muck boot hole fix

I have a small hole in my beloved muck boots. I’ve had them for 6 years and have hundreds of miles on them hunting over the years, so they don’t owe me anything but I’d like to keep running them if I can. I’m looking for suggestions on what to use to patch the small hole. I’ve heard good and bad things about using a wader repair kit type of thing on muck boots. That got me thinking to an alternative silicon type thing like a shoe goo, goop or the famous flex seal. Anyone have any first hand experience patching a hole on muck boots or something similar?

Just went through this over the winter for my much boots. I tried shoe goo, marine silicone, wader repair, neoprene repair and then said screw it. If it’s a spot where it creases like mine was, then I could get a patch to hold for 3 or 4 days of use and then it would leak again

I used silicone. It was not a flex point and has held up well.

I have a pair of rubber boots I use when launching the boat. I developed cracks in one spot right behind the toes. I cut out an oval shaped piece of rubber gasket material (no corners to catch) and glued it down with E6000. That was 12 years ago and they still don’t leak.

I also have a pair of LaCrosse pack boots (Ice Kings?). Same problem, and in addition the whole seam let loose between the rubber bottom and leather uppers. Again I globbered it up with E6000 and it’s held together. That was two years ago and it’s still solid.

SR

Aqua seal works great on waders

I went through this with Muck boots also. Good silicone (HVAC stuff from a buddy) was the best remedy I could find.

The best long term solution was to scrap the boots and not purchase Muck Boots again. Without changing how I treat my boots (walking through woods, mud, on rip rap, kicking holes open, etc) La Crosse Alphaburlys have lasted twice as long.

buckybadger wrote:

I went through this with Muck boots also. Good silicone (HVAC stuff from a buddy) was the best remedy I could find.

The best long term solution was to scrap the boots and not purchase Muck Boots again. Without changing how I treat my boots (walking through woods, mud, on rip rap, kicking holes open, etc) La Crosse Alphaburlys have lasted twice as long.

I have alphas on currently as I’m typing this. Hoping they hold up. But when the 1600g pros were on sale for 90 plus free shipping, it was a no Brainerd to try them

Red Eye wrote:

Aqua seal works great on waders

never heard of this stuff before but after some research it looks promising. I might give this a try. Thanks everyone!

For what it’s worth, I reached out to the muck boot customer service and they said to use aqua seal

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

For what it’s worth, I reached out to the muck boot customer service and they said to use aqua seal

Where is the hole in the boot. Mine was at the main flex point on the side by My big toe

its about 1/3rd the way up the neoprene part of the boot. its from stepping over a barbed wire fence in SD. Luckily all my main seems are in good shape which seems to be a common leak point for a lot of the muck style boots

Most boots are not real rubber
(Tingley boots are) so they don’t patch well. I used to patch many boots with inner tube patches. If it is a material that a patch will stick to that is the way to go. Try a tire shop.

I have always used Shoe Goo and it has worked good for me. This was to fix where the rubber has pulled from the sole of the boot or small holes from barbed wire that I run across under snow. I have used the fiberglass style drywall tape to pull the hole back together and works well if you get the shoe goo on first, then tap and finished with another layer of the goo over it. You have to clean the surface good. Rubbing alcohol has worked for me to get it clean and dry before gluing.

Steve Root wrote:

I have a pair of rubber boots I use when launching the boat. I developed cracks in one spot right behind the toes. I cut out an oval shaped piece of rubber gasket material (no corners to catch) and glued it down with E6000. That was 12 years ago and they still don’t leak.

I also have a pair of LaCrosse pack boots (Ice Kings?). Same problem, and in addition the whole seam let loose between the rubber bottom and leather uppers. Again I globbered it up with E6000 and it’s held together. That was two years ago and it’s still solid.

SR

GLOBBERED!!!!!!!! i love it!!!!!!!

I used to work for the MPCA. We spent all day, every day in waders. Aqua Seal was hands down the best product for patching waders and boots. It sticks the best and remains flexible.

I applied the aqua seal last night and let it dry overnight. So far I’m impressed at how it turned out with its flexibility. Time will tell.

I’ve used 3m 5200 to repair boots, works well

Lou W wrote:

I’ve used 3m 5200 to repair boots, works well

That worked for me if it wasn’t at a high flex point. Everything failed for me when it was at the side of my toe flex point.

Aqua Seal has worked for me for over 30 years. I alway have a tube in the freezer. They make a quick dry and original. IMO original is more durable.

If you need a good method for repairing rubber boots. I found that the liquid rubber that comes in a caulking tube that the windsheild installers use to install vehichle windsheilds will hold longer than the life of the boot. Its plyable and adhears to the rubber very well. Only draw back is it needs a long dry time. Worth the wait