[Moose]

OK, here's the deal. I'm looking for the ultimate hardcore wading boot. I have a pair made of cordura and they are the equivalent to a pair of loafer tenners with thin soles that might be good for walking to the mailbox at best. In other words, you wouldn't want to wear them for long and you damned sure wouldn't scramble over rocks and boulders with them. What I want is a mostly leather booth with great ankle support, a sole made for walking/standing on for hours at a time (SUPPORT!! I'm 260 pounds for cryin out loud. My feet need a little help here), good felt (with studs?) and durabillity. Basically Danner hunting boots for wading. My river is a cobble bed and my feet are the worse for it.

Who's got the best??

 

[Skilly]

wading boots

Simms Guide studded are what I wear.

Try for size before you buy they come a little on the large size.


Skilly

 

[Gillie]

I have to agree with the Simms Guide but I have the aquastealth studded and have never had a better boot. Very sturdy, very durable.

Gillie

 

[Moose]

So the guide boot wears and walks like a hiking boot? How about that aquastealth sole. How does it compare to felt on slippey, slimey rocks?

 

[Philster]

Do you have wide feet? Chota with the removable studs. Suprisingly hard wearing. They don't look like it, but they are.

 

[Moose]

"Do you have wide feet?"


No. I'm not a fat guy or physically in bad shape, really. No foot problems or anything like that. Basically a George Cook sized fellow with a bit of a beer gut
( I know, I'm working on it! A couple of sedentary years can catch up to you quickly when your in your 40's). Always been physically active, Elk hunting, backpacking (pre gut years). Just recognizing the difference between good footgear and crap, and am looking to buy something of lasting quality. Lots of expensive but worthless wading boots on the market. Some of those things are nothing more than flip-flops with skin and felt bottoms. Good hunting boots are pretty common but I'm hard pressed to find a quality pair of durable, long wearing wading boots intended to be walked around in for any length of time.

 

[Dana]

Loop Outdoor

4 seasons on mine and going strong!

besides, they match your new spey line!

 

[Moose]

Dana

Loop makes boots? Available in the US?


Peter-s-c,
Just looked at Weinbrennerusa. The studded ultimate wading boot looks AWESOME!! That looks exactly like what I'm looking for!

 

[Dana]

yup and yup!

Yup they make boots; yup available in the US!

Weinbrenner boots are great too BTW--the only thing I found with them was that they are a touch narrow for me (I have wide feet).

 

[Luv2flyfish]

depending on your budget

I dont know how much money you want to spend, but like most of us, good bang for the buck is always a consideration.

I have used the cabelas guide boot for years. The things are bomb proof and I do not weigh in at 260 - I have never been uncomfortable. I am in them a great deal. They cost 70 bucks, vs the 140 plus for simms, danners, etc. The downside - they dont come with studs. The fix: cabelas or any other studded felt, a boot repair shop. It'll cost ya like 20 bucks total for felt and repair. A few wasted minutes, yes but a bomb proof pair of boots for considerable less money.

I destroyed 2 pairs of laces before my boots really shown any wear. The original felt lasted 3 years (I was averaging 24 days a month on the water in the summer, and 15 days a month during the winter for 2 full seasons.) They hold up great. Just my 2 pennies. Good luck

 

[Moose]

Looks like the only problem with the Weinbrenners is the lack of a dealer so I can try them on. My local fly shops don't stock them but can get them (and I can order them direct on line) but what if they don't fit well? Same with the Loops. The Simms guide boot is in stock just about everywhere. I would like to hear more about that Aquastealth sole and how it works on super slippery riverbottoms.

I guess I could get my feet measured at a good shoe store and then send the measurements to Weinbrenner.

Cost isn't a concern. More $$ now for a boot that lasts years is cheaper in the long run.

 

[sean]

Until they were stolen I loved my studded aquastealth soles on my simms boots. Great for walking distances and do not track mud like felts do.

I think though it is a good idea to get the studs as well. They provide a little extra piece of mind when wading in really nasty stuff.

Going to buy a new pair very soon,

-sean

 

[Jere Eshelman]

Big Guy Boots

Well I have to admit that I'm 340 lbs. and have been wearing a pair of Danner
boots with felts and ceramic studs for the past six seasons. I just noticed that the leather (synthetic?) has cracked along the lace eyes in one spot, but the support is great , and they are real comfortable all day long. It's only my knees that suffer from the weight and wading, not the ankles.

