# Ray guards



## Woolyhogtail

Hey fellas, new to the forum with a question. Are ray guards really nessesary and is there a time of year where you need them more than others? I'll be fishing anywhere from trinity bay to surf side just depending on where I decide to go. Thanks


----------



## TexasGrandSlam

I don't wear them often, but I should... I've seen rays at all times of the year in Galveston. The "best" time to wear them would be in the summer months, now till August. Regardless, it would be best to always wear them and always shuffle, because you never you when you could step on one.


----------



## Worm Drowner

I always wear them. Too often, even when I am shuffling, I'll step into a hole that could hold a "surprise". It only takes a split second mistake. I figure I'd rather look a little silly, be a little uncomfortable and wear them than be sitting in an ER somewhere feeling REALLY uncomfortable and really silly because I left my ray guards in my garage at home.


----------



## dk2429

People say "shuffle your feet and you'll be fine." I call BS on that. I always where mine with ray guard boots. It's not worth having your leg amputated


----------



## LureJunky

Wear mine all the time and have saved my shins on big rocks many times tripping and falling. 
You will want to always wear them once you get them I found.


----------



## Outearly

I got popped 15 years ago, and I wear them all of the time. Still shuffle, still don't look down.... lots of rays in places.

You won't notice them once you're in the water with them.


----------



## Rockyfrog

Don't think that just because you wear guards you shouldn't shuffle your feet though! If you do your research you'll learn that a sting ray barb is harder than bone. A barb can go through the guards. It does have a high chance of deflecting the barb though so its better than nothing. Don't ever walk backwards either.


----------



## Woolyhogtail

Guess I need to get some


----------



## pocfishin

I highly recommend them.

Cheap insurance policy to prevent risk of serious leg injury.

http://www.stinkypantsfishing.com/Ray guards.htm


----------



## 2hours2thecoast

I have them. I have the two piece set where the boots and shin guards are separate. I like this set up better for some reason. I usually fish in crocs or flip flops, so I needed some wade boots. For a few more dollars, I am protected. Like said before, once you are in the water, you don't feel them.


----------



## GoneSouth

The last few years I wore the full one piece ray guard boots and protectors. They killed my legs on an all day wade. I think it was more the weight of the boots. I bought some frogg togg wading boots and they are great. I have some shin guards and will start wearing them. They are not so heavy. Last summer a friend of mine had a stingray pop his big toe, under the toe nail through ray guard boots. The big heavy ones. So they are not 100%.


----------



## jesco

I wade West Galveston Bay, near SLP about 75% of the time. Lots of rays. I wear boots with attached shin guards, and shuffle shuffle shuffle.


----------



## taylork555

pocfishin said:


> I highly recommend them.
> 
> Cheap insurance policy to prevent risk of serious leg injury.
> 
> http://www.stinkypantsfishing.com/Ray guards.htm


These seem perfect for lace up boots.

Any other brands you guys would recommend?


----------



## Exploder

Turtleskin is a manufacturer of puncture proof material used in gloves and other sorts of stuff. they cater mostly to law enforcement and military from what I understand.
I spoke with them last year and they were developing a wading boot or stocking for stingray protection. They said they had the prototypes out in the field for testing. I have not followed up on it though to see when production would start.


----------



## Exploder

Turtleskin website. https://www.turtleskin.com/webstore/


----------



## Drundel

I think these are the gold standard in ray guards.

http://www.crackshotcorp.com/stingray_guardz.html


----------



## elgatogus

pocfishin said:


> I highly recommend them.
> 
> Cheap insurance policy to prevent risk of serious leg injury.
> 
> http://www.stinkypantsfishing.com/Ray guards.htm


Crackshots are the way to go!! Buy Em!! You won't regret it!


----------



## artys_only

*This !!!*



elgatogus said:


> Crackshots are the way to go!! Buy Em!! You won't regret it!


This ^^^^^^^


----------



## Woolyhogtail

How do all those people swimming in the surf never get hit? Or maybe they do and I just don't hear about it.


----------



## Carson21

Woolyhogtail said:


> How do all those people swimming in the surf never get hit? Or maybe they do and I just don't hear about it.


I wonder the same **** thing!


----------



## Outearly

Carson21 said:


> I wonder the same **** thing!


They do get popped. I got hit on the beachfront on a calm July evening, and when I went to the emergency room I was told they get lots of stingray pops on just those kinds of days.


----------



## Lone-Star

Woolyhogtail said:


> How do all those people swimming in the surf never get hit? Or maybe they do and I just don't hear about it.


 They do. I see about 4-5 per weekend come through the ER during the summer months.

Wading without ray guards is like driving drunk. People do it all the time and you will probably get away with it, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be a disaster.

Don't think for a second that just shuffling your feet will protect you.


----------



## Woolyhogtail

So I can't decide between the complete Ray guard boots or just the flats boots with the crack shot Ray guards. Are the complete Ray guard boots one piece or are the guards removable? I can't seem to find out


----------



## pocfishin

I had the Forever Last all-in-one combination reef boots/shin guards. They were not separable. I did not like them.

