Anyone use rubber soled Patagonia boots?

[clee]

I haven't used studs since my Simms L2 boots but that was back when rubber wading soles technology was still in it's infancy. I have a pair of Simms Riverteks and haven't ever felt the need to stud them. I recently bought a pair of discounted Patagonia Rockgrip boots for lightweight backpacking boots. My question is are the Patagonia rubber soles good enough to stand alone or do I really need to use the provided studs. As a backpacking boot I want to keep them as light as possible.

[Rasputinj]

I have both Simms and Patagonia they seem about the same to me. I have only studded my Simms and took them off when I did a drift boat on Klamath.

[FIGHTONSC]

Charles,

There's that old saying "I'd rather be safe than sorry".

Jeff

[midger]

I am on my second set of the rubber soled Patagonias. The first set never was studded and frankly they weren't all that good at maintaining traction--felt soled boots were far better. The first pair had the seams rip out and Patagonia replaced them for free with this second set of boots which had the studs which I screwed into the soles. The studs make a world of difference when walking on slimy rocks and I far prefer the studded boots over the nonstudded ones. That being said, I can't imagine using these boots for backpacking as they are massive and not all that light when compared to some of the others available. The diving style boots like the old felt soled Tecnica Immersions (unfortunately no longer made) are great for backpacking and very good on the slippery rocks and also rock hopping dry rocks as well.

[BrownBear]

My experience with latest generation rubber soles is that they work until they don't. By that I mean, they seem to be fine until you hit that certain rock or stretch of river, then it's like roller skates on greased glass. Put a little teeny thin layer of algae on rocks, and you better be alert, careful and lucky if you hope to remain upright. Silt on rocks is just about as bad, but not quite.We're talking very little algae and not much more silt, the kind of stuff that's easily defeated with felt or studs.

Buds in Montana have come up with a great solution for cars, indoors, drift boats and rafts. They used Aquaseal and hunks of a retired wetsuit to fashion "booties" that slip on over their studded boots. They look about like those shoe covers used in labs and CSI, they're so loose and easy to slip on and off. I've never seen any for sale, but it seems like a market op. Really handy, and in their hands, easy to make.

Their prior solution was about as easy to use. They just studded Tiva's and used them for wading. But they like the booties better.

[clee]

Midger
There are really too many options for lightweight packing boots. All of the Simms line up are over 3lbs a pair. All boots now are designed like moonboots, big and clumsy. Orvis discontinued their utralight packing boot ages ago which was the best option as it crumbled easily but may not have provided the best ankle support. I not too concerned with space and pack-ability as the boots are not usually put in my pack rather clipped and dangled from the outside. Also I'm only interested in rubber soles as I have packed in felt soled shoes in the past and I didn't like the fact I was humping the extra weight in water (inside the felt) as I hiked out of a canyon. Ounces equal pain.

These Rockgrips are 2.5 lbs according to my boga, my Riverteks are 3.5 on the boga. I just learned that Korkers Redside boot may have been a tad lighter.

[clee]

...We're talking very little algae and not much more silt, the kind of stuff that's easily defeated with felt or studs.

I recall once fishing with my buddy on X Creek one Summer. When we split up I was falling all over the place. I was was wearing rubber. My buddy was wearing felt. I was fishing a hole and see my buddy wading toward me. I look over and right when I do I see him face plant into the river. When he finally reached me I asked him if he was okay and he said he'd never fell some many times in a river. particularly this river. I told him the same. When it's slimy out there, it's slimy. No avoiding it felt, studs, or rubber.

Wet rubber traction has come along way. While not perfect, for me rubber is the way to go as it's less likely for invasives to attach, less weight hiking when wet. I still have my felt boots but I rarely wear them anymore.

Edited just to remove name of creek. Papa

[midger]

Here's an interesting review on the Simms vs Patagonia rubber soled boots, although it doesn't address stud/ no stud.

http://oregonflyfishingblog.com/2014/02/28/lightweight-wading-shoes-simms-vapor-boot-vs-patagonia-ultralight/

[Baughb]

I'm gonna go with Brown Bear on this one, rubber works until it don't.

All my boots have been Simms or Orvis but as many, I'll stud them until I choose not to. The issue with studs is that when dry rock hopping, it gets scary. I'd rather stumble in knee deep water than skid off an over-hanging granite boulder into the river or other rocks. No perfect solution just different methods with different compromises.

[clee]

I tried these boots yesterday and I can tell you I'm not nearly as confident in them studless as I am with Simms Vibram soles. I'm definitely studding them. At first I didn't think they were as comfortable out-of-the box as Simms but once I broke them in they are fine.

[Rasputinj]

When I fish local creeks with lots of granite the studs come in handy, on the kern I feel studs are needed. I agree with Brownbear a little algae makes it slick.