Need new cheap waders...suggestions?

[trouthunting]

Background:

At the quitty last saturday I noticed that my feet were wet and very cold. I also noticed that some poor sap had lost the felt heels off of his waders. Poor guy. Then I noticed that I was missing my felt heels...After walking the trail and collecting them both, my girlfriend pointed out that my entire sole was separating from the boot. A few minutes took my waders from a little leaky to little more than big, noisy pants. So, legs and feet drenched I walked back, packed up and headed home that night.


Request for Comments:

I need some new stuff:

Waders,
A house.

The house I have covered, but as one might imagine it leaves me with a slightly shrunken FF budget. So, what's on the plate for cheap waders out there ( >= $80)? I loved my felt soles even with the extra work of sanitizing them, but now it's tough to find them.

I'm accepting all suggestions! Here are some specs:

I won't buy online without trying them on first
I live in Harrisburg
I'm heavy and clumsy with a bad hip, so traction is a must!

 

[jayL]

Take a ride to Cabela's or Bass pro and see what they have. They will be the cheapest, and you can try them on.

 

[Blackfly]

Wouldn't always look for the cheapest pair. You said it right, try them on. Different waders will fit you differently and you may want to pay a little extra for that extra comfort when you are wearing them all day. Might be well worth it.

 

[tomgamber]

There is also a Dunham's in Carlisle. The usually have some cheaper brands like Proline...

 

[trouthunting]

Blackfly wrote:
Wouldn't always look for the cheapest pair. You said it right, try them on. Different waders will fit you differently and you may want to pay a little extra for that extra comfort when you are wearing them all day. Might be well worth it.

I know what you mean...a lot of times you get what you pay for, but with things shaping up like they are in my current life, a pair of cheapos under 80 bucks will do the trick. I follow the snowboarding mantra: A little pain never hurt anybody.

I do appreciate your advice, though. Thank you.


Tom, thanks for the heads up about Carlisle...I'll have to give them a shot. I think I've seen a Dunhams before...are they a chain? Never heard of it before I moved to PA.

Jay, I'm going to hit up Cabelas and see if they have anything for me in the bargain cave. I bought my last pair from there for a big 60 bucks...four patches and busted up boots later leaves me a little worried. Thanks for the advice.

 

[shakey]

i have a cheap pair of hodgmans that i got at ****'s last year for somewhere around sixty bucks.people say bad stuff about both hodgmans and ****s,but it was the only place i could get to at the time when my old cabellas waders gave out.

anyway the waders are fine.i don't see the point in expensive waders,i just get new cheap waders every few years.

as far as boots,i still use several pairs of felts.if you have a few pair then they can completely dry out between creeks,making them as safe or safer than rubber.

 

[MKern]

Hodgeman is the way to go if you want cheap waders.

 

[GreenWeenie]

Depending on the type of water you fish you might want to consider a cheap pair of hip boots.

I always used waders and on one trip last year I forgot my waders (a 4 hour one way trip). I found some mom and pop sporting goods store and bought a pair of no-name rubber hip boots for $25. I now use these things 75% of the time. I mostly fish smaller waters but I love these cheap hip boot. Very comfortable, you keep cooler in the summer, etc.

 

[littlelehigh]

FYI Cabela's in Hamburg doesn't have crap for wading boots. I was there Saterday and ordered Simms Freestone online while in the store and got free shipping. Hope I like em cause I'm stuck with them. Stocking feet waders $69.99 but they are neo's

 

[Meangreenstick]

william and josephs, bottom line breathable simms, bottom line breathable orvis


try a pair on at store, then go online and relate the actuall measured size of those waders, then pic a better brand online and get the same size. search for fly fishing closeouts on google and you would be amazed what discontinued items sell for!

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Best inexpensive waders on the market. Period.

LL Bean Flyweights

And this is why:

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

You can use the sizing chart to get the best fit. If you go to a Bean store (Pittsburgh or Center Valley), you can try on waders for fit. They may not have the Flyweights in stock, but you can get the right size by trying on a different model. If the waders are not in stock when you visit the store, they'll ship them to your home and waive the shipping fee.

