Neoprene Booties or Size Down Boots For Wet Wading?

[Swattie87]

Gonna be a bit of a read, but bear with me as I want to give some context. And appreciate the advice and viewpoints I hope it generates.

I’m hook, line, and sinker a Korkers with rubber studded soles guy. That’s all I use for my Trout fishing (with waders) anymore. They are that good. In street shoes/sneakers I’m a 10.5, wide when available. In Korkers, accounting for my wader booties, I’m comfy in a 12.

I don’t wet wade often anymore…2 run ins with Lyme, both from wet wading small wild Trout streams. When I still do wet wade however is WW fishing larger streams in the Summer where I’m in the creek bed 99.5% of the time. I just wear an old pair of Merrell hikers with Vibram soles. They were ok, or so I thought, until I became a Korkers guy. Went WW fishing a couple times this Summer after not going much the last several years and it was like ice dancing out there. I missed my Korkers.

Question: Do I buy another pair of Korkers closer to my actual shoe size and wear those for wet wading with a normal heavy pair of socks? Or do I buy neoprene booties to “fill” the space on the ones I have already? Why? Pros/cons/personal experience. Booties I’m sure is the cheaper route, but good boots is the ONE FFing item I don’t mind spending money on. And in theory, they would save some miles on my other pair, extending their life.

If you prefer the buy a second pair of boots route, how many sizes would you go down? Anyone have experience along these lines, ideally with Korkers?

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Swattie,

I'll make the assumption that your current Korkers wading boots fit you well when you wear them with a comfortable pair of socks and then with neoprene stocking foot waders over the socks before going into the Korkers shoes.

If my assumption is correct there really isn't much need to over think this. I've been wet wading for decades wearing size 13 wading shoes that have fit over every pair of stocking foot waders I have ever owned once my feet were socked up to wade. I just bought neoprene booties from Orvis, or Simms, or Chung King from Amazon to compensate for the neoprene booties on my waders and got after it.

For the record, I wear size 12 EEE or EEEE street shoes depending on brand, so I have always upsized my wading boots one size. No issues for me with just wearing comfortable socks, a neoprene wading bootie and then my normal wading boots.

On the outside chance that you prefer a tighter fitting set up it's much cheaper to add socks instead of buying wading boots/shoes.

Edited to add that socks get sort of squishy when wet. It doesn't bother me, but it may bother you or other people hence the suggestion for more socks instead of new boots.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[hooker-of-men]

Got an old pair of leaky waders around? Cut the stocking feet off and see if you like that setup for free.

 

[Mashbill]

Chung King??

Now i'm hungry for one of those 2 cans taped together .... with the crispy noodles in the top can.
i'll bet they still have a few at that Sure-Fine in Galeton --- next to the Armour Treet.

 

[Forestfishin]

I use the neoprene booties for ww fishing in the summer under my regular boots. They work great. Been using them for years with no issues.

 

[Bamboozle]

Go with Neoprene guard socks which may be the same thing as what folks call a neoprene bootie. Guard socks have the fold-over gravel guard and are usually thicker.

I wet wade almost 100% of the time except in dead winter with the same shoe I wear in winter. My set up is thick wool sock on my bare foot, guard sock, wading shoe.

If you want to "save some miles on your other pair, extending their life," just buy a 2nd pair the same size. I have more than a few pairs of wading shoes and that's what I do to extend their life and allow them to dry completely once in awhile.

In addition, if your regular pair takes a $#!+ when it's too cold to wet wade, you'll have an extra pair the right size. 😉

 

[DaveKile]

I have tried some alpaca wool socks with my wet wading boots. They are less prone to rub, dry out just fine and don't really get stinky with proper care.

https://a.co/d/flWiHRt

 

[lars]

can't seem to buy the old hogeman 4mm neoprene booties with gravel guards any more.
i'm planning on buying some 4mm wet suit material and making my own.

 

[Swattie87]

Some good ideas. Thanks everyone.

I do have a pair of beater Brookie stream waders that won’t make it past when the weather turns cool this Fall. They leak at multiple points on the seams, not catastrophically yet, but enough that I’d not want to wear them in the cold. Probably will take the booties off those to start and see if my wife can sew some material over to make a gravel guard.

 

[WV waver]

“

I don’t wet wade often anymore…2 run ins with Lyme, both from wet wading small wild Trout streams.”

 

[WV waver]

Not sure how to select a quote here but did you contract Lyme from ticks or waterborne?

 

[Swattie87]

Not sure how to select a quote here but did you contract Lyme from ticks or waterborne?

