Anyone use waist waders?

I have waist high waders.
They're great on smaller streams, for several reasons already mentioned.

However, on large waters, I still want to be in chest waders.
You'd really be limited on what you can cover without them
I couldn't imagine fishing the Delaware or Youghiogheny rivers in waist highs.

As for safety concerns:
One of the worst falls I ever took happened in knee deep water.
Hurt my arm and leg on exposed rocks, that had no water cushioning.
 
I have a pair of Orvis "convertables". Not only are they hard to convert, but they're still hard to get into and require two working shoulders for the straps.
 
I had a pair at one point, years ago. I don't think I'd do it again.

- The purported advantage is for small streams where you don't really need chest waders.

And that's true, you don't need chest waders. But, for me, anyway, there's not much advantage to waist highs either. Chest waders aren't that hot. If it's hot enough to want to get out of breathable waders, then waist highs don't give you much. And more often than not I'm opting to wet wade.

If it's not real hot out, waist highs are fine, but so are chest waders. And I want a pair of chest waders for bigger water. So what's the point of keeping 2 pair?
 
pcray1231 said:
I had a pair at one point, years ago. I don't think I'd do it again.

- The purported advantage is for small streams where you don't really need chest waders.

And that's true, you don't need chest waders. But, for me, anyway, there's not much advantage to waist highs either. Chest waders aren't that hot. If it's hot enough to want to get out of breathable waders, then waist highs don't give you much. And more often than not I'm opting to wet wade.

If it's not real hot out, waist highs are fine, but so are chest waders. And I want a pair of chest waders for bigger water. So what's the point of keeping 2 pair?
Click to expand...
I find waist highs to be more comfortable - less confining, and definitely cooler in hot weather IMO.
And it never hurts to have a backup pair around, too.
 
redietz said:
That may be true, but they do keep you warmer and drier in the cold rain. And they have pockets, which my waist waders don't.
Click to expand...
Those are 2 of the exact reasons that I wear chest waders, even on small streams where I look like an idiot more often than not. Otherwise I would have switched to waist high's years ago. I just like knowing that my key fob and phone have an extra foot or so of waterproofing between them and getting wet from an accidental swim "event".
 
I have a pair of chest waders and a pair of waist high. Chest high for cold and bigger waters; waist highs for warmer weather or small streams - like everyone else said.

I started with Cabela's waist highs which were OK but now use Aquaz which are a step above IMHO. Thicker fabric, shoulder straps so they don't fall down (as I get older my butt is disappearing and belts don't always hold) and they have a couple of waterproof pockets.
 
I have a pair of "Guide Pants" but they are neoprene and a little too warm to wear in the summer.
 
PaScoGi said:
Im a waist wader and recommend the cheap cabelas ones . Never understood the concept of chest waders, no fish is worth wading above the waist. But to each their own.
Click to expand...
I disagree, I'll wade across slippery bedrock to the point where the water almost comes over the top of my chest waders. In an instance like that I was awarded with several gorgeous wild brown trout, the largest of which was 17 inches. In this sport you have to have a good understanding of risk and know when to push it to get that extra fish. Going for that fish or at least that particular difficult position in the creek is what separates a successful hardcore angler from the casual player. You have to get your fly to the fish by any means possible, the fish are not concerned with your personal safety.
 
At the end of the day it’s personal preference. Wear whatever you are comfortable with. Kinda like fishin wets, dries, nymphs, bobber, no bobber. Up stream, down stream. Wade as deep or as shallow as you are comfortable with.
😎
 
Last edited:
Silent Ocelot said:
I disagree, I'll wade across slippery bedrock to the point where the water almost comes over the top of my chest waders
Click to expand...

Silent Ocelot said:
Going for that fish or at least that particular difficult position in the creek is what separates a successful hardcore angler from the casual player.
Click to expand...
Or, from the one's who will live, and the one's who won't. ;)
 
I fish mostly small streams. I’ve owned both waist highs and chest highs and have fished in both. Which one I’m wearing doesn’t really effect how deep I go on small streams. Knee deep or so, maybe a little higher trying to retrieve a stuck fly or something.

On big water, I do wear chest waders, but I really don’t wade much past my low thigh. Maybe a little higher to mid thigh in perfectly calm water, but the fishing usually isn’t very good in perfectly calm water anyway.

I thought that waist highs would be cooler in Summer, they’re not. Yeah, more of your torso is outside of the waders in waist highs, but they’re cinched around your waist and there is zero airflow. Your legs get super hot, hotter than with chest highs. And you often have a vest or some sort of pack on your chest or back, or both, which keeps your top half hot anyway. With chest highs it’s at least somewhat open at the top allowing some air to move and circulate as you walk.

Like I said, I’ve owned both, and would own both again. Right now I have two pairs of chest highs, a nice set of Orvis Clearwaters I use in bigger water and an el cheapo pair of entry level Redingtons that I use on small streams. I’ll often tuck the upper third of the Redingtons down over themselves and cinch the waist buckle…instant waist highs, if that’s what you want.

Haven’t been wild about any of the current waist highs on the market the last couple of years, which is why I’ve avoided them as of late. Other than the Patagonia’s, but at $400, they’re a bit salty for me. When I could get 2 pairs of Clearwaters, or 4 cheapo brush buster pairs for that much money. Used to be a huge LLBean Kennebec fan, but they’re gotten close to $300 now and my last pair didn’t make it a full year without leaking, hence the move to the Clearwaters for my flagship pair.
 
Last edited:
Most mid range to higher end waders all come with opposable shoulder strap clips that easily convert chest highs to waist highs. I wet wade all summer but if I'm in waders and it's getting hot, I leave my waist belt in place, unclip my shoulder straps, fold down the top to the waist, and join the two shoulder straps to themselves. That tends to secure the top section you're not using more than sufficiently.

Just look for the opposable shoulder strap clips on your next wader selection for a little extra flexibility.
 
The talk of buying a backup pair used to make sense to me, but doesn't any longer. Yes, I have backup waders. But I wouldn't buy backup waders. When waders can no longer be fixed up leak free, they don't retire, they become the backups. The ones you wear if you know you're going to be walking through waist high briars, for instance.
 
pcray1231 said:
The talk of buying a backup pair used to make sense to me, but doesn't any longer. Yes, I have backup waders. But I wouldn't buy backup waders. When waders can no longer be fixed up leak free, they don't retire, they become the backups. The ones you wear if you know you're going to be walking through waist high briars, for instance.
Click to expand...
My point was that waist highs, besides being nice to use on small streams, serve as backups too.
Even though they limit your wading on large streams. Duel purpose

I also have several old pair of waders that I can't seem to completely seal anymore.
But I keep them for backups.

With two different invasives in our waterways now, I often carry 3 pair - and boots - with me now.
So that I can fish waters with didymo and mud snails, and not risk spreading it to clean streams.
 
I've got a pair of Dryft waist high also (the blue jean) ones, they're my go to waders, I've got chest highs as a back up
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top