hip boots

[ryguyfi]

I know it's not the right season, but I always do some shopping in the winter.

Been wearing some cheap rubber hippers for my small stream trips and want a nicer pair for a few reasons. I want a nicer sole. Preferably a nicer grippy rubber. 2nd is a material that will hold up to some brush, but not make me sweat my you know what off. 3rd is not cost me an arm and a leg... then I'd only need 1 boot.



Any suggestions?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Seems to me Cabelas has a nice set of stocking footed hip boots. Saw one of the board members w/ them at the QG Summit last spring. They looked NICE, and I like the idea of just wearing my normal wading boots over them.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Biggity bam! http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Three-Forks8482-Stockingfoot-Hip-Wader/732859.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhip%2Bboots%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=hip+boots&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I had the Cabelas felt soled hip boots and they lasted me YEARS AND YEARS. Still have them, actualyl. Wore them in the summer plenty of times w/ no swamp arse to be found.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Three-Forks8482-Uninsulated-Felt-Sole-Hip-Waders/732862.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhip%2Bboots%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=hip+boots&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

 

[ryguyfi]

but are they going to hold up to the briars and other brush I walk through? That's the real question.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

As I said, I've had mine for YEARS. If you get a leak, aquaseal them Bs. Seriously. I bought my pair in the early 2000s and still don't have any leaks.

 

[pcray1231]

I also agree that stocking foot kicks butt. The same places where you want hippers are the places where you're doing more hiking, and need the comfort. Not only that, but they are tougher places to hike and wade, and more dangerous if you do fall, so grippiness is more important.

Still, I've gone away from hippers for 1 major reason. On those small streams, where hippers are most at home, I just do too much crouching. Even sitting. And get a wet arse. Waste highs make a lot of sense.

Problem is, most waste highs are breathable, which may not be what you need for serious brush busting. I've been thinking about a waste high, stocking foot neoprene, often meant for the duck hunter types. Would like to see a nice canvas waste high or something, though.

 

[pcray1231]

Another option is to get breathable waste highs but wear chaps over top.

 

[Swattie87]

I go ultra cheap with my rubber hippers…****’s house line for $30…I forget who actually makes them. This may be pretty similar to what you already have though ry. I get about a year out of them in heavy brush conditions. I don’t even attempt to repair them…for $30 they’re disposable. Right now my right boot is leaking bad, but the left boot is fine. I just ordered another pair actually…when they come in I’ll throw out the old right boot but keep the left boot…if the left boot leaks first on the new pair, I’ll get a little more mileage by reusing the old left boot.

I actually like them in the heat of Summer (keeps your upper half cooler than chest waders), and in the dead of Winter on small streams. Mine are insulated boot-foot and they keep your feet warmer in cold water IMO than stocking foot chest waders. They’re definitely more resistant to puncture and tearing too, and this makes them good for the real brushy streams where you don’t want to tear up your usually more expensive chest waders.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Hi Ryan - I just got a pair of the Bean's Flyweight hip boots. The boot fit is superb, and isn't a sloppy fit. It's neoprene lined, and has an Aquastealth sole.

That said, the upper part is breatheable, but it's pretty thin. Feels like a single layer of material, and I don't think it's gonna be bomb proof. Only time will tell as far as durability goes.

I've also got a pair of Hodgman felt sole hippers from ****'s, and those things will bust through any brush there is. After about a year of use, they tend to wear holes right where the upper is attached to the boot. I just aquaseal them and use them until they start to fall apart. They're heavy canvas on the outside, then a layer of rubber, then another canvas layer. They're lined with some really soft and comfy cotton that sorta looks like felt. They weigh a ton! Not the best choice of soles for walking the banks, and they don't have much ankle support. Went through 3 pairs of these so far...

Another hipper to check out is Chota's Hippies (actual name). They're stocking foot so you can use your wading boots, but I don't know about durability. I may have to grab a pair if the Flyweights don't pan out.

I had a pair of the Cabelas Three Forks hippers, and they sucked. They're nylon coated with rubber on the inside. I used to sweat like crazy in them, and the sole was awful as far as traction goes. Maybe the stockingfoot ones are better, but I just hated the bootfoot ones.

 

[dryflyguy]

I still wear hippers for fishing small streams. And since i get into some very brushy areas, I've always avoided breathables.
I wear cheap rubber ones, and really have no problems with my legs sweating a bit
My current pair - pro-lines, bought at ****s for $30 - are practically indestructible.
My last pair were made of canvas in the legs, and made by hodgeman. They were somewhat lighter and cooler. You might want to give them a try

 

[Swattie87]

dfg - Yep, Pro-Line's...those are the "****'s house line" ones I was referring to in my post...couldn't remember the name at the time. Even replacing them once a year...at $30/pair that's a good use per dollar ratio IMO.

And I agree, they're virtually indestructable in regards to punctures or tears in the rubber leg. They fail where the leg meets the boot or along the side at the sole, usually in the heel. It's usually a slow process, and you can tell they're just leaking a little to start...usually with enough time to get a new pair before they totally fail. I procrastinated and my right boot is pretty much at the total failure stage now. And as I mentioned above, one of the advantages of hippers is that if only one boot is leaking, keep the good boot. If the opposite boot leaks first on the new pair, you can get some extra mileage by reusing the old boot.

For anyone thinking of getting these, the time to get them is right before Trout opening day in the Spring...****s will have a whole bunch of them, usually just loose in a large bin (but still in their bags). They've been $30 for the last few years in store in the Spring. I knew my right boot wouldn't make it until then and I like to have them for small streams so I just paid $40 online to get them because they usually don't carry them in store outside of Spring Trout season...just a heads up.

 

[geebee]

i have 'hodgeman' rubber/pvc bootfoot waders that are about 10 years old and still don't leak...

they've outlasted loop,redington, orvis and simms waders.

they are not breatheable or warm, but they don't leak.

i'm a sucker i know, but i want to try the sonic welded waders next.

 

[osprey]

Ry , take it from a peg leg , you still need to wear the other hip boot , i got mine through Cabelas , breatheable with velcro felt sole wading shoes and gravel cuffs all for about $70.00