# Best wading boots for long hikes?



## ripplerider

My old felt-soled wading boots bit the dust last Saturday. They were worthless for anything over a short hike anyway and dropping off a steep slope with them on was an adventure to say the least. What rubber-bottomed wading shoes have you had the best luck with? I need them to be comfortable enough to hike several miles in yet "sticky" enough to keep me from breaking my neck while wading. I'd love to own a pair of Simms G-3 Guide boots if money were no object but as always it is. Looking at the Redington Skagits as I found them on sale for around $95 with free shipping and they have good reviews but I'm open to suggestions.


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## sasmojoe

I recently bought some Korkers,,  the rubber soles are slick as snot in the water but the felt work great. Wear rubber soles for hiking and then change to felt.


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## flyrod444

sasmojoe said:


> I recently bought some Korkers,,  the rubber soles are slick as snot in the water but the felt work great. Wear rubber soles for hiking and then change to felt.


This will work great for you. I feel that devil's canyon korkers are one of the most comfortable on the market. I have rubber sole with studs I wear during ginseng season just in case I get distracted from fishing some days. While not as good as felt in the stream they aren't bad and work wonderful going up and down the mountains in search of ginseng.


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## ripplerider

I went ahead and ordered a pair of Simms Freestone boots. I looked at the Korkers but I just felt like the removable sole would be a weak point. I'm probably wrong though they're real popular.


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## NCHillbilly

I have a pair of Cabela's hiker/waders that have given me several years of good service hiking and fishing for probably hundreds or thousands of miles. I have hiked five or six miles in with them on several times and then back out. Unfortunately, they're about slap wore out and I don't think they make that same model any more. Steel studs are your friends, as are neoprene wading socks.


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## Taxman

My Simms intruders are fantastic for backcountry fishing.  They have a neoprene liner and I wear a warm wool sock.  I have the felt bottoms.  The Simms flyweight would be
my choice if they came in felt.  The flyweights are about 7 oz lighter.

The liner in the intruder makes it difficult to wear wading pants with booties attached so you have to size up.  The Patagonia ul waders have a smaller bootie and they fit better.  The new Simms flyweight don't have the bootie.


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## northgeorgiasportsman

After my Chota boots wore out last year, I wanted a lightweight, rubber sole, hiking style boot.  

I guess I got lucky when I was looking because they don't appear in stock now, but I got some Simms Vaportreads.  I paired them with some of the Simms hardbite star cleats and I've been impressed so far.  They offer good support and are still a pound lighter than my old ones

More and more of the streams I fish are starting to ban felt soles so I figured it was time to get with the program.


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## NCHillbilly

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> After my Chota boots wore out last year, I wanted a lightweight, rubber sole, hiking style boot.
> 
> I guess I got lucky when I was looking because they don't appear in stock now, but I got some Simms Vaportreads.  I paired them with some of the Simms hardbite star cleats and I've been impressed so far.  They offer good support and are still a pound lighter than my old ones
> 
> More and more of the streams I fish are starting to ban felt soles so I figured it was time to get with the program.


How do the rubber soles compare to the felt on slick rocks? I'm in the market for some new ones myself, and I've been looking at the rubber soles, but I don't know if I'll be spending half my time laying on my back in the creek.


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## northgeorgiasportsman

NCHillbilly said:


> How do the rubber soles compare to the felt on slick rocks? I'm in the market for some new ones myself, and I've been looking at the rubber soles, but I don't know if I'll be spending half my time laying on my back in the creek.



Nothing compares to felt with studs.  Nothing.  But good sharp-edged studs do pretty good.  I've fished a couple local DH waters with these boots and I haven't fallen yet. 

The problem I had was most of the western rivers that I get to go fish once in a while have almost all prohibited felt soles.


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## TurkeyH90

The Simms are worth the money if u. An figure out how to swing it. Like mine better than the Choatas I had before.


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## gobbleinwoods

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Nothing compares to felt with studs.  Nothing.  But good sharp-edged studs do pretty good.  I've fished a couple local DH waters with these boots and I haven't fallen yet.
> 
> The problem I had was most of the western rivers that I get to go fish once in a while have almost all prohibited felt soles.



Curious, what is the reason for prohibiting felt?   Only thing I can imagine is transfer of pollutants.


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## northgeorgiasportsman

gobbleinwoods said:


> Curious, what is the reason for prohibiting felt?   Only thing I can imagine is transfer of pollutants.


They say that felt is more conducive to inadvertently transporting invasive species like the parasite that causes whirling disease in trout.  I know for a while, those that used felt soles were encouraged to spray them down with a bleach solution to kill potential parasites. 

Felt soles are prohibited in all of Yellowstone, a place that I dearly love to fish.

I have seen though, that some places have reversed the ban on felt soles.  I guess they realized that invasives can be carried on just about any gear we wear.


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## pjciii

i have these by orvis and really like them. i do put studs in them. but if i am going to hike for awhile i wear lightweight hiking shoes or boots and then change stream side. i have a backpack for that that integrates with my vest.

https://www.orvis.com/p/clearwater-wading-boot-rubber/2fbn

patrick


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## Backcountry

Go with Simms


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## Taxman

I tried the rubber soles in the Park and quickly switched back to my felt bottoms.  I didn't fall but definitely didn't slip as much with felt.  They were vibram soles without metal cleats.


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## NCHillbilly

pjciii said:


> i have these by orvis and really like them. i do put studs in them. but if i am going to hike for awhile i wear lightweight hiking shoes or boots and then change stream side. i have a backpack for that that integrates with my vest.
> 
> https://www.orvis.com/p/clearwater-wading-boot-rubber/2fbn
> 
> patrick


My issue is that I am absolutely not going to carry two pairs of boots around to go fishing. If I can't hike a few miles in with them on, I don't want them.


