I need new wader boots. Choice is down to Cabelas Master Guide $69.95 or Simms Freestone $79.95. Opinions and experience ?? Please speak up as I am retiring Aug 1st and intend to spend most of Aug and Sept in Colorado trying out the Dan Craft one weight I just built. Thanks for youe input. Joe
Sounds like a textbook application for rock-paper-scissor.
I think you’d do well with either boot. Any chance you can try them both on?
JB
I have the Cabela’s Master Guide and would recommend them to anyone else.
Joe,
Do you need ALL that ankle support?
I like my Chotas STL like in the sponsor page [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cgi-bin/clickcount.pl?url=flyanglersonline.com/about/chota/:a24b6]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cgi-bin/clickcount.pl?url=flyanglersonline.com/about/chota/[/url:a24b6]
Like 'em quite a bit. Medium support, but not too heavy either.
They’ve stood up well after 2 or 3 seasons, … no problems so far. I use the cleats, but then I don’t use a boat either 
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:a24b6]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:a24b6]
Ilike to hike in sometimes several miles. Ankle support ranks fairly high on scale. Closest fly shop is a long way off so I am buying sight unseen
JoeD, I use the Freestones and love them. I have hiked a lot in them and they hold up well.
Norm
I have the Simms L2. They are made a lot sturdier and felt like it gave a lot more support. They are also lighter. A bit more money but the difference was worth it to me.
Joe
JoeD,
IC, … Good point, … Back when I was fit, I’d hike in too. There is also a couple beats here that take 45-60 minutes to walk in. On those days, I prefer to put the waders 'n stuff in a good pack and walk in with real hiking boots.
My feet are pretty beat up from too many years in the bush, so I take care of 'em with appropriate foot wear at all time (else I can hardly walk on them the next morning).
Old school habits … The horse, the saddle, the soldier
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:320bf]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:320bf]
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 28 May 2005).]
JoeD,
I would recommend the Cabela’s boots highly. I owned a pair that lasted 3 1/2 yrs of solid use and quite a bit of abuse. During the time that I had them, I used to fish with bait alot, and a buddy and I would usually gather our own. More often than not that involved standing in riffles and doing a mega super san juan shuffle while the other guy held the net below. I was generally the shuffler. If the boots held up that well to the kind of use I put them through, I would imagine they would serve you fine. They are fairly comfy for hiking in, I did that alot too. Ankle support is outstanding. Better than some alot of the dry land boots I’ve owned. For the money, they can’t be beat.
Jeff
dead fish don’t make reel music
I have the Simms Freestone and a pair of Chota STL. I have studs on the Chotas and wear them on streams that are especially tough to wade. The Freestons have great ankle and foot support, which I like a lot. Maybe they are a shade heavy compared to some others, but I like them.
JoeD,
I have a pair of the Cabela’s Master Guide boots that I have worn for several years. They have been durable and much more comfortable than I would have thought. I recently bought a pair of Korker Convertibles, with easily exchanged soles. The Korker Wetlands are available for $79.95, and come with rubber hiking soles and felt soles which can be changed in about a minute. You can also purchase extra soles in studded felt, AquaStealth, or studded AquaStealth. These boots are shorter than the Master Guide, but are built like a hiking boot and about as comfortable.
Larry Compton
What about the Cabelas Backcountry wading boots? Ive had them for 2 years now and they have held up well. Great ankle support and cheaper than the Master Guides. Just another suggestion.
Seege