a tip for owners of Chota STL Plus boots

[C&R]

If you're like me and always like to have great traction on your boots, you'll probably replace your cleat screws on your Chotas at least 1-2 times per year. The screws just simply dull quickly from the constant pounding they receive when walking on rocky surfaces.

I recently found an alternative to buying the $6 Chota replacement screws (set of 28, 14 for each boot). I picked up two boxes of 100 stainless steel screws from boltdepot.com for $7.55 per box (Product #2704). This should last me through at least 7 sets of screws (which is approximately a 2-3 year supply for me).

Factoring in the shipping cost ($8.50) my total cost was $23.60 (no tax) versus $42 (not including tax) that I would have to pay if I had purchased the same amount from a fly shop. On top of that these screws look very nice (polished machine finish) compared to the cheesy looking Chota screws (chrome finish). Judging by appearance alone, it would be reasonable to assume that they will last longer, but that remains to be seen. Road testing will officially begin in a few weeks for Erie steel.

 

[Bamboozle]

While regular hex head sheet metal screws LOOK the same as the Chota STL cleats, they are different. First of all, the Chota STL cleats are hardened. Regular 18/8 stainless isn't soft, but I don't know how hard it is compared to the STL cleat.

But the most important difference is the shape of the head. The STL cleat and also the Simms cleat have a deep and sharper ridge around the head which cuts through slime better and also wears longer. The relatively shallow ridge on a regular hex head sheet metal screw wears down faster and becomes smooth, a condition that can make them VERY slippery on smooth hard rocks. When my Chota cleats lose that ridge and become smooth, I know it's time for replacement.

Of course if you are getting regular hex head screws cheap, maybe that doesn't matter but it depends on how many you have go through to achieve the same grip level.

Believe it or not, ALUMINUM hex head or even pan head screws work great on those same hard rocks but wear out FAST.

But a lot of this depends of where you fish and how often so good luck!

 

[mbwmn]

i'll check w/ a freind of mine and see where he gets our motorcycle tire ice racing screws. when i was still interested in developing new ice tire designs i remember quite an astounding selection of sizes were available. the head portion of these screws was cupped. the outside wall was vertical as a normal screw, but the center of the head was concave making the edges quite sharp.

pm me or bump the thread if i forget.-

 

[TroutChaser]

I too got tired of the Chota replacements, and saw a suggestion on line to try Original Gold Ice Screws (used for motorcycle ice racing). I got the 7/16" ones, and they seemed a worthy replacement.

Of course, I wear them hard on the Salmon River, and changed them out after 2 1/2 days of heavy wading and hiking.

I actually picked them up in a box of 200 for $20 at RRP Cycles in Stewartsville NJ on Route 57.

 

[mbwmn]

I too got tired of the Chota replacements, and saw a suggestion on line to try Original Gold Ice Screws (used for motorcycle ice racing). I got the 7/16" ones, and they seemed a worthy replacement.

Of course, I wear them hard on the Salmon River, and changed them out after 2 1/2 days of heavy wading and hiking.

I actually picked them up in a box of 200 for $20 at RRP Cycles in Stewartsville NJ on Route 57.

Ha!
That's one of the brand names I remember. RRP is only a few miles away from me. I was unaware he was involved w/ ice racing.
Anyone else in the central jersey area, or too busy to drive and looking for mail order might also try Tony at:
www.rauseocycles.com

 

[onemorecast]

I too got tired of the Chota replacements, and saw a suggestion on line to try Original Gold Ice Screws (used for motorcycle ice racing). I got the 7/16" ones, and they seemed a worthy replacement.

Of course, I wear them hard on the Salmon River, and changed them out after 2 1/2 days of heavy wading and hiking.

I actually picked them up in a box of 200 for $20 at RRP Cycles in Stewartsville NJ on Route 57.

Thanks for that info. I stopped by after work yesterday and grabbed a bag of Kold Kutter's as they were out of the Original Gold in that size.

 

[Bamboozle]

I too got tired of the Chota replacements, and saw a suggestion on line to try Original Gold Ice Screws (used for motorcycle ice racing). I got the 7/16" ones, and they seemed a worthy replacement.

I'll bet money they are EXACTLY the same screws Chota uses! I looked at a picture on-line and everything is the same, deep head, high sharp ridge; everything, right down to the screw pitch. I'll be buying some for sure.

Thanks for the tip!!

 

[TroutChaser]

One word of caution to all. If you use your Chotas heavily like I do, you have to watch the wear on the bottom felt. I had a prior pair of Chotas for 2.5 years, and just about wore the felt off the bottom.

After that time, my waders developed a leak. I ultimately traced it to the fact that the felt bottoms wore down and the screw tips had penetrated into the neoprene bootie. It wasn't enough for me to feel them, but enough to puncture the neoprene.

I advised Chota of this problem....I think it is the reason that the new Chota screws have the tips blunted.

Now for the tip: when you replace your screws, pull out the sole insert (it comes out easily) and feel around the area for any screws penetrating.

Happy fishing!

 

[Bamboozle]

One word of caution to all. If you use your Chotas heavily like I do, you have to watch the wear on the bottom felt. I had a prior pair of Chotas for 2.5 years, and just about wore the felt off the bottom.

After that time, my waders developed a leak. I ultimately traced it to the fact that the felt bottoms wore down and the screw tips had penetrated into the neoprene bootee. It wasn't enough for me to feel them, but enough to puncture the neoprene.

I advised Chota of this problem....I think it is the reason that the new Chota screws have the tips blunted.

Now for the tip: when you replace your screws, pull out the sole insert (it comes out easily) and feel around the area for any screws penetrating.

Happy fishing!

As a long time Chota user, I have some tips to return:

In the good old days, Chota glued & stitched the sole to the mid-sole and just glued the heel in place. Lots of folks had problems with the heels falling off but a few flat head stainless steel sheet metal screws solved that problem. THAT version of Chota's could actually be resoled and Chota even sold spare felt kits. I have two size 12 kits in my basement as I speak.

Fast forward to the present, Chota now uses a different system to BOND the felt HALF sole and heel, to a softer crepe-like plastic mid sole and those puppies DO NOT COME OFF!! I have tried everything short of cutting and grinding to no avail. That means that Chota's are basically throw away wading shoes depending on how long the felt lasts you.

The felt wearing out creates two problems, one that Trout Chaser discovered and another that may result in you breaking your neck.

The problem that TroutChaser discovered is related to the plastic screw posts that the studs screw in to. As the felt wears down, the posts wear as well. Once they wear down too far, it might be possible for the screw tips to protrude into the insole although that would be some serious wear since the screw post/mid-sole combo, plus the insole is much thicker than the screw is long.

The other problem is when the posts & felt wear down, replacing the studs causes them to stick out REALLY far, much more than they do when the shoes are new. That can lead to slippery conditions on really hard smooth rocks since all you are walking on is the studs, the felt never touches the rock.

I cured that problem by using a Dremel to create a slight recess in the plastic post to allow the screw to sit lower. It works just fine and keeps the stud just partially beyond the felt like it was when the shoes were new. If course if the plastic posts are really worn low, you can end up with the screw tips coming into the shoe like TC.

If studs that protrude way beyond the worn felt doesn't concern you, small thin #8 or #10 nylon washers which can be found in many hardware stores, can be used as spacers to bring the screws further out if necessary. I had to do that after doing the Dremel thing on an old version pair I eventually successfully resoled.

I like everything about my Chota STL's except the fact I can't get them resoled at my local shoemaker like I used to do with the older versions. I am certainly not cheap but as the grandson of a shoemaker, I have a real problem with throwing away a perfectly good pair of shoes just because the soles wear out.

I'll be looking elsewhere for wading shoes once my Chota soles are finally done.

 

[bluecollarbleached]

ive been debating getting a pair of studded boots. but i havent yet had a problem with my rubber soled ones. is this bc im fishing primarily easily waded water? (croton system\catskills)?

if i plan on going to the SR are studded boots something I will need?

 

[JeffK]

The slippery conditions of the SR have two components: what are your odds of slipping and what happens if you do slip. It is a little more slippery up there (on the rock bottom - the gravel is OK), but if you fall in you risk hypothermia so be careful. Bare rock areas in Catskills can be real slippery too!

No need to buy studded boots - a common approach is to buy Korkers and wear them over your boots.

 

[LyNcH]

if i plan on going to the SR are studded boots something I will need?

I would never suggest wading the SR without studs from this time of year on. The rocks are slick (verified yesterday) and the water is starting to get cold. Once things start icing up, you will need them and frankly would be a fool to not use them. It never hurts to have a wading staff on your hip as well for that unstable moment. I fished many a times last year standing in 34 degree water running around 750........use caution and common sense.