aquastealth: with studs?

[nuthatch]

I am getting a pair of aquastealth boots (LL Bean) and wonder if I need studs. 95% of my fishing is in spring creeks with sand, mud and gravel bottoms, lined with sometimes steep grassy/muddy banks. The other 5% is on freestone creeks out West. Since I'm not on snotty boulders, do I need the studs? For the sake of stealth should I skip the studs? Many thanks for any comments.

[FlyFishingTexas]

nuthatch --

I have those boots from LLBEAN and they are awesome. The only thing I would say is - do you ever get guided or fish from a boat where you might wade later in the day? You dont want studs in a boat. That being said, I have both pairs...I have one pair with studs, one without.

I did slip one time in the non-studded pair on a solid rock bottom covered with algea, but its hard to say if it was my wading technique (going WAY too fast in water over my hips) or if it was the boot to blame. I've never slipped with the studs.

Hope that helps.

You might consider getting a pair of Korker Konvertibles because then you can buy a pair of the studded Aquastealth inserts and then a pair of regular aquastealths without studs. I like mine for that reason. A little more in price but for the functionality I think its well worth it. ~RobJ

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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

[nuthatch]

Thanks. I have considered Korkers, but it would cost me $190 to get the two types of aquastealth soles, and that is just too much money. Also, I think the hiking boot style of the Bean boots might give better support.

[Rawthumb]

The TX poster above is correct about studs in a boat. But there is a way to deal with that, and that is to go to a Wally mart and buy mats to go in the boat.

I have Simm A/S and have not put the studs in yet. I am not sure how you are supposed to take them out and how hard ti would be. Mine are fairly new, and I have only worn them for duck hunting thus far. I wanted the rubber over felt in the mud, the felt were a headache and they had pemanent studs.

I would not wear the studs in the mud and sand, and would insert them before going somewhere like the San Juan with lots of slick rocks.

[MIKE_24701]

I've used a slip on stud bottom for walking on ice when I worked on the railroad, and just happened to have a few pair at the house when i retired. I use them on my felt bottomed waders and they seem to work fine. You can take them off or put them on at anytime in just minutes.

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If it is to be, it's up to me

[greyfox]

Hi nut,

I just bought a pair of Beans's Aquastealth w/o studs but haven't used them yet. My reasoning for going without studs was the same as yours. The freestone streams I fish are rocky, but don't have too much algae growth. I figured the aquastealth soles would be perfect for hiking, bank-walking and rock-hopping. If I happen to be fishing a "snotty" stream, I'll use my old felt soled Weinbrenners.

Will

[Dpollipo]

Nuthatch, I suggest that you get felt soled, non-studded boots.

I have LL Bean studded Aquastealths, and would not be without them for winter steelhead fishing. I have also owned the LOL Bean Aquastealth without studs, and while they are fine boots I believe that felt soles are best for most applications. The studs will help on the slick slopes and banks but the felts are better on the other bottoms you will fish.

I feel that the studs are disadvantageous when you are on the smooth rocks you encounter in the western freestone streams. The felt gives you more traction. I suggest that, for the kind of fishing you will do, unstudded felt soles are best.

I fish the surf and use Korkers, because the longer spikes bite better into the weedy rocks than the short ceramic studs on the Bean Aquastealth.

I also own a pair of Chotas, felt soled with removable studs (really machine screw heads)
and if the Chotas fit you that might be a good choice. Add the studs when yoiu need them. The Chotas have a great quick release lacing system, although the elastic laces do tend to break. I have removed and reinserted the studs withoout problem although I'm concerned that the screw holes might get jammed up with coarse gravel or the like.

[BigFlatBrook]

To add my voice to the good advice above -- one of my favorite streams is very rocky with a fairly high overall gradient. Wading is required to reach some locations. I really like studs and a wading staff on that stream. On everything else, the studs are overkill, and even somewhat of a pain.

For SE MN and SW WI the LL Beans w/ aquastealth w/out studs will be perfect for you. Many of the anglers in those parts, including myself, use the aquastealths or the Cabela's backcountry boots. The support is good for short hikes, and the soles don't cake w/ snow during the winter season like felts do.