Rubber Soles vs Felt, Again

[Randy Kadish]

Here’s the article:
http://www.midcurrent.com/flyfishing/feltless_soles.aspx
Randy

[Rob Snowhite]

I still don’t understand the want or need for a felt sole or why people would not want to switch over from felt –> rubber. I’m also amazed that the driving factor has been transfer of invasive species.

I’m looking forward to the new direction and innovations manufacturers will take with rubber being the dominant product for our feet.

I would have liked this to have happened a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

I still don’t understand the want or need for a felt sole or why people would not want to switch over from felt –> rubber.

Simple.

[Tim Angeli]

I still don’t understand the want or need for a felt sole or why people would not want to switch over from felt –> rubber.

Felt gives far superior traction.

Tim

edit: Tim Scott’s reply posted while I was typing this one.

[Rob Snowhite]

I’ve worn plenty of makes and models with felt in a variety of waters with different substrates and never felt the traction or grip of which you speak.

We each know what we like and what we don’t and I’m sold on rubber lugs. I should prob now put my barely used felt sole boots up for sale

[dave nyberg]

Mr. Monahans’ article in MidCurrent is excellent.

[Mike Cline]

This will be an evolution–an evolution in innovation where manufacturers will produce better soles, an evolution where we as angler and the scientists will have a better understanding of invasive species and how to combat them, and an evolution by anglers willing to try new, more effective products that we all anglers, environmentalists and manufacturers can live with.

[chris adams]

I use studded felt soles if I am just wading, or plain felt soles if I am using my fiberglass boat.

[anonymous]

I think to some extent it is important to realize that there a couple of issues. One the safety and utility of the sole material and the second the transfer of foreign biota from one watershed to another.

The manufacturers have offered up some alternatives to felt but that doesn’t totally address the biota transfer issue.

I collect aquatic macro invertbrates in a number of watersheds and under my collection permit stipulations is a set of “cleaning” protocols that have to be satisfied before I can use traps/collection systems between watersheds. I observe them and they are quite rigerous,but I can’t imagine the average angler

[Eric Weller]

went to the simms vibram soles this past year.

[dave nyberg]

Just received the new Fly Fisherman Magazine today and there is an article called The Didymo Threat. The article basically said that felt is still better for slick conditions.

[Author]

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