[FISHN50]

I wore out the studs on my second pair of Chota STL's & just replaced them, but the felt is worn down where they are just studded soles & not Felt studded soles. I was wondering what the most popular & best wading shoe or boot foot configuration is.

[Silver Doc]

You have a great pair of wading boots. I've had the ones I'm using for the past 51/2 years. The studs are replaceable as are the soles. What I did was bought the soles and the studs as well as the laces directly from Chota. I removed the old soles and replaced them with the new soles plus the studs. There is some trimming to do after gluing. I made them stick using Gorilla glue. You have to make sure that they are well attached. What I did was to use small screws to secure the soles at different sites on the sole. After a week to ensure that the glue is dry I remove the screws that held the soles in place. Then I replaced the studs. I fish at least 3 to 4 times a week and just now after 2 years of fishing the soles will need to be changed. It takes a litle patience, but you have a new pair of boots, so to speak. I have a brand new pair that have sat in the closet for the past 5 years. Hope this helps. Frank

[BigCliff]

I'm a big fan of the Patagonia Beefy Wading Shoe. The studs are small and just barely protrude through the felt. This allows the felt to grip, but the studs help alot on slimy rocks.

[hardhat]

I use two different type of shoes. I ahve one pair I use with waders, and another type used for wet wading. Both have felt bottoms. I have replace the felt on the bottom with after market rerplacements with good results. I can also give the gorillas glue a second thumbs up.

[Wyatt]

I bought a pair of Brown Proline felt sole boots with velcro, cheap just to get by for starting out till I decided what I wanted/needed or what might work in the local streams/rivers, so far I'am happy with these cheat boots, easy on, easy off, good fit over my waders and when you put 280 lbs in them traction has not been a problem even on the slick rocks, my problem is dry flat ground.

[45fisher]

Has anyone tried using YakTrax or other gripping devices with their waderboots? If yes, do they stay on while rock hoping etc?
I have used them but only for winter street conditions. I have never used them for conditions encountered in stream beds.
I am asking because just yesterday while wetwading for smallies in a new location the use of cleats would have saved me a few 'crash and burns'.
I have been using Tecnica Immersion FLT Watershoes for wet wading for awhile now and I am very pleased with them. The rubber/felt soles work very well under most conditions. Most notable is the fact that these boots/shoes were purchased for a purpose other than wetwading.
After yesterday I was looking at purchasing some 'cleated' boots. I am hesitating because they would not be used all that much. The YakTraxs or similiar devices could be easily carried and put on when conditions such as I encountered yesterday.
A thought.

[FISHN50]

I'm going to try & replace the felt soles on the chotas. I've replaced felts in the past with barge cement & it never lasted too long. The felts always just peeled off eventually,even after making sure everything was clean & dry . The felt on the Chotas is stitched on & I can't find a shoemaker in the area that would stitch new ones on so I wasn't going to replace them. I'll give gorilla glue a try. Is there a dry flexible type Gorilla glue or just the one type?

[Fishplease]

Who needs good traction when you have balance and foresight?
I had a pair of rubber hip waders that were lug sole. I got tired of having to carry 2 things back.

[aroostookbasser]

Try using "goop"....works to patch waders as well. If you have booted waders with lug soles. You can add felts grip by using hunters scent pads on them. The kind that have the felt pad/sole and elastic strap to hold them in place. I use two per boot. (less than 20.00...and grips really good.)

[Frank Whiton]

Hi aroostookbasser,

You are right about the GOOP. It is a great product. I always had some in my essentials bag in Alaska. I have repaired just about every thing that might break, tear or rip on a bear or fishing trip. On one trip the sole on my hiking boot tore loose at the toe. It was flapping and I could not walk in it. A little GOOP drying over night and I used that boot for several more years.

Frank