Waders

[azjackstraw]

I looking for some breathable waders. I've read the wader shoot out on Yellowstone angler, and a few other comparisons. Simms seems to win, hands down. This is my first set of breathable waders, and I really like the reviews of the Simms G3, and the Headwater convertables(in my price range). I'm wondering if I'm just paying for a name, or there are comparable products for less. They just seem a bit pricey, even with a great repair policy. What about Frogg Toggs? I've had 2 pair of FTogg neoprene's over the past 4 years and for the price, they can't be beat for something I wear 40-50 days a year. Just wondering if that value transfers over to the breathable ones? Does anyone own Greys GRXi breathable waders? They appear to be decent for the price, and I'm a H&H fan. I fish a good bit, and after sweating in my neoprene's, and water too high for my hippers, it's time. Any helpful suggestions appreciated.

 

[sandfly]

I have always used Hodgeman waders, never a problem with them, frog togs are good too.

 

[pcray1231]

Simms seems to win, hands down.

Yes, and they are the most expensive, hands down.

I'm wondering if I'm just paying for a name, or there are comparable products for less.

Yes, a lot of it is paying for a name. Define "comparable". Meaning are there pairs that are just as comfortable and will do the job? Yeah, there are, for far less. Will last as long? Yeah, there are, for far less. Both at the same time? That's arguable. But generally the Simms are agreed to be a high quality breathable wader. The argument seems to be between "among the best" or "THE best". As far as value, there are plenty who think it is better to buy multiple pair of cheapos. They do not argue that the cheapos are better, or even just as good, but merely a better value.

What about Frogg Toggs?

My experience is very comfortable, not the greatest in longevity. That said, for the price, you can buy like 4 of them for the price of the Simms. And those 4 will likely, collectively, last longer than the Simms.

I've had 2 pair of FTogg neoprene's over the past 4 years and for the price.

Ok, now we get to the point.

#1: Breathables are 100x more comfortable than neoprenes. Especially in summer, but IMO, even in winter.

#2: Breathables do not last as long as neoprenes. The BEST breathables, in terms of longevity, probably won't hold a candle to the cheapest neoprenes.

#3: To top #2 off, they are also generally MORE expensive, sometimes much so.

So resign yourself to the fact that you will be paying more for less use. But once you try it you may still really like the trade-off, because it is a big step up in comfort.

 

[greenghost]

sandfly wrote:
I have always used Hodgeman waders, never a problem with them, frog togs are good too.

FYI-- I've had issues with Frogg Toggs. Specifically, their ANURA brand. Two pair or original ANURAs have developed leaks rather quickly. They were both under warranty from Guntersville Breathables Inc. (parent company) so I've gotten new pairs, without hassle. This latest replacement they sent me ANURA II.... they do seem to be better made than its predecessor. And so far so good after a few months.

To be truthful, they do fit very well. Most comfortable I've ever worn, including ORVIS, HODGEMAN.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I bought a pair of the frogg ANURAs they fit very well, have worn them quite a few times this spring with no problems yet. however I am not impressed with the construction of the booties. you can almost see the inner tape through the seem on the outside. so far they havent leaked, but I am skeptical of the booties. they are under warranty tho so if they dont hold up they will be replaced.

 

[Swattie87]

I treat waders as a necessary evil…I need them, and I recognize this, but I’d rather spend my fishing money elsewhere…rods/reels/boots/backpacking gear/etc. So in that regard I look at waders as a function of cost divided by the duration of use I get out of them. All breathables are reasonably comfortable…sure, some are better than others, but IMO only marginally so. IMO, this is generally not directly correlated with price either, meaning more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean more breathable. Thicker, heavier materials means hotter in the Summer, but warmer in the Winter, and generally more resistant to brush busting and scraping against rocks. Thinner, lighter materials means cooler in Summer, but colder in Winter, and less resistant to abrasions and pinholes. That said, small holes in waders can usually be successfully and relatively permanently repaired with patching and Aquaseal. What’s a “total loss” to waders are the material just losing its ability to keep water out, or more frequently in my case, seams stretching over time with climbing and rock hopping, and/or just blowing out entirely.

