splashhopper Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 (edited) I bought a new pair of waders and wading boots at the end of last spring and have just started using them the last few weeks. Well yesterday I was out fishing with Twocoda, and a 100 other guys for a few minutes , where we had to walk through some areas with heavy clay. Also had to climb back up the slippery slope to get back to the vehicles too My new wading boots don't do very well in that stuff.... unlike the rubber soled ones I had in my cheap neoprene crappy tire specials ! These boots have felt on the bottom. ( supposed to be better for ice in the rivers?) I slipped yesterday and landed on my hip and wrist.... luckily I wasn't hurt..... but a few more unexpected falls like that and I will be getting hurt. What can I add to these new boots to improve traction? Thanks Splashhopper PS... I guess the good thing from yesterdays adventure is that the boots now look like I actually have fished in them Edited November 30, 2009 by splashhopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burtess Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Add some cleats. You can buy them especially for wading shoes or you can just buy 1/2" (measure sole thickness first!!) sheet metal screws as well. Burt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 The slip-over cleats might be a good idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 These boots have felt on the bottom. ( supposed to be better for ice in the rivers?) I've used felts and they have the tungsten studs, they are good on smooth rocks even with some algae covering, what they are not good for is sub freezing weather. Step out of the water and the waterlogged felt freezes then you are in even more trouble. I don't wear them in the cold any more, getting too old to take a header. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 A pair of Stabilicers will help in the mud and also stop you from gaining height when there is snow on the ground. Stabilicers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 sheet metal screws work great and they are cheap. Unless you wanna spend $20 on the Simms wading boot studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelfuN Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 seriously, nothing helps in the slippery mud... what I have done is buy the HEX shape bolts from home depot (they are like $6 for 100). and put about 8-12 on each boot, they help during the winter months.. like bill said, why spend $20 on simms ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Felt soles are just about useless. Yes, they provide a decent grip on wet rock. But that's about it. Most rivers in southern Ontario have some amount of mud or clay along the banks, so they're really not the best choice for this area. If you think they're slippery now, just wait till it gets colder, and the wet felt starts to freeze. Fun times all the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Felt soles are just about useless. Yes, they provide a decent grip on wet rock. But that's about it. Most rivers in southern Ontario have some amount of mud or clay along the banks, so they're really not the best choice for this area. If you think they're slippery now, just wait till it gets colder, and the wet felt starts to freeze. Fun times all the way! You also get taller and taller as the day goes by!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted November 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 You also get taller and taller as the day goes by!!! BEAUTIFUL.... i will be 5'7" with a cracked skulll .. but hey... i will be waaay taller than my wife then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen-fire Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 I'm currently using a pair of boots with studded felt soles, and have almost done several face plants into slippery mud. I'm going to have a fun time this winter when the snow hits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Felt soles are just about useless. Yes, they provide a decent grip on wet rock. But that's about it. Most rivers in southern Ontario have some amount of mud or clay along the banks, so they're really not the best choice for this area. If you think they're slippery now, just wait till it gets colder, and the wet felt starts to freeze. Fun times all the way! I've got both kinds and the lug soles stay in the back of the car for most of the season. I spend a lot of time wading rocky slimey creeks and felt is the only way to go. Granted I have to pick my spots to exit the water and they're awful for climbing grassy or muddy banks but for the 3 or 4 hours I'm rockin' & rollin' in the creek the felt rox. They'd have been worse than useless where we were today though. Today the lugs ruled. JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Here's a thought. Instead of blowing $200 on the top of the line felt soled boots why not back off a few and get a second pair with lugs for those times when you find yourself in ice or muck. Or if you do the bulk of your wading in muck and slime or ice then blow the bigger share on lugs and get a cheap pair of felts. My felts cost me something like 40 bux and have done yeoman service for over 2 years now. Even if they didn't stand up I can attest to their comfort. I've spent as much as 4 to 5 hours stumbling around in a very rocky creek and had no discomfort issues at all. Mebbe if I was spending 5 days a week in the water (I wish) I would spend more but as much of a fan of quality stuff as I am, I just can't see spending the whole bank account on wading boots. And my breathable waders cost $40 and over two years later are still going strong and no leaks at all. JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 I had the exact same problem this weekend. I bought a pair of boots with the felt bottom and they work awesome for rocks, but walking on the clay at Bronte... I almost died... lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 (edited) You can always go and buy a pair of hiking boots (Plastic toe as opposed to steel) at a non unionized Wallymart cost is aboot 59 bones and your good to go climbing ... Good seeing ya again sliphopper how did you make out Sunday? Edited November 29, 2009 by Twocoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 I've got both kinds and the lug soles stay in the back of the car for most of the season. I spend a lot of time wading rocky slimey creeks and felt is the only way to go. Granted I have to pick my spots to exit the water and they're awful for climbing grassy or muddy banks but for the 3 or 4 hours I'm rockin' & rollin' in the creek the felt rox. They'd have been worse than useless where we were today though. Today the lugs ruled. JF I have two pairs of studded felts that have been sitting idle since I bought a pair of Simms studded Aqua Stealth boots. IMHO they are the only boots you will ever need!!! I fish some of the slimeyest rivers you have ever seen in Alaska and they grip like glue + they get decent traction in mud and snow too!