Felt Sole Wading Boots

[Outside Bend]

I know the sides of my boots touch gravel EVERY TIME I WADE....therefore banning the felt soles wont stop the synthetics, mesh sides, and other man made materials from harboring invasives. How can the rest of the boot not be a threat when it is only millimeters away from the sole? The stream bottoms are not usually a perfectly hard surface, which means you sink down just a bit when taking steps.

Felt doesn't have the same material properties as other materials that make up wading boots. It's much more porous than leather or rubber, and it has no weave pattern like nylon or thread. Felt's basically just matted wool, and as such is much tougher to keep clean than those other materials. It takes felt longer to dry than those materials (allowing aquatic critters to stay viable for much longer), and it's much harder to disinfect all those nooks and crannies.

[Wayne SW/MO]

It would be a nightmare and very bad publicity, probably 50+% would be in violation.

All they have to do is tell people when they buy their tag about the new rule. Why would they start it Mar 1 and not enforce it? They control the start date.

I agree there are going to be more than few unhappy people if their first notice is at one of the parks.

[strangercreek]

Felt doesn't have the same material properties as other materials that make up wading boots. It's much more porous than leather or rubber, and it has no weave pattern like nylon or thread. Felt's basically just matted wool, and as such is much tougher to keep clean than those other materials. It takes felt longer to dry than those materials (allowing aquatic critters to stay viable for much longer), and it's much harder to disinfect all those nooks and crannies.

"other materials", so what does this cover? Did they (whoever they is, as that is kind of the punchline in this whole thing) get an inventory of all materials and their properties for every single boot manufactures on the planet? LOL

There has to be a reaction to anything negative to the environment, and it has to be public, and somebody has to get a plaque on their wall, I get that. It just kind of makes me laugh.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

I like how someone here has an every answer for everything on this subject, with many links to prove his research correct.

Your quite wise my friend. Thank you for your knowledge on all subjects up front and for future discussions. Brian