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[liketofish]

I am shopping for a new pair of wading boots. Checking out ebay for some ideas, I saw many boots with vibram sole bottom. Is this any good for slippery rocks like felt sole? Here is the link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIMMS-HEADWATERS-WADING-BOOTS-VIBRAM-SOLE-MANY-SIZES-/131053224094?pt=US_Men_s_Shoes&hash=item1e8361809e

[clarkii]

I have the vibram soles on my Simms Rivershed wading boots, and I have a put a fair number of hours on them.

If your main concern is grip on wet rocks, either go with felts or buy the Simms Star cleats to go along with the vibram.  I have the alumibite star cleats, which give me enough grip I am confident to go anywhere.  They wear quickly though, so I am going to buy the hardbite stars and aluminums to stall the wear a little bit.

One advantage to the simms boots, is they are heavy enough that you are going to keep your foot on the bottom.  Also you can wedge your foot into a crevice so it is nice and secure.

The main area the vibrams excel is the hiking and walking, and they are "easier" to clean then felts after a trip to prevent the risk of introducing invasives to a river system. 

Hope that helps.

[Funeral Of Hearts]

 I find vibrams are better in snow and mud. As for slippery wood and rocks I found my felts had better grip although I dont wear cleats which I hear even things up.
It is a matter of preference though and both require different wading styles. Vibrams you need to stub your toe into the gravel when you wade.

[kindalonismo]

I have the Simms Vibram soles and very happy with them.  Started out for the first couple of months without studs & found it slippery during the start of steelhead season, guys at the local shop suggested the studs and made a huge difference!  Have had them on for about 2 years and now time to replace.

[Every Day]

How strong of a wader are you?

I would consider myself a very strong wader that takes risks. I wouldn't be caught dead in Vibram ever again. Haven't coupled them with studs, so I can't speak to that regard, but Vibram on its own sucks.

I have never fallen wearing felts in 6+ years of fishing (and like I said, taking risks in heavy wades). I had worn out my felt boots and went with Vibram for 3 weeks, took 3 serious bales in that time, most in moderate wades, knee to waste deep water. The last fall scared me enough to go drop money on good felt soled boots again and haven't fallen again since.

In the end it's up to you, but I would never buy Vibram again unless I had to (fishing a state with a felt ban maybe?), and I would make sure I had lots of studs if I was trying it again.

[RalphH]

There are 2 choices for non-felt soles that I know of: Vibram or the Korkers Kling-on. I've had both and Vibram is the better of the 2 plus you can put cleats on vibrams. I'd say that in my experience Vibrams are the best all round sole as they are better than felt on mud, dirt or dry grass ,wet logs, for walking considerable distance or in the snow. Snow clings to felt and forms clumps. Felt or studded felt is best for cobble or rock particularly if there a bit of algae on the rock.  I found vibram quite acceptable on the normal gravel found on many of our local streams.

You could also consider a pair of Korkers Chrome boots - for about the same price as a set of Simms Vibrams and 14 or more hard bite studs you get interchangable soles - 1 felt and 1 kling-on plus you can buy just about any other sole you want to try for considerably less than getting any boot resoled with felt. The Chrome boots are lighter than about any Simm boot but I don't think they match the build quality of a Simm Guide Boot.

[buck]

 ED
If you continued to wear those Vibram sole wading boots you may be found dead with them on. I agree totally that they suck and would never buy another pair.

[leapin' tyee]

I would never buy Vibram again unless I had to (fishing a state with a felt ban maybe?), and I would make sure I had lots of studs if I was trying it again.

x2

I have both (Felt and Vibram )......but i end up using my felt boot only and sold my Vibram later on..

[cutthroat22]

I had been looking into Vibram a while ago and trying to figure out why some people like and it others think it's terrible.

There are a whole bunch of different types of Vibram rubber available.  Some are very soft and sticky and others are hard and made to last.  Not sure which compound is on the Simms boots.

http://www.vibram.com/index.php/us/VIBRAM/What-we-do/Vibram-R-Soles/Compounds2

[clarkii]

I have had vibrams (with studs) since August.   In that time I have had some sketchy wades, but only when the substrate started eroding underneath my feet. 

I have seen my dad without studs bale harsh in slack water in a location where I crossed that was pushing hard.  I had no issues.

Again it comes down to what your doing.  If your hiking a lot and scaling the vibrams grip a lot better on dry angled rocks then felts.  If your wading w/o studs the vibrams are a near death sentence.


If you choose to wade the same as you would woth felts. 

[liketofish]

Thank you all for the valuable information. Since my main concern are the frosty slippery rocks for winter steelhead, perhaps felt with stubs may be my best choice. Now I need to find one boot which is not too heavy and dry fast and won't cost a arm and a leg as well as durable enough. Does any one have any suggestion?

[HOOK]

I have two sets of boots. one with felt and one with vibram/carbide studs

my felt ones are the Simms guide boots. I really like how they can take a major beating and keep going but they are a little heavy for long walks. I have been using mine for 4-5 seasons and the boots themselves don't have much wear, the felt however could use to be replaced.

my vibram pair are the Simms Riversheds. I went with these because they are synthetic and will dry faster, be lighter when wet and better for long walks. I haven't even put the studs in them yet because I got them right at the end of steelhead season so I haven't had a chance to use them. I don't wade crazy anymore after taking a couple serious swims so I'm sure the Vibrams paired with studs will be just fine

I also went with synthetic because my Guide boots are leather and shrink when they dry causing them to be extremely tight until I get them wet allowing them to stretch back out.