Where can I get felt for my wading boots in Cape Town?

**Niel Malan** · 13-10-16

Hi,
I have a pair of leather Chota wading boots, but on the last trip the inner soles literally disintegrated and I also lost the 2 felt heels. Does anybody know where I can get replacement felt in Cape Town?
Thanks
Niel

**Korrie** · 13-10-16

Not sure if I have any left, will check at home.
If you cannot get felt, the "ozite carpets" works very well.

**DJR** · 13-10-16

I had/have a pair of those Chotas. The "middle" part of the rubber sole is what disintegrate after a few years. It is just a rubbish rubber they used to bond the sole and the shoe. You cannot just glue new felt back on it because the left over rubber will just fall apart again. What you have to do is to remove the rubbish rubber completely and then start from scratch. It turned out to be quite a job, so I took it to a little place in Wynberg. They basically stitched a new sole on the bottom and then re-attached my old felt soles to it. I could not find the proper felt anywhere. It cost about R700, which I thought was a lot, until I saw the great job they did. My youngest boy now use the boots and I think they will last longer than they did from new. I bought myself a new pair of Simms Freestone boots in the mean time, but they cost a bloody arm and a leg. Here's the link for the repair place.

http://www.brabys.com/business/34080...repair-service

**CTHOMAS** · 14-10-16

Take your boots to Rocksole they do all sorts of extreme outdoor footware repairs.
Must use the right glue.

**DJR** · 14-10-16

Originally Posted by CTHOMAS

Take your boots to Rocksole they do all sorts of extreme outdoor footware repairs.
Must use the right glue.

I went and had a talk to Rocksole as well. They don't have stock of felt or the right rubber. They however were quite willing to do the repairs if I could locate the right material.

The "stealth" type rubber is simply not for sale anywhere. Here or overseas. The story behind the story is that it was developed by 5.10 as a rock climbing rubber and then it turned out great for fishing boots as well. They sold it directly to anyone. Then 5.10 was bought out by Adidas and they now use it for their own shoes and refuse to sell it to anyone who could possibly be a competitor. It is now called "stealth rubber". Simms seem to be the only ones that have a contract to buy it from them.

You could buy replacement felt soles from fly-shops, but they are scarce nowadays. The reason for this is that in great parts of the USA felt soles are banned from streams because they tend to spread unwanted diseases from stream to stream. Microbes can hide and survive in the porous felt sole and then get into another stream when the fisherman goes there. Rubber soles are more hygienic from the stream health point of view. If you find felt soles somewhere in a back room, buy them!

**Jax** · 14-10-16

If you are looking for good quality Felt. I would suggest you get in touch with a Water Filtering Company.

They usually carry a stock of really dense Felt for their filter sieves. Have Fun Good Luck and Tight Lines.

**Niel Malan** · 20-10-16

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the info. Rock Soles are near me and are preparing the boots for new felt soles (or carpet soles

). Korrie, where do you get those soles from?

What about those thick bidim bags they use for coastal erosion protection - wonder if that will work?

Will keep you posted.
Regards
Niel

**Korrie** · 21-10-16

There is a carpet place around the corner from me, will stop and ask for you.

**Korrie** · 21-10-16

Hi
I stopped at the carpet spot and they gave me 5 tiles.
You can collect at my company.
Cane World
16 Transvaal str
Paarden Eiland
021 5103757

**Niel Malan** · 21-10-16

Dankie Korrie,
sien jou volgende Dinsdag.
Groete
Niel

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