Vibram soles

[ÜberFly]

1 hour ago, Aphelps said:

I missed that post!  Good to know the work pretty well.  I just installed the hex screws on my 5 year old Simms.  Out of curiosity, what length did you use on your boots?  I went with a 1/2" #8  

What ever the Patagonia ones are ... I think that's what they are.

 

FYI

https://www.hatchmag.com/blog/tip-stop-grossly-overpaying-wading-boot-studs/771153

 

 

 

 

[Nachako]

On 2017-10-05 at 1:23 PM, Current said:

I've used regular sheet metal screws. They work fine but do wear out after time. I keep a box of screws and a battery-powered screwdriver in my wading bag. The slot-head ones add extra grip! 

 

Also Lee Valley has something called “Icers” that are very similar. I just ordered some extras for my grippers that I use for clients on Canyon walks. 

Which got me thinking out side the box. Though I have never done it . What about using Yak Tracks or the Icers .

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=40911&cat=2,51676,40911

 

[tika]

I've gone to the Redington studs for a bit of cost saving. They come with a handy pocket driver. Great for the Bow slime and wear pretty good.

Fishtales stocks them.

https://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-waders/goat-head-sole-spikes

[eagleflyfisher]

This may derail this thread.

if it wasn't so frowned upon I'd like to go back to my felts of old.

i mentioned this to friend yesterday and he made a pretty valid point I thought.

for every fisherman wearing felt soles how many hundreds or thousands of waterfowl are flying from one water body to the next transferring the whirling parasite.

It's likely whirling disease has been around for a good long time and is wearing felt soles really making the problem worse?

 

 

[BurningChrome]

18 minutes ago, eagleflyfisher said:

This may derail this thread.

if it wasn't so frowned upon I'd like to go back to my felts of old.

i mentioned this to friend yesterday and he made a pretty valid point I thought.

for every fisherman wearing felt soles how many hundreds or thousands of waterfowl are flying from one water body to the next transferring the whirling parasite.

It's likely whirling disease has been around for a good long time and is wearing felt soles really making the problem worse?

If you're only using them on a single water body or drainage it's not going to be much of an issue. If you're the type who might fish the Elk one day, then the Oldman the next don't use felt and clean your gear. Whirling disease isn't the only thing to worry about either.

The vibrams take a little getting used to. I'm pretty used to them and even I noticed that the Bow has more slime or whatever on the rocks this year than usual so I grabbed a few studs and put them in. 

[kevbine]

Love the Vibram soles for all the rivers that don't have slime covered rocks or giant boulders like the Thompson for example.  You definitely need to adjust your wading style though and I never fish the Bow so I can't comment on that.

If you think the Vibram is bad you should try the new Simms Riprap shoe.  That's been my go-to summer footwear for wet wading for the last five years and all of sudden, Simms changed the soles on them.  They went with their own 'proprietary' rubber.  These are many times worse than the Vibram soles!  Fell on my face on non slime covered rocks the first time I wore them. They are for sale by the way...lol!