Tick the first time for sure. Never found a second one, but initial symptoms and course were identical, and responded to doxycycline the same as the first time.

I should clarify that I was wearing long pants both times. Never had a tick actually get to my skin when wearing waders.

 

[jeffroey]

I'd make up the difference with the same boot size before investing in a second pair of a smaller size.

I wear the same Korkers wading boot regardless of if i'm wading or wet wading. Only difference is I add a pair of neoprene wading socks over my regular socks (usually thicker wool) when wet wading to make up the difference.

I wear Korkers Devil's Canyon BOAs (we've talked about the pros/cons or BOAs before, you and I . . .) and one pro worth noting is the BOAs allow me to really synch down snuggly on my neoprene sock wet wading setup.

One thing I'd be interested in is if your "buy a second pair for wet wading" option puts you in a different sole size - I think Korkers Omnitrax are interchangeable across two boot sizes? I wouldn't invest in a second pair of Korkers if I couldn't interchange soles between them - you may only like the rubber soles now but you never know.

 

[jifigz]

I know nothing about Korkers, but I suggest neoprene booties. Super comfy and I like the stability of my wading boot. I just go barefoot into the neoprene booties and then put on the boots. Some guys wear socks under the neoprene booties, but that's weird to me.

I know I've shared this opinion before, but I only wet wade after May. It's just too hot in waders. Designate some clothes as fishing clothes and treat them with permethrin. I know it's toxic to fish and felines when wet, but once dry it is supposedly stable. Think about it...it lasts through several wash cycles.

I have a designated pair of Nylon hiking pants and a long sleeve cheap poly or nylon camouflage shirt from Walmart. These clothes are treated with permethrin, and those are what I wear into the woods. I've never had a problem.

I've had neoprene socks from Orvis, Frogg Toggs, and Simms. The Simms suck because they don't fold over my boots. Make sure they fold down over your boots. It helps.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I use wading socks (neoprene booties) and my usual boots. They help keep gravel out if folded down.

 

[Kyle]

I know nothing about Korkers, but I suggest neoprene booties. Super comfy and I like the stability of my wading boot. I just go barefoot into the neoprene booties and then put on the boots. Some guys wear socks under the neoprene booties, but that's weird to me.

I know I've shared this opinion before, but I only wet wade after May. It's just too hot in waders. Designate some clothes as fishing clothes and treat them with permethrin. I know it's toxic to fish and felines when wet, but once dry it is supposedly stable. Think about it...it lasts through several wash cycles.

I have a designated pair of Nylon hiking pants and a long sleeve cheap poly or nylon camouflage shirt from Walmart. These clothes are treated with permethrin, and those are what I wear into the woods. I've never had a problem.

I've had neoprene socks from Orvis, Frogg Toggs, and Simms. The Simms suck because they don't fold over my boots. Make sure they fold down over your boots. It helps.

sounds identical to my wet wading set up. although my simms socks do fold over my boots. i may try a diffrent sock because so far im not a fan of neoprene socks. may try something different on that end. i think krayfish posted last year about a wet wading merrel sneaker i wanna try out.

 

[boychick]

I would get the neoprene socks. I love mine. I wear them wet wading in the summer for bass, and I've worn them wet wading for trout in the summer all over Colorado. They are the type that have the built in gravel guards, which are key, as Bamboozel pointed out. They have lasted for 7-8 years and still have life left in them. Tey were much cheaper than buying a second pair of wading boots.

 

[WV waver]

Ok. Was not trying to hijack thread, was wondering if there was a new way to contract Lyme. Ticks are horrible in WV this year. I’ve pulled 14 off in last 3 months. I treat my clothes with Permethrin but I’ve had them get under untreated jersey gloves, waistband of untucked (but treated) shirts & pants & lower legs by socks/boots. I fear that the Sawyers treatment has diluted due to my sweating heavily in my treated clothes. In their defense, I’ve been in fields of high grass & forest edges cutting firewood. Except for one, none have been deer ticks & I’ve managed to remove them within few hours of exposure. Thanks.

 

[WV waver]

BTW, I have Frogg Toggs & Simms neoprene socks & kind of prefer the FT. Simms have fold down gravel guard with portion that remains up. The FT do not.

 

[jifigz]

BTW, I have Frogg Toggs & Simms neoprene socks & kind of prefer the FT. Simms have fold down gravel guard with portion that remains up. The FT do not.

I also prefer my Frogg Toggs over my Simms. My Orvis were great, too.. They're just wearing out.