Women's Waders?

[Sylvaneous]

What is your experience in finding women's waders? What can you recommend?
Syl

 

[pcray1231]

At risk of coming across as the womanizer type (I'm not)......

- Had an ex gf get the caddis emerger. She liked the blue color, lol.

She turned out to be psycho, though not going to say choice of waders had anything to do with it. Current GF:

- She got the Simms tributary.

Seems better. Neither of them put enough use into them so far to really determine longevity. They both worked out of the box, and no comfort issues. I learned for people who haven't waded streams all their lives, wading is a learned skill. They might say they've done their share of fishing, take me, but that probably means beach or boat or bobbers, not like stumbling in flowing water on slick rocks, and it's the wading part that is the first hurdle you weren't expecting. And novices aren't as adept at compensating for poor grip. The boot is more important. Don't skip the studs. If she falls it's gonna be a bad day. This advice fits for women, kids, southerners, city slickers.

If the female is a love interest, there's an interesting dynamic over teaching. I've taught a lot of people to wade/fish/cast. But when it's a significant other, it's harder. If you try to help too much, you come across as condescending, treating her like a child. Like she's struggling to wade in 6" water and scared to take another step, you go offer your arm to help, and she slaps you away, what you think I can't do this??? And go away, don't watch me cast, let me get the feel for this. Aight, but, the fish are out farther, just take a few more steps first... nevermind, do as you wish....

But then a few minutes later you get the point and walk away and let her figure things out on her own, I mean you wouldn't want someone watching over your shoulder, right? See now you're selfish, not caring about her. You caught 8 fish and didn't help! Uh, I got yelled at for helping, then walked away but still asked if you wanted help every 2 minutes, you kept saying no! Well, of course I'm going to say no, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it anyway. Umm, how bout you just, I dunno, say what you mean? Ok, you're an *******. lmao. Fun times.. This comes from bitter experience.

Can't win man...

FWIW the one who accepts more help is better... She'll start with the same game, but ask for help after a few minutes of struggling. That's a good sign. YMMV.

 

[Paul Barci]

What is your experience in finding women's waders? What can you recommend?
Syl

Well... I mostly wear mens waders, but if I'm feeling sassy I might slip on my wife's waders.
Actually most wader companies offer women's waders. Check Cabela's they do offer a variety of affordable women's waders.

 

[a23fish]

What is your experience in finding women's waders? What can you recommend?

My experience in finding women's waders is watching my Significant Other try to find a new pair for the past year. I've watched her try on multiple versions of Simms & Orvis, but there is always something that isn't right. Wader fits OK but neoprene bootie is too small/big. Legs aren't long enough. Inseam comes too high. Too "baggy." She's even tried on men's waders. Her current pair is several years old and was probably a Bass Pro or Cabela's brand.

I will say Simms & Orvis offered the most options. I expect the search to continue as spring gets closer. Not a lot of help for your question, but my best advice at the moment is go to one or more fly shops and begin trying on different waders to see what fits best. And be sure to bend, stretch, crouch down, twist, etc., to make sure it offers enough freedom of movement.

 

[Mike]

Pcray, it may depend upon the type of woman you’re hanging around with. The extremes I had been exposed to were:
Type 1, my former female interns and seasonals. We would give them the boots and walk right in. It didn’t take long for them to figure it out on their own and earn their “water wings.” I might have said stay off of the large, flat rocks; they’re slippery, and watch out for barbed wire. We might have had felts on occasion, but most times we were wearing rubber boot foot waders or hip boots. I don’t think any of them ever fell in, unlike my wife, who was “baptized” in Allegheny Ck, Berks Co. She laughed it off.
Type 2, the suburban and city fashionistas. True story, one walked up to me at Lake Luxembourg, Bucks Co in the early 1990’s while I was working in my waders and flatly asked, “don’t they give you anything more fashionable to wear?” I have the feeling she would have put on waders only under duress and wading would have been a whole other story. Better to stay on macadam or concrete.😉

 

[CRB]

my wife likes these but needed to try on a few till she found her size.

Shop Fishing & Wading Gear

Woman's Moxie fishing chest waders and wading pants are designed to fit women of all shapes and sizes. From petite to tall, thin to plus size, we fit your height, weight, and foot size all at once. Miss Mayfly also carries women's Moxie Wading Boots, fly boxes, accessories & promotional apparel.

missmayfly.com

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Syl,

I bought my wife a pair of men's Caddis waders in a size I thought would fit her. Turns out they did, and she wore them proudly until she fell a couple of times and filled them with water.

She quickly reverted to her New Hampshire hillbilly roots and only wet wades and has no problem wet wading barefoot either! She really is a hillbilly, but she will try anything once and I can't ask for more than that.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[pcray1231]

Pcray, it may depend upon the type of woman you’re hanging around with. The extremes I had been exposed to were:

Of course it does!

I was mostly describing the psycho because it shoulda been an early red flag. lmao. Was trying to interject some humor. But that conversation was real, and I look back and laugh, and kinda shake my head too.

Current girl is a sweetheart and might be the one. Regarding fishing with me, has the desire, I think, but super fearful. Wants to go and see what it is I'm so into.
Good. Gets out there in slick rocks or a steep hill or whatever and like freezes, panics, almost cries, doesnt want to take another step, I gotta calm her down, and I feel like an *** for bringing her to this place but the only way out is to encourage her. After a few hrs she gets brave enough to get around at a reasonable clip, but she's still visibly nervous. You get back to the car thinking ok, fishing isn't gonna be her thing and thats ok. And she gets all giddy, shows pics to all her friends and asks when she can go again. Likes it but still getting used to it, or making me happy, not sure.. Ok with either.

She'll be at the jam with me!

 

[Sylvaneous]

OK, I didn't know if there was anything to specifically go FOR or to AVOID.
I like the Lady Mayfly idea but those waders by someone somewhere . Outside of a variety of specific womens fits, the quality of the waders as waders is based on that. We'll just stick with the simms, orvis and redington selections.
Thanks, folks!
Syl

 

[Swattie87]

My wife had the best luck with LLBean waders. Went through two or three pairs of them, they each lasted two or more seasons of pretty heavy use, similar to my men’s Beans did at the time. Felt we got our money’s worth. The price of LLBean waders has since gone through the roof. And this was pre-Covid. Thanks a lot all you jags that think you buy one pair of waders, wear the life out of them, and then take them in for a warranty free pair. Really, thanks. Priced them right out our price range.

This last time, she went with Orvis Clearwaters. Too new to give an honest opinion.

One thing not to do…Don’t buy smaller sized men’s waders and think that’ll work. It doesn’t, the proportions are different, and you will likely not have a happy fisher lady. Ask me how I know…🙄

 

[lycoflyfisher]

My wide has had good luck with cabelas women's breathable waders. They fit her well and held up for a few years of moderate use. Since we have had kids her days on the water have been reduced so the 2nd pair hasn't been tested as much.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

My wide has had good luck with cabelas women's breathable waders. They fit her well and held up for a few years of moderate use. Since we have had kids her days on the water have been reduced so the 2nd pair hasn't been tested as much.

that typo can get you in real trouble at home- lol

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Thanks for pointing that out! I need to keep a better eye on my fat fingers!