What to use if not felt?

[skankyHO]

Ok - let's open this can of worms. With felt banned, what are people using and is it any good? I have Korkers so need to replace the soles. The only option, I guess is Aquastealth...... but there seems to be varying viewes on the matter. Some on the flylife.com.au forum (am I allowed to mention that place here?) say it is good, others say you need the metal studs, and others say adding the studs makes it more dangerous on granite/boulder situations because the metal studs just slide on the hard rock.
So, what are people using? Is it any good? What would you recommend?

[Bigfish]

Hi there skankyho , I've got a knee the dislocates reasonably easy so I'm extremely particular about grip in the river and on muddy tracks.
For 2 yrs I've used the sierra dynatrack boots with the tungsten studs.I also added a few extra studs to suit.
They have been brilliant on long walks and in the rivers.
In saying that I have only fished the Waitahanui TT, and Tongariro, that's about 30 days fishing and they still have heaps of life left in them.

[skankyHO]

Thanks Bigfish - how do the studs go on rocks? I've read elsewhere that sometimes they make walking the boulders really slippery as the metal just slides off?

[Bigfish]

Na, there's quite good bite from the studs, certainley on the tongariro boulders.I've never used felt so I can't give you a comparison but I'm happy with these boots.If you step on the side of a boulder,say ,anymore than 60 odd degrees,you will slip but it's a slow slip if you know what I mean.Maybe on highly polished and very hard granite they might not bite as hard but I don't really know.
Good luck

[geoff_fishie]

felt soles are the best by far. looks like its back to bare feet for me  but seriously if im fishing backcountry i just use old running shoes aye good grip on rocks etc, dont spook any fish coz theres not studs banging on rocks either. all thats left to do is not $%^k up the presentation.

[agholmes]

I bought scierra dynatracks before felt was banned as I would have hated to be the one to spread didymo,and I wouldnt go back if I could.Dynatracks are better than felts out of the water(felts put me on my ass more than once walking on grass)in the water they arent as good on slippery rocks etc but still good,I read aquastealths arent too good so I would say try scierra dynatracks.

[taupof]

I love Felt, I believe it is safe on all services except, wet grass on an incline and Mud. I have had some scarey moments myself with mud and felt boots. However as I spend MOST of my time in the water crawling and hoping over rocks they would be my first choice. Bad news is obviously you can't wear them while fishing cause they are banned. Should ban boots of all sorts but I guess that's a bit harsh, HUH!

Best bet is the Scierra Dynatracks. I have a good friend who also swears by them.
I have the Aquastealths and although OK, they are NO where near felt for safety in the water. They are however legal and not a bad price for what you get.
I haven't tried the old sneakers GF, might give that a go this season, Its all I used to wear when I was young.

[taupof]

Just bought two pairs of Riverworks wading boots. The rubber is a little softer than the Scierra and the price is about $200. Creal tackle shop in Turangi have a good selection of boots.

[Bigfish]

Can ya get extra studs from riverworks for those boots Catch?

[taupof]

Hey Bigfish.

The ones I bought had the studs in them. I am sure they sell extra studs though dude.

Catch

[taupof]

Hey guys,

Yeah the Riverworks Are a good choice, I have NO complaints about them at all, good on all surfaces and they have held together, even with my feet, (I have a tendency to kill shoes). Defiantly get a pair of these if you are looking at the cheaper style of wading boots.