Wading Boots

[ryansheehan]

If you cross over into Maryland from sw PA felt is a no go. There is a substantial fine if you're caught with felt boots.

 

[coyote]

appreciate the replies.

so, is felt "wrong" environmentally here, even though it's legal?

is there a way to disinfect felt between streams?

thanks!

 

[bigjohn58]

Felt is completely legal in PA...I would say 99% of the time I am fishing I'm basically in the same watershed so spreading evasive species is not really a risk. If you travel a lot just make sure you clean them appropriately. I believe a lot use bleach on the felts.

 

[coyote]

appreciate the replies!

 

[ryansheehan]

Maryland over reacted with the felt ban. I would wear them without hesitation.

 

[Dave_W]

coyote wrote:

so, is felt "wrong" environmentally here, even though it's legal?

is there a way to disinfect felt between streams?

The issue of whether felt is bad for the environment has been discussed quite a bit here. Attitudes have changed somewhat on this nationally. A decade ago, felt soles came to be vilified because an invasive algae called didymo (or "rock snot") was turning up in a lot of streams and it was thought that wet felt soles being worn by fishermen was the likely explanation for how this didymo was spreading. Obviously, boot felt is thick and dense and takes a long time to dry, sometimes days or weeks if the boots are in a damp place or weather. At least two states, MD and VT, banned felt soles.

In the last few years, however, the consensus has been that felt soles are not really the problem and that didymo may already have been present in these streams. VT lifted their ban on felt. Some folks, like Ryan above, feel that MD over-reacted too.

I'm a fan of felt soles and feel that its stream gripping and safety aspects are excellent. I do try to clean my boots after I leave a stream known to have didymo or other issues (such as the mud snails in Spring Creek). I do this by putting my boots in a basin of water in the trunk of my car that has bleach mixed in. If you let your felts dry thoroughly in the sun, this will do the trick too.

 

[ryansheehan]

With the current information it appears didymo has been there all along.
Why they haven't reversed the law yet, well that's anyone's guess. I guess you could make an argument for preventing the introduction of future invasive species.

 

[3oh4]

I'm a mess with wading boots. I walk an insane amount of mileage and I just wear down my boots to the point that I never get more than a year out of any of them. The only boot that I have found that doesn't break down for me are Simms Freestones. They are heavy but well made and don't give out at the seams. I have collapsed arches and have blown out every other boot I have tried except the Freestones. I had a pair of Korkers KGBs they literally lasted about 4 trips before they were blown out and I had to get my money back. I even tried higher end Simms Vapors and blew them out quickly. I'm probably going to get another pair of Freestones but like many I am sick of the Vibram soles. They add no traction and wear out way to fast, its basically a hiking boot until you add studs. But last years' pair of Freestones I kept losing my studs (Kold Kutters) the first day I put them in, I had to turn to sheet metal screws that were wide enough to grab a hold, but they rusted and wore down so fast I was changing them every two trips.

I'll never understand why they don't try a tread such as something you would see on tires of an off road vehicle.

 

[Swattie87]

Felt went from being only for spincasters, back to the new boo. All in one thread!

 

[timmyt]

Any more links for close outs or sales?

 

[coyote]

sorry if this has all been hashed out before.

it does get confusing to the new guys.

appreciate all your thoughts!

 

[dryflyguy]

I still wear felts.
If I fish in a stream known to contain an invasive, I always have another pair of boots with me - and waders too - for the next stream that's not infected.
And when I get home, I soak the infected boots in a bleach mixture.

Just because a boot has a rubber sole, doesn't mean that the invasive can't get into the tongue, eyelets, or laces right? And any pair of boots - regardless of the sole - should still be disinfected anyway

 

[brandozer317]

https://www.mrfc.com/korkers-k-5-bomber-boot.html
I ended up getting these. Seemed like a pretty good deal. I know this model has been around for awhile, but seems to be reviewed well.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Curious about how much the Korkers lovers fish a year because I was very disappointed with durability of the soles, especially. My local shop stopped carrying them for that issue too, and the last pair I had was in the sale pages on LL Bean, which usually means they got many, many returns and are not carrying them anymore.

If price was not an option, and you fished 100+ days a year, what would you guys own? Perhaps, this should be a new thread, sorry!