[bbct91]

I have an old pair of Simms wading boots with studded felt soles. It looks like the felt is stitched into the boot. The current boots are the same way. Is it possible to re-felt them?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[jetboat69]

Just grind off the old felt and glue on new felt.
I glued new felt to new midsoles to mine and the then pop riveted aluminum bars to them. I had a shoe shop glue the soles to the boots using the old type Barge cement ( Yellow can) that I couldn't get in the retail stores.
Works great on the Clearwater rocks

 

[gene]

re-sole

If you go to simms they have designated repair companies who will help get this done- I used the one in Bishop Calif
I`d think they would have one in Oregon

 

[flytyer]

Yes, they can be resoled. Just get the new soles, take them to a local cobbler (i.e. shoe repairman), and have him take the old ones off and put the new ones on. The shoe repairman will even sew the new felt soles onto the wading shoe/boot. It will run you around $20.00 or so to get it done.

 

[fish0n4evr]

if you find a cobbler that will sew that new soles it would be the best way to go.

 

[Green Butt]

At one time Simms would re-felt your boots for about $50. They don't re-stud though.

 

[fredaevans]

+2 On using a shoe repair shop.

Glue jobs are only as good as you are 'lucky' long term. Shoe guy will sew these things on (probably glue too) and they're not going anywhere.

 

[hoover308]

Glue jobs are sketchy

Like you I had a pair with great uppers and no tred left on the bottom. I bought some felts and took them to Dave Page in Freemont in Seattle. He is about as good as it get and is/was a certified Simmis repair house. $60 for the felt, maybe $40 for the work. They lasted about one trip and ten began to delaminate. I don't like the economics of this.

 

[fredaevans]

Ergo why the shoe maker.

Just glue won't cut it in my personal experience. Can you pry the new felts off the bottom of the boots?

 

[bbct91]

First, thanks for all of the comments by everybody.

No, the felt is still really stuck on. However, the studs are starting to stick way out.

I was just thinking about getting a new pair of wading boots. The low end Simms are $99 and I'm sure they would last a long time. For $50 it's worth getting the current ones fixed. However, as the price climbs it becomes less worth it.

Chris -