Yesterday I watched an older gentleman (60'ish) take a nasty spill after stepping onto a rock with felt soles, that I had been fishing from for an hour with lugged soles and no footing problems at all. He shook it off like it was no big deal but I think he is probably still licking his wounds from the fall.
I bought a pair a few years ago and hated them from day 1, they may serve a purpose once your actually standing in the river, but when I fish I usually cover alot of ground and much prefer a lugged sole, am I alone in my dislike of felt or are there others who feel as I do?

When I'm 'banking it', with the occassional wade in the water - especially if it has sandy or muddy bottom, then lug soles are fine. But I usually do more aggressive wading in the water, and lug soles will do one of 2 things in that situation - get you wet or get you killed
Last year I had a couple close calls - both with my lug soled hip boots - once I got very wet. The other time I just did a fancy jig and managed to stay dry (i was on my way to work...). I did have one nice spill coming down a muddy bank with my felts though. Just got my a$$ muddy - which is much better than getting cold and wet during winter steelheading...

I have felts with studs,they stick to the rocks.
Have had them 3 seasons,when its time to replace them I will buy the same

Felt soles with suds all the way! I've had lugs and just plain felt soles but the combination of them both can't be beat. Been using the combo for 8 years and will never go back!

~steelymann~

I've also found that lug soles work better for me at the places I fish at. Plus if I'm floating it felt soles track a lot of dirt into the boat. I've actually slipped on mud along the bank wearing felt.

Felt with studs--100% satisfaction for me! I agree with the lugs if your fishing from a boat because studs slip like a mother on the bottom of a boat!

I have not tried the felt/lug combo

But as a bankie who walks over allot of rocks I would rather fall in the mud every time with my felt soled shoes then slip and fall on the rocks once.

Especially if where I am falling is in the water and there is current.

P.S. Just plain lugged boots with no felt are absolutely worthless IMHO.

I tried the lugs with felt soles this year on the rocks on the Wind River. The lugs stick out through the soles so you're walking on steel points. I got very poor traction and it was outright dangerous!

I went home and ground down the lugs so I walk on just felt. Much better.

Felt is more slippery on mud, though.

Another suggestion: felts with studs are the minimum for personal saftey (cheap life ins. policy). But if you have the 'clumsies' like I do go or "Stream cleats." Cost about $50.00 as set, and go on over your wading shoe. Heavy!!! aluminum bars across the bottom, heavy as heck but you can run up the side of a tree with these on you feet.

Several areas of the upper Rogue set records for large round slippery rocks. These on or get wet; take your choice.

Forgot to add: Stream Cleats will hold you in one place regardless of the bottom. Sand, mud, snow, etc.
fe

I fish felt soled boots with studs. There are several benefits of wearing these type of boots. The most obvious is traction on slippery riverbeds as well as muddy walks along the bank. Another great benefit of a felt soled boot is how much foot abuse they absorb. After fishing a day wearing my rubber lug soled hipboots my feet are beat, from contorting around riverrocks. After a day in felt soled wading boots, that are stiff and have that layer of felt between your feet and the rocks, my feet are in way better shape. I havn't had any problems with traction in slippery conditions wearing these boots, as long as you keep traction in mind. I will most definatly stay with felt/studded bottoms as long as I continue to fish.

my .02

i have felt bottom boots, they can be very slippery on mud, its like you're walking on glass... other than the mud they're great.. the problem with studded felts is if you have a boat, the studs will mess up the bottom of the boat...

but felts are hte way to go, studs or no studs.

what i have found is if you do alot of wading in the water felt soles is a must. unless you want to swim. espacially in the summer when there is alot of algea on the rocks very slippery. i never leave home without them.

Only felts in my boat.

I will second Fred's recomendation...I know many people that fish the Thompson (the most difficult of the difficult to wade) and they consider the Dan Bailey Stream Cleats a MUST HAVE!!!

Forgot to mention

Although I love the felt soles in the snow they are a pain in the arse. 20lbs of snow clinging to each shoe.

Yeah. The snow seems to build up in the instep so your always rocking when you walk.