Using studs on Felt bottom guide boots
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579 Posts
Thanks
Yeah I've had some Problems with my G4 boots & the cleats popping out. I just wanted to try a pair of the felt bottoms out and figured I would screw some studs in. U can order the Kold Kutters over the phone from Malinda's in NY. Shoot me a PM if you want her number. 100 for $14.99
Yeah I've had some Problems with my G4 boots & the cleats popping out. I just wanted to try a pair of the felt bottoms out and figured I would screw some studs in. U can order the Kold Kutters over the phone from Malinda's in NY. Shoot me a PM if you want her number. 100 for $14.99
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11,025 Posts
Trust me ... They will!
But grab on the bottom when you're fishing? So Yes! You could run up the side a tree with these things in your boot bottoms. That last bit is highly not recommended for folks my age.
fae
Pre-drill the pilot hole and slop on Gorilla Glue on the KK's threads. FELT HAS TO BE DAMP TO ACTIVATE THE GLUE!! In they go and they're going to stay there until you 'unscrew' them to replace over time. Couple words of caution (that come to mind) is they're a 'no-no' in a wood boat and in a Allie boat, the 'metal on metal' takes some caution as you get in-out of the boat to fish.
But grab on the bottom when you're fishing? So Yes! You could run up the side a tree with these things in your boot bottoms. That last bit is highly not recommended for folks my age.
fae
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427 Posts
I've been using the Simms screw in cleats for my G4 felt bottoms. They work great but man I still need my wading staff in those GD Steelhead rivers as with the odd sized rock bottoms where they like to live its slicker then snot! Want to give the KK a shot after these wear out. Anyone know if they last as long as the Simms oem cleats....or do you constantly have to change them. Haven't had one Simms cleat come out in over 20 days on the river although definitely some wear.
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3,485 Posts
No Magic Bullet;
This past season I had a fellow with me who had the aluminum bars on his wading boots. I did not know this until I found one lying amongst the rocks in the river. All I saw was bright metal so I reached in and snatched it only to realize what it was. There on the bottom were a couple screws as well. Before the day was done I had collected a second of the bars and returned both to the man.
What that told me was that as of this time there is no perfect method of applying a stud - cleat or bar to our wading boots. I have found that the rather costly Simms hard bite star cleat stays in longer than any other that I have tried. They have a slightly lower profile which no doubt lends itself to their longevity but because of the low profile may not grip as well as others. I wade with the phrase that Dirty Harry kept repeating in the movie Magnum Force, "A man's gotta know his limitations". And that's what I've learned about cleats. One more thing; the factory cleated boots that Orvis sold years ago, the Hennery's Fork boot, they were the best I ever had and they were on a rubber soled boot. They never came out, they worked well and I was very disappointed to learn they were no longer offered............. Typical huh? Worked great, discontinued :Eyecrazy:
I had been wondering about the aluminum bar type anti slip approach myself. I've tried many different cleats and have lost some of every brand. I don't think loss is related to anything other than that we are inserting these small screws into a rubber like substrate and they are pulled out as they get scuffed & torqued as we walk. I may try adhesive on the threads when I apply more this winter.
This past season I had a fellow with me who had the aluminum bars on his wading boots. I did not know this until I found one lying amongst the rocks in the river. All I saw was bright metal so I reached in and snatched it only to realize what it was. There on the bottom were a couple screws as well. Before the day was done I had collected a second of the bars and returned both to the man.
What that told me was that as of this time there is no perfect method of applying a stud - cleat or bar to our wading boots. I have found that the rather costly Simms hard bite star cleat stays in longer than any other that I have tried. They have a slightly lower profile which no doubt lends itself to their longevity but because of the low profile may not grip as well as others. I wade with the phrase that Dirty Harry kept repeating in the movie Magnum Force, "A man's gotta know his limitations". And that's what I've learned about cleats. One more thing; the factory cleated boots that Orvis sold years ago, the Hennery's Fork boot, they were the best I ever had and they were on a rubber soled boot. They never came out, they worked well and I was very disappointed to learn they were no longer offered............. Typical huh? Worked great, discontinued :Eyecrazy:
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233 Posts
I agree. I've burned a fair amount of money and experimented with most, if not all, wading boot permutations. All have their drawbacks. The bars have their appeal but I have had them warp, come loose and discovered their gripping limitations on certain surfaces. In the end, I always come back to felt with studs and accept that I will have to replace the studs frequently.
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1,746 Posts
Screwing upside-down
I just bought a pair of rubber-soled Toggs, and I want to armor-plate them for New Zealand. Has anyone tried a combination of steel or carbide plus aluminum screws?
I just bought a pair of rubber-soled Toggs, and I want to armor-plate them for New Zealand. Has anyone tried a combination of steel or carbide plus aluminum screws?
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11,025 Posts
+1 here.
The larger ones don't bring anything to the Party; they maybe also be a safety issue.
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