[Joni]

I have the Simm's Light Weights with the Aquastealth sole. The cleets are sheet metal screws and they work fantastic. I don't care much for the felt soles, specially in the winter here. They just collect to much snow, not to mention little critters that hang on to them.
I have had my Simms for about 8 yrs now. Two years into them the whole sole separated from the boot and for $25. I got a brand new pair that I am still using. Replaced the cleets twice.
I do have a pair of CHOTA'S I wear for wet wading in the summer. A light weight shoe more than a boot.
And of course the booted breathable hippers I use in my pontoon.

[Fly2Fish]

Unlike some others in this thread, I haven't had much luck using Goop to re-attach in any semi-permanent way the felt soles that came loose on an old pair of bootfoot hip waders I have. Perhaps I needed to clamp the soles somehow to the boot bottom. Sounds like Barge isn't thought of too highly, either, but does anyone have experience using Gorilla for re-attaching felt boot soles? Also, if there are different variations on Gorilla glue, as appears to be the case, any preference?

Thanks, all.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Fly2Fish,

I went to the Goop site and they don't list the shoe repair Goop that I used. It said Shoe Goop on the tube. Some of the other ones might work but I don't know which one to recommend. One of them that glues rubber may be good.

Frank

[Fly2Fish]

Originally Posted by Joni

I have the Simm's Light Weights with the Aquastealth sole. The cleets are sheet metal screws and they work fantastic. . . . I don't care much for the felt soles, specially in the winter here. They just collect to much snow, not to mention little critters that hang on to them.

Joni (& anyone else with experience of the two sole types), notwithstanding the felt/snow issue (I guess I'm just a fair weather fisherman), what would your preference be between a studded felt sole and a studded Aquastealth sole in a river situation with mossy boulders and occasionally submerged mossy logs? I'm asking because I have a pair of Korkers Konvertibles which I think a great deal of, and of course they have interchangeable soles.

[Joni]

It is going to sound weird from me, but on just MOSSY bottoms, I would say FELT with studs will work better (because my hippers are felt).
I love my Stealth studded soles, but I do feel that felt does prevent slipping more in some cases.

[fishyfred]

I use Simms hard bites on the perimeter of my felts. None on the inside. Best combo for grip, plus they are removable with having to fork over the $$$ for a pair of chota STL's

[Fly2Fish]

Originally Posted by Joni

It is going to sound weird from me, but on just MOSSY bottoms, I would say FELT with studs will work better (because my hippers are felt).
I love my Stealth studded soles, but I do feel that felt does prevent slipping more in some cases.

Joni, just what wading situations do you think that studded Aquastealth soles are superior to studded felt soles (igoring snow accumulation)?

[Joni]

Originally Posted by Fly2Fish

Joni, just what wading situations do you think that studded Aquastealth soles are superior to studded felt soles (igoring snow accumulation)?

IDAHO LOL. There is more gravel than big rocks in the rivers I fish in Idaho. There are some rivers up in Vernal by the Lodge that have smaller rocks also. There doesn't seem to be the slimy moss accumulation like there is on bigger rocks. The Provo get very slimy as do some parts of the Ogden and Weber.
For the most part, I make due with my stealth and it is a better all around choice for me. On boat docks however, while launching my boat...FELT
I also recommend a good wading staff at all times.

[Fly2Fish]

Originally Posted by Joni

. . . There is more gravel than big rocks in the rivers I fish in Idaho. . . . I also recommend a good wading staff at all times.

I probably mis-spoke when I said boulders. While the San Juan/NM does have some boulders, those rocks are probably closer to large gravel than boulders . . . plenty mossy, though. However, up in Jackson Hole in some of the streams feeding into lakes along the Snake River system, the footing is harder to game, between mossy logs, slate-type boulders and just plain rocks.

I couldn't keep dry without a wading staff . It's indispensable, and allows me much faster in-water movement than without it. BTW, Orvis sells a great magnetic belt retrieve for a wading staff, so that you always know where it is when you need it (& those times tend to be urgent for me).

[sandfly]

as one who repairs boots and waders, i suggest either goop or aqua-seal for felts, i also buy and install 1/4 x 1/4 and 1/4 x 1/2 hex head screws in the soles..cheaper than buying studded soles..a drop of aqua seal on the threads help hold them in..they work for cleated boots also..just screw them into the cleat portion of the sole...great for ice..