drilling boots · AditNow Community

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Tocsin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

11 years ago

Hello all,

I use a pair of Echte's excellent canyoning boots with wetsocks for underground exploration.

The boots tend to fill up and hold water. I know cavers sometimes drill boots to make drain holes but i dont know where or what size holes (avoid grit ingress, speed fo drain, etc).

Does anyone here do this and can adviuse please?

Ta

John 🙂

I don't like the look of that woodwork.

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gNick
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

I've also got a pair of the Echte boots which I find very comfortable. I've not had a problem with them filling up, they seem to drain ok through the back seam. I do use insoles as well so that might help to minimise the volume that water can get into.
For my deep water wellies I've drilled a couple of 5mm holes on the inner side about halfway along to line up with my instep. This does allow small stones in but they drain quickly.
I'm not sure whether I would want to drill holes in the Echte boots given they're a lot more expensive than my Toolstation safety wellies!

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

Cuban Bloodhound
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/161342081424?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

Mr Mike
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

Those Egoli, how is the steel toe cap in them - I ask as I have had steelies before with wellies and for me they have always pressed into my foot when flexing the toe end of the wellie whilst doing squatting type maneuvers etc...

Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk

sparty_lea
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

Never had any problem like that with the Egoli boots mike, but I do find that they tend to split either behind the toecap or around the top lacehole.
Considering how cheap they are (or were when I bought them) they are still pretty good value.

There are 10 types of people in the world.

Those that understand binary and those that do not!

derrickhand
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

I used to use NCB rubber lace-ups in my caving days, and they worked very well. Lace-ups take less water in than wellies and shed it through the tongue area from the movement of walking, especially if you slit the tongue.

I did have some Whernside boots at one time, they had a proper Vibram sole but I found them too stiff and went back to the NCB ones (which you could buy for a couple of quid from any Yorkshire pub in those days!)

plus ca change, plus c'est le meme chose

Wormster
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

Drain 'oles in mah wellies, Ah yup, 3 of them (about 4mm) set on the instep of the boot spaced about 3/4 of an inch apart, each time I put me foot down the action pushes the water out!

Very effective oh yeah they're "Dunlop Acciforts" steel toed ones, never had any issue with the toecaps, then again when digging its better to have some protection rather than squished toes!

Better to regret something you have done - than to regret something you have not done.

wheldale
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/161342081424?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

Years ago when I worked in South Africa, egoli boots were great. I worked in a gold mine and I didn't have any issues with them.

Tocsin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

11 years ago

Thanks for the input chaps.
:thumbsup:

I don't like the look of that woodwork.

lozz
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

#10

Don't forget to take yer boots off before you drill 'em :(

Lozz.