Patagonia has a new wading boot available and the sole is available in two types. Stick rubber or traditional felt with studs. My question is which is a better all around sole?
Depends on what you walk on. I wade over rocks, logs, moss etc, so I like felt with studs. I haven’t tried the newer sticky rubber though.
Felt sticks well to rocks and the studs help in mud, snow, moss and logs.
Also, I replace the felt on my boots. I’m not sure you can do that with rubber soled models.
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 22 February 2005).]
Molded soles get real slick in cold water.From a person who filled a pair of chest waders with 34 degree water I will take felt in almost all instances except muck. In an effort to really cop out, different tools serve different situations. I bought felt first and added a pair of molded later. I don’t regret either purchase.
Personally I would not wear either felt or Rubber without studs. My preference is the AquaStealths with studs over felt with studs. Easier to hike and climb in and they don’t collect mud or snow.
Al
I went from felt to studded aquastealth and will never go back to felt again.The rivers I wade have slick rock bottoms and the studded soles handle them better than felt ever did.The rubber soles dont slide in the mud either.
No one who cares about their boat, raft or driftboat will let you in with studs. Just something to think about.
I have felt with screw-in studs. I like the “screw-in” feature for two reasons…1) I can take them out if I’m going in a drift boat. 2) I can replace them with new ones when the old ones wear out. There’s some discussion going on whether simple 3/8 hex head screws used as studs are not good…in my mind they’d be o.k. 'cause they don’t cost much, ergo replacing them every season, or even every month if need be, is feasible. As to felt, I wade freestone rivers, tail waters, edges of gravel pits, etc…I like felt w/ studs.
Snow on the roof with fire in the hearth
The aquastealth rubber soles are meant to replace felt in rivers that harbor fish with whirling disease. These soles do not pick up muck and paraistes thus preventing any parastie transportation.
Unless that applies to you, I would stick with felt.
I always get a chuckle when I hear someone say that rubber soles don’t slip in the mud. Must be made out of some kind of magic rubber… 