Showing posts with label River Traction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label River Traction. Show all posts

Jun 19, 2025

Buyer's Guide to Korkers Soles

Felt, Studded Felt, Kling-On and Studded Kling-On Soles

The OmniTrax 3.0 Sole System

Korkers has done an extremely good job of refining their modular wading boots.  All the Korkers boots stocked at Gorge Fly Shop come standard with two sets of soles; either felt and Kling-On or Kling-On and Studded Kling-On.  Beyond these standard stock options, Korkers builds several other soles to suit any wading situation imaginable.  If you find yourself searching for the perfect sole for a particular wading scenario, read on!  

Felt - Compressed felt sole that provides excellent traction on slippery rocks.  Straight felt soles provide for maximum surface area contact with the bottom substrate.  For decades, felt sole has been the industry standard on wading boots.  Though widely used, it is worth noting that a handful of states have outlawed the use of felt due to its potential of transporting invasive species.  Be sure to check your local regulations to avoid any violations.

Studded Felt - Korkers standard felt sole equipped with carbide studs.  Studded felt is the go-to sole for most anglers fishing slick rivers with heavy current (think Deschutes!).  The studs on this sole protrude enough to give you a noticeable amount of extra bit, but not so much that they detract from surface area contact with the rocks.  If you're fishing places with heavy current and flat bedrock, you've likely noticed yourself sliding downstream with plain felt soles.  The studded option takes care of the "slide factor".

Kling-On Rubber - Basic sole that comes with most Korkers Boots.  Great for use with any type of watercraft.  Excellent for hiking and light wading duty.  Not recommended for extra slick rivers with fast current.

Studded Kling-On Rubber - The standard Kling-On rubber sole equipped with carbide studs.  The studs significantly increase traction.  This is a great option in places where felt is outlawed.    



Vibram XS Trek an Studded Vibram XS Trek Soles


Vibram XS Trek - Deep and aggressive lug pattern. About as grippy as a straight rubber sole gets.  

Studded Vibram XS Trek - Standard Vibram XS Trek sole equipped with carbide studs for added traction.  One of the best rubber sole options where felt is outlawed.  

Korkers Triple Threat Soles


Triple Threat Aluminum Bar, Hex Disk and Carbide Spike Soles

The Triple Threat System - Beyond the more "standard" sole options, Korkers offers the Triple Threat Series.  These products all start with the same base; the Triple Threat Blank Sole.  They are available in the pre-built versions seen above and as a blank sole that can be customized with any combination of their aluminum bars, hex discs or carbide spikes.  All of the metal components are offered as accessories to put together your own sole or replace the parts as they wear down over time.  

Triple Threat Aluminum Bar - Solid bars of soft aluminum on this sole become extra grippy when the metal gets scuffed.

Triple Threat Aluminum Hex Disc - The Hex Discs combine the grip of soft aluminum with the traction benefits of all the edges.  Extreme traction!

Triple Threat Carbide Spike - These soles have the most aggressive stud packages on the market.  Perfect for the most difficult wading situations.  Also very popular among jetty anglers.  One important not on these....this is not a boat-friendly sole!  

Triple Threat Customizable Blank - You can build your own adventure with this sole.  Mix and match any of the Triple Threat bars, discs or spikes to match your liking.   

Convert Your Korkers Wading Boot, Shoe or Sandal to an Awesome Boat Shoe!


Kling-On Deck Gum Rubber Sole

If you regularly fish out of a boat, you're well-aware of the importance of what's on your feet.  This great offering from Korkers fits any of their footwear with the OmniTrax 3.0 system.  This means all current wading boots, shoes and sandals.  Whether the boat in question is aluminum, glass or rubber, this sole provides great traction and stability on wet floors.     




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Apr 5, 2017

Korkers - The Sole Story

Korkers AlumaTrax

Three New Korkers Boots to check out...

Darkhorse - Tough "Workhorse" of a boot
Hatchback - Enter From Rear
Buckskin Mary - Dedicated Women's Footwear

The Sole Story

The unique feature of all Korkers Wading Boots is the ability to change soles to match wading requirements. The proven OmniTrax V3.0 System offers versatility not found in any other wading boot.

In this short article we'll explore your sole options and how they can improve your fishing

Alumatrax
With concerns for stream health and regional restrictions Korkers has a solution to keep you safe and our streams clean. When I need traction I depend on Alumatrax. About the only sole type that comes close to this traction in the stream is studded felt but studded felt is no match to Alumatrax on the trail. Also since Alumatrax is not spikes it is generally accepted friendly to boat floors. I am a huge fan of this sole type and if I only had one to choose from this would be it.

Studded Felt
A good argument can be made for the effectiveness of studded felt. For many anglers it's still the "go to" choice for traction. Great feature with Korkers and the Omnitrax system is when regulation forces you to drop the felt you have adaptable options.

Felt
When your guide request "No Traction Devices in the boat", this felt option can save your day. Still get great traction when in the stream and comfortable to stand on deck all day long.

Studded Rubber
I found these soles to be very effective on slimy slick rock stream bottoms and rocky terrain. Super aggressive 7mm threaded, replaceable carbide spikes makes these soles a favorite with ocean jetty anglers and winter extreme icy environment anglers coast to coast. I understand this is a favorite among coastal Striper anglers.

Studded Kling-on
Great option for the anglers who just needs a tread sole with a little extra traction.

Vibram and Studded Vibram
These are a great step up option in tread soles. My pick would be the studded model but there are reasons to go with no-stud tread.

Traction device or tread

It's easy to have traction opinions when wading throughout the western waters. The West is demanding and therefore it's hard for us to talk about anything other than serious traction devices. One such example is Oregon's Deschutes River. One slip here could put an angler in a serious life threatening situation. The general claim from anglers who frequent this fishery is, it's not a matter of if you will dunk but when you will dunk. It's advised not to come to this fishery with just tread soles.

Many situations don't require the hardware to wade.
Example is Great Lakes Carp Flats Fishing. I fished this environment a couple years ago and preparing to go fish it again later this spring. In this situation one might even find traction devices to create unnecessary noise. The shale rock bottoms of Lake Michigan are not slick at all and the surface to walk on is flat. For this fishery I would reach for the Kling-on or the Vibram. The non-studded soles will be stealthy as possible and provide clean quiet wading.

Korkers Omnitrax adaptable traction provides the angler options to meet the specific demands of traction, safety, cleanliness, stealth and regulation.

We'd like to hear from our Korkers owners and what sole you are using and tell us about your wading demands. Please share in the comments.

April 2017 Rebate Promotion...Buy New Korkers Wading Boots and Get a Free Pair of Soles...More info





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