Wading Soles?

[sldrose]

 

 

Hi,

 

I have a pair of the korkers - redside with the kling-on rubber sole and find them

really slippery in the bow.

 

I was wondering which sole most people prefer when wading the Bow?

 

I haven't yet tried out the felt soles on the korkers.

 

Does anyone use cleated rubber? and would this do a good enough job?

 

Thanks

 

[darrinhurst]

For the best traction, get the felt with the studs.

[SilverDoctor]

You could also do this, see my blog. Best traction I've ever had. Korkers also offer replaceable souls with cleats.

[Jayhad]

For the best traction, get the felt with the studs.

X2

[SilverDoctor]

What I really like about Korkers you can have studded soles for wading and flip over really easily for hiking or in the boat.

[bhurt]

I have also bought the clets that Silver Docter talks about in his blog and tried them out the other night and found them to be absoultly amazing.

[Toirtis]

X2

 

x3.

 

That being said, prepare to replace any felt-soled boots before too long....there has been a lot of talk about the spread of Didymo in Western Canada lately, and every report and article I have read are blaming felt-soled wading boots as being 90%+ responsible, so I suspect that we will be adopting an Alaska-like law before too long.

 

Currently, I am in the habit of giving my felt soles a 10 minute soak in 75ºC water with a couple capfuls of bleach in it between outings.....it is enough to kill any Didymo hanging on, without the need to ensure that the soles are bone-dry between wades.

[SilverDoctor]

I agree, there will be legislation against felt here eventually. Felt does harbor species more readily as it does dry slower than other parts of equipment. That said there has been virtually no talk about all the other bits of equipment such as waders, bootlaces, nets, packs and soft equipment that get wet. Not to mention things like boat anchors and ropes. Seems to me felt soles have been a really easy target that have made the boot manufacturers happy. What it has not done is create an alternate soul material to felt, that is as safe nor have manufacturers included the steps to treat the "new and improved" equipment. Lets not fool ourselves just because we treat our boots or don't have felt doesn't mean we still aren't carrying evasive species. Unfortunately the message out there seems to say ban felt and we'll be OK. it doesn't stress the other things you should do, nor does it take into account responsible fishers who take the time to decontaminate our equipment.

 

At 62 and I no longer leap from rock to rock like a sleek gazelle, more at times like a hippo on acid. So I could use all the traction I can get. Nowadays I almost never wade without my staff. I use the same method as you with the bleach. It does work. The reason I went with the Korkers is so that I can remove the soles and treat them independently. In the past treating the whole boot with bleach even a dilute solution has shortened the life of the stitching, always the first thing to go on my boots. I have always treated my boot stitching with mink oil which extends the life considerably. Bleach removes it quickly. I usually spray my boots with a hose and let them dry, they dry quickly. That is unless I am fishing new waters the next day, then the whole boot gets the treatment. Thanks Toirtis for mentioning the treatment.

 

 

x3.

 

That being said, prepare to replace any felt-soled boots before too long....there has been a lot of talk about the spread of Didymo in Western Canada lately, and every report and article I have read are blaming felt-soled wading boots as being 90%+ responsible, so I suspect that we will be adopting an Alaska-like law before too long.

 

Currently, I am in the habit of giving my felt soles a 10 minute soak in 75ºC water with a couple capfuls of bleach in it between outings.....it is enough to kill any Didymo hanging on, without the need to ensure that the soles are bone-dry between wades.

 

[CDone]

Read recently where Simms is going back to felt http://www.anglingtrade.com/2011/06/30/sim...t-face-on-felt/

 

one quote from the article that agrees with what SD is saying "In truth, aquatic nuisances can be transported in many boot materials, not just felt. In some ways, the notion that an angler got a “free pass” from cleaning boots by buying models with rubber soles was as dangerous as it will be to allow responsible choices and encourage responsible care regarding felt."

 

Colin

 

 

[sldrose]

You could also do this, see my blog. Best traction I've ever had. Korkers also offer replaceable souls with cleats.

 

Hi All,

thanks for the advice.

 

The Simms HardBite cleats look really good, but are a bit pricey. Half the price of my boots.

SD, have you lost any of the cleats as yet?

 

I'll give the plain felt a go tomorrow, and if i need the cleats i've heard that hex head metal screws can be used.

 

If that's no good, i'll have to suck it up and get the HardBite cleats.

 

thanks

 

Sean

 

 

 

[SilverDoctor]

Haven't lost a cleat Sean, I have also used hex metal screws for many years as I mentioned in my blog, a nice very cheap alternative and never lost one of those either. You can easily unscrew em if you are in a driftboat. They do wear as they are much softer than the star cleats and depending on how much mileage you get out of your boots. But they are very easily replaced.

 

 

 

Hi All,

thanks for the advice.

 

The Simms HardBite cleats look really good, but are a bit pricey. Half the price of my boots.

SD, have you lost any of the cleats as yet?

 

I'll give the plain felt a go tomorrow, and if i need the cleats i've heard that hex head metal screws can be used.

 

If that's no good, i'll have to suck it up and get the HardBite cleats.

 

thanks

 

Sean