Wet suit boots/shoes

[rizzo]

SIMMS boots with the screw in studs are the best boot I've ever used. I've walked over a hundred miles (conservatively) in mine this season over the worst rock around and never lost a stud and they still work great. They are pretty good to swim in, flippers fit over them perfectly and they are very light weight.

I've tried lots of stuff and would NOT recommend any of the orvis or korker style boots compared to the simms.

[Big Water]

For years I used a golf rubber over my wet suit booties. It was lightweight and nice spikes on the rubber. I missed the boat when they went to plastic spikes. This year I tried the Korker shoe the sneaker type. It was great with the interchangeable soles. I only wish they had a couple spikes on the toes. There is a lip for the soles to fit in on the toes and no room for spikes. They are very lightweight. In the fall I switch back to a wetsuit bootie and korker soles for warmth. Gary

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by rizzo

SIMMS boots with the screw in studs are the best boot I've ever used. I've walked over a hundred miles (conservatively) in mine this season over the worst rock around and never lost a stud and they still work great. They are pretty good to swim in, flippers fit over them perfectly and they are very light weight.

I've tried lots of stuff and would NOT recommend any of the orvis or korker style boots compared to the simms.

Are those screwed into aquastealth soles? Are you able to compare them to Simms studded felt? Sounds like they last longer, how are they in weed?

[rizzo]

Numbskull -

I think I have the L2's and there are a bunch of little ball bearings in the bottom of the studs that screw in. There is 10 per shoe I think. I never lost a screw all year and they still look new. I was very skeptical at first as all the boots I've tried were very poorly designed. The orvis henry forks were the worst. The studs folded over in no time and the tungston spikes wore away very fast.

The simms studs only stick out like 1/4" tops so they are lousy in bubble weed, but slick algae covered stuff they are great. Weekapaug or squibnocket at low tide kinda sucks no matter what you have for boots on.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by rizzo

Numbskull -

I think I have the L2's and there are a bunch of little ball bearings in the bottom of the studs that screw in. There is 10 per shoe I think. I never lost a screw all year and they still look new. I was very skeptical at first as all the boots I've tried were very poorly designed. The orvis henry forks were the worst. The studs folded over in no time and the tungston spikes wore away very fast.

The simms studs only stick out like 1/4" tops so they are lousy in bubble weed, but slick algae covered stuff they are great. Weekapaug or squibnocket at low tide kinda sucks no matter what you have for boots on.

I've got the L2's, studded felt. They last about a year. Eyelets corrode away and the felt wears down to nothing, the studs fall out. Good footing, fair in thick weed, particularly after the soles wear down 1/2 way, great support, but at 130 bucks a season I was hoping to find something more durable. Simms does make an aquastealth rubber sole, into which you can screw their studs, but I don't think they make a factory studded aquastealth sole anymore (they used to). I'm skeptical the screw in version would hold up.