With my annual outing to Lewis a day away the last thing I needed was the sole to come off my Simms freestones. The only real option was a trip to my local tackle shop. My Simms were felt sole with studs. The studs were fine but the felt sole was flapping about like a pair of flip flops. Studded soles was what I was after and not felt ones. Examining the soles of the four brands on offer there was one that stood out head and shoulders above the rest. The Greys Platinum's, tough rubber soles festoon with scarey looking metal pins. At £75 they are what I would call mid-priced. I'm a size eight shoe so I went for the size nines to give the extra room for the neoprene sock. I was certain they would fit so told the sales chappy to bin the box and lobbed them into the back of the car. After a drive to Ullapool, ferry to Stornoway and another drive to Barvas, at 2.30am in the morning it was time to get togged up ready for the last hour of darkness. On with my Bison's, then slipping my foot into the Platinum boot and nightmare, my toes were squashed up, I couldn't believe it. Not possible I thought my Simms were a size nine too. On went the second one and yep the same problems, toes were squashed back. For a moment sitting on the back of the car I thought maybe they'll strech in the water. I tried standing up but no hope, I couldn't even hobble. Off came the boots and I thought maybe if I stick my hand in I can stretch them. Sounds daft but remember I was 100 miles from home with very little options. Hand in boot and a moment of clarity...........after removing the paper stuffed into the toes they fitted fine with plenty of room to wiggle my toes
Mooching round highland lochs and wading in the Kyle you meet all sorts of conditions under foot, from dry flaky rocks, to soft sinking mud to slimy pebbles and the usual yomp over a field or heather moor. My boots take a beating and I need something with grip. I've never seen wading boots with metal pins in the soles before so they looked the part, but would they stay put ?
Adding shop bought studs into the soles of any boots usually ends with them falling out after a couple of trips. No problem with these beauties! Comfy, roomy and they grip like bears claws. Provided they last the Platinum's are far and away the grippiest boots I've tried. In fact I'm pretty sure you could climb the north face of Everst with them and not slipping.