While I haven’t noticed a correlation between price and comfort, I’ve found a striking correlation between price and length of time of use before they reach the “total loss” stage. In my experience every $100 you spend gets you about one year of leak free performance. I usually can then nurse another 6 months or so out of them with Aquaseal repairs on the seams. Part of this is timing too. If they start to fail at the beginning of Summer, I usually don’t mind a small leak or two…the beginning of Winter is a different story and they get replaced almost immediately.

Recently I’ve been going cheap. In the last couple of years, I’ve had a pair of $100ish jobs from Cabelas. They lasted about a year leak free. This last time I bought a pair of Bean Kennebec’s (usually $200) on sale for $150. I’m coming up on one year with the Bean’s and they are still leak free. As pcray alluded to, I’m banking on several pairs of cheapo’s lasting collectively longer than one pair of higher end more expensive waders, Simms for example.

To the OP - Do I think the Simms would last longer than the one’s I’ve been buying (or Frog Toggs), yeah I do, but long enough to justify paying several times the cost of a Cabelas house line wader or the Beans or Toggs, I’m not convinced. Now if there’s features in the Simms you like, or you think they’re more comfortable and worth the extra $ for those reasons, then heck yeah, get em’. You get to decide how much value to place on those type of things before you spend your money. But to me breathable waders serve one purpose…keep water out…and I want the ones that are the most efficient at doing that, per unit of cost.

 

[paragon]

For the first many years of my fly fishing life, I wore the cheapest llbean breathables. I would recommend these to anyone just starting out or not sure how much fishing they would like to do. For a long time, I assumed that waders just had to be replaced every couple of years and that they are just an uncomfortable necessity in the sport I love.

However, recently I picked up a pair of Patagonia Rio Gallegos. These things absolutely changed my perspective on waders. They keep me completely dry. They don't balloon up like cheaper breathables. There are a ton of sizes, so it's easy to get a pair that fits well. The material (I think they call it H2No or something like that) is way more durable than other waders I've looked at. The best thing about these waders is the construction of the booties. They are actually shaped like your foot and have sticky treads on the bottom. I know this is a common feature in many of the higher end brands, and it makes a huge difference in terms of comfort. I like to hike pretty far off the beaten path to find lesser fished water when it's possible, and I have never had a problem with sliding around in my wading boot or bunching or anything like that.

Long story short, if you have the inclination to get nicer waders and fish more than a few times a year, it's definitely worth it. If you have never had a pair, you will be surprised how much more comfortable your days on the water can be, and I have always thought that warmer/dryer legs and more comfortable feet mean more time fishing and catching more fish. I've never owned the Simms waders, but I'm sure they are as great as all Simms products. In terms of recommendations though, I really give my highest praise to the Patagonia Rio Gallegos. I have the older model and got a great deal. I'm sure you could find them somewhere if you look hard enough. Good luck.

 

[greenghost]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
I bought a pair of the frogg ANURAs they fit very well, have worn them quite a few times this spring with no problems yet. however I am not impressed with the construction of the booties. you can almost see the inner tape through the seem on the outside. so far they havent leaked, but I am skeptical of the booties. they are under warranty tho so if they dont hold up they will be replaced.

Very observant lycoflyfisher... that is where my ANuRas developed leaks. The ANURAS II seem better at the seams in booties. So we shall see.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I agree with what Paragon said, except I have a pair of Simms G3's. The fit (due to the specifics of sizing), the material (Gore Tex and the layering in the legs), and, most noticeable to me, the feet (hourglass shape and left and right specific) are what sets Simms apart in my mind.

