Felt sole boot...REVIVAL...wanna make 'em grippy again

[BruceC2C]

Even tho I have fresh studs in my felt soled boots,
It seems they have gotten more slippy than grippy.

Any thoughts to revive/rejuvenate, pls?

Research shows plenty for repair & resole but lacking for this specific task.
ty

 

[dudemanspecial]

I have no experience here, just throwing darts....

Have you tried to clean them somehow? I could see dirt and grime making them less effective.

Also how worn out are they? I would have to imagine that as the felt wears down and thins that the lack of surface area will make them less effective.

 

[dryflyguy]

Hit them with a wire brush.
That will revive them some, depending on how worn they are.
You can also add studs

 

[Bamboozle]

Even tho I have fresh studs in my felt soled boots,
It seems they have gotten more slippy than grippy.

Any thoughts to revive/rejuvenate, pls?

Research shows plenty for repair & resole but lacking for this specific task.
ty

Clean felt is happy felt...

While I don't advocate the use of Dawn on any other part of a wading shoe if it is leather, I swear by a good scrubbing of felt soles & heels with a Dawn, hot water and a plastic scrubbing brush.

As I almost exclusively use felt soles, I have been doing this since day one which is a LONG time ago with no issues. Scrubbing the soles after a fishing trip helps to rid the felt fibers of embedded grit, mud & slime; some that gets slimy again the next time out if not removed.

I imagine this also helps with spreading critters from place to place...

While it is an interesting concept, I have to believe the use of a wire brush is overly aggressive and will tear the felt fibers necessitating earlier replacement.

 

[dryflyguy]

You dont want to go crazy with the wire brush, for sure.
Just scuff the felt up a bit.
Been doing it for years.

If that doesn't help, then time to consider adding studs, or even replacing the sole