Rubberized wading sole boots?

[Adam Grace]

If you have a wading boot with rubberized wading boots can you share your experiences?

I am wondering why so many wading boots manufactures use these types of soles when I hear so many negatives about them.

[Ed Wahl]

Hey Adam.
I've only limited use reports so far. Here's my best though.

In the canyons these things(Rubber with studs) rule supreme. On the walk in, be it up or down canyon, felt soles are just deathtraps on pine needles and dead oak leaves. The rubber soles with studs will get you there and be quite effective on the slippery rocks while fishing your way back. While you don't get the 100% 'feel' for traction that you get with felt what you do get with the studs is quite adequate.
Down here in the lower American the best traction I've ever had was with rubber soles and carbide inserts.

Ed

[DFrink]

Ed summed it up nicely. Felt soles suck for hiking in over loose terrain and especially dry granite. Better off wearing running shoes. I am going to try rubber soles on the next pair of wading boots I buy.

[amoeba]

I posted a review of Simms rubber soles on this subforum that covers this and more (http://www.kiene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26462), so to summarize:

1. Rubber has essentially no traction at all in water, the studs help somewhat, but felt/studs is far superior. Not a close contest. Studded rubber isn't in the same universe as studded felt. In larger bouldered, or bedrock, substrate, studded rubber will kill you where you have a chance in studded felt. Anywhere else, studded felt is still significantly better

2. Slight traction benefit of rubber on dry land. Nothing that would make me want to trade felt for rubber. More durabililty of rubber, if that's worth breaking a leg or kneecap to you - (not me). That durability advantage is more than offset by the lack of traction - you can supposedly do a little better with aluminum studs than carbide - but the aluminum wears out very quickly and is expensive. NOT worth it.

3. Rubber delaminated early on my first two pairs (of Simms streamtread), which is hardly unique judging from the replies and posts elsewhere. Felt sticks when it is glued on, and resoled. My third pair of rubbers have stayed on so far, but I am relegating them for use in the nut-case states that require them. Here in CA, I am sticking with studded felt, so to speak.

The one place rubber seems to have an advantage over felt is walking on snow (sticks and cakes onto felt more than rubber).

[Ed Wahl]

Here's an odd unrelated anecdote.
I wore felt duck hunting in some pretty gummy mud. Usually it looks like you're wearing snowshoes for the walk in and out. The mud would not stick to the felt at all. Pretty odd stuff.
Ed

[JD]

aAdam,

I suspect the negativity is from a vocal bunch of folks who just don't like change. I've been using rubber soled boots for years, and there is no way I would ever go back to felt. For tough wading situations, you really need studs, and personally I always use a staff as well. Where the rubber soled boots really shine is out of the water, as Ed pointed out especially in bad conditions, and while that might seem strange to some, I assume most people cover more distance walking on land than actually wading in the course of a day's fishing. I know I do, anyways. A slip in the water might result in water over the top of the waders, but a fall on the land will usually hurt much more. Up to the user to choose which is more important.

[amoeba]

I suspect the negativity comes from the lack of traction of rubber in water; which explains the continued use of felt by the vast majority of fishermen in California. My estimate would be 15 pairs of felt for every 1 pair of rubber.

I suspect those who boast about the effectiveness of rubber soles never wade on large cobble, boulders, bedrock or anywhere flowing water goes above their waist.

A fall in flowing water, on slick rocks, boulders, and in flow, not as bad as on land? Really? I don't think so. The reduction in traction of felt on land, while noticeable, isn't unsafe. I would swear by studded felt, on land as well as water, in the most treacherous situations.

Simms didn't start making felt again because their rubbers were outselling. Go ask Kiene what he wears.

[GreggW]

Bought Patagonia rubber soles about a year and half ago. Spent a lot of time before that asking questions here (thank you everyone) and other places. As you may find, it is hard to get a clear answer. For me, the rubber soled Patagonia's w/out studs, were deadly in some waters like upper Sac. Took Ralph Cutter's suggestion about using Simms aluminum "studs". Put three on each boot. Have been using them that way for more than a year. For out of the water, they are much nicer than my old felt boots. I feel that they are superior for walking in and for walking up and down the bank (rock hopping, etc). I do things in them that I would think twice about doing in felt. In the water however, they are not as good as felt when stepping on fist size or larger rocks that have slime. I am a little more careful wading with these boots than my old felts and have even thought about adding another stud to each boot. I am still using these boots rather than going back to my felt boots because I feel that on balance, I like them a little better than felt. Bottom line, it's a personal decision and I can see why people would be on one side or the other.
Couple of other things: Didn't need to buy new boots to go to Alaska this summer. If I was to fish the Pit, I would probably put studs on my felt boots and use those. Oh, I do use a wading staff whenever the wading gets tough.

