Quote Originally Posted by JohnScott View Post


P.S. I do believe that in some situations, like tilted, very hard, and very smooth rock surfaces, studs can be dangerous, presenting a significant slipping hazard. I'm wondering if Rosenbauer included a warning about that hazard to go along with the decision they made to not sell rubber soled wading boots without studs ??
John,

I ask you to listen to the entire podcast.

Stud placement is extremely important so that both rubber and studs; or in the case of felt soles, both felt and studs contact the surface. You are right in that anytime JUST the studs contact a hard surface, they can slip. Tom addresses stud placement and the extensive testing they did to find the right pattern on their boots.

As a boot tester for Weinbrenner, I've tested a few boots in my time. Studs should not project out of a material more than the material can compress. The fact is that the felt or rubber compresses allowing both studs and sole material to contact the surface. If the studs project too far, they can prevent the sole material from contacting the walking surface.

Look at the stud pattern on the boot below that I tested. Studs are too close together and project too far. I actually fell while standing on a rock while wearing these boots.They were cheaper imports Weinbrenner was thinking of marketing, but I told them not to import them.



Look at the boots below with the studs spread apart more and an absence of studs at the ball of the foot. The side view shoes that the studs are flush with the felt. You can't even see the studs. Also notice the stacked heel on the side view. The top of a round rock would have the edge of the stacked heel digging into the surface. The lack of a staked heel on the cheepo imports made for poor traction.






The current version of the Simms Freestone below also has a one piece sole WITHOUT a stacked heel. there is one piece sloping heel. This is a money saving design that limits the heel cutout and limits the amount of the curve of a smooth rock the heel can accommodate. I hate one piece sole/heel construction because it limits the the traction on sloping hard surfaces. There is a reason that top quality hiking boots have a separate sole and heel construction. The front of the heel digs in while going down slippery slopes and standing on round rocks.