Aqua-Stealth?

[Stonefly Nymph]

Can someone please tell me about Simms Aqua-Stealh and what advantages/disadvantages does it have against normal felt...

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"Fear No Fish"

[ozarkflyflinger57]

I have LL Bean aqua stealth and like it a lot. Foot problems dictated a solid foundations and folks recommended it. Mine have the carbide studs (recommended) and I have had no trouble. A benefit is they don't hold water and mud and therefore are lighter when walking back to the car.

Dan

[dryflie]

Stonefly, even without discussing the bottoms the Simms are a heavy duty shoe designed for long wear and tear. With a natural leather upper they provide great ankle and arch support as well. My choice of the AquaStealth sole (with studs) over the felt had a lot to do with the walking and hiking I do while fishing. The rubber soles are just a whole lot easier to walk in. The Studs are necessary, in my opinion, with the Aqua soles and I would get them for the improved traction in and out of the water. Long story short, I wanted a long lasting, durable shoe that I could comfortably hike in and I wanted studs for extra grip. I looked at many different brands and selected the Simms. Two seasons now and they are going great.

Al

[TxEngr]

I've got the Bean AquaStealth soles and really like them. I can wear them in and some of the places I fish I have to go up and down some embankments, so the support is great. Mine don't have the studs and I will get them next time. Mine are fine except one place I fish that has large flat rocks that can be slicker than owls...you know what. If I don't place my feet perfectly flat on the rocks, then it's slipin' and slidin' time. But they wear very well.

TxEngr

[Bob S]

From my experience, felt is better in the water than straight rubber, (no studs). Felt is dangerous on dry rock, it slides. Rubber is terrific on dry rock. I hear the rubber with the carbide studs are the ticket. When the studs are heads of sheet metal screws, I hear they don't grip dry rock as well as the carbide studs which are pointed.
Bob

I have the Bean AS's and love them. I would disagree with Bob S on the "rubber" vs. felt however. Reason being is that Aquastealths "aren't your daddy's rubber boots" and from my experience beat felt on every surface except one: slippery algae. On that, the felt does a better job of moving that slime out of the way and making contact with the rock or bottom.

I have tried mine on quite a few different types of bottoms and they beat felt overall in my opinion. The properties of that 5-10 stuff amaze me.

[Ray]

I have owned the Simm's Stealth for 3 seasons now. I have the ones with the studs. They are by far the best boot I've ever owned, I can't think of a single disadvantage. They are also great when hiking through the snow, no build-up like felt, I also think they last longer, felt wears out, they will also dry alot faster. I say buy them!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention one of the biggest advantages: less spread of diseases.

Stuff can't live on rubber like in the felt. I also like the fact that it doesn't continue to drain water all over my floorboard as I drive from spot to spot on the river like felt does.

[Stonefly Nymph]

Sounds great...now just gotta find a pair in my size at a resonable price. They have the size in the L2 boot I need but I don't want to spend that much as I will grow out of them. I want to pay the price of the new Rivertek boots that have the Aqua-Stealth feature but they don't have my size...

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"Fear No Fish"

ive said it before, and ill say it again. when it comes to friction, nothing beats stealth rubber.

i havent used the wading specific shoes, but i have used shoes made by 5.10 (developers of stealth rubber) designed for kayaking and canyoneering. goes from wet rock to dry rock, with maximum friction and minimal worry.

5.10 developed stealth rubber for rockclimbing, and with the advent of aquastealth rubber, were getting ready to enter an age of safe wading . there is absolutely nothing i trust more when high friction and traction are a necessity, rather than a luxury...