waders

[Wanderer]

Lots of questions here:
Chest waist or thigh?
I fished in thigh waders on a guide trip through mammoth a few years back and liked how they felt and the ease of getting them on off etc.
mostly I fish mountain streams that are pretty shallow I rarely if ever fish big water.
boots on or just socks ?
I need to get some but as with all things fun it is only in the budget after the bills are paid so it needs to be economical
so what brands are good economical and not cheaply made,
this might seem dumb but don't criticize me do i have to use wading boots. I am a geologist and have slew of tough boots that have good traction and are insulated.

and hey if I was rich i would buy the best quality product but I am poor. so >>>>
Thanks in advance

[Wildman]

buy a full set of waders with booties. You can buy a quality pair from Orivis or a number of others that have a strong warranty. Buy a set of wading boots to go with it (a size larger) You can buy a pair that will last for years for 120 bucks. I like felt bottoms but that is my comfort zone. You can roll the upper and suspenders down and just have the pants if you like. If you fish the Sierras or the Kern....you need full waders.

You might find stuff cheaper on Amazon or ebay but you won't get the warranty. I've had this pair of Simms waders for five years now and I love them. Got them after wearing a pair of Simms that they replaced on a warranty and had them for five years.

[DrCreek]

Why must waders and boots be worn at all? Shallow streams like you said you fish - especially in the Sierras - aren't really cold enough to render insulation. Maybe I'll change my own attitude about that after I gain a few more years and a little less body fat.

[NorcalBob]

My rule of thumb regarding wader use is, if you are wading deep enough to submerge your family jewels, you wear waders. If not, you don't wear waders!!!

[planettrout]

Sooner or later, if one continues in this activity, a need for quality (chest high) waders will become imperative. Hiking boots are fine for small stream fishing but when ya' get into water like this:



...or this:



...or this:



...waders are the way to go, especially in the early spring or late fall through winter...

Take some time and visit BM's or The Spot and try them on. Take your favorite hiking boots and attempt to squeeze your foot into the boot with the waders on...

Then try on a pair of these that are a size larger than your hiking boot:



Put yer 'loose change in a jar, every day, and go with the best quality there is. Your body and feet will thank you...


PT/TB

[k9mark]

Poor? Take a look at Adams built once

[rayfound]

Honestly, I will go against the grain here and say that for small creek, I absolutely LOVE wearing waist-high breathable waders. They are not much more hassle than wearing pants, but provide nice protection from kneeling on rocks, streamside nettles, and cold feet. I am a big fan.

I prefer waist high on water up to about the size of the upper O. Much bigger than that and I like to go chest waders.

I did finally wear out my waist-high cabelas waders a couple years ago, and kind of miss them.

[fly addict]

I have both chest high and pant waders and will always grab the pant waders 1st. They are much more comfortable to wear, cooler and faster to pull down when you have to take care of business, but zippers might make that last point moot. I also like them because they force me not to go into to places I should not go. But that might not work for you. I had a pair of hippers and found them to be worthless. You will know one of the reasons why I said that the first time you squat down to make a smaller profile and end up getting your butt wet and water pouring down your leg. If I can I will wet wade with quick dry pants and shirt. Many times while wet wading I’ll go where I would never go with waders on. Ask Greg (Fishfreak) about the time I swam across the Henry's Fork in Idaho!

Waders aren’t just about keeping you dry while in the water. They may also protect you from shredding your legs from streamside brush and poison Oak, or critters like ants, spiders and ticks. I abuse my waders way more fishing small streams than I ever would on bigger streams! I also have knee pads and shin guards and will use them if and when I’ll do a lot of kneeling or climbing over, under, and around things like downed trees, boulders and other streamside obstacles.


Whatever waders you get, try and get the best ones you can, They should be more comfortable and last longer and have less issues than the cheap stuff and warranties are better with the good brands like Simms, Redington, Orvis etc. If you can go to a shop and try the waders on rather than buying them online. They don’t just come in small, medium and large. I think Simms makes 20 plus different sizes. And don’t buy the wrong size just because it is a good deal.

[flybob]

I love wearing waders most of the year, small creeks in the summer call for wet wading.
I have 3 pair of waist hi, and one pair of chest.
I wear the waist hi's pretty much 90% of the time. Even float tubing.
I only wear the chest waders in the winter and when I know the water is a little deeper, although I usually do not get in deeper than my crotch.

The waist hi's are also a bit thinner.
I have purchased all of the waist hi's from LL Bean, as when they wear out and just get leaky beyond repair, I send them back for store credit, and end up purchasing another pair!
However, they used to be 89.00 (8 years ago), my lastest pair which I just purchased this month with an 89.00 credit from that first pair.....are now 159.00, although they are much better construction than the older models.
here is a link:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/90971?pr ... &gclsrc=ds

Free shipping too!

Cabelas also has a pair of waist hi on sale for 103.00 but only have a 1 year warranty.

In the end it just comes to personal preference, and how deep your pockets are, mine are not deep, so I am always looking for the deals.

hope this helps

[WanderingBlues]

I've had Simms G3 convertibles for 5+ years now. They easily have 450-500 days on the water. Probably 75% of the time, I use them as hip waders. But, for that other 25%, they are invaluable. And when they started leaking I sent them in for reconditioning and new booties for $45.00.

[DarkShadow]

Sign up for Sierra Trading Post's coupon, and on Fridays, you'll usually get 25 to 30% off already discounted waders.

After finally thrashing my low end Simms, I ended up getting the Patagonia's Rio Gallegos for a price nobody believed. They convert from chest to waist, which has come in handy. And I've heard Patagonia has a pretty decent 'no hassle' type of warranty. They are extremely breathable and have done 2+ mile hikes in them without batting an eye, and the knee pads do come in handy when rock scrambling or being on your knees to make a cast.

NOW, I mostly wet wade in the summer, since I like the mobility, and will just wear long pants to combat the nettles, bugs, etc. But in the winter or during run off? I prefer not to be hypothermic by 10 am, so I definitely rock waders.

Even if you don't spring for high end waders, check out STP and all the waders they have available.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/waders~d~243/

[fshflys]

Here's a link to Patagonia, they're having a sale right now. Waders from $149 - $299.

http://www.patagonia.com/shop/web-specials-mens-waders

I have the waist high & love em. They are very specific in their sizing. My previous waders were Orvis size small & the foot size on those would fit size 10 shoe. My Patagonia waders, size small with a foot size of 8 exactly what I wear so I don't have a bunch of leftover neoprene to stuff into my boot.