POLL: Wading Boot: Felt vs Rubber?

Which wading boot do you prefer?

  • Total voters
    30
W

waddy29

Member
In the market for some new wading boots....

Felt seems to be the favourite until recent years, with many claiming felt has a much less slippery surface. However theres the whole invasive species topic.... Rubber seems to be more common in recent years but you sacrifice stability.

Lets hear your thoughts?
 
Felt!!!!! Rubber is outright dangerous on many streams, the mini studs you can install make them marginally better and cleating up is a pain both in the river and especially moving from spot to spot. The didymo scare of years past is a non-issue, as pretty much every North American River has it. If you travel, particularly to areas that have had whirling disease like Alberta or Montana or other nasties, you should treat your boots accordingly whether they’re felt soled or rubber soled as the invasives can get into the laces, creases, soft parts, treads, etc, etc, etc.

Cheers!

Ukee
 
UkeeDreamin said:
Felt!!!!! Rubber is outright dangerous on many streams, the mini studs you can install make them marginally better and cleating up is a pain both in the river and especially moving from spot to spot. The didymo scare of years past is a non-issue, as pretty much every North American River has it. If you travel, particularly to areas that have had whirling disease like Alberta or Montana or other nasties, you should treat your boots accordingly whether they’re felt soled or rubber soled as the invasives can get into the laces, creases, soft parts, treads, etc, etc, etc.

Cheers!

Ukee
Click to expand...
^ this.
 
I hike a lot like usual day fishing my home river is 7k+ on a trail and I have destroyed my g3 felt boots the toe is worn right down after one and a half season, otherwise the boot is in reasonable shape, so if you are doing a lot of trail stuff I recommend rubber. Also if you fish any tidal areas/estuaries the barnacles are tough on the felt.

I had a set or korkers and found durability an issue as well they warranted one pair for me like half season in and then the second pair stared to deteriorate in the same timeframe so personally I haven’t had much luck with them.


This is my experience.
 
Carmanah said:
I hike a lot like usual day fishing my home river is 7k+ on a trail and I have destroyed my g3 felt boots the toe is worn right down after one and a half season, otherwise the boot is in reasonable shape, so if you are doing a lot of trail stuff I recommend rubber. Also if you fish any tidal areas/estuaries the barnacles are tough on the felt.

I had a set or korkers and found durability an issue as well they warranted one pair for me like half season in and then the second pair stared to deteriorate in the same timeframe so personally I haven’t had much luck with them.


This is my experience.
Click to expand...
If you like giving swimming lessons get the rubber soles
 
only time felts don't work is on a mud bank - which is often easy enough to avoid. Corks and rocks also a bad combo. Felts are the best option and I have tried the part cork and mostly felt ones which have the potential for being better on logs - still like the felts the best for all-around traction & safety.
 
I'm a big guy and ware the felt out pretty fast. My last pair are the Vibrex rubber soles. Have not had an issue yet , but I don't stand in crazy spots when I fish , and never fish a slippery river like the Thompson
 
I moved to felt decades ago when I fished rivers a lot. They're awesome unless you have a bowling ball sized rock situation. Like the Campbell river where cleats are the best. On all the other island streams I fished, they were fabulous.

Prior to felt, in the 1970's, on plain rubber boot waders, I slipped and slid all over the place. When I got my first felts, it was a life altering event.
 
I haven't tried rubber soles yet, so I can not comment on their effectiveness.

I've always used felt soles and they work great for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top