Chest Waders Shopping Help...

[Guest stovepipe]

My son’s asking for a pair of chest waders for Christmas this year for spring/ summer / fall fly fishing on the Caney, Elk, Harpeth, Hiawassee, etc…. There are a lot of options to choose from. Got any tips on brands, or what to look for? I don’t mind paying a little extra for quality, but need to be practical.

Thanks!

[Troutburger]

Go to good for the money can't beat a set of red ball waders.

[Joe357]

I have Simms breathable stocking foot wades. If all goes well this will be my sixth season using them. I like them and when it's time to replace them it will be with another pair of Simms waders.

[Guest Bassman17SC]

Generally, there are four basic materials - 

 

1. Plain old rubberized canvas

2. Nylon or coated nylon

3. Neoprene

4. Breathable (Gore-tex)

 

#1 is rare nowadays; that is what was available before the advent of neoprene and newer materials.  #2 is the cheapest, but is not very durable and has no insulating qualities.  #3 has insulating qualities and can be durable - if you are careful.  On the other hand, they do make patch kits.  #4 is most expensive.

 

The next question you have to answer is whether your son wants a boot foot or stocking foot (separate wader boots) style of wader.

 

Bass Pro Shops seems to have a ton of different styles with their Red Head and White River brands.  I have no experience with those brands.  However, BPS also carries Simms waders, which arguably, are the best-made waders on the planet.  They are also the most expensive.

 

Another local store to check out and get good info on waders is Fly South (downtown off Broadway).  They will carry Simms and Patagonia brands plus maybe a few others and will offer excellent information.  They are at the high end price point, however.

 

Cabela's offers excellent waders at good prices - and most of them seem to be on sale right now!  Before I got my boat, I used two sets of Cabela's waders.   For store brand outdoor clothing, you cannot beat Cabela's, especially as compared to Red Head.

 

Other good wader brands include Chota, Redington, and Orvis.

 

Finally, LL Bean offers their brand plus others, too.  You may find some waders on sale.

 

Stay away from the stuff offered at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Academy Sports, and Dick's.  Stay far away.

[DaveS]

Generally, there are four basic materials - 

 

1. Plain old rubberized canvas

2. Nylon or coated nylon

3. Neoprene

4. Breathable (Gore-tex)

 

#1 is rare nowadays; that is what was available before the advent of neoprene and newer materials.  #2 is the cheapest, but is not very durable and has no insulating qualities.  #3 has insulating qualities and can be durable - if you are careful.  On the other hand, they do make patch kits.  #4 is most expensive.

 

The next question you have to answer is whether your son wants a boot foot or stocking foot (separate wader boots) style of wader.

 

Bass Pro Shops seems to have a ton of different styles with their Red Head and White River brands.  I have no experience with those brands.  However, BPS also carries Simms waders, which arguably, are the best-made waders on the planet.  They are also the most expensive.

 

Another local store to check out and get good info on waders is Fly South (downtown off Broadway).  They will carry Simms and Patagonia brands plus maybe a few others and will offer excellent information.  They are at the high end price point, however.

 

Cabela's offers excellent waders at good prices - and most of them seem to be on sale right now!  Before I got my boat, I used two sets of Cabela's waders.   For store brand outdoor clothing, you cannot beat Cabela's, especially as compared to Red Head.

 

Other good wader brands include Chota, Redington, and Orvis.

 

Finally, LL Bean offers their brand plus others, too.  You may find some waders on sale.

 

Stay away from the stuff offered at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Academy Sports, and Dick's.  Stay far away.

I got my daughter and myself a pair of waders from Dick's and they have leaked since the second time we used them. You can seal them, step in the water and they leak somewhere else. Then repeat over and over. Never again!

 

DaveS

[Wiljo05]

I have a paid of white river from bass pro that made it 1 season before starting to leak

[DaveS]

I have a paid of white river from bass pro that made it 1 season before starting to leak

One of our pairs didn't last 3 months. They were the cheaper ones from BP.

 

DaveS

[Lumber_Jack]

go with a major brand if you can afford them

 

Simms

Patagonia

Orvis

Chota

Reddington

 

 

not only will they not leak, if they do, they will replace them.  I currently have a pair of Patagonia.  They are expensive but great.  If I were buying some for a younger fisherman, I would look at these

 

Orvis Endura - $159

Chota Rocky River - $169

Simms Blackfoot - $199

 

 

If you try to go much cheaper you will run into the problems noted by Dave and others. 

 

Look on http://littleriveroutfitters.com/store/home.php?cat=639   they are located in Townsend, Tn but offer free shipping and they are just a great shop. 

[chances R]

Ah heck, what's wrong with blue jeans and tennis shoes?  All I had when I started.  However, I would have jumped in to a nice pair of 5mm neoprene and 1200gm. of thinsulate boots in a heart beat if they were available back then.  Especially fishing the Clinch.