Wading boots, what to buy?

This year for the first time I plan to go with stocking foot waders and wading boots.

I need help in type of boots to select.

I do a lot of back country hiking to get to some fo my fishing holes and to explore new creeks and lakes.
Some of the rivers I fish have very smooth round rock bottoms. These rock are slippery and at mid summer a little too slimmy with algea.

O.K. if I get felt soles, will these boot bottoms hold up to a lot of back woods hiking?

I have noticed a rubber cleat sole, will this type of sole hold like the felt sole on slippery surfaces? Looka like a good hiking sole to me.

My boot foot waders are lug soles and they don't give my the grip I need on slippery rock bottoms.
I have taken a few too many nasty falls and have to make a change.

Thank You -Yaf

Yaf, ...

I use the Chota STL's (cleated).

I put mine on in the morning before sun up and take 'em off long after dark. Actually wading is a pretty small part of my day and I hike and scramble along trails and shore line for hours each day, scouting out stuff and jogging back and forth from the beach to the pickup.

I use the cleats 'cause we rarely use a boat or canoe. Also, we walk on lots of muddy and slippery trails, climbing over logs etc.

The river bottom here is clean, not much slime, but in late summer, the algae will cover some the rocks on some slicks.

imho, ... the cleats may help the felt soles to last longer too. My girlfriend uses the Chota Classics, so I cleated those too with sheet metal screws. Simply 5 in the heels and 6 in the ball make a BIG difference.


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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:b21d8]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:b21d8]


[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:b21d8]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:b21d8]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 07 January 2006).]

The Chota STL's are VERY nice boots, and witht the removable studs, you're pretty much set for any kind of terrain you want to wade in or walk to. Another option would be the Aquastealth boots with sticky rubber. They grip almost as well as felt, and don't collect snow or grit like felt when you're hiking.


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Jude
Late to bed,
Early to Rise,
Guide all day,
Tie more flies!
www.customflys.com

I have a pair of the LLBEAN studded aquastealth soled boots and love them.I will never go back to felt soles again.These boots are very comfortable for walking and wading and give you great support.Beans guarantee is second to none.Im sold.

It sounds to me like [url=http://www.korkers.com/product%20page/fishcata.html:612e3]Korkers[/url:612e3] might be just the ticket for you. They have soles that are interchangeable and can be switched out in just a few seconds. You could carry rubber soles for hiking and switch to the felt or studded felt when you get in the water. I'm a big believer in these boots, as are many of the guides in my area.

Another advantage, when the felt wears out and the boot is still perfectly fine there's no work involved in the resole. Just spend $20 on a new insert and your off.

Felt soles do not provide the best traction hiking, and hiking is very hard on your felt. If you're going to do a lot of hiking in them you'll wear the felt out much faster.

[This message has been edited by JeremyH (edited 07 January 2006).]

Cabela's Back Country wading boots with the rubber soles get great reviews. I plan to try them this spring. I still own an original pair of LLBean Aquastealths but they are about to be thrown away finally. I ordered and tried their new ones. The River Treaders really hurt my ankles so I sent them back and got the next shoe down. The stitching came out of one boot after one day's hard fishing so I sent them back. I really wish they made the original with an Aquastealth sole instead of just felt. So I guess I'll try Cabelas next as I want a wet wading boot I can hike long miles in. Felts aren't good for long hikes and backcountry scrambling. That said, they do work better on slimy rocks. Perhaps an alternative would be to hike in regular boots and then change out. I did that on a seventeen miler a few years back and the extra weight was worth it.

Randy Knapp

You don't want a felt bottomed boot. They are terrible if you do a lot of hiking. Aquastealth studded boots are what you need, great for hiking and the perfect choice for smooth algea covered rocks. I have the Simm's, which are great, I have also heard great things about the LL Bean too.

Thank you all for replying.
Now I have some info to think about.
I am going to look into the Aquastealth boots as well as the Back Country since I plan to buy my waders from Cabelas.
-Yaf

Mine are felt soled and are on their way to Alaska this fall for the 6th time. Local use also, of course. LIGHT weight is another very desirable trait in wader boots. Look at what guides wear. I also got Orvis Silver labels the funky orange tan ones and boy are they nice! like wearing your favorite Khakis in the river. good luck with your choice, I think fcch had good advice using felt soles and cleats or screws.

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I fish, therefore I swam.


[This message has been edited by featherchucker (edited 07 January 2006).]

I have both the LL Bean and Korkers studded aquastealth, and think you would be happy with either - the aquastealth by itself can be slick, but the studs fix that. Do not get boots studded with the screws - you want the carbide studs.

Perhaps I am missing something but I don't find studded Aquastealths on LL Bean web site. I know they use to have um because I have a pair.
And I like um.

I think you are right - they must have not done well with the "ultralight". Mine did come apart a little in the stitching, but I figured it was because they were a little too tight. The Korkers are great, though, and probably easier to find than the LL's.
You can get studded aquastealth soles with them, or for even more gripping, they have studded rubber, which sounds the same, but is not.

LL Bean Studded AquaStealth. Good boot.

Ditto on the Chotas. That's what I use.

Semper Fi!

I am a elt kind a guy, but that does not sound like the match for you. What I do is carry a backpack and wear my hiking boots when hiking. Once I get to the river I change and put on waders and felts. Hiking in waders can get awfully hot. My rheory is wear what is best for each situation. Hiking boots when hiking, felts when fishing.

jed

Korkers are the way to go. I got a pair for Christmas, and so far the blow the others I've had away. My last pair were Simms and the pair I had before that were Cabelas. The Cabelas pair broke down pretty quick, the Simms are still usable, but will take a back seat to the Korkers which are much more comfortable and diverse.

