Waist high breathables

[paflyfisherman]

I am considering purchasing waist highs. I have a good pair if chest highs but think the waist highs would be a good backup and more comfortable in warmer weather. Your opinions and comments will be helpful.

 

[KeithS]

Get the waist highs. You can roll them down and your wading belt will hold them up. IF you wind up in a deeper spot to fish , just pull 'em up. I love my breathable waist-high's.
With all of this said, I am only 5"6", most people are better off than with waist-high's.

 

[CathyG]

I prefer waist highs. But at 5' 4" I can pretty much pull them up to my chest if I wanted to.

 

[bikerfish]

I've been wearing waist highs for the past 4 or 5 years, I love them. so nice to be able to relieve one's self easily, easy to take on and off, cool to wear.
I don't like being in too deep of water anyways. on most streams I fish, if your standing in water that deep, your standing where the fish are!
now if I fished big rivers and such,. then chest highs would be the ticket. of course, you already have those.
I think you'll enjoy the waist highs.

 

[Phish_On]

Waist highs allday everyday. An wading socks for smaller streams. Boom!

 

[SBecker]

Waist highs are fantastic for normal size streams. However, I must have chest waders as well because I fish the Lehigh a lot. If you fish the Upper Delaware you also need chest waders.

 

[outsider]

My waist high waders are my primary waders, and my chest waders are secondary. Would have baked in my chest waders today, breathable or not.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I have not worn chesthighs for eight years. I wear my Simms waisthighs every where I flyfish now. If I have to wade deeper than required of waisthighs I don't wade! They are more comfortable than chesthighs also.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear pafisherman,

OK I'm going to be the stupid guy and ask if you have tried to figure a way to wear your chest high waders rolled down as waist highs?

I bought a pair of Dan Bailey Barebones waders a couple of years ago expressly for that feature. They work great.

Many other current breathable chest high waders convert to waist highs by rolling them down and crossing the shoulder straps around your waist in the opposite direction.

Even if your current waders don't convert it may be that all they need is someone to swap a couple of snap couplers around to make them work? It will take some sewing skill and a sewing machine, but it's not rocket surgery. ;-)

Having said that the Orvis Endura stocking foot hippers that I own provide about 2 or 3 inches less wading depth capability than any waist high waders I've ever seen. Maybe they would be worth considering as well for warmer days?

I'm not trying to tell you how to spend your money, I just don't see any real advantage to second pair of something you're going to throw away in a couple of years. Waders are as expendable as tippet, I don't care what brand you buy, or from whom you buy them. They wear out and you toss them away.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[outsider]

Tim Murphy:

One of the primary reasons I choose to wear waist high waders is I never intend to wade any deeper than my waist high waders allow. And, they just feel like wearing another pair of pants.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

outsider wrote:
Tim Murphy:

One of the primary reasons I choose to wear waist high waders is I never intend to wade any deeper than my waist high waders allow. And, they just feel like wearing another pair of pants.

I agree.

 

[TimMurphy]

outsider wrote:
Tim Murphy:

One of the primary reasons I choose to wear waist high waders is I never intend to wade any deeper than my waist high waders allow. And, they just feel like wearing another pair of pants.

Dear outsider,

That's certainly a valid reason.

Coincidently, it's also the exact same thought expressed by millions of anglers immediately before they slipped while wearing hippers and frosted their nuggets. ;-)

Hence the advent of chest waders.

My only point, one that was never explored by any other poster in this thread, was that the OP may already have waist high waders in his arsenal.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[fritz]

Waist highs for at least 80% of the time.

 

[just_jon]

I am a recent convert to waist highs and cannot see myself going back to chest highs unless absolutely necessary.

 

[lv2nymph]

I've been wanting a pair of waist high's for years but I'm waiting for my hippers to die or my son to get big enough to wear. I think he'll be wearing them first. A couple of months after I bought new hippers I saw them and wished I had seen them first.

 

[TDB]

Can't beat waist highs for 95% of situational fly fishing. With that said I have a pair of brand new redington sonic waist highs for sale. Size large. Pm if interested

 

[dryflyguy]

Your fishing style should dictate this IMO.
I prefer fishing large streams, and often wade deep. I would be lost with wast highs.
However, when I do fish small streams, I have a pair of hip boots for that.
I usually have both with me on all fishing trips

 

[kbobb]

I use chest waders- best of both worlds - you can roll them down if you want.

waist highs would certainly cover 90% of what i do but in the winter I like having the chest waders for added warmth and sometime i like to kneel in the stream (even though its not deep) and waist highs wouldn't cut it then.

In the summer it's wet wading all the way.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear kbobb,

You and dryflyguy have it covered all the way in my opinion.

Wading isn't always about working your plan, sometimes you have to account for the unnaccountable.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Rolf]

Although I know Tim hates them, I have the Simms convertibles. Most of the time they are waist highs but in the winter I pull them up, strictly for warmth. I no longer wade above my waist. Yep……. I’m old!!!!!!