
I was prepared to be real pissed about the loss of my felt boots, but these may be better.
On dry stone they are better, on bank side mud and wet grass/weeds they are much better and in a stream full of stone and mill rubble they are at least as good maybe better.
Didymo is still a concern. A lot of fine organic goop gets worked into any boot and boot laces are like sponges. It will be interesting to see how long it takes them to dry in the back of the car. If need be, I can chuck them in the freezer overnight and that is supposed to do the trick.
AgMD

[DRYFLYPHIL]

AgMD,

your new Simms boots sound good and sounds like they really work well.

I actually just purchased new wading boots myself. I bought the Cabelas Guide Wear Pro's with studded vibram/rubber soles. They haven't been delivered yet, so I can't comment much on them other then because I bought them out of the on-line Bargain Cave, the price was exceptionally good. Should be here in about a week or less.

Though my Orvis felt soles are still legal in Mass, I figured that with a large outbreak of Snot on the Ct Farmington river as well as a lot of states out-lawing felt soles, Mass is just around the corner.

So I figured that I'd get a hold of a pair of Rubber soles before any Mass law changes and price increases because of demand.

6wt has a couple different model Korkers that he likes, and that I may have considered. I wasn't really in the market for wading boots at this time, but these Cabela Pro's came along priced right, I couldn't walk away.



So I'll give them a try.........Phil

[hsweren]

Hi Kim,

The Simms boots sound good, But now for the real question, Did you catch any fish?

Looking forward to Sunday.

Henry

[AgMD]

No fish were harmed in the performance of these tests.
AgMD

[DRYFLYPHIL]

Apr 11, 2011 21:27:03 GMT -5 DRYFLYPHIL said:

AgMD,

your new Simms boots sound good and sounds like they really work well.

I actually just purchased new wading boots myself. I bought the Cabelas Guide Wear Pro's with studded vibram/rubber soles. They haven't been delivered yet, so I can't comment much on them other then because I bought them out of the on-line Bargain Cave, the price was exceptionally good. Should be here in about a week or less.

Though my Orvis felt soles are still legal in Mass, I figured that with a large outbreak of Snot on the Ct Farmington river as well as a lot of states out-lawing felt soles, Mass is just around the corner.

So I figured that I'd get a hold of a pair of Rubber soles before any Mass law changes and price increases because of demand.

6wt has a couple different model Korkers that he likes, and that I may have considered. I wasn't really in the market for wading boots at this time, but these Cabela Pro's came along priced right, I couldn't walk away.



So I'll give them a try.........Phil

Well my new Cabela's guide wear pro wading boots arrived today. In the & out of the box, they look pretty good! I haven't tried them in the water yet, so the jury is still out. The studded rubber sole looks really aggressive and rugged, as well as sturdy constructed uppers. I've been pretty happy with most Cabela's named products, though I didn't like one of their fly rods that I thought I'd give a chance, and I ended up returning.

Tight-lines..........DRYFLYPHIL