[midger]

I pretty much agree with amoeba about the functionality of rubber vs felt. I've got around 15 days on the Patagonia Riverwalkers--enough to make an assessment. They are comfortable to wear when walking the banks and they do do well when walking across dry, shoreside boulders, but then that's not the primary reason for a wading boot. In the water they are not nearly as gripping as my felt soled boots, and definitely not as sure footed as my studded felt soled boots--both of these are Weinbrenners. You really notice the difference if you are in a river with large cobbles or boulder sized rocks with any slime or vegetative growth. I will probably try installing some aftermarket studding on them to see if that increases their functionality.

Studded felt has proven to be best for me in waters that allow felt. They are not ideal when boulder hopping though as the tungsten or other studs slip easily on dry granite boulders and you have to be very careful to avoid busting your tail (I haven't tried aluminum studs). I've smacked granite several times so have now think before I leap.

Bottomline. Use what works for you on the watersheds you fish. I fish more freestones and love hammering pocketwater. I like fishing for steelhead on the Klamath with its slimy cobbles. I used to fish the Pit with its granite boulders (be careful with studded boots there when walking the shorelines). For my type fishing, the studded felt works best.

[cyama]

The first few years of fly fishing about 12 years ago I used felt boots with no studs.. Broke three rods slipping on rocks and was not having any fun wading. Talked to the lady owner of the fly shop in Pleasant Hill and she said buy the simms guide boots with metal studs. The guide boots at that time were rubber soled. The metal studs allow you to walk on slippery rocks.

Bought some new riversheds and equipped them with the new Simms rock crawler cleats and they are even better!! I am not sure what the cleats are called but they stick to the river bottom like a gecko on glass!! I think the old guys think felt is good, but the bottom line is you need the right cleats. You could even use sheet metal screws if you want.

By the way the riversheds are awesome. They have high ankle support and are super comfortable for long distance hiking!

[Woodman]

, I assume most people cover more distance walking on land than actually wading in the course of a day's fishing. I know I do, anyways. A slip in the water might result in water over the top of the waders, but a fall on the land will usually hurt much more. .

This is nonsense. When you're on land, and can see what you're walking on, your risk is much reduced. There have been a number of places I hiked into in Keen Sandals and put on my felt soles when I wanted to fish. No doubt that rubber soles are better for hiking boots, but when you get in the water, felts are superior.

You can argue that rubber is better with respect to the spread of organisms, there is now way you can believe rubber is a better wading boot.

I will continue to wear felt in all the states that have not bought into the hype.

my $0.02

[mr. 3 wt.]

Pretty good topic, I have three different boots currently. Felt, felt/studded and rubber. They all have their place. I assess the river that I will be fishing and wear whatever one fits the bill. Non-studded felt is usually when I am drifting so I don't mess up my buddies boat. Rubber is for our annual Alaska trips as they don't allow felt up there anymore. Some of our coastal rivers are gravely and you don't really need felt so the rubber soles work good on them. But most rivers are cobbly and bouldery and felt/studded are used most of the times. Their truly isn't any substitute for felt/studded when the river is real snotty. So, my observation is one pair of boots just isn't enough if you do all kinds of fishing. So head down to Kiene's and buy yourself another pair of boots so you can match the sole to the condition.

[Charlie S]

I bought the new Korkers and purchased studded felt soles after busting my rear with rubber soles on the Crooked River in Oregon. Easy to change soles. Being old and a LOT less stable than I was in my 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, etc, I appreciate the ability to use the rubber soles walking to and from the river, or when duck hunting, coastal steelhead fishing, etc, but also able to change to a safer (for me) sole stream side. This saves having to buy two or more pairs of boots.

[Dan LeCount]

For me, straight up vibram soles are close to useless. Studded vibrams are pretty decent though, especially when coupled with a staff for the rough stuff. I have an old pair of plain felts without studs that I use for drift trips and the studded rubber for walk in fishing. That combo has been serving me well.

[Magic]

On Rubber soles...Try the SIMMS AlumiBite Cleats...they really grip rocks and nearly anything else. Also, put a few of the Simms HardBite cleats with them. Good combo as the work together. You can't go wrong.

[Adam Grace]

I love to see everyones post about this boot topic!

I am still a big fan of studded felt. They have almost always been wonderful for me, even on polished granite. My Simms studded felt Guide Boots have been great boots for me. The studs help slow down wearing down the felt. The carbide tipped studs give me great stability. I think that it is sad to not see any studded felt boots out on the market from the major manufacturers.

I understand that the rubber is better to reduce the contamination/transportation of invasive species yet I keep on hearing many negatives about these rubber soles. There are many cool new high tech studs out there now but based on negative comments I don't feel very comfortable about them. The reviews are mixed but I'd rather stick to what I already know works for me..... I guess that I'm getting older and more set in my ways, lol.

[mr. 3 wt.]

On Rubber soles...Try the SIMMS AlumiBite Cleats...they really grip rocks and nearly anything else. Also, put a few of the Simms HardBite cleats with them. Good combo as the work together. You can't go wrong.


What are better, the alumibite's or hardbite's? Do they make it unsafe to rockhop on dry rocks? Thinking of puting on some type of cleat, just not sure would be better on dry land. I would think the alumibite's would be a little better in the water.