Korkers

[Birddog]

I need to change one of the wires on my Korkers, does any body know if its cheaper to order from Korker or do some of the stores carry them?

AL

[ironfly]

Have you contacted Korkers? In my experience they have unsurpassed customer service.

[flyfishfairwx]

Got mine free from Korkers......!!!!

 

and Bolo has great service also..

[headscan]

Fish Tales carries Korkers so you might want to see if they have replacement laces. If it's a warranty thing I think they might be able to help you out with that too.

[maxwell]

fishtales has replacement laces and the dial aswell... not much money at all.. way cheaper than getting new boots!!!

[reevesr1]

I need to replace one of my "laces" as well. Starting to fray after 1.5 yrs (and lord knows how many trips).

 

I also did some at home shoe repair on a couple of the seams using a leather repair thread and a big ass needle. Figure I can milk them for another season or two.

[bhurt]

I wish my boats lasted for more then a year, but the amount of wear and tear I put on them it is diffently worth the money. In my experince my boots falls apart before the laces, the only time the laces fell apart was when I really needed to replace my boots but didn't have the money at the time, but after that I make sure I have a spare 200 in my account in case I need to replace my boots.

[Taco]

Buy top of the line Simms and replace them every couple of yrs of fishin' days. I own and still use a pair of early Freestones that probably got a 1000 walkin' days

[alan2]

Buy top of the line Simms and replace them every couple of yrs of fishin' days. I own and still use a pair of early Freestones that probably got a 1000 walkin' days

 

Haha--that's a laugh and an indication of how far you must actually walk, too.

I have a pair of those expensive $300 Simms guideboots with the streamtread rubber soles. Those soles wore out in just 23 days of fishing (because I actually walk a fair bit, never fish from a boat). With shipping costs to and from Vancouver (where they have to be sent) it cost me $180 for resoling. What a rip! Might as well just buy some other cheapie boots new each time instead of resoling those Simms. I have gone through 3 sets of soles now since June of last year. Those 23 days on the soles works out to $8/day in boot wear costs. There's probably no other footwear that can match that, including whatever the astronauts wear.

 

I'm sure the soles last much longer if you stay on grassy river banks like along the Bow, but if you're actually out there exploring and fishing along Livingston, Oldman, Wigwam, Castle etc those rubber soles simply don't last. They are way too thin to begin with, but so far Simms doesn't seem to care one bit about the life expectancy.

[brownonbow]

I've got the simms boot (not sure of the model)as well and I've gotta say I am really happy with them. I had previously wore out my boots in a year or maybe two. I stepped up to the simms boot and I gotta say for me they are worth the $ They've got to be 3 yrs old already and still going strong. I do fish mostly the bow, which the other boots could not even stand up to.

 

Alan2, have you tried vibran soles? Maybe they would go the distance for the rocks.

[Taco]

about 14 yrs, 1000 days, original felt soles, probably 150-200 1/2" sheet medal screws, a dozen or so sets of laces, a 5-10 km walk back to the truck not unusual and I make a point of not fishing pussyassed streams like the Bow and it's mongrels. I'd rather follow the hatchery truck.

[reevesr1]

Now that made my day.

 

Taco, I always knew you exaggerated how much you walked. The proof is in the fact you don't wear out your boots fast enough. I guess that day we fished together and walked, and walked, and walked must have been an aberration. Maybe if you manned up and fished the pussyass bow more often you would wear out your boots faster like a real man.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tungsten]

about 14 yrs, 1000 days, original felt soles, probably 150-200 1/2" sheet medal screws, a dozen or so sets of laces, a 5-10 km walk back to the truck not unusual and I make a point of not fishing pussyassed streams like the Bow and it's mongrels. I'd rather follow the hatchery truck.

 

My guess is 10 minutes on the Bow with those boots and you'd be laying in the water.

1000 days Pfft,what do you have a carpeted path to your fishing holes?

[Taco]

Real Texans wear their boots out from the inside or so I hear or has the Bow turn you soft?

 

and Tungsten...I don't know if I wanna start laying in the Bow, might start growin' titties...

