Lightweight wading boots: your experience

[MCourtney]

Anglers: who has experience with the Korkers Steath Sneaker & Chrome Lite boots? How about the Patagonia Forra? Specifically, how are the soles in the water, do they have good, safe grip? I'm attracted to the light weight of both sets of shoes.

I have Korkers Devil's canyon boots. I use the aluminum bar sole which does a very good job of gripping on slimy rocks, and has been better all round than the felt soles. But, the boots with aluminum bars are a little heavy and the boot is loose on my foot. Reviewers say the Patagonia and Korkers lite boots have a more athletic shoe fit.

But how about the soles? Some friends who switched over to wading boots (not the ones above) with the new rubber sole compounds say they're still slippery on rocks.

What's your experience?

 

[Stonedfish]

No Korkers for me after my initial experience with them years ago, but have used both Simms and Orvis flyweight / lightweight boots, both with rubber soles. Both failed due to multiple lace loops failing. I do fish mainly saltwater, so that may have something to do with it but I’ve read of others having the same issue.
I put studs in the soles on both and they worked fine.
SF

 

[Zak]

I think rubber soles are slippery on rocks, period. Years ago I had Patagonia Riverwalker "sticky rubber" soled boots and they were dangerously slippery. I like felt soles.

 

[Fourbtgait]

I love my felt Simms sneakers though no longer made.
5 years old, use them for wet wading.

 

[jeradjames]

Can’t comment on the Patagonia’s but I’m sure they’re great, I’ll probably get them when I ruin my current pair. I use the Orvis ultralights when I’m putting in miles and they work perfectly fine. Rubber Vibram sole which yeah is slippery but that’s why you put studs in them. Makes all the difference. I fish a lot of different areas so felt isn’t the right choice for me.

 

[Zak]

I fish a lot of different areas so felt isn’t the right choice for me.

Because of the risk of transporting bad organisms in wet felt?

When Vermont banned felt for a couple years I just decided that my felts would stay in my home water (the Winooski) and felt (heh) ok with that.

 

[jeradjames]

Because of the risk of transporting bad organisms in wet felt?

When Vermont banned felt for a couple years I just decided that my felts would stay in my home water (the Winooski) and felt (heh) ok with that.

Yes

 

[Fourbtgait]

Only place close by that banned felt is Yellowstone. It’s been awhile since I’ve fished there. Alaska has ban but since fishing in boat, no need to wade.