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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:17 am • # 1 
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Joined: 06/06/18
Posts: 1
Just came back from a fishing trip, and either my wading has gotten worse with age or those rocks have gotten more slippery (maybe a combination). It got me thinking about the new boots I had, felt soled Patagonia Ultralight boots, and wading boots in general. These things are built like monster boots, stiff and armor clad, which is probably why wading and feeling the bottom and rocks is so difficult with something so "blockish" on ones foot. Think about doing the same scramble with felt soled trail running shoes or anything that would give your foot a bit more flex and feel for footing. Those wading boots is like trying to dance with braces on your legs; I think unnecessary. Sure, would like some foot protection from rocks but I've done enough scrambling with sandals to know that I don't need armor cladding.

One thought would be to glue up felt soles onto the bottoms of another shoe, but past experience attempting this hasn't been great for what ever reasons; soles peeling up at the toes etc.. Think I came across a mention of gluing them under pressure in a vice or something to ensure the adhesion....

A search for ultralight boots on the net came up with the usual suspects; nothing that was truly flexible, light and agile.

Thoughts???


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 1:04 pm • # 2 
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Joined: 03/02/11
Posts: 1003
Location: Vinton, Va
I picked up a pair of water shoes from academy sporting goods. They are all mesh metal screens in the sole and have felt/ rubber sole. Mine are almost two years old now, and still going strong, course I only use them when wet wading in shorts during the warmer months.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magellan-outdoors™-mens-backcountry-slip-on-outdoor-shoes#repChildCatid=3971121
Walmart also sells a similar pair, they look exactly the same, same price I think if there is not an academy near you.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 7:39 pm • # 3 
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Joined: 01/26/09
Posts: 617
Location: Oklahoma
Several months ago I picked up a pair of Soft Science wading boots. They have a sticky rubber sole and thick cushiony insole. The uppers are a heavy grade nylon canvas. I think these boots are lighter than my New Balance running shoes. They afford pretty good traction most of the time, but I am not sure how well they will hold on slick algae covered rocks. I also have a pair of Patagonia Ultralight wading shoes, and they are pretty light and flexible.

Larry


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:58 pm • # 4 
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Joined: 07/10/09
Posts: 1555
Location: Plano Texas
I bought a pair of boots that look like flats boots and they have felt soles from Cabelas. Used them once and liked them, much better than clumpy boots.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 9:42 pm • # 5 
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Joined: 08/27/15
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Location: New Jersey
I’ve played around with various lightweight options when wet wading but ultimately came to the conclusion that your feet need more protection than they could offer, whether wet or in waders. Between slick, algae covered rocks and challenging currents, feet often slip and go crashing into other rocks. A solid sole, stiff uppers and ankle protection all help make things safer and less painful. Back on terra firma I’m a big fan of minimalist footwear.


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:09 pm • # 6 
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Joined: 02/07/14
Posts: 382
Location: The southern tip o' Texas
I have finally graduated up to those stiff, armor-clad boots after years of uneven, rocky bottoms hurting my feet. In the sand or mud I go as light as I can, and I use Everlast Reef Boots in the salt because of oysters. But I like those stiff, armor-clad boots on smaller rocks or karst. I got a set of the Orvis Boas. They aren't light, but the extra weight is worth it for the stiff soles.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:16 am • # 7 
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Joined: 07/25/13
Posts: 323
Location: Southern NH
Simms now makes its RipRap shoes with a felt bottom. The bottom on the new ones will also take studs. The older ones wouldn't.

https://www.simmsfishing.com/riprap-shoe-felt-s17


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:37 pm • # 8 
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Joined: 04/17/17
Posts: 2
US Military jungle boots that fit over my waders. It's like 4WD traction for your feet, light weight to me, and easy to get.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:35 am • # 9 
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Joined: 09/17/12
Posts: 142
Location: Washington State
Recently read about Rocktreads in Hatch Magazine. They could possibly be installed on lightweight shoes. I also have an ancient pair of Dan Bailey "rubbers" that are low top galoshes with aluminium bar cleats that are pulled on over shoes and provided better traction than felts of the day, but I haven't used them since the 1980s. I might give them another try for long hikes with a lighter shoe. I currently use Korkers. I need some support and protection. They're lightweight for wading boots; about like modern "hiking boots". If hiking a long way I use the "Kling On" sole that don't and are too slick for wading. I carry a pair of aluminum bar cleat soles and slip those on the boot to fish, then put the "Kling On" soles and sometimes dry socks if wet wading for the hike out.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:21 pm • # 10 
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Joined: 12/09/12
Posts: 53
Location: Central Pa.
plecain wrote:
Simms now makes its RipRap shoes with a felt bottom. The bottom on the new ones will also take studs. The older ones wouldn't.

https://www.simmsfishing.com/riprap-shoe-felt-s17
I own and have used the rubber bottomed Rip Rap shoe with Simms studs. I fished a mountain stream late summer last year in The Rocky Mountain National Park , Estes Park Colorado. They worked very well. In fact they also worked for hiking up the trial out of the water. They are very lightweight and seemed to work as well as my Simms G3 Guide wading boots with the exception they did not provide as much ankle support. I highly recommend this shoe if you want to wet wade.


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 08, 2019 3:07 am • # 11 
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Joined: 10/27/12
Posts: 38
I just bought a pair of the new Orvis Ultralights while I was in the US in April this year after quite a few days fishing(at least 15 days all up over 5 weeks) in rivers from the Madison in Montana, the Montana Spring creeks at Livingston, Lees Ferry on the Colorado and the Snake near Jackson I can't fault them got them in a size larger than normal and with a pair of the Patagonia lightweight waders barely notice the weight in the bags for the flight back to Australia.Not felt soled which didn't really matter at this time of the year while the water is still cold and the rocks not yet slimy and slippery.
Muz


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