Now I use the Forever Last Reef boots with the Crack Shot ray guards. Works great.

http://www.foreverlastonline.com/Ray-Guard-Reef-Boots_p_30.html

http://www.stinkypantsfishing.com/Ray guards.htm


----------



## easoutdoors

I can attest that ray guards are not fool proof. A few years ago I was wearing foreverlast ray guards and got hit by a large ray. The barb went thru the ray guard and poked a hole into my leg. I got back in the boat and poured bleach/water and then hydrogen peroxide and the iodine over the wound. I went to the er and got it xrayed and antibiotics. There is no doubt the ray guards helped to prevent this from being worse. Having the right stuff on the boat helped to prevent infection. 
I still always wear the ray guards!


----------



## kenny

pocfishin said:


> I had the Forever Last all-in-one combination reef boots/shin guards. They were not separable. I did not like them.
> 
> Now I use the Forever Last Reef boots with the Crack Shot ray guards. Works great.
> 
> http://www.foreverlastonline.com/Ray-Guard-Reef-Boots_p_30.html
> 
> http://www.stinkypantsfishing.com/Ray guards.htm


^
This


----------



## netboy

They saved me one time, but not from a stingray. I was fighting an oversized red and he made a last minute run right between my legs. He was only hooked on the rear treble hook and when he went through my legs he snagged the front treble on the rayguard. Then he went ballistic and finally shook the hook out.
I hate to think what my leg would have looked like, not to mention the potential vibrio issue.


----------



## ten toes

Concerning stingrays and fishing in the surf.....
I have been hit by a small stingray in the surf when NOT wearing my boots, but luckily the barb went in and out without leaving any barb in my foot. I ate a bunch of benadryl and my wonderful wife (being an ex-Xray Technologist), salved the wound up very nicely and made me soak it in hot water.....no ER visit, no subsequent Dr visit; I only had to rest for the remainder of the day and I was back in full business the next day. I was VERY lucky and I don't go in the water now without my ray guard boots and leggings on, even if they look kinda dorky.

Now here is something they don't tell you about those boots..... I almost drowned one year wearing those boots and leggings in trying to swim with them on out to the next sandbar with my fishing rod in one hand and trying to tread/swim with just the other arm/hand. Those things are like anchors if you try to swim with them on. I am sure there are a lot of veterans out there who are laughing at me right now for not knowing that but I don't want the same bad experience to happen to someone new to using them.


----------



## ten toes

.....oh yes and you still need to shuffle your feet!!!


----------



## Rolltide

I have been using the Crackshots for several years and really like them. I have never been hit so cannot speak from a protection factor. I think an added bonus is they protect your waders from getting poked and torn. 
For wade boots I have been using the same pair since 2009. Bought them for a rainbow trout trip to Colorado at Bass Pro. They are Lacrosse Alpha Mudlite Mocks 7". They have a really hard rubber sole that stands up really well on the shell. They don't make that style anymore. I just purchased a pair of Muck Boots that I have been using for about a month. No feedback on how they will hold up yet.


----------



## lipjerker

I'm 66 and have been wade fishing the gulf coast since I was 10. I have seen hundreds of rays throughout the years so how many more did I not see, probably thousands. I have never worn Guards. Frankly they just weren't around way back when. I have stepped on dozens of rays over the years. I have been fortunate to have not gotten hit. I wear wade boots, long pants and long sleeve shirts in the surf. I shuffle my feet sometimes, but not always. 
First aid for sting ray hits. Get to the emergency room ASAP, but if you can and it is available find the hottest water you can, close to boiling and pour it over the wound. It will help neutralize the poison. Anyway you look at it, your fishing day is done.
Be vigilant. pay attention to your surrounding and water clarity, there are just as many rays in the bays as in the surf. Just in the surf you can find yourself in the middle of a school of rays. When that happens I take my rod and put the tip on the bottom and sweep it 360 degrees around me. This usually scatters the school.
Good luck with your choice.


----------



## bigfishtx

lipjerker said:


> I'm 66 and have been wade fishing the gulf coast since I was 10. I have seen hundreds of rays throughout the years so how many more did I not see, probably thousands. I have never worn Guards. Frankly they just weren't around way back when. I have stepped on dozens of rays over the years. I have been fortunate to have not gotten hit. I wear wade boots, long pants and long sleeve shirts in the surf. I shuffle my feet sometimes, but not always.
> First aid for sting ray hits. Get to the emergency room ASAP, but if you can and it is available find the hottest water you can, close to boiling and pour it over the wound. It will help neutralize the poison. Anyway you look at it, your fishing day is done.
> Be vigilant. pay attention to your surrounding and water clarity, there are just as many rays in the bays as in the surf. Just in the surf you can find yourself in the middle of a school of rays. When that happens I take my rod and put the tip on the bottom and sweep it 360 degrees around me. This usually scatters the school.
> Good luck with your choice.


You have been very lucky if you stepped on that many and did not get hit.

Can you tell me who will win the super bowl in January?


----------



## OlRob65

Now here is something they don't tell you about those boots..... I almost drowned one year wearing those boots and leggings in trying to swim with them on out to the next sandbar with my fishing rod in one hand and trying to tread/swim with just the other arm/hand. Those things are like anchors if you try to swim with them on. I am sure there are a lot of veterans out there who are laughing at me right now for not knowing that but I don't want the same bad experience to happen to someone new to using them.[/QUOTE]

Early in my wading career I bought the Forever Last Reef boots and I like them for what they are; however, had I know then what I know now I wouldn't have bought them. I call them the marine shoes of death. I make sure who ever is wearing them removes them before we move the boat. They are very heavy and will fill with water, no big deal in knee deep water, tragedy in deep water.


----------