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Chris

Chota STLs. You won't buy anything else after getting a pair.

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Quote:

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"The years of searching in the dark for the truth that one feels but cannot express, the intense desire and the alternations of confidence and misgivings until one breaks through the clarity and understanding are known only to him who has himself experienced them" - Albert Einstein

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Hi Yaffle. Being as you are leaning towards Cabelas, take a look at their Ultralight wading boot. Under $50, and I have two seasons of use on mine and they are holding up well. I don't do a lot of hike in to my home waters which could be a factor, but they are comfortable and give nice support. I think they are a good value for the money.

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Bob

Just so that I know.
The Cabela's Back Country is listed as a "cleated rubber sole."
It doesn't seem to have metal cleats, but rather much the same as soccer shoes, a type of rubber cleat.
Is this the same as Aquastealths?
If not, which I believe to be the answer, then is it as good for gripping wet round rock stream bottoms?

I am still not decided, but cleated Auquastealths seem to be the popular choice for my type of use.

Tks -Yaf

I gotta go with Jed on this one. I never put my waders or wading boots on until I get to the stream. Some of them are a long, and often challenging hike to get to. I don't want to damage my waders or boots by falling, slipping, or having something fall on me, or an animal clawing or biting me, or anything else. That's why they make light, comfortable nylon day-packs. You can get one at Wal-Mart for less than $15.00 that will tote all your fly gear, waders and boots in comfort. I even have one that is bright International Yellow, so I can find it again when I set it down. (Don't get a camoflaged hunting type. I got a camo shirt one time, hung it in my closet, and now I can't find it anywhere.........)

Semper Fi!

Regardless of which boot you get, just make sure it's the right size. All the boots mentioned here are good, but none of them is worth having if they don't fit (which might be an argument against LLBean or other mailorder). I really like the Patagonia; i have the beefy wading shoe, which has been re-done. I've had Borgers and Chotas, but i like the business ethic of Patagonia, and they fit my feet better than either of my other boots. Couldn't be happier with them. When they wear out, i'll buy more Patagonia.

HTH,
kevin

[This message has been edited by Fr Fly (edited 10 January 2006).]

Yaffle,

The cleated rubber soles from Cabela's aren't the same as Aquastealth, and I believe would be slick on almost all surfaces, just a little bit more secure than wearing a pair of rubber bottomed sneakers on the water.

Aquastealth rubber was made originally for rock climbers who need extreme grip on rocks. It was retrofitted to be worn in the water, and has soft rubber feel that grabs hard surfaces. You'll find it better than other rubber soles.


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Jude
Late to bed,
Early to Rise,
Guide all day,
Tie more flies!
www.customflys.com

Jude tks for that, I assumed as much, but wasn't sure.
Kevin, great tip I'll keep this in mind.

I realize an Ideal way would be to hike in and then change into waders and wading boots.
I usually follow trails along creeks, follow creak beds, blaze my own trail perpendicular to the creek...
All while poking my nose into the creek and casting to fishy looking water when ever I can. It wouldn't be practicle for me to change into waders and boots each time, so I need something that'll wear well, and stick even better when I visit some of my slicky bottom rivers.

I have hiked many a mile per day in my current hip boot waders and also my chest boot waders, so I know what hiking in waders is all about.

I just recieved an e-mail from a Dealer here in Ontario and he'll be getting Aquastealth Studded boots in a few weeks at 200.00 Canadian. Approx 160.00 or so American. He didn't say weather these were Simms waders even though I asked specifically about the brand. I'll return his e-mail.

Is this a good price for this type of boot?
Are the other brands at a better price.
Like mentioned, I also couldn't find the LL Bean wader in studded Aquastealth.

Tks Yaf

If they are Simms, that may not be a bad price. Make sure they are Simms or LL Bean though because I think they are the only 2 with Aquastealth besides the Korkers. Here's the link to their lightweight L2 boots. They are available with Aquastealth soles, and you can put screws in the bottom to make the soles cleated. The nice thing about this is that you can change from studded to non-studded. The studded option is best for 80% of wading, but can be dangerous on slick, granite rocks that are polished by the river and dry. The algae covered ones are ok, but the large boulders you may sometimes scramble over to reach a destination can be iffy with studs. [url=http://www.simmsfishing.com/za/SIM?PAGE=PRODUCT_DETAILS&CAT=footwear&PROD.ID=1443 2:14585]http://www.simmsfishing.com/za/SIM?PAGE=PRODUCT_DETAILS&CAT=footwear&PROD.ID=1443 2[/url:14585]



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Jude
Late to bed,
Early to Rise,
Guide all day,
Tie more flies!
www.customflys.com

Just in case you haven't tried it for warm weather, wer a pair of nylon pants or whatever for wet wading. Tie the laces of your wading boots through your D-ring net holder and hike in wearing whatevr shoes you find most comfortable,

The cold mountain streams out here can still be pretty chilly in the warm weather but, on average, the whole day is a lot more pleasant than hiking in a long way wearing waders and wading boots.

I just had a big blow out with Chota yesterday. Their boots are comfortable but as far as I am concered I dont think they last very long and I dont feel like they stand behind their product. I would buy Simms Guide boots, that is what I am going back to.

I like the wienbrenners very good boots my mom and step dad both have a pair and they have lasted through two or three sole replacements and still going strong, plus its the same money for studded or regular.

LL Bean has in their Hunting Gear sale section the Korkers Wetlands interchangeable sole (felt and felt studded) insert which should cover all fishing situations. Very nice price, too!