Something Even Worse Than Airflo Floating Fly Lines .................

[Wildfisher]

I reckon your Simms Vapor boots were OK Alex.  I remember Rabmax saying he had tried protecting the stitching on his boots from abrasion by coating them with some kind of sealant. It would be interesting to see how he got on.

[haresear]

I reckon your Simms Vapor boots were OK Alex.  I remember Rabmax saying he had tried protecting the stitching on his boots from abrasion by coating them with some kind of sealant. It would be interesting to see how he got on.

Yes, it would be interesting to see how they have stood up. Mind you, as you well know there is a world of difference between the rivers of Ayrshire and the likes of the Rough river.

I have bought some kevlar thread to attempt a repair on the Simms. That should do the trick.

Alex

[corsican dave]

not only is airflo footwear rubbish; their customer service is too. I sent them an e-mail querying their ridiculous per item postage costs to Scotland (buying their polyleaders direct would be a lot cheaper but for the postage). I think it was over a year ago. I had a problem with one of their reels a couple of years ago; same response.....

some skb boots I got lasted just over a year. it was the uppers that went as the soles were stitched, something I always go for if possible. my simms boots are stitched.

[Wildfisher]

some skb boots I got lasted just over a year.

Boots that last only a year in the UK would be lucky to last a week in NZ.  This is typical and wrecks boots. It's like walking on block scree all day up in the hills

[speydulika]

The boots are obviously absolutely crap and I am in way an apologist for Airflo or anybody else for that matter. The title of your threads however is a little bit unfair in that modern Airflo floating lines are actually very good. Airflo also manufacture and rebadge their own products for a lot of other supposed fly line manufacturers. I fully understand that there were significant issues in the past and I fell victim to their curlywurly floating flylines myself. Things however have moved on considerably. I would add at this point that I feel that their polyleaders are about the worst I have ever used.

[Wildfisher]

Which boots would you recommend Geoff?

[speydulika]

This year I bought myself a pair of Korkers to replace a pair of Simms which started to falling to pieces after being worn about 4 times. John Norris very kindly did a direct swap. The Korkers have the unusual trait of having flex in the sole which after having worn Simms for so long I am quite unused to. I must say that I think that these are the best wading boots I have ever worn. The soles are fairly unique in that they 'plug in' to the boots with rubber cleats so can be replaced in about 2 minutes. Soles cost about £20.00 and are available in felt, felt with studs, rubber, rubber with studs and Vibram. The ones I bought are the K5 Bomber.


http://www.korkers.com/footwear/fishing/k-5-bomber.html


Online reviews of Korkers boots seem very mixed with some people suggesting that they didn't get a lot of life out of theirs. I am however as happy as a pig in shit with mine SO FAR.

[burnie]

http://www.orvis.co.uk/p/river-guard-ultralight-mens-wading-boot/2a98
I was going to get a pair of these, but they don't have my size, in the sale just now.

[corsican dave]

i'll be interested to see how you get on with these long-term, Geoff. I had a look at them myself a couple of years ago and pretty much decided that the interchangeable soles were going to be a problem, especially if a lot of walking was involved. there's a pronounced differential between the flex of the boot midsole and the clip-in outer which causes a gap to appear between the two. get muck and grit in there and it's going to cause problems, surely? this has been tried elsewhere in the outdoor footwear industry previously and has always ended in products being withdrawn; having said this, Korkers have been around for a few years now so i'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised!

[speydulika]

i'll be interested to see how you get on with these long-term, Geoff. I had a look at them myself a couple of years ago and pretty much decided that the interchangeable soles were going to be a problem, especially if a lot of walking was involved. there's a pronounced differential between the flex of the boot midsole and the clip-in outer which causes a gap to appear between the two. get muck and grit in there and it's going to cause problems, surely? this has been tried elsewhere in the outdoor footwear industry previously and has always ended in products being withdrawn; having said this, Korkers have been around for a few years now so i'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised!

This doesn't appear to be a problem. They have quite a funky drainage system and water and debris run through vents in the bottom sides  of the boots. The soles so far have not come away from the boots and the grip (with the studs being absolutely tiny I was expecting major trouble) is absolutely top drawer. The walking distance to some of the pools on the Upper Eden is upwards of a mile from the car (mud, gravel, long grass, cow and sheep shit) and they are holding up very well indeed. I have worn these every Saturday and Sunday and a couple of nights a week for sea trout fishing and so far so good.