My pair of Simms Headwaters are on their last bit of tread and unfortunately they are discontinued.

New pair needs to be felt, lightweight, and durable for long hikes/brushwacking.

What's good out there?

Anybody have a pair of size 13 Headwaters?

-Thanks

Brad

I run the size 13 Korkers with the interchangeable sole and ratchet laces. The best wading shoe I have ever used!

The new Simms Vapor is an awesome light but durable boot. Their G3 Guide model is my personal favorite. It's burly but not exactly light.

+1 for G3 Guides. Not super heavy (nor light), but bomb proof.

Tag.

I second the Simms Vapor, light and durable. All Simms are very comfortable.

Brad,
You might want to check EBay or do a web shopping search.
I recently bought a pair of non-felt Headwater boots from a fly shop back east after my last pair wore out.
I think they were $99.00 including shipping or something close to that.
Seems someone always has some discontinued models rat holed away somewhere.
You might be able to find a felt pair out there.
SF

I had a pair of boots with them and they outlasted the boot. The trouble was clogging with dirt and freezing on below zero days. It was very frustrating to not be able to get them off at times after a long gnarly day.

I bought the Simms rivertek boas last year and absolutely love them. I've had no problems with freezing and getting them on and off is an absolute pleasure. I pack around one of the replacement kits in the DB because I have heard that the metal wire is prone to breaking.

Brad as much hiking as you do I really recommend the Simms Guide boot. Stay away from the Boa, I thrashed a set in 6mo.

Thanks for the feedback guys! Anyone have experience with Vibram soles and studs?

No studs out here unless you like roller skating (and hate your ankles and knees). Studs are for mossy rock in other parts of the country. Trust me, I painfully know this all too well....

Felt, no studs all the way...

Kinda part yes and no. They were the old guide boot, but they've updated to more modern materials and put a rubber toe guard on the front and along the sides. They are money.

Little has changed from the last generation of the Guide boot to the latest G3 Guide. It's built on the same last with the same general design and materials so fit and function are essentially unchanged.

Regarding the cleats/studs, Simms offers two versions, aluminum and carbide. Both grip equally as well but the aluminum rounds fairly quickly and is much more friendly for use in and around boats both hard and soft. The carbide destroy most things in their path, but are the ticket for muck.

If you are used to felt or vibram and letting your feet slide around and settle in a bit, studs take some getting used to. Generally your feet stick where you out them until they don't then they tend to blow out in spectacular fashion. In time you get used to more precision placements and I think studs are an advantage over vibram in most situations.

I've gone through half a dozen vibram soles since AK banned felt and it is ok. Not great. Its manageable and great for hiking to and from the river and riding in boats. Once in the water it takes a back seat to felt and/or studded rubber though.

I tried wading boost for a while and found them just way too clumsy. I switched to stocking foot waders and aquashoes a couple sizes larger than normal. Worked well in Wyoming, gave me a much better feel for walking. Lighter and more flexible, too.

With boots, you really do get what you pay for, but strictly in terms of longevity.

My last pair were the Redington Skagits. They were relatively soft, which made them very cofortable to walk and wade in, but also made them significantly less durable than the Simms Guide boots I had before. They cost half as much, and they lasted half as long, so I figure it comes down to whether you care more about comfort or durability. I hike around a lot, so both are important to me. It was more the way my Redingtons failed than how long they lasted that made me decide to go back to the Simms. Anybody had the felt start falling off your soles suddenly and without warning? I have, and I can tell you it makes for a long, difficult hike out; one I'd rather not take again. The felt on my last pair of Simms lasted 4 years of hard use without falling off (though it was almost gone from wear).

The Simms boots aren't as comfortable as the Redingtons were, but they are still comfortable, and they're built to last. I've decided (for now) that's the way I want to go. I wouldn't discourage anyone from buying the Redingtons. 2 years of hard use is pretty good, all things considered, and they cost half as much, so definitely a fair deal.

I thought this too, until I broke my foot clean in half at the arch whilst fly fishing in Michigan. That was fun 2 mile hike out in the dark and 6 months in a cast n' boot. Not. The support on heavier boots is there for a reason (unless fishing in the salt flats).

One thing folks might find handy is to look at the weight of each boot model on Simms website. It lists the weight of each model for a size 10.

I wear 14's. Add water and Herman Munster would be proud to wearsome of them.
I've got a bad knee so I try to get the lightest pair possible so hiking long distances is easier.
SF

I bought Simms lightest weight boot last fall, a new model I forget the name of that replaces the Headwater. It's pretty stiff and provides a lot of support for its weight and is holding up well. Not as comfortable as the Patagonia river walkers, which were comfy like bedroom slippers, but not all that durable.

I'm wearing Korkers right now. I think Simms makes better boots, but I wanted to try Korkers studded felt soles, as such are becoming hard to find. IMHO there is no better steelheading sole for the NW than studded felt. The Korkers are ok. I have standard laces and they kind of suck compared to Patagucci and Simms, but they work (they're harder to lace than others). The soles are good. My last boots were the Patagucci boots with the rubber and bars on the bottom: Instant femur fracture if you climb any bare rock........

I commend the manufacturers for their concern re invasive species, but the new "sticky" rubber soles are freakin' dangerous for fishing where I go, studded, barred, or not.