Zippered Waders

[GStan]

I'm interested in getting waders with a zipper. I would like to spend, if possible, $250-$300. Any recommendations?

 

[Canoetripper]

I recently bought a NRS dry suit on sale for > $750.00.

I wade difficult water so staying dry and warm is paramount.

I have no experience with zippered waders but I would buy the best you can afford.

As the old saying goes: "You get what you pay for."

My dry suit does have a zippered relief. I have yet to use it when it matters.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Canoetripper wrote:
I recently bought a NRS dry suit on sale for > $750.00.

I wade difficult water so staying dry and warm is paramount.

I have no experience with zippered waders but I would buy the best you can afford.

As the old saying goes: "You get what you pay for."

My dry suit does have a zippered relief. I have yet to use it when it matters.

I have to hand it to you, I have yet to see someone fishing in a wet suit... I am genuinely curious, do you wear the wetsuit inside waders or just wear the wetsuit as intended?

 

[afishinado]

lycoflyfisher wrote:

Canoetripper wrote:
I recently bought a NRS dry suit on sale for > $750.00.

I wade difficult water so staying dry and warm is paramount.

I have no experience with zippered waders but I would buy the best you can afford.

As the old saying goes: "You get what you pay for."

My dry suit does have a zippered relief. I have yet to use it when it matters.

I have to hand it to you, I have yet to see someone fishing in a wet suit... I am genuinely curious, do you wear the wetsuit inside waders or just wear the wetsuit as intended?

A dry suit isn't exactly like a wet suit. They are more or less full coverage waders (upper and lower). I've seen coldwater kayakers wear them as well as a few saltwater surf anglers. Below is an example of what a dry suit is all about.

https://www.outdoorplay.com/nrs-extreme-drysuit?gclid=CjwKCAiA4rGCBhAQEiwAelVti3esGR8FGWjVFF3gl1S2YskDyyDyTcir30omj_iil881Beqce9qq9hoC8T4QAvD_BwE

 

[TYoung]

The only zippered waders that I could find in your price range was the Redington Escape Zip Waders. They cost $300. The next least expensive zipped waders that I could find were the Simms Freestone Z Waders which cost $400.

 

[hunter1]

2 years ago I wanted to try zippered waders. I bought a pair of Cabelas zippered waders to see if I would like zip's. Well I do, I love getting in and out of them. Yet alone the releaf factor. The cabelas are still going strong. but as soon as they blow out and leak , I'm getting a pair of Simms. I have another pair of Simms guide waders and a pair of L L bean waist high's.

 

[Canoetripper]

I have 5 wet suits. They are intended to keep me warmer when I capsize in cold water.

The dry suit is designed to keep me both warm and dry when I accidently fall in, which we all do from time to time while wading.

Nobody understands or respects how powerful moving water actually is than I do. Been there and done that.

50 degree F water is cold enough to cause hypothermia.

I have experienced hypothermia while wearing a wet suit once. I will do every thing I can to never experience it again. I thought that I was going to die in West Virginia.

I have too much respect for very cold and moving water. I don't care if my dry suit is brightly colored to alert trout. I would rather get skunked.

I also have an inflatable PFD from NRS. I hope I never need to use it. Nobody ever wants to use a hand gun or a fire extinguisher either. It is better to have all them and never need them than to need them and not have them.

I don't ph*ch around with very cold/moving water. Be prepared or be dead. I was very scared once and now I know what to do.

The dry suit was worth the investment.

 

[JohnPowers]

Back to waders. I just sent back a pair of redingtons zipper front size large short that cost $224.00. Aventuron was the fender. Very nice waders. I’m 5’8” with a barrel chest. The short waders came up to my neck. Bummer. There’s no reason Orvis could not put zippers in their CLEARWATERS and sell them for under $300.00. Redingtons on to something if they could get sizing right.

 

[Skook]

This guy will sew a waterproof relief zipper into any waders. It's been a while since I've thought about his services, but I remember reading about this zipper in the past, and I believe the general consensus is that the results are excellent.

He is located in Altoona, PA.

Here is a link:

EZ-P Waterproof Wader Zipper

 

[troutpoop]

I have two pairs of Wader with the EZ-P. Game changer for me. I think it was $100.00.

 

[Biggie]

Bill Anderson's zipper works great. $80 pluse shipping. I have two pair.

 

[wildtrout2]

A really good idea, and I'm sure these zippers work great initially, but I can't see them not leaking from use/misuse at some point. jmo

 

[troutpoop]

I have used dry suits for scuba diving for a long time. The zippers are very reliable. likely the waders will crap out before the zippers.

 

[duckfoot]

Compass 360. Excellent quality, first rate customer service. I ordered one size too small, asked for the next size bigger and they paid for return shipping and expedited the new ones out for free.

Triple stitching, knee and butt patches. I love them.