Finding a shoe that fits well and holds up to what you put it through is the biggest battle.
IF you feel you got your money's worth out of your Simms and the only issue is the durability of the studs, buy the same shoe and just try a different stud.
BTW - Goat Head studs are hardened stainless steel. If you want durability, you want carbide, not “hardened steel”. That means NO Ice Studs, Gold Ice Screws, Kold Cutters, Regular Chota STL Studs or hardware store sheet metal screws.
AND, aluminum bars are NOT the answer for every place either, they wear out FAST, suck for long hikes or walks and aren’t cheap to replace and some are NOT replaceable.
In regards to studs I have tried EVERY and I mean every stud out there, but rather than bore you with all the details, (which I have done several times before on this board) I’ll recommend two studs to address the two problems outlined by Afisinado, wear and pull-out:
Orvis Posi-Grip, which have threads like regular sheet metal screws. I’ve had the same set on my Chota STL’s for YEARS. NOT cheap, but they are a great stud with great bite!!
Grip Studs, they will NOT pull out and are carbide tipped. The ONLY thing I use in plain felt and in the plain rubber-bottomed Muck Boots I use for bank fishing and shallow wading. They’re also NOT cheap, but they make a stud that will work in anything you got and will send you samples to make sure you pick the right stud.
Another thing, proper installation is everything. Besides the hand tightening recommendation, you want a screw with MINIMAL threads per inch, because the screw is cutting the thread in plastic, rubber or felt and the more threads, the more cutting, the more likelihood for cross threading; all of which mean the more likely it will pull out.
Also, IF you find stud you like and it wears out, replace it with the same stud or one with at least the same screw diameter, thread pitch and threads per inch and TRY and start the screw in the old hole with minimum torque. The last thing you want to do in a plastic, rubber or felt bottom is cut MORE threads in an old hole.
Finally, a properly installed stud should NOT stick out so far that when you walk, you are only walking on studs. A stud SHOULD be recessed so that you are getting grip from the stud AND the sole material. If the studs stick out too far they break more easily, make your feet sore, wear out faster and make your shoes slippery as heck when the studs wear smooth. If you recess your studs, you will notice a HUGE difference.
Good luck!