 

[Blackfly]

I have had Hodgeman's before and liked them, but I tore them up too much and too quick. I fish 12 months a year and float stock several streams, so my waders get put to the test. If you don't plan on using them alot, then some cheaper waders will do and the Hodgeman's aren't bad at all.

 

[jaybo41]

Gotta agree with Heritage-Angler on those LL Bean flyweights. Priced under your $80 limit and the guarantee LL Bean has is nearly impossible to beat. Those would also make a great pair of summer boots or a perfect spare set.

 

[wetnet]

I've had good luck with Guide Series. Because of my back, I did the butt to rock position allot. Overall they did good. Did wear them out just enough so my son gave me crap about wading too deep after back surgery. Leaks above the thigh tell all. I thought good enough about them that I bought another pair after my Orvis PG3's gave me foot cramps because the foot was too wide. Those Orvis guys are generous with there sizes. My husband is wearing mine and he has extra wide feet and I won't say anymore. I'm a good cook. :-D I was swimming in them on the stream even though they seemed to fit good in the store. The guide series are good for the price. Comfy too! Will try on some smaller PG'3's before it gets cold. They were really nice, but with my skinny feet they gave me foot cramps.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I would have to agree with any one who says don't buy the cheapest pair. I only wear waders three seasons, so it is cold when I wear them. I really don't like to be wet on a cold day. I would say chances are the fifty dollar waders are going to spring leak near the inseam or in the seat after a while. I bought a pair of guide series Gander Mtn. $130. It was worth it. Better than the last pair of hand-me-down neoprees I was cursed with. I prefer a felt sole ,(although controversial lately) in a boot foot. My waders are breathable so I can wear them in warmer weather and wear long johns and thick socks in the winter, spring or fall. I like the fact that the boot foot style is like a jump suit, no accessories to forget like wading boots. Some times if a hike is required I will throw my waders overs my shoulders and hike in with my old sneakers on. When I get to the water I will either neatly place my shoes on the bank, or hang them by the laces from my over the shoulder pack. The cheap pair that I was given would leak through my rear and down my leg eventually filling them to my ankle in water and my pants all wet. Cabela's wader are reputable and their midrange waders are a good bet. They have a name to live up to and usually all of cabela's stuff is good as their name. I am also happy with my Guide Series breathable bootfoot waders. I am thinking of getting some hip boots for all around mobility in and out of the water. I find some smaller stream are not chest wader friendly, they are shallower with thorns, brush, fallen trees. Not good to breathable waders if you want them to last.

 

[PaulW]

Check out some of the Cabelas brand waders. I have owned a couple pairs and they have been trouble free. Their flyrods are awesome too, but not alot of people seem to use them?? I guess house-brand names throw people off.

Paul W

 

[ryguyfi]

got a birthday coming up and sent the link to the ll bean flyweights to the wife... been looking for an inexpensive pair of breathables... my neoprenes get pretty hot in the summer.

 

[TroutBuster]

Rubber hip waders at ****s for $25. You'll get quite a few years out of them and they're pretty comfortable.

I just got my new breathables for $35 off ebay. Stearns, regularly $179. So far, great waders for the price.

 

[AlwaysWading]

It depends on how much you fish and where you do that. You can go to ****'s or Walmart and pick up a cheap set of breathables that depending on how hard you beat them you might get a couple of years out of them. They are less than $100 and I have a few friends who use them, abuse them, with the who cares if they only last a year, because it is less than $100. I went to route of spending a bit more, getitng a better brand, and they lasted about three years before they got a leak, and that was because I sat on a sharp rock outcrop while hitting steelies on 20 Mile north of Erie. I sealed them up and I'll use them for another two years or so. I also bought a better brand of neo's that are four years old, and I fish in them all winter and they still look like new. I like Cabela's brand, but many others work just as well or better.

 

[osprey]

Cabellas has a deal , light weight stocking footers, with felt soled velcro fastend shoes and gravel guards for $39.oo and shipping. Oh yeah they were light weight breathable stocking footers ......I think if you're starting out in Pa this is a great initial wader investment......another thing they were hippers not chest waders.