 

[tennjed]

I've had a pair of Patagonia Watermasters for 7 years. Still going without any problems (pinholes yes, but nothing major) They were just placed into backup duty. Simms G3 replaced them. You pay for what you get. Take care of them and they will last.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Greenghost, who did you send your waders too when they leaked? I'm just tryin to be prepared for if and when they spring a leak.

 

[Six-Gun]

paragon wrote:
...However, recently I picked up a pair of Patagonia Rio Gallegos. These things absolutely changed my perspective on waders. They keep me completely dry. They don't balloon up like cheaper breathables. There are a ton of sizes, so it's easy to get a pair that fits well. The material (I think they call it H2No or something like that) is way more durable than other waders I've looked at. The best thing about these waders is the construction of the booties. They are actually shaped like your foot and have sticky treads on the bottom. I know this is a common feature in many of the higher end brands, and it makes a huge difference in terms of comfort. I like to hike pretty far off the beaten path to find lesser fished water when it's possible, and I have never had a problem with sliding around in my wading boot or bunching or anything like that...

Well, you got my attention here. If I'm reading the website right, these have a lifetime warranty (?) for things like seam leakage. If that's true and they are well-built as you describe, for $400 they are a steal. The OP might be well-served forking out the extra dough because a lifetime replacement with max comfort trumps all in that price range.

 

[joebamboo]

I am waiting for Patagonia to repair/replace the second pair of the Rio Gallegos. That will take 4 weeks. The waders are very comfortable and the fit is great. That being said, one would think that waders in that price range would last more than one season. No, I am not that hard on the waders. The leak both times has been in the crotch. The first pair was just replaced with new ones which lasted less than one season.

Looking at the Orvis Silver Sonics. Lower price for what looks like the same materials but much lower price.

 

[paragon]

Joe,

I must say I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe I got lucky, but I have had no problem at all with mine. I'm well into my second year with them, and I really am pretty hard on waders. I've been particularly hard on these ones knowing that I have Patagonia's warranty behind them. They have gone from being beaten on the rocks in the Yough to being frozen in Erie to tumbling down the sides of the gorge on the Little J to beating the brush all over the Laurel Highlands. I haven't had a single issue with them. Interestingly, a friend bought a pair of Silver Sonics around the same time as I picked up the Rio Gallegos, and he is on his third pair. I will agree that the material is very similar, and their features are also quite similar too. However, all of his have started leaking around the seam where the neoprene booties connect to the wader.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Again, I think Paragon eluded to something that sets quality waders apart, the feet attachment. In my experience most cheap waders start leaking around the feet attachment.

Now that I said that, the next trip out my G3's will leak there. (knock on wood).

 

[pcray1231]

I've never had a pair leak in the boot area. Well, once, but they were already leaking everywhere else too. This covers the whole price range from red ball to Simms.

The first problems are always knees, inner thighs for me.

 

[Murph]

I did a lot of research on waders over the winter and settled on Orvis Silver Sonics (non zip front version). They have great reviews and have features that are normally only seen on waders that cost twice as much. I've had them out about a dozen times so far this year and I really like them.

 

[AlphaDelta]

I want to buy a pair of silver sonics. What boots did you get and how do the silver sonics bootie match up with boot sizes?

 

[DrBamboo]

I think that the Simms are the best……and are expensive. I had a pair of Orvis Gore-tex for9 yrs before they leaked. I now have Cabelas "Dry-Plus" and like them a lot. Check them out or just spend the $$$ on the Simms.
Good luck.

 

[byf]

I have always liked Cablea's Dry-Plus. I am on my 3rd season with the zip front I own. My waders take a beating. I use them in fresh and salt. The fit is not the greatest, legs are usually too long. I like the padded knees, especially for climbing onto barnacle encrusted rocks off Montauk. When they fail I just take them back to the store and get a new pair. I have only paid $40 for waders in the last 10 yrs because that what the difference was between the Dry-Plus and the zipper front.