Felt wading boots are absolutely worthless in southwestern wisconsin.

I owned one pair of them about 16 years ago. Felt was trendy because the "real"

trout anglers from outwest wear them so i was feeling the peer pressure and purchased

my "felt" bottomed boots.

Wisconsin early season is lots of snow and lots of frozen banks to get up and down.

Before long my boots looked like 2 big clumps of snow. They were new so I was

giving them a real look at to make an informed decision on an opinion.

I was getting tired of walking like "Herman Munster" and decided to go down a bank

to walk in the stream to get the snow and ice build up off my boots.

I started down a sheer bank and the next thing you know I was skiing down it.

I made it all the way to the bottom without falling. I was so proud of myself.

There I stood in the water and I noticed I was tangled up in some old barb wire and

I had a small hole in my new waders above the right knee. I fished a short time

and my wader filled up with water.

I took my waders off to check my right leg for leaks. My right bootie of my waders

was filled with water. Upon closer inspection it was NOT water it was blood.

My skiing trip down the bank and hitting the fence in full flight caused a huge

cut above my right knee that required 13 sutures to close. I threw away the piece

of crap felt boots at the clinic in the dumpster after one use.

I now use ONLY lugged soled wading boots and my favorites are Cabelas Back Countries.