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## ripplerider

Yeah this was my dilemma with my old felt-soled boots which came from Cabelas too. Either I slipped and slid on steep slopes or I had to carry my wading boots and put them on stream-side, which meant fishing with a day-pack on all day. Not fun and a little dangerous. I definitely slip more when wading with a pack on, even if it only weighed 12 lbs or so. Ive found that if youre going to tote a pack, youre going to carry stuff you dont strictly need. Stuff that adds up in weight. Well, the new sticky rubber has to be better than the old hiking boots or tennis shoes I waded in for many years, doesnt it? Someone tell me yes please.


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## jigman29

I live in the mountains and walk a few miles on a lot of my trout fishing trips. I bought some korkers a few years ago and they are by far the most comfortably ones I have ever owned. I tried rubber soles both with and without studs and you couldn't run fast enough to give me a pair, I absolutely hate them. Felt is the best out there in my opinion. I have been reading a lot on the svelt soles you can get for the Korkers, they supposedly grip like felt but are allowed everywhere. I may pull the trigger on a set soon.


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## IvyThicket

Simms specifically makes boots for long hikes in.

The Intruder is a good boot but they also just came out with the new Flyweight that looks more like a hiking boot than anything.

If your pockets are deep, Danner just did a collaboration with Patagonia to make a reparable wading boot. It looks awesome and will probably last a long time!


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## jigman29

IvyThicket said:


> Simms specifically makes boots for long hikes in.
> 
> The Intruder is a good boot but they also just came out with the new Flyweight that looks more like a hiking boot than anything.
> 
> If your pockets are deep, Danner just did a collaboration with Patagonia to make a reparable wading boot. It looks awesome and will probably last a long time!


I saw those a while back. I bet that boot is a beast and will last forever! I imagine the price will be unreal high though


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## gobbleinwoods

jigman29 said:


> I saw those a while back. I bet that boot is a beast and will last forever! I imagine the price will be unreal high though



Not in the market personally, but interested at looking at them.   Where did you see them?


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## ripplerider

I found them on gearjunkie.com. Theyre $500, $550 if you get the aluminum bar sole. I'll stick with my Simms until I hit the lottery. That'll probably be a while, cause I dont play.


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## splatek

I really like the korkers because of the "covertible" nature of them - rubber/vibram sole for hiking in distances, then felt with spikes for wading, then swap out. 
They also have pretty good customer service; I work my first pair out in less then a year and they gave me a huge discount on an upgrade. I fish a lot (well before I decided to try and become a hunter) so they get beaten up a lot. 
I think for summer wet wading TEva makes a few good options.


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## IvyThicket

I am no frills guy. I owned a pair of Korkers but they didn't last to my style of fishing which includes long hikes here in WNC. The plastic on the soles began to crack and eventually the rubber strap broke. I think Korkers are a great idea, just not sturdy enough for me.

I've also worn Orvis. I started with their cheap models which are junk but luckily it's Orvis and they'll guarantee anything. I took them back to the store in Asheville and went with their top of the line Access boot. Those things are bomb proof but come at the expense of weight. They are heavy.

I've since switched back to Simms and won't look back. You simply cannot find a better boot for the money nor a selection to fit any style. Yes they are expensive however there is a reason. Like I said above, I am a no frills guy and I want a sturdy boot that is comfortable in any water where I don't have switch soles or worry about taking them back in 6 months.

If that is you, go Simms.


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## jigman29

gobbleinwoods said:


> Not in the market personally, but interested at looking at them.   Where did you see them?


Don't remember the exact site but I saw an article about them online.


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## jigman29

I just saw Brookings Anglers in highlands North Carolina has the danner/Patagonia boot. No price listed though


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## jigman29

They just messaged me back. They have two versions. $495.00 or &550.00 depending on which


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## gobbleinwoods

jigman29 said:


> They just messaged me back. They have two versions. $495.00 or &550.00 depending on which



Taht would be a lot of walking.


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## ripsaw

korkers devils canyon by far the best.


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## jigman29

gobbleinwoods said:


> Taht would be a lot of walking.


If they really last a lifetime like they claim then it would be worth it. But I bet 4-5 years tops.


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## IvyThicket

jigman29 said:


> If they really last a lifetime like they claim then it would be worth it. But I bet 4-5 years tops.



My guess is the claim is backed by a repair regimen. There appears to be no glue or lamination on the boot. Everything appears to be stitched which makes repairs easy. My guess is that with proper care and repair, you could get 20+ years out of them.


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## flyrod444

I stopped by Brookings in cashier's today and looked at the danner boot. They are well made but the felt sole ones are a little heavy. There is something like a $30.00 charge for shipping when one sends them and in for repairs which is suppose to be for life. One of the owners has a pair so I'll see how he likes them this season. It will take some doing to get me to stop wearing korkers devils canyon boots though.


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## jigman29

flyrod444 said:


> I stopped by Brookings in cashier's today and looked at the danner boot. They are well made but the felt sole ones are a little heavy. There is something like a $30.00 charge for shipping when one sends them and in for repairs which is suppose to be for life. One of the owners has a pair so I'll see how he likes them this season. It will take some doing to get me to stop wearing korkers devils canyon boots though.



 Plus, with felt being outlawed in so many places I would be afraid of not being able to use them in too many places. That's why I love my korkers and being ably to change soles when needed.


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