When I first started fly fishing I bought neoprene chest waders. This was in June, July and August. I can remember putting them on and running to the river to get cooled down. Amazing how ankle deep water will cool you down.  After that year I noticed Jeff's waist waders. The next weekend I was at Basspro getting some breathable waist waders. God, the thought of those hot waders is still with me. I was so miserable. Since then I only wear the waist waders and put my polartec union bib on under them. Seal skin sox for the feet and I am ready for a long day of fishing. I still have the neoprene waders and might take them to Idaho in two years but then again maybe not. I have this image of what I looked like in them back then and I have put on a pound or two. LOL I agree with Jeff, ONLY BREATHABLES!!!

Breathables are the thing.  There's lots of good waders.

Jim, I like my Simms too!

Johnny Mc

First a quick intro: After trout fishing alot as a kid growing up in unstate NY, and probably an average of 4-5 times a week for the two years I lived in Central PA, I've since moved to Texas (about a year ago, to be closer to my wife's family) - I haven't been out fishing since we've been here, and I have found myself recently getting really bummed out about not having any decent trout fishing nearby - so I started looking for places within a days drive that might have some trout to pursue, and I came across this site.  From what I can tell, The Little Mo looks like my best bet for trout within a days drive of where I am now, so I am really hoping to learn some things on this forum and hopefully get up there to visit you folks sometime (probably wait until the weather cools off though).  Anyhow, here's my input on waders...

To date I've done probably 95% of my fishing either in the northeast (NY and PA) or Colorado; as a kid, cheap rubber hip boots were about all I could afford to get my hands on (and I got a lot of life out of them) but my first real set of waders were Red Ball neoprenes; they served me pretty well in the colder climates - they were nice and warm in the winter, and in the summers I would simply wet wade, unless the water was absolutely FRIGID (I remember a few summers ago fishing the Frying Pan right at dawn just below the dam; the water was so cold that after a few hours me feet were numb, and that was WITH the neoprene waders - in August!). 

As much as I enjoy wet-wading in the summers, when I moved to central PA I found out pretty quickly that a couple of my favorite streams there had poison ivy all over the place along the stream banks - I decided pretty quickly that I needed to cover up my legs.  Since my trusty neoprenes had developed a split seam the previous winter anyway, I decided to go out and replace them with a pair of breathables, making sure to get them "roomy" enough that I could wear a couple of layers under them for cold weather fishing.

After ALOT of research, and picking the brains of other fishermen, I settled on a pair of Dan Bailey Lightweight Breathables, and they are flat-out awesome.  They are chest waders that convert pertty easily to waist-highs if I need them too, and they are light, comfortable, and durable.  I've fished in them year round back when I was in PA; they kept me relatively cool in the summer, and with a couple of layers underneath, my feet/legs never got cold in the winter (except for one cold February day when I tripped on a submerged rock and proceeded to fill the waders with ice-cold water).  My brother (who still lives and fishes in PA) also bought a pair, and he's put them through ALOT, and loves them.  If you are looking at buying breathables, do yourself a favor and at least research these (alot of guides, particularly out west, swear by them).

Anyhow, glad I found this forum, and I'm looking forward to learning alot here...

 Do the felt sole wading boots really help on the slippery rocks?

Jake,

Streams are different.  The Little Missouri and Lower Mountain Fork have lots of slick rocks, some big.  The Little Red has gravel in places and sand in others, along with slick rocks in some places.  On gravel or sand, any kind of waders will do.  On rocky bottoms, felt soles are the thing.  They will work on the other as well.

Cutbow

i got my waders stocking foot and my boots at bass pro in bossier city. the boots felt soles, are from up stairs in the little boys section. 30 bucks for the boots. and price is of a high concern for me. they work fine. the waders are white river brand. and are breatheables. i love them. they are fine. but the foot is way too big for me. about four inches to long. the heel comes half way up to my calf. lol. any ideas boys would love to cut them off and make them fit if they would not leak. they are my main fishing gear. and as you know fishing in feburary at the little mo can be quite chilly.

Hey Mike,

Sounds like you have two options at those measurements...

Custom fit, high priced Simms or something like that. Hodgman makes some "stout", as they call it, models. One way or another I suspect you're not going to find anything without going right to the manufacturers or a dealer who can order the special size for you. Might have to do a little web surfing!

The other option in those waist and chest measurements (if you want to stay with chest waders) is to get over-sized waders like XX and just having a lot of extra length between your waist and feet!

I like the waist-highs so you don't have to worry about the chest size - just the waist. You're still going to have extra length in between... Having the extra leg, though, may not be all that bad so you can put on extra warmth inside when necessary.

With the shoe size situation, definitely get stocking foot waders so that you can get a boot that actually fits your foot. You're going to have some extra neoprene in the footies, but that's what you're going to find just about no matter what in stock waders.

So basically, two options spend the bucks on top of the line customs... or match your maximum size and get the right sized boots - which you want to do anyway. 

Not quite that size yet, but working on it hard.  I have a pair of Bass Pro's White River breathables,  paid around 80 bucks a few years ago.  They have out lasted two pair of higher priced Orvis.  They feel good and have lasted quite a bunch of trips.  You can try them on at the store, that a good option for fit.   With breathables, I can layer underneath and stay comfortable longer. I seldom get too cold on my legs and upper body, mostly my feet. I have a pair of wading boots that are too large (on purpose) so I can add extra foot warmth by layering and another pair of proper fitting boots when temps are favorable.  I don't think I could ever go back to neo's they froze me to death!

Hey Mike - glad to see you got the trip last night and we're going fishing sometime!

I've got some Toggs waist-highs in XL that you might could try when we get together. They go on me with plenty to spare and I'm not exactly "slender"... I usually wear the larges.

Let me know when you want to look at dates!

I've been really pleased with the Toggs so far. They're holding up nicely and I got them at www.fishusa.com for under $90 with minimal shipping fees compared to everyone else!

I'd be surprised if Academy is carrying the waders, but let us know if they are!

I agree on the Neoprene, except.... if you are standing in 4ft of water with 4inches of ice, wading through a buckbrush thicket to get to the hole (duck hunting).   I don't think the breathables would stand up to it.. and I know that the breathable membrane would probably be destroyed if frozen to something.

ok orvis has a serious custom shop, any opinions on the breathables?

It has been a while since anyone posted here, so I'm going to wake up the thread. My Wadelites finally got a bit too leaky after too many years, and I bit the bullet hard and bought a pair of Simms Headwaters waders and some Simms Headwater boots wih the new Vibram sticky rubber sole. It blew my budget for the year, but I can't believe how comfortable they are. I recently moved to Monett, Missouri,from south Florida, and now that I'm back in trout country, they will get a lot of use. I sure hope I can fish the Little Missouri this coming year.  Waders are a primary piece of required fishing gear, and I'm glad I went ahead and got the Simms. Being dry, warm and comfortable sure makes fishing a lot more enjoyable.