Hip Boots

[larkmark]

Does anyone make a good hip boot? I always like the old style rubber hip boots but like so many things made of rubber these days they seem to crack and fall apart in no time. Years back I had a pair of Lacrosse that were a nice soft rubber and they lasted for years. I even remember some of my old Prolines lasting. If anyone knows of anything decent please comment. Thank you.

 

[fritz]

I have had a pair of Lacrosse for many years now and are the best I ever found. They still make them.

 

[Swattie87]

If you’re gonna do bootfoots of any kind, Lacrosse is the way to go.

I once made fun of my buddy for showing up to Penns in bootfoots. They were actually a really nice high end Lacrosse duck hunting model. And way nicer than whatever stocking foot pair I was wearing at the time.

I just then realized that I grabbed my 7’6 3wt instead of my 8’6 5wt (they have the same case) when packing the car. He retaliated by hoping I’d have fun slinging Penns sized March Browns around on that fairy wand all night.

Good times.

 

[Bamboozle]

The lifespan of real rubber hippers can be lengthened by keeping them clean and free of stuff like silicone pastes by washing them on occasion, not leaving them in a hot trunk for days on end, storing them when dry NOT FOLDED in a sealed plastic bag, not leaving them in the sun and keeping them away from electric motors.

A pair of wader hangers helps too!!

I used to get YEARS out of crapola Two Guys (remember them?) hip boots by following those recommendations.

 

[MKern]

As an aside:
The cabelas stocking foot hippers are less than $30 right now.

 

[sgrim]

I got a pair of the Cabela's White River hip boots last year for pretty cheap. Maybe $50 bucks or so. They're Ok for the price. They won't last forever, but they seem to be pretty resistant to briars and sticks. I recommend you add your own cushion insole if you will be hiking into your spots.

 

[Arminacast]

I give another vote to the Lacrosse waders, I've had a pair for over 10 years now, I only use them occasionally now, but I use to wear them all season long. I store mine by hanging them by the boot in my basement.

 

[dryflyguy]

I bought the Cabelas stocking foot hip waders a few years ago. Thought they were called three forks. Anyhoo, they were cheap - on sale for $30.

They're made of nylon with neoprene booties.
I used them last year for small stream fishing.
And they held up well. No leaks after a full season of tough use.

However, I sweated so bad in them - I may as well have just wet waded

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I bought a pair of Frogg Toggs stocking foot hip boots several years ago. They have held up very well and are great on small streams. I think I paid about $60 for them. To my knowledge they still make them.

 

[RLeep2]

The Cabelas hippers were called Three Forks, but after the Bass Pro merger, they re-badged them as White River. Same boot, SFAIK.

So far as other hippers go, I really like these. They are the best bootfoot hippers I've found since I used to buy the old Rangers from Hook & Hackle 30+ years ago when they were in Plattsburgh.

https://www.froggtoggs.com/cascades-2p-rubber-bootft-2716343?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr9PP5raE6QIVBdvACh10tgTdEAQYASABEgLxIvD_BwE

 

[nymphingmaniac]

OMG Two Guys!

 

[outsider]

Two Guys From Harrison. In junior high, me and my friends used to hang out at the pinball machines at our local Two Guys.

 

[larkmark]

Thanks for ideas. I will keep looking before deciding. I am not a huge fan of stocking foot waders because of the time it takes to put them on and off. The boot foots in hip waders are more practical for a quick trip to a creek close to a road. I agree that cleaning them and hanging them helps.
I actually worked at a Two Guys as a teenager. Fond memories.

 

[Bamboozle]

While definitely not suitable for deeper wading, my go-to for quick trips and places where I really don't need to go any deeper than 12" or so is a pair of high Muck Boots for the simplicity of putting them on.

They are all I wear at places like Big Springs and even some creeks where shallow wading gives me good enough access.

Just like hip boots, you have to know where you are at depth-wise while fishing, but what I do with both hippers & Muck Boots is put white electrical tape on my wading staff at the point where flooding will occur.

If my dipstick tells me the water in front of me is too deep, I wade around. ;-)