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[kalex60]

Just bought a pair of vibram and put in the hard bit studs and after 3 day with them I agree that the vibram is not even close to as sticky as felt but once you add enough studs like 9-10 per boot for all type of wading I prefer them over my old felts

[Noahs Arc]

Thanks for reporting back kalex, I ended up buying the freestones with felt soles.

[brownmancheng]

Can u get studs anywhere they sell Simms??

[leapin' tyee]

I got mine at BerrysBait and tackle .

[brownmancheng]

Berrys, thanks tyee. Working right by there at the moment.

[Johnny Canuck]

Here's an important fact, vibram boots take a different length of screw for the stud than the felt boots! Felt boots require a longer screw than the vibram  soled boots, so if you used felt screws on vibram soled boots you could potentially damage your neoprene booties on your waders.

[Electroman]

A fella at a local shop was telling me most manufacturers are steering away from the felt soled boots. Something to do with felt, if not completely dried out, could possibly carry micro organisms between different boddies of water.
Don't know how much truth there is in it, but if it is true I would more than likely grab a new felt pair and replacement soles as well.

[BNF861]

Simms steered away from felt for a couple years and then brought them back because their customers demanded it.

There are a couple states that have banned felt, but as it is still okay here, I will be wearing felt. There is no comparison in traction while wading, felt wins hands down.

[BentRodsGuiding]

I have a pair of Simms boots with the vibram bottom that I put a full pack of the starbite cleats on each boot, pricey but sticky grabby on most surfaces. I also own a pair of felts for hiking rocky areas and rip rap. I also own a pair of the super light weight Simms boots for the boat, these have no cleats and are perfect for this application.
While it seems like a pricey endeavor, having to replace your boots every season is just as pricey and I like matching my boots to conditions I will be fishing.
Nothing worse than only having felts when it's snowing, or only having rubber and cleats when you will be walking rip rap all day.

[Noahs Arc]

That's a pretty logical way of looking at it. If 1 pair lasts 1 year, then 3 at the same time should last 3 years.
I had a hard time swallowing the price of cleats + the 30+ for Vibram when I went in.

[7119]

If you plan on fishing one region like the lower mainland felt is fine but if you fish lots of different places go with the vibram. The reason for that is like electroman said you can and will transfer "river snot" . Anyone that has fished our north country and the bow knows what I'm talking about

[GordJ]

If you plan on fishing one region like the lower mainland felt is fine but if you fish lots of different places go with the vibram. The reason for that is like electroman said you can and will transfer "river snot" . Anyone that has fished our north country and the bow knows what I'm talking about

Won't the fabric in the boots, neoprene feet on the waders and the insoles in the boots transfer rock snot or is it just the felt?

[7119]

Well I rinse every thing when I know I'm going somewhere different. Its really hard to get out of felt.

[bcguy]

I love my Bare felt sole boots, even in the snow and ice, only draw back is when its so cold, the rocks start sticking to the bottom of them 
You lift your foot on that first step and take 5 lbs in rock with you

[7119]

Have your feet actually frozen to the ground yet? Hate it :-) watch out for those boots falling apart on you , it happened to my bro after 8 trips wrecked his waders