Breathable Waders

[brittsnbirds]

I am in the market for a new pair of waders. The pair i have were fairly cheap from BPS. They do the job but on warm/hot days the sweat makes it feel as if they are leaking. I know you get what you pay for but I want to get the best bang for the buck!

Any suggestions?

[Terry Beeson]

Click here for a pretty good article on breathable waders.

I know the "you get what you pay for" idea might crop up. I like my Orvis Clearwaters just fine. They didn't break the bank and are quite comfortable. So far I haven't had any problems with them.

[RiverRunner]

Ditto on the Orvis Clearwater, I love mine and they were very reasonable. They are so much more comfortable than neoprene for walking long distances and such.

[jdmidwest]

I agree with Terry, you can't go wrong with Orvis breathables. I have owned a pair of Silver Labels since 2000 with no problems outside of a broken buckle. I have a pair of Pro Guides that I bought in the spring this year. They are a little heavier and stiff but have a hand warmer pocket which makes them better for cold weather. The Silver Labels are used fishing and duck hunting. I wear them in the spring and fall floating in the Kayak also. They have taken alot of wear getting in and out of kayaks and blinds. I think the neoprene booties will give out long before the goretex will. Best money I ever spent.

[Terry Beeson]

JD... are your silver labels camo?

[jdmidwest]

The are the brownish tan color. They blend quite well with SE Mo mud...

[Guest flyfishBDS]

Another very interesting topic, with two schools of thought

One is buy cheap, less invested if things go wrong.

One is spend a lot so things don't

The fact is all breathable waders will leak at one point or other, some sooner than others. Pinhole leaks will come from hooks, thorns, abrasions from falls etc, and are an annoyance more than anything, unless you get a hundred odd like i had in my last lightweight set LOL. But its the seam leaks that are terminal, good stitching and even more important quality wide seam taping is the only thing that works

How soon that terminal leak, or buildup of damage, occurs is usually a factor of two things, quality of construction/materials in the first case, where/how you fish in the second, multiplied by how often you fish.

Lighter wader will generally wear out first under the same circumstances

Walking footpaths and the easy wading gravel of Taney is easier on waders than bashing through thorny scrub.

A lot of products in the FF industry are made for the person that fishes 2-20 times a year. A lot different circumstance to guides/seriously addicted who may do 200 days a year wet.

I have only worn 2 brands of breathables so I can't comment on them all from personal experience. But generally from dealing with them and talking to a lot of fly fishers, I'd say the more you fish the more you need to spend.

Now Terry and others I know have used those Orvis Clearwaters and report very favorable (these may be one out of the box) but generally I hear more complaints about 3 brands than other Hodgman, Orvis and Chota. All make some very good waders but some customers seem to get good ones and some don't. My Hodgman guidelights for instance last 6 months under my wear and tear _ which is pretty brutal.

I hear a higher ratio of success for waders from Patagonia, Simms and tentatively (as they are new) from Cloud veil.

Between the two sit Baileys, Cabelas goretex and LL bean.

I do favor Simms, yes I sell them now, but I invested a lot of time, effort in getting Simms back to the store because I believe in them, and Simms aren't actually easy to stock because their reputation is so good. Now I know of two cases personally where Simms have leaked from the box, but I know a whole lot of people wearing them, and I have two friends who have guided for 2 years in their G3s with no issues. I think 3 150day years on the water would be pretty credible.

Simms' cheaper waders aren't too much higher priced than equivalents from other companies and I know which I would favor.

Waders can be a pretty significant investment, and are very very important to how your fishing experiences are going to be.

Hope some of this info helps

Cheers

Steve

[brittsnbirds]

Steve,

Thanks for the good info. I appreciate your experience and comments about the usage. One other point that hasn't been brought up is the care of the waders. I know if you just throw them in a corner and leave them they will degrade. Maybe that's why my cheap-o Bass Pro Shop's waders are still in good shape after 4 years. I have hung them up and taken care of them. My biggest complaint is my sweating in them. On cool to warm days I come out of them looking as if I took a dunk! That is what I am trying to get away from. I know they aren't leaking, I've checked they just aren't breathing!

Your info has helped me narrow my search! Thanks again.

[SilverMallard]

The cheap BPS "breathable" waders aren't actually very breathable. I've had a couple of pairs of them over the past few years. You do get hot in them in warm weather. But they are inexpensive and keep the stream out.

I have heard good things about the Orvis mid-range waders and Simms guide weights are the Rolls Royce for now. But the Orvis waders are considerably more expensive than the White Rivers and the Simms go for over $300. But the Simms user reviews are awesome. They probably do pay for themselves over time.

BUT...I just got a pair of the new William Joseph waders, and I gotta tell you they seem to be the cat's meow! From a design perspective, they are the best I have ever seen, touched, worn. And if they are as durable as everything else from WJ, Badlands, and Vortex (same company...3 namebrands), they should last forever. The warranty says it all: if you tear them up, they'll fix them for free..forever. If they fail, they'll replace them free...forever.

[Danoinark]

The Orvis silver labels are what I have had for the last 8 years. Got a new pair this year because of the warranty. I like especially the wide range of sizes available. Great customer service. The first pair developed a leak this year (after 7 yrs) I sent them in for repair. They have a liberal repair and warranty policy. They fix them for 30 bucks if they can be repaired. If not they send you a new pair. Can't beat that.

Dano