Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

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Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

This is a story that is going to be repeated over and over during the next couple of years. Eventually their may be a US wide ban on felt soles. I will live just fine with out them. There are good alternatives to felt available now.

Frank

Simms Freestone Boots, all Simms StreamTread soles accept metal studs.
http://cache.simmsfishing.com/simms/..._Boot_zoom.jpg

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

One can see the writing on the wall - agree or not, its coming to a state near you.

I own a pair of Simms Guide Boots with the streamtread sole and love them. No snow buildup in the winter and extremely good traction in and out of the water on most all terrains. I use a wading staff when in the water and have not had a serious or even minor mishap with the rubber soles in the streams in my area.

Kelly.

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

Well, with the snowpack we have and all, nothing will be fishable til mid-June anyway, and by that time, it'll be warm enough that I won't care all that much every time I slip and fall in. My old Battenkill wading brogues are certainly going to feel neglected though, especially having to wait next to the new Simms Whateverthenameandungodlyexpensive vibram soled units for their turn when we waddle over to the NY side of the line.

As I used to say to my staff when dealing with yet another off the wall rich white man, "It is what it is, deal with it." (they hated that phrase)

Slip slidin' awaaaaaaaaaay,
Gary

P.S. Note to the editor: they're waDing boots, not waDDing boots. I don't even wanna think about what a wadding boot would be used for. Likely some very weird thing they do over in the UK that would be universally disapproved of over here.

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

I think this is a necessary step in the right direction, and hopefully this gets done nationwide in time to stop anything catastrophic from happening to an already fragile series of river systems.

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

Why? - It seems a over reaction to a problem or potential problem. Is there any proof that this will resolve, correct, or resolve the problem. Nope
I find that felt is safer and more stable than the newer "rubber" soles. Sorry but I just see this as a forced change that does VERY LITTLE to change the problem. Probably some what of a good thing for boot sales though.
The only way to prevent cross contamination is to prevent ANYTHING from going into the water. Little critters can hide inside a wading boot, reel, or other equipment just as well if not better than in the felt. What a joke or ploy>

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

I feel a lot safer wearing felts too, but I'm not going to be the one responsible for spreading the problem.
When ever legal, reasonable, and possible, I'll be wearing my felts
When I fish in VT (which has been at least one weekend a year for better than 15 years), I'll be in my new cleated jungle boots

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

If anyone wants to do some reading on the science of the felt sole debate, here are some links.

The first link discusses the science of the ban the felt crowd. The following links are the studies in that discussion. As much as I have looked, I could not find a published scientific document about reasons not to ban.

The Science of Felt Soles and Waders
http://stopans.org/Presentations/Sci...geofDidymo.pdf
http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2007/...GatesK0507.pdf
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/stud...ymo-blooms.pdf
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files...rev-aug-06.pdf
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files...rev-may-07.pdf

MP

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

Or for that case to ban. Again anything and everything entering the water can be a problem. What about the interior of the boots? What about the backing on reels? What about if the person fishing gets their clothes wet? What about people swimming? I read the articles and I did not see anything conclusive that felt wading boots ARE the problem. So ban the felt boots in VT because they may be a problem? Again this action does not solve the problem of people transporting invasive species. It does force people to buy different products and feel that the problem is solved.
Prevention should start at the borders!!

Re: Vermont BANS Felt Soled Wadding Boots
 

Not untill I can buy them for $70.

At this point there is no such thing as a budget wading boot with rubber soles that doesn't suck.

On the other hand my cheapo BPS felt soled boots kick butt.