VIBRAM IS THE BIGGEST MYTH PERPETUATED ON THE FISHING PUBLIC, EVER!

When the evils of felt were being touted, people never stopped to question or think that the shoe's exposed fabric above the sole and below the gaiter is actually a better harbinger for aquatic hitchhikers than the sole, but Vibram won out because nobody posed this part of the problem.

Vibram is slicker than snot, after all, it is a very concentrated, hard rubber, and when wet slippery is its nature regardless the grooves and tread created. I have slid downstream with the moving current when wearing the Vibram soles without cleats. I know some older people who have fallen quite hard as the Vibram-soled shoe slipped, instead of purchased, on the rocky riverbed. I never slipped with felt soles, nor upon talking with those whom I saw fall, did they experience falls (and injuries) until they went to Vibram soles.

Felt is superior and the only way to go, but with states jumping on the "aquatic hitchhikers can only attach to a wader's sole" bandwagon and outlawing felt, many options are not available. I resorted to Simms HardBite Star Cleats and have been happy with cleats and do not slip any more, although I do take my wading staff with me more often than I ever did with felt.

I prefer the interchangeable soles, so I can fish with felt whenever possible and switch to the Vibram when legally required to do so.