[alan2]

Alan2, have you tried vibran soles? Maybe they would go the distance for the rocks.

 

Yep, those are the wondrous vibram streamtread soles I'm wearing out. They are not even 1/4" thick even when they are brand new, unlike vibram hiking boot soles that are much thicker to start with. They are a softer rubber than hiking boot vibram too, so they grip the wet rock etc better. Sometimes they do grip well, but seldom any better than felt. And they cost a lot more to replace.

 

Seems obvious that the folks at Simms really don't do any amount of walking when they fish with those boots or they would have beefed up the soles already. I suspect they are mostly a bunch of floaters.

[Taco]

[Tungsten]

You bought the guide boots,you should have bought the fly fisherman boots.

[chiasson]

That sucks about the Simms boots, it doesn't sound like them to overlook something like that. Everything I've bought of theirs has been top notch. My wife and I between us have two pairs of waders, one pair of boots (hers), a pair of their sandals and a guide vest. It's all bullet proof, so far at least. My boots are Korker guides, I like em a lot. They fit me perfectly and have held up amazingly well but they're not as sturdy as the Simms wife has though. I'm surprised that Simms hasn't came out with a replaceable sole boot.

[Buck]

My boots are Korker guides, I like em a lot. They fit me perfectly and have held up amazingly well but they're not as sturdy as the Simms wife has though. I'm surprised that Simms hasn't came out with a replaceable sole boot.

 

 

I have the guides too, got them last spring and they pretty much fell apart this past weekend. With the experience I had, along with some buddies who have owned korkers, the life expectancy on these boots just aren't up to par. I'm not too sure what brand I'm going to try next....hopefully something that can with stand atleast 2 years of back country fishing....suggestions anyone?

[Taco]

Ah... I'm pretty damn sure Alan2 would disagree but I'm buying the Simms Guide Boots and putting the star hardbites cleats in them because I'm sure they will last based on past experience.

[reevesr1]

I have the guides too, got them last spring and they pretty much fell apart this past weekend. With the experience I had, along with some buddies who have owned korkers, the life expectancy on these boots just aren't up to par. I'm not too sure what brand I'm going to try next....hopefully something that can with stand atleast 2 years of back country fishing....suggestions anyone?

Buck,

If they broke at the seams like mine did, you can get a big ass needle and leather repair thread from Michaels or similar and sew them up. I did mine, took about an hour. They will get me through this season for sure (2nd one). I really do love them, but I don't know what I'm going to do for the next pair. For the money, I too would have expected more life. I think Santa could be bringing me some Simms (and I know someone reading this now who is chuckling to themselves, to him I say blah, blah, and when you gonna take me dry fly fishing the Bow youngster?)

 

 

 

[Tungsten]

Interesting to see OPO on boots.One question i have is felt the same on all boots?Or does a $300 pair have different felt then say a $100 pair?

Out of all the pairs I've had over the years the felt is worn out long before the boots.

[Taco]

Interesting to see OPO on boots.One question i have is felt the same on all boots?Or does a $300 pair have different felt then say a $100 pair?

Out of all the pairs I've had over the years the felt is worn out long before the boots.

 

I'm sure there's different grades of felt but the only reason the felts have lasted as they did on my boots is because I studded them with 15-16 sheetmetal screws per boot at all times. I've never had any luck refelting wading boots

 

[ironfly]

Back in my retail days we supplied a prominent fisheries technology firm. Their technicians put gear through the wringer, and they all discuss gear amonst themselves and with the retail staff. After many different people had used and abused pretty much every wading boot available, their devotion to Korkers borders on company policy. Individual experiences can vary, but group profiles paint a pretty clear picture, IMO.

[Tungsten]

I'm sure there's different grades of felt but the only reason the felts have lasted as they did on my boots is because I studded them with 15-16 sheetmetal screws per boot at all times. I've never had any luck refelting wading boots

I'm looking to do the same,I'm assuming your putting them in from the bottom yes?Head exposed?

Also do they get pushed back in after walking on them?And how much are you leaving exsposed?