Wading boots

[daveh]

First they have to fit.

[anonymous]

Everybody who travels and fishes ought to consider the Aquastealth sole to help minimize transmitting invasive species such as Didymo around to others waters.

New Zealand biologists have discovered it is almost impossible to rid felt soles of Didymo algae cells.
http://www.nzfishing.com/Other/PressReleaseFeltSoledBoots.htm. Not much of a surprise there I guess.

I’ve used a pair of LL Bean Aquastealth for the past 3-4 years and am getting ready to replace them with Simms L2 Aquastealth.

I was going to buy a pair Weinbrenner stealth boots as their wide fit has been one of the most comfortable boots for me over the years. However, because of the overseas imports they are downsizing and have eliminated the Aquastealth sole from their lineup just recently.

I’ve probably bought my last pair of felt boots.

Scott

[grant schofield]

I bought a pair of L2s this year and while I don’t fish as much as Zach I have liked them quite well. I did buy them a tad small, but they have stretched out just enough to be perfect.

[david king]

I had the felt separate on a pair Chota’s! I have 2 pair of Simms boots and thet have held up very well.

[Cameron Mortenson]

Well…I’ll add my two cents…I am still wearing my pair of L.L.Bean Aquastealths after five or so years of HARD use.

[none]

The looks & specifications of the LL Bean boots looked very promising. But ordering boots (or waders) just from the website without trying several sizes (or models) is pretty tough decision from Europe.
Maybe you guys in the US have much better conditions with sending it back if it doesn’t fit, etc. But sending boots back, shipping it back here and guessing the next pair would fit is just too expensive & time consuming when you’re in Europe.

That’s why waders & wading boots I MUST try them on in the shop.
So far the Simms Freestone have proved their quality and duty.

[Mike Anderson]

Am I missing something here. I consider a pair of wading boots to be worn out once the felt is gone. Therefore a boot is no better then its felt as far as durability goes, and most felt is the same right? Do you guys resole your boots??

[none]

Eventually yes 🙂

But many times the boot wears faster than the soles.

[Frank E. Sangiorgio]

😀 Have to go with Chotas. I have been wearing mine for the past 4 years and have only replaced the studs. I fish at least 3 times a week and these boots have also been to Scotland Nova Scotia and even during the winter when I fished they held up. S.D. By the way a Happy Holiday to one and all. 😉

[greg mitchell]

I have the Simms L2 boots and have been very pleased with them. They are the first pair of boots I’ve had that have lasted more than a year. They seem well constructed and are comfortable. Only drawback was the elastic lacing system. Mine was shot after just a few weeks. I’m sure Simms would have replaced them but I just put regular nylon laces in them.

Regarding the boot wearing out faster than the felt – that’s happened to me 4 different times. I always bought cheap $50 or less boots until the L2’s.

I’ve never been displeased with anything made by Simms. I recently bought a used Simms guide vest off of ebay and couldn’t be happier with it. It’s several years old but still in perfect shape. It was missing the foam fly patch. When I contacted Simms and offered to buy one – they sent me a new one for free. That’s customer service!

Greg

[adams]

Make mine a vote for studded Aquastealths. They grip on a wide range of surfaces, can be used in the snow, and don’t transmit stream borne invasives as easily as felt.  

Boot fit is by its nature a personal thing, given the variations, but I have LL Bean’s (the synthetic leather hiking boot version/its been 6 years now and I forget the name) and I love them.  Comfy, plenty of support, and they have held up well.  In 3 years before I got the Bean boots, I went thru 2 pairs of Cabelas boots.  Every seam eventually blew.  The Beans have been thru more, and held up well.  My one negative comment is that they eventually shrank a bit.

Adams

[mark s]

This is making me want to buy new boots to give to myself for Christmas.

[feild patten]

Just thought I would throw in my 2cents since Zach mentioned my glorious Patagonia RiverWalkers in one of the replies.

I will never buy another Patagonia product. The pictured Riverwalkers were purchased in January 2006. After five months of brutal hiking and fishing trips in the mountains of North Carolina, and four months of guiding in Alaska, they were completely destroyed (missing felt, huge holes, etc. etc.).

Sorry about the bad pic, but you guys can see the damage…..

[Corey Kruitbosch]

another vote for studded Aquastealths. I just got my first pair this last summer … They are a fantastic boot and have been great for winter fishing. I also, very much like the fact that they don’t transmit stream borne invasives as easily.

[Author]

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