Wader Recommendations?

[Savage Brewer]

So I am looking to get some chest waders now, and I am looking for recommendations.

Budget: $100 to $300

I definitely want stockingfoot.

Otherwise I am fairly open to ideas.

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

[LHarris]

waders are not forever.

don't buy expensive ones.

They get holes the same as cheap and medium priced ones.

many in the 100-130 price range.

I typically replace mine once a season in the spring

and use my old ones with shoe goo on them as back ups.

[LHarris]

check your PMs

[OnAFly]

My Orvis Silverlabels lasted about 5 years before I got all hurried trying to get into the water and stretched a seam.

[redneckdan]

I picked up a pair of Patagonia wading pants this spring and have really liked them so far. I rarely wade deep so I lost little utility with the short height.

[Alagnak]

waders are not forever.

don't buy expensive ones.

They get holes the same as cheap and medium priced ones.

many in the 100-130 price range.

I typically replace mine once a season in the spring

and use my old ones with shoe goo on them as back ups.

I couldn't disagree more. I guide out of mine. When I put them on, they're on for 8-12 hours at a time- I use to put 60+ days on a pair in a summer. In no way, shape, or form do high quality waders get holes in them the same as cheap or medium priced ones. Just like like tools, you USUALLY get what you pay for. Plus warranty options for repair or replacement are much better with a decent pair.

Perhaps guys like to buy a new pair of cheapies every year, I prefer to have mine for as many years as possible just like a tool or my truck. If you take care of them and don't beat the snot out of them taking them on and off, have proper fitting boots, stay off the barb wire, sharp edges/snags on boats/docks there is no reason why a good pair can't last the average joe 10+ years. Simms and Patagonia both have mid priced options in that price range.

[Ufatz]

You are correct. As one who has had a hand in designing and testing waders a few years back I can tell ya the better ones WILL last longer-and they should. Any material-at least any material you'd want to wear all day-can be torn or punctured. But it can also be repaired and will HOLD. A good pair of waders is serous money. But they will last a long time. I have some around here yet that are ten years or more old....but I don't use them every day either.

If you have cut corners, buy cheaper beer or boxed wine (urk!) but don't go cheap waders unless you HAVE to.

[LHarris]

Owned 2 pair of G3s...destroyed both in one season each.

More expensive is not always better.

That was when I guided and went out on average 120 times a year.

[ted4887]

You're doing something wrong if you manage to wreck two pairs of waders in one season.... no matter how many days a year you're on the water, or how expensive they are. You should stop walking into barbed wire fences and blaming it on the waders being faulty

In the case of waders, yes, expensive IS better. They breathe better, they last longer, are made out of better materials.

[Alagnak]

That's too bad. I'd seriously chalk it up as buying two 'lemons' unless you really are that hard on stuff. It's certainly not my experience or the other 9 guides I work with.

Owned 2 pair of G3s...destroyed both in a season.

More expensive is not always better.

That was when I guided and went out on average 120 times a year.

[LHarris]

i am seriously rough on my stuff.

i go right in to most snag infested areas i can find.

barbwire and prickly ash mean less anglers and that is right where I go.

If I rip a 69.00 pair of cheapies...I don't have a cow...I go buy another pair.

One season...one pair waders...destroyed.

[LHarris]

This expensive means better mentality is rampant in the trout world.

Those 2 packs of tapered leaders for 6.95....

I can buy a spool of mono and tie a loop on them and about 20 leaders for 3.95.

I had a friend swear that Aqua Seal was better than Shoo Goo. He sent me the ingredients of Aqua Seal and I sent him the ingredients of Shoo Goo. They were identical except one thing.

That one thing was his tiny tube of Aqua Seal costs 6.95 and my Giant tube of Shoo Goo was 4.00 and my tube was 15 bigger than his.

I was on a tying site 10 years ago and had some guy bragging about the new pair of scissors he bought and how great they were. He even put a photo of them up on the thread. They were 22.95. I found the same scissors at walmart for 6.95.

My friend John has 18 fly rods/reels. When he fishes with me he uses his cheapest rod/reel combo. It is his lucky fenwick. He was a guide for 16 years and had access to all the top end rods/reels. He said none compared to his fenwick.

[Big Hit]

Buy the best you can afford. When I first started seriously fishing I had a pair of cheap Hodgemans. They were garbage and started leaking in the seams after a month. I then jumped up to Cabelas. While better than Hodgemans, they were still junk. They use cheap material and are too thin. They ended up being more aquaseal than anything after one seasons. Garbage as well. Cabelas won't replace them or take them back.

Finally, I bought a pair of Patagonia Guidewaters that I got on sale when they upgrade the model. They are great. They've taken some serious abuse. I bush whack, crawl on my knees, etc. Once I hit a barbed wire fence hiking mid-shin that was hidden by brush. It put a serious cut on my shin that was over an inch but DIDN'T even puncture the waders. That's tough. I'm on my 4th season (50-70 outings/per) with them. Plus they've got the best customer service and return policy in the business.

I don't see what the benefit would be of buying a cheaper $100-140 pair each season when you could buy a better pair that will last half a decade or much longer.

[traveler]

Interesting topic, and lots of opposite opinions!

I've gone the (fairly) cheapo route all my life...I suppose I've owned a half dozen breathables, and as many neoprenes before that. And as many rubber ones before that! Dang, thats a lot of waders:)

But talking breathable stockingfoot, I just had an interesting experience; I took what I thought was a decent, relitivly new pair to AK. I water tested them before leaving, they were fine.

Of course, they developed a leak on day one in AK. I had aquaseal...but couldn't find the leak. Ended up useing the whole tube over the next few days, and they only got worse. I had all the seams sealed even though they looked fine, but there was no visable leak to fix, and I went over the dang things inside and out with a fine tooth comb. They ended up in the garbage can at the Russian River, after i took a knife to them out of sheer revenge:)

Got home and had my friend who owns a flyshop order me a pair of Simms G3's. This is the first GOOD pair of waders I've had, you can feel the difference immediatly the first time you put them on. But I've only had them out a couple times, this time of year so I guess time will tell...

[leech~~]

Maybe you don't need chest waders and a good pair of Hip waders will do? I know where some very good only used 2 times size 9 ones are on sale right now!