Corpusfishing.com

[lloydrage]

Okay guys, now that I am starting to Wade Fish again I was going to try and figure out best boots/shoes to wear. (Currently using 10$ Walmart Water shoes)

Which ones do you suggest?

What do you think about the ForEverlast Flats Wading boots?

Also do I need Ray Guards?

[Razorback]

Zip up neoprene wade boots and the strap on sting ray guards.

[lifeaquatic]

Here are some thoughts on the topic of boots...

My first concern is foot protection. When I look at boots I am looking at materials used and construction. Simm's has set a standard that is hard to beat and they come with a steep price tag. They give you durability that can standup to oyster shell combined with light weight and that is what I am using right now. Simm's are primarily marketed to the fly fishing crowd. It seems that every fly shop sells them. So when a new model comes out you can usually go online and find a discontinued pair on sale at a fly fishing site. If you are going to put some serious time into wading, you will get a positive ROI on the Simm's.

I had a pair of Cabela's knock offs that held up pretty good for half the price of Simm's. They were more heavy, laces frayed easily and the soles didn't have a good grip. They paid for themselves in sevice. The new model looks to be improved. The improved ones would be similar to the ForEverlast Flats boot.

Before that I had a pair of super heavy Hodgeman reef boots that I don't think are manufactured anymore. They were made of multiple layers of rubber around the foot similar to the ForEverlast reef boot and the boot part that came up on my calf was made out of a woven ballistic material said to be puncture proof. I forget who it was, but a well known guide got hit by a stingray through a pair of these boots. That may have been the demise of the product. Other than being puncture "resistant" the boots were great for wading mud with mixed shell. It provides protection up your leg against shell as you sink in the mud. Hey, sometimes you got to get where the fish are. Mud has a way of sucking a boot right off your foot. A big benefit of lace-up boots over slip-ons is the ability to stay on your foot if you are plodding through bad mud.

All of my buddies have been hit by a stingray. None of them were guards. I have been lucky, shuffle my feet, don't step backwards, and try to live a good life and think good thoughts (Haha). I've tried boots with guards and could not stand them. They are popular and I'm not going to tell anyone to not try them. The more you wade, the more you will know when you are in ray territory. Still, I know some experienced people that have been hit.

You need to wear some type of sock because bits of rock and shell get into your boots and you need general abrasion resistance. I like a perforated neoprene sock with a fleece inside. I don't see much uniformity in sock preference on the water, but you do need socks. Even a thick wool sock works. Consider it as an area open for expressing your individuality. Get you some good socks and try on your boots with socks to test for fit. Nothing is worse than too tight of a fit. A general rule is to get boots that are a size or two larger than your shoe size.

And to think, I got started with a pair of Converse All Star high tops.
_________________
kick your shoes off and cast a line

[lloydrage]

Thank you both !! I didn't even think of socks. Im gonna swing by academy tomorrow to see what's available

[5moreminutes]

I've used the Foreverlast boot for last 7 years. Usually go through a pair a year. This year I bought the Frog Togg boots. This is for wet wading.

I do have the simms boot I use for my waders. They are very well made and comfortable. Just to bulky for my kayak and wet wading.

Good luck.
_________________
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

[CROAKERSOAKER]

Catch the jungle boots on sale at academy for 19.99. Have drain holes light weight when wet compared to other regular boots. They have thick slew that hold up on shell. I wade 50+ days a year and they last me two years.
_________________
Take a kid fishing, best investment for them and our future of fishing.