Friday, April 22, 2016

Korkers Defined All about Sole!

Korkers soles defined

Korkers - Defined

Lets talk about Korkers. There has been confusion on sizing and which sole option best suits your needs. We hope this answers your questions.

SIZING: 
When it’s time to purchase a new wading boot it is always confusing to know which size is best.

Please see our Wading boot sizing guide for all general rules. We want to note however, that if you own the older Korkers sole boot (the one where only the middle part of the sole is interchangeable) the sizing on those boots are different than the current models. So please use the one full size up rule and not purchase the same size as your previous boots as they will not fit.

Studded Felt vs Studded Kling-On 
Studded Felt in the water is our preference however on the sides of the river and while hiking felt can become slippery. Also to note that in temperatures below freezing snow can build up on wet felt or can freeze.

AS OF THIS WRITING: All Korkers boots can be purchased with two different sole configurations. This is true except the Redside boot which offers three configurations.

First Configuration
Kling-On and Felt this is the base price for all boot models. (2 sets of soles)

Second Configuration
Kling-On and Studded Kling-On this is a $20.00 upgrade (2 sets of soles)

Redside Only - Has above two options plus they offer a Felt only option for a great price of $99.99 (only 1 set of felt soles)

All other soles are considered accessory soles and purchased separate from the boots. 

Korkers soles provide traction

Korkers Soles - Defined


Kling-On Sticky Rubber - Basic sole that comes with all boots. Great for use in boats / inflatables and basic hiking situations. While it is sticky rubber, it was not designed for highly slippery conditions.

Studded Kling-On Rubber - Same as Kling-On but with 26 carbide-tip studs per pair. These are great for slicker conditions or where studded felt can not be used.

Felt - Compressed high quality felt provides great traction while wading in the water. As noted above, depending on your wading conditions studded felt might be a better option as plain felt is not as grippy without studs.
Korkers soles options
Its all about that Sole!
Studded Felt - Plain felt soles adorned with 26 carbide tip studs per pair. Our number one choice of soles for our home waters and extremely slick conditions. Keep in mind while felt is great in the water it can be very slippery outside of the water and in very cold conditions snow/ice can build up on your feet. If this occurs we recommend changing the soles back to a rubber based sole for hiking in between fishing spots or back to your rig. That is a Korkers Boot Bonus…. not another boot out there allows you to change your soles while on the water.

Alumatrax - Our # 1 selling Accessory sole -
These soles are a great alternative to studded felt. The aluminum bars are made here in the USA and for this reason very limited quantity. Aluminum is a soft metal, offering exceptional grip in the most slick wading conditions. One downfall….aluminum wears out faster vs. carbide but due to how grippy it is still very popular.

Korkers soles options

Studded Rubber - Large aggressive 7mm threaded carbide tip spikes adorn these flat rubber soles. Please note these studs are replaceable. These soles are great for those whom are Jetty fishing or fishing in highly slick conditions. Not the most comfortable to do much hiking in.

Vibram Idrogrip - Idrogrip is made by Vibram. This sole has a deep and wide lug patterns that offers better grip in tougher wading conditions. Great all around sole.

Studded Idrogrip - Same as Idrogrip but with carbide studs which offers even more grip in slick conditions.

Do you have the current generation of Korkers with OmniTrax v3.0 soles?

They are pretty easy to identify if you look closely at these pictures. The current OmniTrax v3.0 soles have a U-shaped notch on the front portion of the sole. They are the only ones that have this feature. Gorge Fly Shop only stocks current OmniTrax v3.0 soles. If you are searching for older generations please call us for information and availability.
Three generations of Korkers Soles


We hope this information is helpful in your quest to find the perfect wading boot and soles to match. Korkers Innovative design and comfort really allow you to utilize one boot in many ways with the replaceable and interchangeable soles. If you are headed on a trip and will need a studded sole but your friend does not want studs in his boat….easy fix just throw your non studded sole in your pack and you just solved a big problem without needing to haul a second set of boots.

For further questions or information please feel free to contact us via phone or email. We are here 7 days a week to help!


Helpful links:
Wading Boots - Finding the right size
Korkers K-5 Bomber Wading Boot (New for 2015)
Korkers Wading Boots




Lyndsey Duddles
Gorge Fly Shop | "Deskmaster"
541.386.6977




"Fly Fish the World with Us"


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