Pennsylvania Fish For Free Days

I tend to do a huge trip once or twice per year to cabela's. Other than that, part of taking a fishin' trip to a new location is hitting the local fly shop. It's just something I've always enjoyed. I usually end up grabbing local patterns, plus a leader or two, and maybe a spool of tippet or wheel of shot. In the end, I spend more at the local shops.

 

Not that wading boots are meant to be backpacking boots, but several times a year, I combine the two and have had a mixed bag of success and failures with wearing wading boots on the way back to the vehicle. One year, I had a pair of Korkers, that killed the soles of my feet, because they had little arch support; last year, I added a pair of arch support soles and they worked like a champ. This year, the Korkers are shot, and I went to the Cabelas Ultralight wading boots that had been my backup pair. BAD choice - no ankle support, a shade too small and my feet were killing me by the end of each day, pack or no pack.

So, if you were hiking instead of fishing, and carrying a 40 pound pack, would you pick the Simms Guide boots?

 

My wife got me these for Christmas this past year. I love them. They are all they said they would be.

 

I got this years version of the Orvis side zip boot. Much better than last years version. Orvis changed to cleats instead of the tiny studs. Feel much safer in the water with the cleated version.

 

I had a pair of these for about 3 years. Completely demolished. Seams fell apart, holes in the leather, and soles worn through. I want to say that I fish pretty hard and this is the main reason for the boots' destruction but I'm not sure. I don't think that I fish harder in these boots than a guide getting paid to do the same. They are made overseas, as are all others, but leather products- especially boots- ultimately become junk. I understand that there are certain things to do to take good "care" of the Guide Boot but I also feel that the design of the boot should take into consideration that these boots are made to be worn in water and then dried 1,000 times in the lifetime of the boot. Water and leather don't mix in such extreme conditions. I roughed it last season with pebbles in my boots and poor support because I felt I had to justify the money I spent on these boots. Going synthetic with Korkers KGB.