Korkers Boa Lacing system

[mike_richardson]

Well after 5 years my korkers finally gave up. I do a ton of winter fishing, and am wondering if the newer Boa Lacing system will hold up to winter fishing, and not freeze solid. I loved my original Korkers. I am thinking of trying gorilla glue or shoe goo on them to maybe get one more year out of them, but don't expect it to work. It was not fun fishing pocket water, with the sole of you wading boot flopping everywhere.

Does anyone have experience with this lacing system? Is it worth it? I am leaning towards the Buck skin boot, as it uses traditional laces, but wanted to hear from you all on your opinions on this system. I mainly am looking for advice on this system during winter fishing.

Thanks in advance for any helpful insight. I am pretty stuck on getting Korkers, as my last boots held up very well, for the harsh conditions I put them through.

 

[just_jon]

I'm in my second season with a pair of Korker Chromes. I fish Big Spring extensively during the winter and have no complaints. I am concerned that the mechanism may someday fail on the stream. And carry two replacement mechanisms just in case.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I have a friend who bought a pair of Korkers with the boa system. He liked them, wore them out and recently replaced them with a pair of Simms with the same system. Myself I just keep a pair of spare laces in my gear bag for my Simms Guide boots. IMO alot less fuss.

 

[IdratherbePhishing]

I've had 5 of the boa laces wear out and snap. Just overuse I guess. Twice my Simms riverteks hv been replaced and were just sent away for a third. All less than a year old

 

[Six-Gun]

I was intruiged by the Boa system myself, but concerned that they might sieze up with with silt accumulation, but the reviews seem pretty positive long term. I might give them a look on the next go-around.

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I have a friend who bought a pair of Korkers with the boa system. He liked them, wore them out and recently replaced them with a pair of Simms with the same system. Myself I just keep a pair of spare laces in my gear bag for my Simms Guide boots. IMO alot less fuss.

Notto derail, but do you know what causes the excessive wear on the Simms Guide Boot laces? I presume it's the black, metal guides. Mine are still hanging on, but the laces are looking really chewed up in one spot on each boot. I, too, carry a spare set of laces for when they finally die.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Six-Gun wrote:

I was intruiged by the Boa system myself, but concerned that they might sieze up with with silt accumulation, but the reviews seem pretty positive long term. I might give them a look on the next go-around.

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I have a friend who bought a pair of Korkers with the boa system. He liked them, wore them out and recently replaced them with a pair of Simms with the same system. Myself I just keep a pair of spare laces in my gear bag for my Simms Guide boots. IMO alot less fuss.

Notto derail, but do you know what causes the excessive wear on the Simms Guide Boot laces? I presume it's the black, metal guides. Mine are still hanging on, but the laces are looking really chewed up in one spot on each boot. I, too, carry a spare set of laces for when they finally die.

I don't think my laces wear excessively I just use my boots alot. My last pair of Guide Boots lasted five years and I replaced the laces twice. IMO the Boa system is not worth the trouble. Standard laces are cheap and easy to replace.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

one interesting thing about the simms laces is that the replacements (plain brown) last much longer than the pair that comes with them. IME, only the outer covering of the original laces go quickly. The inner core is quite resilient.

 

[JohnPowers]

Idratherbephishing, you and others are wearing out boots at a fantastic rate. How many days a year do you fish? I just bought the river tech boa's and found out from the forum they are total crap. I get out maybe 30 times a year on valley, in the valley and the WB. I'm just curious.

 

[SBecker]

John, I probably fish over 200 days a year. Obviously those are not full days all the time.

 

[Cold]

I've used the same pair of Korker chromes for 3-4 seasons now with the boas...I was skeptical, but they're still going strong, no replacements needed, no spares carried, nothing like that.

One minor issue is that over time the plastic tubing that the lace runs through slowly shifts out of place over a dozen or so outings, but it's easily pushed back in when I notice it.

I've replaced the soles once, but other than that, the boot's upper is starting to wear out, and that'll likely be what does them in.

I'll buy another pair of the same without hesitation. One of my best buys over the past few years.