I thought I would post a review of the Guide Boots, since the first pair of mine - with the streamtread - began to delaminate after 6 uses. I was never real confident that I would survive in a stream with anything more than 2" cobbles, since there was no grip without studs. So - after getting the new boots - I purchased a set of star cleats, put them in, and mucked around one 3 streams (Carson, Middle Fork American, Yuba). Here are my findings:
1- cleats vs. felt - adds some traction; not as good as felt with studs. Very slick on the larger cobbles with moderate flow on the Yuba. In dead, or shallow water, it isn't that much worse than studded felt; but in waist deep or higher water, with slight flow, it feels like you are going to be swept away on that streamtread. I suspect the buoyancy in combination with the reduced traction, leads to this sensation.
2 - cleat durability - Not good. After the third use, two of the 16 star cleats had worn almost completely down. There is some kind of carbide grains welded to the cleat - and on some cleats they wear off. Not good for what? $30 or was it $40 bux? Another thing about the cleats, is the have this habit of "unscrewing" themselves, or loosening up.....how this happens is unclear, but it is of concern.
I should say, I also have Simms studs (the screws, not the cleats) on my felt G3's, which are of similar construction (they weld little tungsten carbide balls onto a screw). On some of those studs, the carbide balls fell off after about 20-30 days use. I had to buy another pack of studs (for $20) to replace 3-4 of them.
3 - streamtread - this is starting to delaminate again, at the toe, after the third use. I'll probably try to get 10 days out of this; if it delaminates much more, I'll have to send them back to Simms again, since I have trips planned to felt-free states later this year.
There is some discussion elsewhere of durability problems in some states, which you can find here http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ram-boot-soles
but I haven't worn them long enough to know.
If anyone else has experienced the delamination issue (or, alternatively, has absolutely no delamination at the toe) - I'd appreciate a response as to when and how much. I'm having a hard time believing this is a defect in my shoes only - since it happened on both pairs.
4 - Leather - after 3 uses, I have one 2-3 inch rip half-way through the leather on one shoe (my guess is wood or sharp rock while wading; not in barbed wire or something sharp in a boat)- this particular leather seems to become "soft", when waterlogged, it's not the same quality as the G3's (which were more expensive, but aren't made in leather anymore) but it's comfortable.
5 - fit - wide. lots of room on the sides for extra socks, but not so much at the toe. It fits me. The G3's fit better.
All in all - I have come away from my Simms streamtread experience with an overpowering urge to buy a wading staff and bring an extra change of clothes in a dry bag.
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