 

[Gillie]

Moose,
I just returned from the Decshutes and have worn my Simms guide boots on the Umpqua also, both some pretty dicey wading. The aquastealth in combination with studs have amazing traction. They also have the added benefits of nice hiking performance and the aquastealth soles are much less likely than felt to transmit thinkgs like mud snails from stream to stream if that's an issue where you fish.

In the Great Lakes I fish in conditions where there is a lot of anchor ice. (Does it get any more slippery than ice ? ) I have done great on the ice with these boots.

That being said, a lot of the other boots mentioned are very good boots and some are quite a bit cheaper.

If your inclined the recent issue of Fly-Fisherman did a review on boots. It doesn't have a lot of useful insight but there is a tablr that designates the boots as either light / medium / heavy. I would avoid the boots rated light and go at least with a medium if not heavy boot.

Gillie

 

[jamie]

My choice are

I spent quite a while sourcing some new wading boots as I seem to get through them quite quickly. The features any new boot had to include were.

Suitable for wading in the sea - brass or plastic fittings
Comfortable
Multi purpose grip
Bomb proof

Narrowed it down to two makes; Simms and Vision. I opted for the Vision Extreme, with their dual track soles. They have done the job admirably thus far.

 

[Moose]

Bought em!

eyeballed and tried on a few, and settled on the Simms Freestone studded felt soled boots. Reason? When I put them on and walked around a bit they felt exactly like good hiking boots with high ankle support and a great footbed. Very sturdy and stable feeling, verty comfortable. $99.00, a gret deal, though price was not a concern. The flyshop fellow actually did not try to sell me the higher dollar boot, but wanted me to get what was best for me. The Aquastealth sole just didn't look so great (and I'll admit that I listened to a few local who've used them on our local waters and preferred studded felts) and the Corkers with the changeable sole looked like a great idea lashed to a cheap cordura boot. Weinbrenners were definitely on my mind, but if I can't walk around in them I'm not likely to buy them.

Thanks to all for your opinions. Much apreciated!

 

[Grampa Spey]

So the guide boot wears and walks like a hiking boot? How about that aquastealth sole. How does it compare to felt on slippey, slimey rocks?

Simms Guide Boots are the best that I have ever had. I have the aqua stealth studded and have never had a better boot. They are basically comfortable, sturdy, safe and appear to be very durable. My pair is over two years old with a lot of time going to and from the rivers and in them.

If they have dried out for a week or so, you might want to soak them in water for a few minutes before going to the river. The leather gets a little tight. That goes away when they get wet.

They get more comfortable as the day goes along. That is the opposite of my experience with the Chotas and Danners. The toes of the Chotas would curl up in the water and that hurt my toes and feet. The Danner boots were like having water skis on and caused stability problems on the bottom of the river while wading.

I have wide, tender, sore and old feet. I got a plantar fascia in my left foot a few years ago. I developed a metacarpal problem with my toes on my right foot. My Toes would rise upwards from the foot causing spasms and pain. That came while wearing the Chotas. I had to wear a toe brace for a couple of years. I don't need it after a few months with the Simms. Looking back, it probably was related to the upward curling of the toes of the Chotas.

 

[ChromeFever]

My .02

I have had a pair of the Patagonia Beefy's for about 4 years now. Felt sole with studs. These things are extremely comfortable and I have not had any issues with them. If I needed a new pair I would not hesitate in buying another set. I put about 70-80 days a year on these things and no complaints so far!

 

[Jacob]

Loop Outdoor, 3 seasons!

 

[Bee]

you won't believe this

but the best wading boots I have used recently are the Fly Tech (now Stearns) boots. They have the best ankle support and appear to be very durable. I used to go through a pair of Danners once a year, and fianlly Iwent to other brand boots as I felt the danners lack of any soft shock absorption in the boot was killing my my feet...I added some after market gel soles to the fly tech boots and they are very comfortable and I can fish for a week solid and have no foot issues, which was nto the case with the danners. Less than 80 bucks too. I am in my second year on the fly techs with no end in sight.