hip waders?

[hungNtree]

I'm a big guy and to be honest something of a clutz. I also work at a stressful job, I'm not complaining mind you, I'm grateful to have one but it is nonetheless stressful. It is about 5 to 10 minutes from a quiet little stream though. I've spent many a lunch hour sitting there in my truck. Anyway my wife suggested I fish the stream during lunch. Its not a good stream to fish from bank, which got me to wondering about hip waders. With my chest waders it'd just take to long on a short lunch hour(which is the fastest hour of the day). I was wondering if any of you had experience with hip waders? Something I can just step into and start fishing? Its not very deep, I might even get by with something that would come up to my knee.

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[djo]

Dan Bailey makes a light weight boot foot hipper that would work. But here is a different idea. How about a pair of 30" NEOS overshoes. They slip right over your shoes, are about as tall as regular hippers, and would protect you pants just fine as well as keeping your feet dry. I keep a pair in my car trunk for times I stumble across a stream that just has to be tried. Dump your suitcoat and pull on your NEOS and you are on the water fishing in 2 minutes flat. What more could you want.
David

[jszymczyk]

Absolutely. "Hip Boots" were all we ever wore for the longest time. I don't think my Dad ever owned a set of chest waders. For fishing most streams, and especially for short outings like you describe, hippers should do the job. For most stream trout fishing they're all I ever still wear. Yes I own nice chest waders and good wading boots. They are overkill for the majority of situations. If I'm fishing bigger water that is too cold for wet wading (obviously not an option on lunch break...) or if I'm on my kayak and don't want to get wet, I wear chest waders.

Chest waders certainly have their place and time, but they are also undoubtably a "status symbol" for fly fishermen--- I always see folks fishing streams in their $400 waders when they don't get their shins wet all day long. Apparently it has something to do with the same logic that a person needs a reel with locomotive-brakes for a drag, and that you must throw your rod and reel in the creek to take a picture.

only benefit to chest waders for what you describe is if you meet Private Murphy on the stream- if you slip and take a seat in the water. If you're going to fish at lunch, then you; will be prepared with an emergency change of clothes in the car anyways. No problem.

You can get a decent pair of hip boots for around $70, keep them in your truck, they are on-and-off in a couple seconds, and you are good to go.

Also, be warned, fishing with a predetermined "gotta be someplace" time is a guaranteed way to hook your biggest ever trophy, and it will take you longer to land it than you think, and you will be late getting back.

[CoachBob]

I'm confused. i have both bootfoot waist high and boot foot chest high and the only time difference in putting them on is getting the shoulder straps from behind my back to over my shoulder.

[TyroneFly]

I have a pair of Hodgeman I picked up at a sporting goods store for less than $30. They easily come off/on with built in keeper so your foot stays snug in the boot. It also easily converts to a deck boot as an option. I have had these boots without fail going on 5 years. When waders are overkill hip boots are a great alternative.

[CoachBob]

If youre talking about hip boots, I won't wear them again because i got into hip deep water and loaded mine with water more than once. I now consider them an invitation to die. i really don't have a problem getting in and out of boot foot waders.

[hungNtree]

Bob,
My waders are stocking foot. By the time I get them on and put on my wading boots, and then also take them all off so I can get back to work, I figure I'll lose at least 10 minutes or so. Like I said I'm not real coordinated and I really prefer to take a chair with me to sit in while getting my waders on and off. (even more time lost) I've got a bad knee and it just takes me a little while to get them on and off. I failed to mention that in my original post, sorry for the confusion.

thanks for the input guys,
Jason

[Jayatwork]

I have used hippers for what you are talking about. The hard part is finding a pair of felt soled ones. The rubber soled boots are like wearing roller skates, on my streams.

[ScottP]

I've got an old pair of Hodgeman neoprene stockingfoot that I used to wear on some spring creeks that weren't really wadeable. I also used them on a little freestoner where most of the water never got much above knee high, although there were one or two deeper pools that went over the tops a few times. I don't wear neoprenes any more since I rarely fish ice flows; any other weather and they're just some sick joke the designer was playing on fishermen.

Regards,
Scott