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) You want to know the totally ghetto way to do it? Buy stocking foot waders then go to Wal-Mart or Zellers or some other cheap store, and pick up two pairs of huge, oversized cheap hiking boots. I wear a size 10-1/2 shoe ..... so I buy size 12 hiking boots to allow for the extra volume of the waders. These cheapies should cost you no more than $40 a pair, or two pair for about $80. Use one pair as-is with the normal rubber lug sole. That's what you use most of the time. Take the second pair and glue strips of cheap indoor-outdoor carpeting to the soles with a good waterproof glue like Barge Cement (get it at Rona or Home Depot). Then use a drill to drive a few hex-head sheet metal screws in to make sure those carpet strips won't come off. Obviously, use short screws .... like 3/8 inch. The end result looks like crap, and you'll still wipe out on mud or clay, but they stick to wet rocks like velcro. Yep - even better than felt. Depending where you fish, you wear the boots that are most appropriate. And, you still didn't spend as much as you would buying one pair of crappy wading boots at a fishing store. (quick edit - prices adjusted for inflation!) Edited November 30, 2009 by Craig_Ritchie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneFly Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 A pair of Stabilicers will help in the mud and also stop you from gaining height when there is snow on the ground. Stabilicers Do those Stabilisers work on regular Boots without the felt bottoms,...I find mine are pretty slippy too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneFly Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 You want to know the totally ghetto way to do it? Buy stocking foot waders then go to Wal-Mart or Zellers or some other cheap store, and pick up two pairs of huge, oversized cheap hiking boots. I wear a size 10-1/2 shoe ..... so I buy size 12 hiking boots to allow for the extra volume of the waders. These cheapies should cost you no more than $40 a pair, or two pair for about $80. Use one pair as-is with the normal rubber lug sole. That's what you use most of the time. Take the second pair and glue strips of cheap indoor-outdoor carpeting to the soles with a good waterproof glue like Barge Cement (get it at Rona or Home Depot). Then use a drill to drive a few hex-head sheet metal screws in to make sure those carpet strips won't come off. Obviously, use short screws .... like 3/8 inch. The end result looks like crap, and you'll still wipe out on mud or clay, but they stick to wet rocks like velcro. Yep - even better than felt. Depending where you fish, you wear the boots that are most appropriate. And, you still didn't spend as much as you would buying one pair of crappy wading boots at a fishing store. (quick edit - prices adjusted for inflation!) Lol,..that sounds ALOt like when my buddies and I invented our own snowboarding boots over 20 years ago,...we took some oversized sorels,...and took the liner out and then inserted front load skiboot liners,...at the time it was the only way to go as you couldnt buy snowboard boots back then in ON,..much less snowboards,...then again only one resort in Ontario allowed us rubes to contaminate their prestine skiing hills,...Lol,..look at them hills now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted November 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 how did you make out Sunday? got skunked on the bass... but Chris got a nice pike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted November 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 Felt soles are just about useless. Yes, they provide a decent grip on wet rock. But that's about it. Most rivers in southern Ontario have some amount of mud or clay along the banks, so they're really not the best choice for this area. If you think they're slippery now, just wait till it gets colder, and the wet felt starts to freeze. Fun times all the way! ok,,, so I KNOW the problem... do you have a SOLUTION Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 I already posted this... The shortest sheet metal screws you can find at crappy tire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 Do those Stabilisers work on regular Boots without the felt bottoms,...I find mine are pretty slippy too Yep!!! Great for ice fishing too!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azebra Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) try these for your winter outings.. www.simmsfishing.com/site/exstream_bootoots_08_lug.html# if i had the money i would. Edited November 30, 2009 by azebra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutologist Posted November 30, 2009 Report Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) The new Simms Aqua Stealth boots are really good. I've got them with and without studs. In the St. Marys Rapids, you really need good traction....lots of flat algae covered rocks with very high flow. With the rubber soles and studs Im glued to the bottom. There is one wade that requires a tricky maneuver I like to call a rock bounce. One rock in a deep channel....you take a long stride to hit it and a long stride to the next shallows...these boots rule. Edited November 30, 2009 by troutologist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now