Wednesday
Nov252009
"Just because you eschew felt, does not make you some sort of environmental hero."
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 12:02AM 
That's the money quote from Monday's Phil Monahan's Fine Lines column on MidCurrent. We would add that just because your company made the choice to only offer sticky rubber does not make you some sort of enviro friendly brand.
The issue of invasive species transport is much more complex than one's sole choice. As Phil points out, clean dry and inspect is the critical step that anglers can take to help prevent the spread of invasive species........and don't forget to clean dry and inspect the dog, the drift boat, the trailer, the anchor line or anything else that was in the water.
tagged invasive species, midcurrent, sticky rubber, wading shoes in Business
invasive species, midcurrent, sticky rubber, wading shoes in Business
Reader Comments (7)
Glad to hear someone finally saying it. Yes, the soles are less conducive to transporting invasive species. Great. Which just leaves the entire rest of the shoe, and the rest of your gear.
KB had a very good response to all this a couple of months back: http://singlebarbed.com/2009/08/10/singlebarbed-says-wheres-the-beef-in-the-absence-of-hard-science-are-we-being-railroaded-into-a-felt-sole-ban-that-may-be-negligible-factor/
What's also lost in all this is the fact that if you thoroughly clean and dry your gear after each outing, said gear will invariably last longer too. Sadly, I can't imagine a shop sales assistant telling a customer:
Dude, if you clean and dry these boots as religiously as you fish, you won't have to buy another pair for five seasons!
MG that's a good point. I've got a pair of ten year old Simms and a pair of 12 year old Patagonia's that are around for that very reason.
Korkers has been very consistent with its message around this issue and the fact that there are many vectors that can transport invasive species. We feel that the press coverage on this topic, which in many cases has highlighted rubber soled boots as the answer to this issue, has lacked information and is somewhat misleading.
The awareness level around invasive species has dramatically grown, which is good for the sport of fly fishing and watersports in general. However, it is important that anglers understand the need to Inspect, Clean, and Dry all their gear after use in the water. This is the only effective way to kill invasive species that could potentially attach to a boot, waders, shoe laces, etc.
In terms of anglers looking to use felt responsibly, Korkers offers a unique solution. Only Kokrers high performance wading boots can empower an angler to choose the right traction sole (felt, sticky rubber, or studs) for any given condition. Not only does Korkers solution offer traction safety, but it also gives anglers a way to clean and dry their sole in a way that no other manufacturer can offer.
All I really know for sure is that most (if not all) of the rubber bottoms are DANGEROUS!!! I understand we all fall in on occasion, but felt are a ton safer to wear if you are on serious river. In other words don't plain of taking them as your only boot if you do a 14 days float.
The last time I wore rubber bottoms, I hurt my back just trying to catch myself from falling all the time. And studs are not an option in many cases. Rubber rafts, wood boats, float plane. Plus I have had a few skating trips on studded boots as well.
I think there will always be a place for felt, and what we need is better solutions for cleaning after use.
Lets go fishing.
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