new wading boots (vibram or felt)

[Gorgefly]

Time to get a new pair of boots and I am torn between the new Vibrams (with studs probably) and studded felt. I realize felt is considered a better choice here on the east side but I was curious as to how they stack up to the vibrams with studs? Also, I don't want to drop $150 bucks or more on felt boots only to see them outlawed in the near future as I understand a few places have either done already or are considering doing.

Any thoughts or reviews.....looking specifically at Simms since they seem to have the most options.

Thanks in advance!

[Ben Waldschmidt]

Was just in your same predicament, and decided to go with the tried and true, felt (with studs) I figure if and when felt is outlawed here, I'll probably need new boots anyway.

[Blankstair]

Already in the works for 2011 for all Southeast, Alaska and the rest of the state is certain to follow. I purchased the new Simms Rivershed and they actually preformed better than I expected but the waters here are sterile by comparison to WA, OR. Competition in the wading boot world, will certainly drive for a boot comparable to felts.

[Rick Todd]

I recently went to New Zealand for a couple weeks of fly fishing and felt is already outlawed there. I got some of the new Chota boots with studs. They performed very well for walking on slippery rocks. Unfortunately, with all the hiking involved in NZ, my ankles around the top of the boots were KILLING me after 3 days of fishing. The guide had some Simms boots which saved the day as they were much more flexible around the top. Back in the States, I'm back to my felt bottomed Simms boots. Be sure whichever boots you buy are very comfortable (I have had Chotas in the past and they were always comfortable.) Unfortunately, up here in Bellingham, there are no fly shops nearby and I ordered the Chotas online and didn't really try them until I was fishing! Rick

[Preston]

I've been trying out rubber-soled wading boots from five different manufacturers. Two have the new Vibram formulation (with different tread patterns) two have their own rubber formulation and one has the most recent version of Aquastealth. Two (Chota and Simms) are designed with provisions for installing screw-in studs. I'll be using all of these boots over the next few months, preparing for a review article in the winter issue of F&TJ. In my opinion, none of them provide quite as good a grip as felt but all of them seem to work fairly well. Based on my experience with felt-soled boots, studs should should significantly improve the grip.

[Dan Soltau]

vibram soled boots perform to a similar level to felt soled boots in the water, in certain types of terrain one or the other may be a bit better. Out of the water, vibram soled boots blow felt out of the water. No slipping on grass, no snow build up, the soles dry out quick and dont hold mud... and they do help prevent parasites from making jumps from watershed to watershed.
I think that with the hard bite studs anything that is remotely wadeable would be.

[Steve J.]

We've been asked this very question in the shop a lot this season. At this point, I'm recommending felt, as there will certainly be VAST improvements made to rubberized soles over the next few years. Buy your last pair of felts now, wear them out and by then there will be something much better than the current alternatives on the market. That being said, all rules and regulations regarding fishing in certain states, waterways, and countries must be followed.

Steve
www.redsflyshop.com

[David Loy]

Looking forward to your review Preston. I've been interested in felt alternates for awhile now and I know this is on your burner. I can wait for an informed decision.

[Freestone]

I have 2 pairs of Simms' Studded AquaStealth boots and they have the best grip of any sole I've ever used, way better than plain felt. The studs are small so they are much easier to walk in than the sheetmetal screw types like Chotas (I also have a pair of these). I've never tried the plain AquaSteath but I've heard they are worse than felt except on grass and snow. At home, I still have 3 pairs of unstudded felts, 1 pair of studded felt, 2 pairs of sticky rubber/felt inserts, 1 pair of plain sticky rubber but all I wear now are the studded AquaStealths - unless someone makes me wear felt in their boat. A bonus is that it's great not having to worry about felt coming off or re-gluing them before a trip; I'll probably never buy another pair of felts.

[Rick Todd]

I have a wooden drift boat. I also use a pontoon boat with force fins a lot. I slip the fins off and on when I stop to fish a stretch of river. Neither of these activities will work with studded boots. So I hope we can keep using felt for a long time yet. In New Zealand, the guides were universal in their opinion that dydimo was spread by waterfowl, deer and other animals wandering from drainage to drainage at least as much as boots. Rick

[Mumbles]

Freestone, great input, thank you. Have you by chance tried the new Simms with Vibram soles? I really like my Korkers Guides and have a nice collection of replacable soles but when the time comes to move fully felt free I want to make that decision as informed as possible. I actually use my Korkers hiking soles for most of my beach wading, float tube fin use and hiking since there is very little terrain to slip on, I go to studded felts on the slick rocks of the OP rivers.

[Jergens]

vibram soled boots perform to a similar level to felt soled boots in the water, in certain types of terrain one or the other may be a bit better. Out of the water, vibram soled boots blow felt out of the water. No slipping on grass, no snow build up, the soles dry out quick and dont hold mud... and they do help prevent parasites from making jumps from watershed to watershed.
I think that with the hard bite studs anything that is remotely wadeable would be.

Simms is in the process of changing their whole line over to rubber, I would imagine if they are not as good as felt they are damn close. It's always better to be proactive than reactive when it comes to environmental issues such as the problems that have been found with felt. Now if simms would just make their g3 or g4 botos in a 15 or 16

[Freestone]

Mumbles, I haven't tried the new Vibram soles yet as my Aquastealth soles have proven to also be way more durable than any felt sole I've had. I assume the Vibram soles will be as good or better than the Aquastealth but I'm interested in the results of Preston's field testing.

I'll also be curious to see how Korkers do once felt is outlawed. It seems like their system could trap diseases/pests under the removable sole requiring one to be diligent about cleaning them.

[Dan Soltau]

for those who are using aquastealth, try the vibrams you will love them. simply better.
I have used these vibram soled boots for hundreds of hours on the water, and in multiple side by side comparisons with felt. no exaggeration, they work.

[Mumbles]

Freestone, I agree that when felts get outlawed there will be some concern with the interchangables due to the gaps. I doubt that interchangable soles would be targeted for outlaw too because that would seem a direct attack at Korkers. Maybe I'm wrong. I am tempted to go forward based on your experience with aquasteath and Dan's reviews of the vibrams. I too look forward to Preston's review. I know that getting vibrams now may make me ahead of requirements and when those restrictions hit maybe there is a newer rubber compound but going felt free now would be a choice I could easily live with. The biggest knock on some of the Simms boots is that they are heavy. After having my Korker Guides for about a year now they have been quite light, very comfortable and served me well. For now I'm good, but I'm always a gear geek on the prowl. Thanks.