Which is better? slipery rocks!
Rubber vs Felt
Which is better? slipery rocks!
It depends on the rocks.
I own 5 pair of wading shoes with everything from true wool felt to cleated synthetic felt to the Five Ten rubber soles now offered on many wading shoes and all get their day on the water. Some places I need cleats, others felt is best and in some creeks the rubber is all I need. It may sound extravagant but I haven?t fallen in over 20 years and I can rotate my shoes so they last longer.
The absolute best grip, (sans cleats) I've ever had is with a TRUE wool felt soled wading shoe. Unfortunately the only brand I'm aware of with true wool felt is Russell and they are expensive and require a lot of TLC to make them last.
Chota STL Plus with removable and REPLACEABLE cleats come second; and my rubber soled Five Ten shoes come last.
BUT, on some creeks the rubber soled shoes excel and I love the fact they dry out quickly but on other creeks I go to they just don?t cut it. In my opinion if the creek is VERY rocky, (or Rocky II as I call it), you are better off with felt. Unfortunately the only way you find out is to try them and that may not be an option. Several companies make shoes with interchangeable soles like Korkers and Orvis but the only rubber sole I have tried and can recommend is the Five Ten sole.
It really depends on how much you want to spend and how you plan to care for them but I would make sure the shoe FITS and is comfortable first, then chose the best fitting shoe with a felt sole. If you go the felt route and the shoe is expensive make sure you can replace the soles because they will wear out over time. If the shoe is inexpensive replacing the whole shoe may be simpler.
More like Rocky V , the problem is you can't purchase a anything here so I plan getting as much advise as I can get before importing. About falling I am down to about 20 per day.
If it is that rocky I recommend plain felt soles that you can replace since they will wear out quicker. If you have to import that will add to your problems so see if you can order extra soles and heels at the same time.
Cleated soles will get you in trouble if you have to replace them so again if access is a problem because of your location, consider that. Cleated sole shoes are very difficult if not impossible to replace when the felt gets worn. In all honestly the Korker Konvertable shoe with the switchable soles may be your best option.
[url=http://www.korkers.com/product%20page/7500wkg.html:f22c4]http://www.korkers.com/product%20page/7500wkg.html[/url:f22c4]
I have heard good things about the system and it gives you the flexibility of choosing several different soles for different conditions. They come with both rubber soles for walking to the stream and felts when you order them. They also offer the Aqua Stealth sole as an option which is the Five Ten product I referred to. When the soles wear out they can be replaced in seconds.
Go to a shoe store and have them measure your foot with two pair of heavy socks on to get an idea of the size shoe you need. Some manufacturers say order your normal shoe size others say go one size up. If you are a half size you go ? to 1-1/2 up. If this is the route you choose maybe someone with direct experience with the shoe can recommend how to choose your size.
Good luck!
In my local area (Rocky Mtn's) there are streams with very slick algea covered rocks and water fast enough to be dangerous. Several people die each year during the run off. As a result I fish with felt soles and steel cleats.
The cleats are less comfortable on long hikes, kind of like walking with a stone stuck in the sole of your shoe. No one will let you into a boat with cleats, so I also have a plain felt pair.
The felt will pick up snow (not a big problem where you are I suppose) and can be very slick on muddy spots.
I have yet to see a rubber sole that can stick to wet slim covered rocks the way felt can. I have seen some boots with a rubber sole that has felt patches inset into the heel and toe.
I prefer the Patagonia Beefy Wading shoe and its cleat system. The cleats barely protrude through the felt, giving you the advantage of having both carbide spikes and felt on the rocks.
Found them on sale: [url=http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.79996/dept_id.L2~349/qx/product.htm:48bc0]http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.79996/dept_id.L2~349/qx/product.htm[/url:48bc0]
I haven't tried any rubber soled boots yet, but might if I lived in a whirling disease affected area.
I have 7 or 8 pairs in many combos and prefer felt with cleats.
My favorites are the Chota STL Plus with removable and REPLACEABLE cleats.
My girlfriend has the Chota "classics" and we screwed sheet metal screws right into the felt and they work fine too.
Felt seems to works best for me on wet and/or slimy rocks and the cleats help alot on muddy trails.
My 0.02$
------------------
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:7a8ab]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:7a8ab]
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 14 March 2005).]
Christopher Chin
I used to be a huge fan of felt soles until I got a pair of Chota Citico Creeks with the replaceable cleats. I tried them without the cleats and with. On the local rivers I'm definately a fan of the cleats. It takes about 5 minutes to remove the cleats if I'm climbing into my buddies drift boat.
My wife has the Chota STL's and loves them, also with the replaceable and removable cleats.
REE
I've had a pair of LL Bean wading boots with the AquaStealth rubber soles with studs and they've been a powerhouse on all of the riverbottoms I've used them on (quite a few). I bought a second pair without studs to wear in the boat, and had them on the other day and slipped on an algae covered rock into the drink....but I'd still reccommend the rubber soles. They work well and I tend to NOT slip on the bank when looking for a new spot like my buddy with the felt soles seems to do every trip!
For slick algae covered rocks NOTHING beats the Simm's aquastealth with the carbide studs. They are also confortable hiking boots for walking to and from the river.
The man who coined the phrase "Money can't buy happiness", never bought himself a good fly rod!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote