Metal Wading Boot Studs/Cleats

[salmo]

I have Simms wading boots with hard rubber soles. I keep losing the studs. Does Loctite work. Even using Kold Kutter studs it becomes expensive and I only fish 3-5 days a year.

 

[Bamboozle]

I have Simms wading boots with hard rubber soles. I keep losing the studs. Does Loctite work. Even using Kold Kutter studs it becomes expensive and I only fish 3-5 days a year.

Give up on the Kold Cutters and take a look at Grip Studs.

Definitely more expensive but they WON'T pull out.

 

[PennKev]

Give up on the Kold Cutters and take a look at Grip Studs.

Definitely more expensive but they WON'T pull out.

Ditto.

All of the sheet metal screw type studs are hot garbage. Get some Grip Studs. If you only fish a handful of day's year, boots with Grip Studs should last dang near forever.

 

[Swattie87]

I’ve never lost a stud on my metal studded Korker soles, FWIW. The sole will wear out otherwise before the studs come out of them.

 

[Bamboozle]

I’ve never lost a stud on my metal studded Korker soles, FWIW. The sole will wear out otherwise before the studs come out of them.

The studs on the Korker soles are built into the midsole & sole material, they are not screwed in so it's not the same as the Simms shoe.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

My son and I have identical studded shoes. He loses studs at a higher rate than I do, but I also catch him dragging his feet when we're on dry land. I'm also considerably older than he is and don't walk as far or fast.

 

[joebamboo]

I see no value in studded wading boots. The studs are like ice skates on stream bottom rocks!

 

[coyoterahn]

The studs on the Korker soles are built into the midsole & sole material, they are not screwed in so it's not the same as the Simms shoe.

Actually the studs screw in. And they are replaceable.

 

[Swattie87]

The studs on the Korker soles are built into the midsole & sole material, they are not screwed in so it's not the same as the Simms shoe.

I know. Just arguing the Korkers set up is superior to the Simms one being described here. In terms of stud retention.

 

[Swattie87]

I see no value in studded wading boots. The studs are like ice skates on stream bottom rocks!

I thought this too for a long time, until I tried the Korkers ones. Worth a shot if you haven’t tried them IMO.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I see no value in studded wading boots. The studs are like ice skates on stream bottom rocks!

I assume you are comparing them to felt soles?

Rubber without studs are completely usless imo. I cant say that I have ever felt that studded soles have made me feel like I was ice skating on rocks, in fact they bite in and keep me from sliding.

 

[Swattie87]

I assume you are comparing them to felt soles?

Rubber without studs are completely usless imo. I cant say that I have ever felt that studded soles have made me feel like I was ice skating on rocks, in fact they bite in and keep me from sliding.

The screw in metal screw type ones are absolutely ice skates. I can’t see how the manufacturers using that style of stud haven’t had the **** sued out of them for it. They’re just plain dangerous, and wildly unpredictable. At least with plain rubber the loss of traction is a little more predictable and you kinda know when you’re wading yourself into trouble.

The metal screw experience had me stay away from studs for a long time. Until I was fishing Kish in the Narrows one day with a buddy who had Korkers studded soles. Truth be told, flows were probably too high for us to be safely fishing at all, but he was having a much easier time getting around than I was with just rubber soles. Bought my first pair of Korkers (with the studded soles) right after that, and I’ll buy them for life now. Was a night and day difference to the screw style studs.

 

[dudemanspecial]

The screw in metal screw type ones are absolutely ice skates. I can’t see how the manufacturers using that style of stud haven’t had the **** sued out of them for it. They’re just plain dangerous, and wildly unpredictable. At least with plain rubber the loss of traction is a little more predictable and you kinda know when you’re wading yourself into trouble.

The metal screw experience had me stay away from studs for a long time. Until I was fishing Kish in the Narrows one day with a buddy who had Korkers studded soles. Truth be told, flows were probably too high for us to be safely fishing at all, but he was having a much easier time getting around than I was with just rubber soles. Bought my first pair of Korkers (with the studded soles) right after that, and I’ll buy them for life now. Was a night and day difference to the screw style studs.

Interesting. For about 15 years I have used the Orvis studs that came in my old boots and Kold Kutters after that and rarely had issues with sliding. Maybe some folks distribute their weight on their feet differently or just wade more or less cautiously?

FWIW I am on the shorter side, weight about 190 lbs and consider myself pretty agile.

 

[albatross]

I've had some luck with these.

https://www.amazon.com/Qktxktzy-Carbide-Tire-Spikes-Car/dp/B0CH3L9NTB/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&sr=1-1

 

[Bamboozle]

I see no value in studded wading boots. The studs are like ice skates on stream bottom rocks!

Studs slide because one size or type does NOT fit all, some work better than others in some situations, or they are wearing out and have no bite and...

ALL benefit from not being the sole (pardon the pun) source of traction.

Carbide tipped studs are the hardest option with hardened steel and plain steel coming in behind. For example, Kold Kutters are just hardened steel while Simms Hardbite have carbide inserts. Carbide studs absolutely suck on rocks that are extremely hard like granite or rocks with a lot of quartz. In places like this, softer steel or plain hardened steel is MUCH better.

However, the bigger problem is many folks screw studs into a rubber or felt sole not designed to accommodate them and they stick out too far even when screwed all the way in. As a result, the sole material, whether it is felt or rubber isn't making contact with the rocks. That means you are getting no or minimal benefit from the sole material and the problem is exacerbated by having TOO many studs.

In addition, your feet will hurt more at the end of the day and you are more likely to lose studs because they stick out too far.

If you screw carbide tipped studs into a wading shoe with no sole contact and you wade on hard rocks you will slide like you are on ice skates... Believe me, I know and if the studs are carbide and slightly worn, it's 100 times worse.

The first thing you want is a shoe specially designed with a recessed area to accept studs. If it doesn't and the sole is rubber, install those studs in the recesses of the sole. If you can't do that, countersink them deeper into the rubber or felt but do what ever it takes so the studs only protrude a LITTLE bit beyond the sole material because you want your primary grip to come from the sole, augmented by the bite of the stud.

One of the advantages of Grip Studs, even though they are carbide tipped is they are available in many different head heights so you can get the right amount of stud protrusion. There are also some tiny studs out there that can be more easily recessed than the standard studs with a regular hex head.

Any wading shoe or swappable sole with built in non-replaceable studs will most likely have the right sole to stud contact and they will never pull out. You just need to buy new shoes, new swappable soles or find a replacement sole with built in studs and find someone to replace them.

You can also do what I do and carry extra different studs for different places and swap them out before hopping in the water. For example, even though I most often have Orvis Posi Grip studs in my Chota STL Plus shoes, I fish one creek in Perry County with huge hard rocks and if I don't wear plain felt or swap out SOME of those carbide Posi Grip studs for Kold Kutters...

I'll kill myself...

Another thing that helps with grip unrelated to studs is the heel. Most wading shoes today utilize a cheaper to produce wedge heel or are completely flat on the bottom like the Korkers. IF you ever owned a wading shoe with a stacked heel like the original Chota STL, Weinbrenners or Russell's, you would know how that raised flat edge where the front of the stacked heel meets the sole can save your a$$ during a slide.

Finally, if you think aluminum bars or disks are the answer everywhere, try them on a muddy bottom or walking up and down slippery streambanks...

 

[Bamboozle]

Actually the studs screw in. And they are replaceable.

I should have been more specific, the soles I was alluding to are original Studded Felt Sole and the Studded Kling-On® Sole and the newer the Vibram® Studded XS TREK™ Sole.

Those are the soles that have built in, non-replaceable studs.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

When I replace studs and put them in existing spots, I always add some Aquaseal or good old Shoe Goo. Just a dab will do you.

Have not done it, and I don't lose studs in Simms G3s, but using the seal might increase retention on new studs too. I find only old, not maintained/replaced studs get icey....

Also, Orvis Vibram-recommended studs in a Simms boot has worked out just fine. In some ways I prefer the Orvis.

Biggest reason studs get lost is skimping on the rigid part of the outsole under the tread. For example, cheaper Simms Freestoners, at least the first generation, would throw studs on me (or I would feel them in the footbed over time). Higher end boots, no. I have no love for Korkers. Just didn't last long enough for me.

 

[ryansheehan]

I see no value in studded wading boots. The studs are like ice skates on stream bottom rocks!

I won't step in many streams without studs. The korkers carbide studded soles are an absolute game changer for tough streams.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

When I replace studs and put them in existing spots, I always add some Aquaseal or good old Shoe Goo. Just a dab will do you.

Have not done it, and I don't lose studs in Simms G3s, but using the seal might increase retention on new studs too. I find only old, not maintained/replaced studs get icey....

Also, Orvis Vibram-recommended studs in a Simms boot has worked out just fine. In some ways I prefer the Orvis.

Biggest reason studs get lost is skimping on the rigid part of the outsole under the tread. For example, cheaper Simms Freestoners, at least the first generation, would throw studs on me (or I would feel them in the footbed over time). Higher end boots, no. I have no love for Korkers. Just didn't last long enough for me.

+1 on aqua seal helps when placing them in the same location. Do not over tighten

 

[AndyP]

I won a pair of Korkers at a local TU raffle event and have been really happy with them. Haven't lost a stud yet.