Can you please help... I have ordered some new waders & boots and i'm not sure whether i should be getting studs for the boots?

The boots are the SK4 with rubber sole...

There are also many types of studs and having never used them before, should i be looking at a certain type or are studs a bad idea??

Basically i would like extra grip in my local rivers.. I have nearly crippled myself a few times by not having good grip using waders with built in wellies.

What are you lot using and how do you get maximum grip in the slimy, boulder strewn river clader?

I use felt soles with studs in the heel only...

Not fell on my arse once with Orvis Posigrip tungsten-carbide screw-in studs in my Felt soles

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Allan
Only dead fish go with the flow.

it appears most are using felt... does anyone have the SK4 boots with rubber soles...or any other boot with rubber soles for that matter?

I am keen to know if i am going to need studs?

Thanks..

It really depends where you're going to be wading.

Cleated rubber soles will be fine for most still waters where the banks are grass / mud and the lake bed is also muddy ... no real need for studs.

Rivers on the other hand are a different kettle of fish! Rubber soles and wet rocks / boulders covered with weed, algae etc are a recipe for disaster - strategically placed studs, particularly in the heel are a must. I have no experience of the new 'sticky' rubber soles and wouldn't like to comment on their effectiveness.

For rivers I'm happy with felt and studs ... but you have to be very careful with felt on grass!

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

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I am by no means an experienced wader. What about peoples' views on wading staffs?

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I find it so much safer with one,......although it can be tricky carrying the extra pole!

First to the question of studs in the bottom of boots: YES

Boot studs:

But given a choice use aluminum sheet metal screws rather than tungsten studs. The soft aluminum will grab, 'stick' if you will,' to rocks. The super hard materials is far over sold and far more expensive. Just go to a building material supply house and get the 1/4" (don't know what that would be in mm's) sheet screws and put them into the bottom of your boot with either an electric drill (and socket) or a socket wrench. Use lots!

Wading staff:

Again a solid YES! But a word of caution from someone who only fishes big rivers. Skip the folding/telescopic kind. Several reasons for this, first the metal they're made of is very thin wall so they bend like a bow if you really have to put weight to them.

Second problem is they float. That may sound like a 'so what?' The problem is they'll be flat to the water and if you need to use it ASAP you've got a problem. You have to pick it up and drive the point down through the water before you make contact with the river bottom. That may not seem like a big deal, but trust me it is.

Soooo good options? First (and dirt cheap) is a old ski pole. They're built to take the weight; just buy one with as fat a top (handle end) as you can find and drill a hole and fill the bottom 9-12 inches with lead shot. Back to that in a moment.

The most 'expensive option' is to get a wading staff from a fellow over there who calls himself "The Stick Man.' He make walking canes and wading staffs. I went 'bucks up' several months ago and ordered up (with all the bells and whistles) and it is fabulous equipment.

Besides just being well built the bottom foot has a pound (or more?) of lead tape (covered twice) which (we're back to the lead shot in the ski pole) keeps the business end on the bottom 100% of the time. Zero fumbling when you have no time for fumbling.

Adjustable rope lanyard around my neck/shoulder keeps the handle right at my waist. Move my hand just a couple of inches and I'm in the Fred's Safety Business.

The lead/lead shot also adds enough weight that when your moving forward the pressure of the current flow won't push the point away from you. It goes straight down where you aimed same. A very good thing.

fae

EDIT: Forgot to add. With the ski pole get a tube of water proof wood glue (it flows quite well) and squirt the container into/through the hole. Pole point down will allow this to flow down/around the lead shot and keep it in place.

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Thanks for the info...

I was just viewing the following... What do you guys think to these???

Best Grip Boot Studs UK » Buy Best Grip screw in boot studs online, Best Grip screw in ice studs for boots, sports shoe studs, UK sales of Best-Grip screw in boot studs, UK sales of studs for boots, sports shoes and waders, Simms Hardbite Studs

Just an observation:

"A complete set of 20 studs plus installation tool only £18.00 + P&P"

On ice these would be 'the Bee's Knees,' in a river .... spare me (they sell these over here at a bit over 1/2 the cost quoted above). In 'Murican Money' that's about $1.45 each

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"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous