How to Make Cleated Sole Wading Boots

Slipping on wet stream rocks can ruin an outing. Cleats on boot soles add traction and provide stability with little increase to boot weight. Boots with cleats are commercially available, but installing your own cleats is inexpensive and requires only a few tools. For wading boots, cleats are the heads of small screws secured into the boot sole. The idea is to fix the screws into the thick boot lugs short of puncturing the boot's interior. The protruding heads grip rock for secure footing.

Things You'll Need

  • Thick soled boots
  • 12 zinc hex head screws, 8-by-3/8 inch
  • Drill
  • 1/2 inch long masking tape
  • 1/8 inch drill bit
  • Number 2 Philips head screw driver
  • Felt tip marker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Identify locations for your cleats. They should be spaced evenly on the soles of the boots. Mark these with the permanent marker. Make sure you have four heel locations and six to eight toe locations, all on the lugs, or thick parts of the sole. Do not mark in the grooves of the sole or the cleat heads will be buried in the sole and the screw may pierce the interior of the boot.

    • 2

      Wrap masking tape around the drill bit, marking a 1/4 inch penetration depth. Drill the sole in the marked locations up to the taped mark on the drill bit.

    • 3

      Screw the hex screws into the pre-drilled holes just until the head touches. Hand tighten only, as overtightening strips the screws from the hole.