Does anyone know what states currently have a ban on felt soles? All I know is that Maryland does, and I can’t seem to find a definitive list on what other states do.
Vermont has a ban on them too, as you said I’ve never seen a listing but you’d have to check each state.
All I know is, I have a $100 pair of felt soles that are like new and comfortable. I’m gonna be ticked off if NJ or PA bans them. 
Bah humbug, but here’s a list anyway:
The only way there gonna get the felt soles off me is when I’m floating belly down in a river!
Hmmmm! Korkers with changable soles. All kinds of crap can get in there!! But legal because not felt? Give me a break!!
legal 'cause you can take them apart and expose all the surfaces easily to salt water and a scrub brush (which we should all do–every time!). just can’t do that with felt.
Seems to me that ducks & geese cause more problems than felt soles, but they can’t be legislated. We can.
If you have a pair of the felt sole replacement Korker’s soles “you can them apart and expose all the surfaces easily to salt water and a scrub brush” too but they are still not legal in Maryland. I doubt even the new Svelte synthetic “felt” would pass muster in the Old Line State yet I bet it absorbs less “invasives” than a one piece rubber bottom shoe and all of its nooks & crannies.
Vilifying felts soles and embracing the alternatives is like driving a Prius or using one of those reusable shopping bags; the results will be negligible or nonexistent. It’s more about making a statement than making a real difference.
Maybe we can get our felt soles registered for use on X (stream of choice), until they are no longer serviceable? At least all the presently made felt-soled wading shoes could be phased out through attrition! Yeah, I know - too hard to implement - just thinking out loud! LOL!!
Best regards, Dave Leaky Wader
I could not have said it better. Thank you Mr. Bamboozle.
fishbum
Not here in Montana, yet. Lots of grumbling though.
Sometimes I wish I had not purchases my felt-soled wading shoes at the beginning of last season. I think I wear out my felt from hiking on the rocks & boulders more than from wading. On my walks back to the car I wonder if a rubber-soled shoe/boot would feel better walking on dry ground.
One of our local guides and shop owner is really upset about the transition from felt to rubber. He’s convinced that personal safety is taking a backseat to a politcially correct idea.
I think your guide friend hit the nail on the head.
Jeff
If I read it right, the Montana bill didn’t make it out of committe which means it is dead, not being implimented, which means I’m okay for this July at West Yellowstone.
I’ve found that plain rubber isn’t too bad for walking on dry ground, but on some of my boots that have the pointed type of studs I can feel the studs and they are anything but comfortable to walk in on a dry, hard surface.
I also have a pair of Simms Guide boots with rubber soles and flat metal cleats that are not as uncomfortable to walk in on dry ground, but these boots are heavy, so I wouldn’t want to walk in them any great distance.
The problem I have is that rubber without cleats is virtually useless for wading in most places I fish, so I rarely have plain rubber soled boots to walk on (except I have done that with my Simms Guide boots where the spikes are removable).
While I have been known to hike 10+ miles in water logged felt soled wading shoes when WET wading, it isn’t exactly my favorite pastime but I know I can do it. So on a few occasions when I know I’m going in and out the same way; I’ll bring my GPS and hike in wearing a less loved proper pair of hiking shoes and stash them in the woods near my starting spot marking it with my GPS so I can find them for the hike out.
So far it has worked out well although I expect some day to find them MIA or see some bear walking around with hiking boots on. 