Waders - LL Bean VS Dan Bailey VS Cabelas

[TimMurphy]

Dear Board,

So my old waders sprung a fatal leak and they need to be replaced. These are the three brands I am considering since they all offer waders in a size 68 Extra Fat, or something close. ;-)

I am considering the LL Bean Emergers, Dan Bailey Lightweights, and Cabelas GII's and Dry Plus. No other brands are being considered at the present time.

I just want waders that keep me from getting wet. They all seem to offer a 2XL in standard, king, or stout that should fit me fine on paper. How true are their sizes? I've tried other brands of 2XL waders and they were all being extremely generous when they gave them their size designation.

I know they all will fail. If I can get two or three years out of pair of $ 100.00 - $ 200.00 waders I consider that a fair deal/value.

I'd appreciate any information anyone can offer about the waders I've mentioned.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Preamble]

I have the Emerger waist-highs from Bean and have been very satisfied with them. I paid $99 but I see the price has since dropped to $79 so you cant go wrong there. They do offer them in chest-high for a little more.
While there sizing tends to run small on everything they sell I found the XXLs to be satisfactory to my 300lb 6'4" frame!

The absolutely best part is the life time warranty that they offer on everything branded that they sell, nobody else can compare to this.
Your not going to get this from Cabella's, ****'s or from Simms nor Orvis.
I wear a size 13 shoe and the largest wading boot they sell is size 14 which was way too small for me with the waders on so I went with Korkers Guide series from the local fly shop.

 

[Tiltaxp]

I found llbeans sizing to be generous but that aside you can't beat the warranty, I have the emerger waist highs and the helix chest waders, def a fan of both

 

[kierkan]

I just picked up a pair of L.L. Bean's emerger chest waders a couple of weeks ago and would have to say the sizing is pretty true. The only thing that might be a little off (on mine it is anyway) is that the shoulder straps could stand to be about an inch longer. It is not so bad that they are uncomfortable, just a little snug.

John

 

[gfen]

Bean's lifetime gauruntee is a big sell, figure they last for three years and that's a fair time. Less than that, and I want my freebies.

I have the Cabeler's Dry Plus (I think?) 2XLS. They're quite roomy, but you've got some height on me and I've shed a few tons.. None the less, they fit fantastically when I was a lardass. They're on year 3, I think, and are rapidly beginning to fail out on me. YMMV. First pair made maybe 3 months and the crotch weld gave out.

 

[fritz]

I've had the Bean's Emergers waist high for maybe 6 years or so and they haven't leaked. They have become my backup/loaner wading pants the past three years but still, that seems like pretty good service to me for cheap. Previous to that I had some Cabelas breathables in the same price range that leaked after about two years. This spring I bought Beans Emerger chest waders. No problems so far. I did talk to someone who had trouble with new Beans Emergers this year--leaks at the seams and Beans replaced them. Beans has always treated me good so I'll stick with them unless something changes.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Cabeler's Dry Plus - First pair made maybe 3 months and the crotch weld gave out.

I was led to believe from this forum that only simms waders fail in the first 30 days.
back to my thesis I've posted before- I wonder how many times this story will be repeated through a friend, buddy, the guy I met on the stream (versus a simms failure)
sorry couldn't resist

PS Gfen sorry to hear you had troubles and glad to hear you got 3 years out of the last pair

 

[fly_flinger]

I would not recommend Dan Bailey's to anyone. I had mine for about 6 weeks before they started leaking at the crotch seam. I emailed them and they never got back to me. The shop I got them at warned me that they were done with Bailey due to poor customer service and that I would have to deal with them if I had issues. I wouldn't have minded the leak had they at least responded to my email.

 

[MKern]

I'm on year 7 of my Cabelas Dry Plus, and I see them lasting a couple more years.

 

[ryguyfi]

I'm buying a pair of LLBean Emergers in the next 2 days. on sale for $95 and a life time warranty, no questions asked. So WHEN they fail, take them back and get a new pair, free. No brainer if you ask me, as long as they fit.

 

[gfen]

nymphingmaniac wrote:
PS Gfen sorry to hear you had troubles and glad to hear you got 3 years out of the last pair

Honestly, I probably trashed 'em by being terrifficly fat and unflexible and ungracefully getting in and out.

 

[jdaddy]

gfen wrote:

nymphingmaniac wrote:
PS Gfen sorry to hear you had troubles and glad to hear you got 3 years out of the last pair

Honestly, I probably trashed 'em by being terrifficly fat and unflexible and ungracefully getting in and out.

I saw a weird fat guy shove himself into my wifes womens large patagonia waders the other day. We'll see how they work in the future . . . .

 

[SBecker]

::::Insert getting into wifes pants joke here:::


I needed a can opener just to get me out of them though.

 

[gfen]

Well, this went to uncomfortable in one and a half posts. And I thought my use of the phrase "crotch weld gave out" was gonna be the low point.

 

[PaulG]

The feathered hook stop selling Dan Bailey"s. Jonas told me of the poor customer service and other issues with the company.

PaulG

 

[fly_flinger]

So that makes (2) PA fly shops that quit carrying Baileys due to poor customer service. That should tell you something.- DON'T BUY DAN BAILEY WADERS!

PaulG wrote:

The feathered hook stop selling Dan Bailey"s. Jonas told me of the poor customer service and other issues with the company.

PaulG

 

[TUNA]

I have Bailey Yellowstones and I love them. I've gone through 3 other pairs in 3 years, Bailey's win for me.

 

[PaulG]

TUNA wrote:
I have Bailey Yellowstones and I love them. I've gone through 3 other pairs in 3 years, Bailey's win for me.

tuna

I too have a pair of dan bailey's, that I've had success with.


PaulG

 

[ztroutman]

Just sent my Simms waders back to LL Bean to get another pair. LL Bean's guarantee is THE reason I bought my waders from them. I did switch from LL Bean's waders to Simms three years ago because LL Bean's waders leaked. No problem sending them back, but I went through 4 pairs in two seasons. Eventually, LL Bean chose another manufacturer. I like the Simms.