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Stud placement on wading boots

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JRT

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I often fish some big scary breakwaters with huge boulders. My current Orvis Encounter boots with Vibram sole and studs seem to have the stud mounts in odd places. 

Any good advice on placement of studs and the number of studs for maximum grip?

 

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I am very much a fan of the aluminum bars. Just as good traction and they have a few advantages in my opinion. One being which you can lock a bar on a small ledge to help pull yourself up onto a rock much more securely than studs. 

 

Patagonia has a replacement kit that I have bought and put on cheap boots. 

Edited by lisurfer49
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JRT

 

korker strap on sandals offer better grip than every wading boot with studs fitted in my experience . Mine are in M so can't give you stud count but  over 15 a sandal. My wading boots have been G3 and Chota .

Chota boots soles and stud mounting points are too soft. This means the studs can move around rather then dig in. Also being plastic easy to strip them with the self tapping screws you have to buy for $30 for 20. 

Some boots you may get to chose where you fit your studs. Key areas are the instep and heel.

Studs blunt very quickly and once they round you are on roller skates. A single week can see them needing to be replaced. Safety is never cheap.

I paid the price last spring with a very heavy fall on a small rock jetty and broke a finger and sustained bad bruising on top. Could have been worse.

korker boots with the swopable soles are expensive and leave a lot to be desired.

Mike 

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I don't do a lot of wading in places that are going to put me at risk of taking a header or maybe something worse at this stage of the game. I will say that when I look back at some of the places I traversed I think I am lucky to be here and typing this.

 

As far as answering the question there are still places that I feel having some additional traction is still a good idea. I don't shell out a ton of money for studs for wading shoes. For what I need I have been using Kold Kutter Screws. My son got them for on Ebay. They are made for dirt bikes for racing on ice. They are very sharp and hold a good edge. for a long time. I just put them into the sole of my wading shoe with variable speed drill. A drop of crazy glue on each screw doesn't hurt.

 

The Tug Is The Drug

P1060161avrs.JPG.4cfec72f29b8d59afe85d0e7a9d85266.JPG

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I have used Patagonia Foot Tractor wading boots for a full year now and have found them the best boot I have ever used.  Up until April 19th of this year, I had a knee that was a severe stability problem and I could not afford a foot slip at either MTK or rivers like the Salmon River up in Pulaski.  They performed well beyond expected.  As of the aforementioned date, I had total knee replacement surgery and needed the same characteristics of support and foot grip.  Again, they performed well at MTK and my new knee was worth the pain of recovery.  I also found that, with the right sizing, I can slip in and out of these boots without the need of a boot hook to help my foot into them.  As I wear out the "tractors", they are easily replaced.  Now, here is the bad part:  They are expensive, so it is easy to recommend them but not so practical for one on a budget.  If that is the case, I would go with what lisurfer suggests and buy just the "tractors" and put them on your current boots.  My dear wife who understands my fishing avocation made them a Christmas gift in 2015, so I can talk big, as it were.  Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it works out for you.

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Thanks guys - the tractors sound good. I need to see if they will fit around the grip pattern on my boots. I'll check out the 'strap ons' (oh er) to Mike. I do like the idea of being able to remove them when not required.  

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JRT

 

Strap on sandals can be a problem when trying to get them over some wading boots. If you ever go this route it's a good idea to have your boots with you when you try for size.

I don't like the lace  up sandals.  They are often duck taped on as well and that's just a joke in my book.

 

If you ever get around to wet suiting. Then divers booties with Korkers are a nice combo.

 

Not sure how these alloy rectangular bars dig into weed covered rocks.

 

Just back from a trip to Maine and some places had smooth green rocks and rounded to. Nothing is good on them. We all fell in at some time. Worse then walking on ice.

 

In Montauk I have tried most combos. If you stand on rocks where waves will hit you then I found wading boots  even well studded did not cut it and your feet would be pushed backwards. Korkers rule even though their quality leaves a lot to be desired.

In my observations of what others wear in M vast majority of spin guys wear Korkers  whilst Fly Boys invariably just tend to wear their std wading gear. They think it's good enough. Depends which rocks you are stood on.

No surprise but I have worn both Tee shirts.

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

Edited by Mike Oliver
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6 hours ago, JRT said:

Thanks guys - the tractors sound good. I need to see if they will fit around the grip pattern on my boots. I'll check out the 'strap ons' (oh er) to Mike. I do like the idea of being able to remove them when not required.  

I was not talking about the crampon style ones that go over your boots. There's a replacement set that Patagonia sells that is just the bars, screws and inserts for the screws.

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I've been using motorcycle ice/snow studs. They are cheap and can be easily replaced. You can buy a pack of 250 for about $20. I have the kold cutter brand. They are best paired with tacky stealth rubber soles.  And in regard to pattern I just put about 15 screws in each sole in an evenly spaced out pattern.  Haven't tried korkers or aluminum. Usually don't want to wear more on my feet than just the boots. Was worried that the bars may slip on the algae. 

 

I mainly fish a precarious southernly Queens jetty and have had no major spills. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, peetcon said:

I've been using motorcycle ice/snow studs. They are cheap and can be easily replaced. You can buy a pack of 250 for about $20. I have the kold cutter brand. They are best paired with tacky stealth rubber soles.  And in regard to pattern I just put about 15 screws in each sole in an evenly spaced out pattern.  Haven't tried korkers or aluminum. Usually don't want to wear more on my feet than just the boots. Was worried that the bars may slip on the algae. 

 

I mainly fish a precarious southernly Queens jetty and have had no major spills. 

 

 

What I said. I think you will find that most boots already have the pattern for studs all laid out on the soles.

The Tug Is The Drug

P1060161avrs.JPG.4cfec72f29b8d59afe85d0e7a9d85266.JPG

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A just for example - this is Simm's diagram of their recommendation on the Streamtread Vibram sole on the bottom of G3s. It is what I use on the Ditch, mind I have 2 plates and 24 screws in my left ankle so bad falls are a NoNo.

Puck

streamtread_pattern_combo.jpg

Puck - Ditch Troll #42 and Mouse #320, the Canadians  - Eh! At the Ditch for 50yrs

 

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