wading boots

[Doctor]

I am an Orvis guarantee man, bought a pair of their top of the range with side zips a few years back,the moment I see any problem,ie felt coming away from the sole or studs coming loose they are back to the store ,on my 3rd pair now .
Dont think they are very well made, but they fit me well ,and gripp like glue on the slippery rocks we have on the upper Wye !
Same thing with waders ,bought a mid priced pair and am now upgraded to top of therange all for one initial outlay,first sign of leaks back they go!Latest pair are now 18 months in and get some wear,including my new toy float tubing.

[Zac Sexton]

The sad part of this, is I doubt it will be any time soon the major boot manufacturers will go back to the mountaineering style of wading boot. I've talked with reps. from most the major boot suppliers, and it seems the major demand is for lightweight boots. Like Adam said, lightweight and durability don't really go hand-in-hand (though I think they could with the right materials and stitching...). I talked with a Simms rep. a couple years ago at the Retailer Show in Denver, and she said they were going to do a bit more with boots and fewer seams, i.e. solid synthetic leather without all the mesh and crap. I was expressing my concerns about boots wearing out rather early...

So far the best boot I've found for durability was designed by John Simms, in the late 80s (I think). I get the chance to fish with Morrison, one of his daughters, now and again, and she has a pile of her old man's gear, that I often borrow, b/c mine is usually worn out, or I forget it... :oops: But, on one particular trip to Pyramid Lake, my boots were pretty much just duct tape, and Morrison let me borrow a pair she got from her dad (who convieniently wears the same size boot I do!). They were Koflach (sp.?) designed mountaineering boots with felt soles. I think Morrison said they were more than a decade old and were what her dad originally designed for wading boots. At any rate, they looked only slightly used, like someone fished 'em for a weekend and put them on the shelf. John fishes harder than most--even at 72 years old he still rows clients down the Snake River, so they were used well before I got them. They were, in my mind, the epitome of what a wading boot should be. I told Morrison to tell her dad that I'd buy them from him, if he didn't need them. I never heard back...

So, what you need to do is the same thing, as Simms has moved away from that design idea. Get a cozy mountaineering boot (with synthetic leather...), and mount the Patagonia sticky soles on (if you are doing more hiking than walking on wet rocks), and I'd add studs. I've been testing boots w/ rubber soles, and have Simms & Patagonia in a couple models. My favorite for hiking and wading has been the Patagonia sticky rubber boots, but I added Simms studs, and they grip very well. And I've been a rather huge skeptic, and still have some testing to do on more granitic rock, as my last trips have been on basaltic rock primarily. I think the ideal boot, is the Koflach boot, with the Patagonia sticky rubber, with Simms' new stud that should be available soon, this winter. They have a triangular shape and are so sharp, they cut glass! The Kingfisher Fly Shop in Missoula might have some left. I ordered some and should have them when our seasonal orders are completed. But, you need to be sure you sew the rubber sole in... Most soles I've seen that are just glued, will eventually pop off and leave you cussing and bruised.

I hike a bit, myself, and find most wading boots are made for anglers sitting in drift boats, and/or those who fish big rivers with small substrates (gravel/sand), and just walk straight to the river from an access point. Except for the boots John Simms designed (which would be improved with rubber for hiking...), I have yet to find the perfect boot. Oh, and my solution to durability was to buy two pairs of boots, so I will have a back-up.

Man, I'm getting wordy, but I'm almost always thinking about this topic...You can also use AquaSeal, and glue the seams on the boot and high-wear areas, i.e. toes and sides of toes, before you fish. That will add lots of durability, and the ability to repair high-stress areas, before they cut through the stitching or wear through the boot.

Not sure this helps, but I smell what you're stepping in!

In Wild Waters,

Zac

[adam]

http://secondascent.com/s/index.php?tar ... t_id=29925

Check those out.

I have had Koflach plastic shell mountaineering boots, I used them in the late 80's on for climbing and snowsurfing. I fancied myself climbing Everest, still have my ice axe... I loved them dearly, they hinged and worked very well. You could easily have them cobbled to any sole you wanted, that's what those guys do and the rubber is available.

Research it.

There are technical ice climbing boots that are hard shell and petite, also there are alpine approach slash ice climbing boots that nearly fit this ID.

Zac, I thought the two of us were alone in this, it is interesting to note your similar experience and for sure, I do appreciate your time invested in on this topic.

[mikeytwoshoes]

I fancy yer old tired ass climbing everest.
likewise I fancy my little brother's old tired ass climbing everest.

you guys are nutz.

[adam]

Mikey, I dream big, sometimes my dreams come true...

I'm going to take your comment as you understood what I was writing about.


I'm getting closer all the time with my UL backpacking kit, I dearly hope you are ready.

[mikeytwoshoes]

Mikey, I dream big, sometimes my dreams come true...

I'm going to take your comment as you understood what I was writing about.


I'm getting closer all the time with my UL backpacking kit, I dearly hope you are ready.

ej thought he could climb everset too. as it were no problem. just continue to plod along. I see it as far more than that.

don't worry about me. I can walk forever. ready or not.

[Chef]

I am going to use these in a few and will do a script on them. I've used a ton of different boots and use to really dig the Marlwalkers (Patagonia) for the saline plus hiking upstream. We'll see how these fair.

http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/rivers ... 223.106.75