Boot recommendations?
 

Hi all.

My Orvis felt soled wading boots are pretty well shot (large cracks along the sides). I have been wanting to get a pair of rubber soled boots due to whirling anyway, but was hoping for some recommendations from the group here.

I hear good things about the Simms G3 boots, but they are pretty pricey. Any other good options out there?

SS

Simms Tributaries

Buy once, cry once. I have a pair of Simms with the BOA lace system. I love them. I can get the exact modek to tonight if you want.

I think those are the Headwaters. I have been looking but can’t seem to find any in stock. The BOA laces look slick. How do they hold up to sediment getting in the lace mechanism?

Headwaters sounds right. I used mine on the Fraser River multille times before moving to AB. Anyone who fishes the Fraser can attest to the silt and sediment in thete. I never had any issues. I've gotten the pretty packed full of AB mud too and they still worked. I do make a habit of giving my boots a good rinse with the garden hose when I get home, just to make sure the mechanism stays in good shape.

I was just down in Abbotsford BC and Fred's Custom Tackle had some Headwaters iirc. Maybe worth a call?

bought a pair of Korker i think the Redline boots last year. so far pretty impressed by them. like the interchangeable soles. bought the studded rubber sole also and works pretty good. fairly decent price also.

Mike

I've had the Simms Freestones with the rubber soles for a few years now. Comfortable right out of the box. So far, they are holding up. Even with a pack of cleats on them, it's still slippery as heck on the rocks. Can't remember if the felt soles were better now.

Do you mean you want rubber sole to use in states where they don't allow felt? Or do you mean you want rubber because you want to reduce spread of whirling disease?

If it's the former, I get that. If it's the latter, maybe take a look at some newer studies and information. The link between felt-soles and spread of whirling disease is highly tenuous at best.

I tried some and they are slippery as hell on freestone streams. On the algae-covered rocks on the Bow they were just ridiculously dangerous. I returned mine and got new felt-soles with (removable) studs and the difference is huge.

It was for the later. My understanding is that felt soled boots were no longer allowed in waters of the National Parks and thought it was only a matter of time before the same was applied across the province.

Been through this decision process recently. Just picked up a pair of simms freestones with felt soles a couple of weeks ago to replace a really old set of simms guide boots that just fell apart after many years of adventures. Was quite set on getting rubber soles but based on the advice in store at Iron Bow went with felt again and after several sessions in them I am glad I did as they perform well and definitely better traction than anything rubber I have ever worn in the water. As an FYI pretty sure the freestones are lighter than the guide boots also, at least thats what it felt like in the store. If these last even half a long as my previous Simms boots I will be ahead of the game...best value for dollar IMO and based on the research I did online.


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I wore out 3 sets of felts on my Simms Freeestones before the boots started to fail. That is pretty good value.
I just cut off the worn out felt and replaced with new by using Marine goop.
After watching people slip around everywhere on rubber soles, I have no desire to buy anything but felt. Deep wading in heavy current is no place for rubber soles.
I have a Quat disinfectant solution to bathe my boots in for infection control

Thanks GS. Good insight...makes sense of course when you think about it. I just never used felts for no great reason. Had to look up quat, good to know! I think I'll keep the felt bottoms on my new boots and see how that goes. :)

8 years on my Simms headwaters lace up style. Not as good in slippery conditions as felt but prefer them . Mine are still 90 percent but need new laces.
Also great when wearing booties and wet wading .

Try waxed hockey laces for your new laces. They work great

Nothing beats felts .... till you get out of the water I always take sticky's when leaving the Bow of course one needs to clean these just as well ......

I had the opportunity to speak to a fisheries bio recently and unfortunately, all of our major drainages in Southern Alberta have whirling disease already. The Bow, Red Deer and Oldman all have it and it continues to spread up and down stream. That said, there are other diseases and invasive species that we can spread so it's still a good practice. The most important thing is letting your waders and boots fully dry before fishing in a different body of water.

I will give those a go as there must be 10 pair in this house between my boys and I.
Thanks