I'm going on my fourth season with the Gold Medal Waist High version. I think I used my chest waders (also Gold Medal) 2 times last year out of about 50 trips. No leaks so far. I don't really take care of them other than I hang them on the cabelas boot dryer every night. Some day I'll wash them. They breath well. I wear them in the summer and in the winter with wading pants.
I compared the three versions you're looking at in person. They are progressively heavier as you go from premium to guide. So I went in the middle and they are holding up well against thorns, briars and even one run in with a barbed wire fence that was hidden. I'm starting to see some wear around the bottom of the gravel guards.
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