Author Topic: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?  (Read 655 times)

Ben

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Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« on: May 02, 2016, 03:48:39 PM »
I have always been a bootfoot wader guy for a variety of reasons, but am looking to use some Cabelas bucks to replace an old pair of Cabelas lightweight breathable waders. The ones I have are bootfoot, but the Cabelas website seems to only have stockingfoot in breathable waders (at least in the $150-$250 price point I'm willing to spend).

I guess I'm trying to see if I can be talked into stockingfoot. The con for me is mostly the big ass boots you have to wear that might interfere with getting my fins on when I float tube, which is 75% of my fishing. I've seen that some guys just use the stockingfoot alone to float, but some of the places I go, I have to launch right where people shore fish, and I'm kind of afraid of getting a treble hook in my foot when I walk between my truck and the water.

On the other hand, given that felt is illegal in more and more places (all my bootfoots are felt), stockingfoot would let me swap boots with different soles when I'm walking streams or standing in a river waving a stick. Also I have a pair of bootfoot neoprene waders that I normally float with, and the lightweight waders would really be mostly used for streams as the water I float is usually cold enough that I like the neoprene insulation. Probably only 25% of my 75% floating is warm enough where I sweat in the neoprene.

Anyway, experiences and input requested.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2016, 03:56:29 PM »
Real men just wear blue jeans, and some Chuck Taylors. :P
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Ben

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2016, 04:34:23 PM »
Real men just wear blue jeans, and some Chuck Taylors. :P

And are lulled into a sound sleep by lady hypothermia. :P
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

charby

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2016, 07:46:02 PM »
I've had/have both.

Bootfoot I like for duck hunting, wading in mucky conditions or it is freaking cold out.

Stocking foot with boots, when I have rocky slick bottoms or have to hike a long ways in waders.
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Northwoods

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2016, 12:19:43 AM »
Can you get smaller dry suit type booties over the socks?  Would that be acceptable with the fins?
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Ben

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2016, 12:42:24 AM »
Can you get smaller dry suit type booties over the socks?  Would that be acceptable with the fins?

I was thinking about something like that but would definitely want to try both on to be sure. Unfortunately nobody local sells both. I'm gonna probably road trip to Oregon/Idaho in the next month or so and was thinking about just diverting to a Cabela's along the way so I could try the sockfoots both with the booties and the various wading boots.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Northwoods

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Re: Waders - Bootfoot or Stockingfoot?
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2016, 12:56:46 AM »
If you're going through Portland go to Next Adventure Paddle Sports Center.  If you'll go through Hood River try Kayak Shed and or Outdoorplay (ODP might not have a storefront, but they rock on mail order). 
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