I found the following article in "The Fishing News" yesterday. Thought it was an interesting concept.


Rock Treads Discs Are Environmentally-Friendly Alternative to Felt-Soled Waders
| November 19, 2015
Rock Treads™ aluminum discs offer fly-fishers an inexpensive, environmentally friendly alternative to felt-soled footwear.

Bristol, TN—Recently launched to the public is a new alternative to felt-soled wading footwear called Rock Treads™, supported by a crowdfunding campaign through Kickstarter. The brand's simple aluminum discs attach to any wading shoe, providing unprecedented traction in rocky, wet and/or slimy environments. Patrick Fulkrod, the 2014 Orvis Guide of the Year, has endorsed the brand and its products.

Each set of Rock Treads includes three different disc sizes, screws, a drill bit and a Torx bit, allowing users to custom-apply Rock Treads to any shoe, in any pattern, at an affordable price. Sets start at $48.99, but are available on Kickstarter for a simple $40 donation.

"Like most serious fly fishers, I took notice when states began banning felt-bottomed waders and boots," said Fulkrod, owner of South Holston River Company (www.southholstonrivercompany.com) and a graduate of the Western Rivers Professional Guide School. "I immediately began looking at other options. Nothing else I saw on the market came close to providing the aluminum surface area and traction Rock Treads does at a price accessible to all fly fishers."

Traditional felt-bottom wading boots are illegal in several states because the material has been proven to trap and spread invasive species from one river to the next. Another several states are considering similar legislation. Rock Treads' aluminum discs are an ideal alternative. There is no chance of cross-pollution, and the pliable metal microscopically molds to the exact contours of rock. Even better, Rock Treads' custom-designed screws have no points—so your feet never feel the screws.

Fulkrod learned of Rock Treads through his friendship with the brand's co-founders, Scott Boggs and Forrest Rogers. The two are avid fly-fishermen and came up with the idea after struggling with an aluminum canoe on their favorite river. The boat kept sticking to every rock, making fishing for trout difficult. But the incident sparked the idea that eventually became Rock Treads.

"It just hit us," said Boggs. "If the aluminum boat kept sticking to rocks, wouldn't an aluminum disc do the same? From there, it was a 1½ years of R&D, securing a patent, a manufacturer and a marketing partner to get up and running."

Initial sales of Rock Treads will be through the recently launched Kickstarter campaign. The product will soon be available via an e-commerce site, www.RockTreads.com, and every independent fly shop in America as well.

"Once we reach scale, the plan is to distribute the products to independent fly shops across the country," said Rogers. "We've developed distributor pricing and packaging as well as three different kit sizes: the fry kit (a baby trout), a pickle kit and the slob kit—each with more discs, screws, weatherproof boxes/packages and more."

To purchase your own set and learn more, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1872084074/rock-treads-river-wading-simply-safe or


www.rocktreads.com

About Rock Treads
Two fly-fishing friends, Scott Boggs and Forrest Rogers, founded Rock Treads in 2014. The brand's aluminum disc sets adhere to any wading shoe and retail starting at $48.99. Patrick Fulkrod, the 2014 Orvis Guide of the Year, endorses Rock Treads. Learn more by visiting [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1872084074/rock-treads-river-wading-simply-safe] or www.rocktreads.com and by following Rock Treads at #rocktreads, @rocktreads and facebook.com/rocktreadsusa.
- See more at: http://www.thefishingwire.com/story/361665#sthash.WauJjpgR.dpuf