I’m flying to SW Montana in late October/early November and can take only one pair of waders. I can take the neoprenes but prefer the breathables. If you’ve done any cold weather wading with breathables, what did you wear underneath them and how warm did it keep your legs?
Thanks
I float tube in my breathables fall and spring I prefer polarmax longjohns under them and if i’m going to be in the water for a long time I add an overlay of fleece.For my feet I have thinsulate sock liners and usually a medium weight pair of wool socks
Hey QF;
I only own one pair of waders and they’re breathable and I too will be out West in a coupla weeks. I usually wear a pair of thin insulated underjohns and adjust my time in the stream accordingly. I have had consecutive days there when I’ve wet waded one day and was caught in a blizzard the next. Be prepared.
Mark
I’d rather be in Wyoming!
Layering is the trick - find some silk underwear to start with, (Sierra Trading Post recently had some good stuff on sale), jeans and microfleese on top of that.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Layering really is the ticket. My wife bought me some very thin long johns. I believe they are called “Body Armour”. I put these on first. I wear cotton long johns over those, and fleece pants over those.
I was able to fish here in Colorado every weekend from November to April last winter, and I never got cold
Wayne
LF, … not to disagree, … but jeans are about the least insulating clothes there is (are?).
I like to layer, thin long underwear (like lycra), … then mid or heavy fleece… Like like the Polartec 300 weight pants.
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:43d28]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:43d28]
LF,
I’m surprized you weren’t converted by previous threads.
Moisture…cotton…and cold don’t go well together.
Moisture…evaporation and hot can go together.
I met the masochistic, selfmotivated fisherman Dennis Garrison on the San Juan a couple of years ago between Xmas and New Years. We were on the river at O dark 30, temp in the lower 20’s.
I wore fleese pants under blue jeans, cotton socks with fleese socks over them. A T shirt, a long sleeve T shirt and a hooded sweatshirt. All that under breathables. Wool fingerless gloves with pop open heat pads in the palms. Had to put our rods in the water to get the ice out of the guides
I stayed quite comfortable.
And we caught over 40 fish between us…
Thanks Dennis
Just remember, when layering, cotton is rotten!!
Do not wear cotton of any kind. It gets wet from body moisture and stays wet for a very long time.
Other than that, the other posts are right on. I wear a pair of REI MTS long underware next to my skin, then a pair of Patagonia fleece lined pants. Not to endorse Patagonia, it’s just that when I bought them, that was all that was out there.
On top, I wear the MTS turtle neck undershirt, a regular fishing shirt, a fleece jacket and my rain jacket (doesn’t matter if it’s not raining).
A pair of fleece gloves are a must as well as a GOOD hat. Ear muffs also help out a lot if there is a wind.
I live in Colorado and fish year-round.
Ken
There is a fine line between fly fishing and and just standing in a river looking like and idiot.
After years of fishing for Michigan steelhead, and having gone from neoprene to breathables all I can say is,
‘there ain’t no looking back!’
The secret to staying warm in both is the air they trap. Your body heat warms and retains that air and all is well. Neo’s kept us warm for years and were a great innovation but they trapped and retained any moisture gained. Their time has come and gone however IMHO… witness the fact Simms doesn’t even offer them any longer. Breathables allow you to stay warm AND dry providing you wear the proper insulating and moisture wicking layers underneath.
I wear thin polypro type long johns under different weights of thick, fuzzy fiber pile clothes. The polypro wicks moisture out to the breathable wader material and keeps you warm, dry and cozy.
Cotton is good for getting wet and staying wet. The plastic fuzzy stuff does not. In fact, when I used to ice boat polypro was THE stuff to wear under a breathable, wind breaking over layer… even soaked a quick shake and polypro-type clothes will still retain a good percentage of your body heat.
Before I moved to the South I used to wear my breathable bootfoots with good layering system ice fishing. THAT is a true test of comfort. First you get to hike out to a likely spot, all the while working up a good sweat then you get to sit out in the wind and cold on a bucket. The breathable wader/layering system made that a far warmer and more comfortable experience.
[This message has been edited by Jackster (edited 28 August 2005).]
I fish in some very cold Colorado winters. I have both kinds of waders, but find I stay warmer in the breathables.
What the others said about no cotton and layering underneath. Silk, synthetics and wool work OK.
I also layer the top with similar materials. At most a synthetic long john top or turtleneck, a wool sweater, a fleece jacket and a breathable windbreaker outerjacket.
And a warm hat and possible ear band.
The layering helps both in staying warm and by allowing you to take stuff off so you don’t get too hot. Frozen perspiration is no fun.
Fingerlees wool gloves are my usual choice. I don’t like the neoprene gloves. I’ve heard that wearing latex “medical” gloves under the wool actually helps, but have never tried it.
Under Armour next to the skin and then fleece then breathable waders.
[url=http://www.underarmour.com/ProductDetail.cfm?site_id=1&dept_id=1&coll_id=4&pf_id=0525:c2771]http://www.underarmour.com/ProductDetail.cfm?site_id=1&dept_id=1&coll_id=4&pf_id=0525[/url:c2771]
Greg
Dang, maybe we will see you there. I use them all the time. Wear polypro and fleece, and it works juuuuuust fine.
Dennis
Personally I don’t know how anyone can where neoprene in any kind of weather. It makes you sweat bad. When you get out you’ll freeze to death. Go with the breathables and layer with synthetics. Keep in mind that the water is always warmer than 32 degrees and you’ll only be in it to you hips usually. So just dress for the weather.
I use neoprene socks under my neo booties and I wear a slightly oversized heavy (HEAVY) pair of sweat pants. They provide absorb what sweat there is pretty well. If you get real cold then a pair of long johns that wick away the sweat is a good addition.
My biggest problem are my feet and the extra layer of neoprene help. Don’t forget to powder your feet so they don’t get to sweaty.
jed
Quadfisher,
I have insulated bootfoot light weights. I’d say they are the way to go but I hate neoprenes and wading shoes are not warm enough when water temps get down in the 30s.
I fished the Salmon River, NY in winter and was quite comfortable with only one pair of (inexpensive duofold) underwear with fleece over the top of that then a lightweight shell to keep the burdocks from sticking. No jeans or other pants of any kind…but I’d like to try Lady Fishers silk idea as a first layer. The jeans, however IMHO are a mistake.
I have lots of experience with Cold-Dry weather but not too much with Cold Damp. You can have both in Montana. I have spent 2 1/2 years in Antarctica including 6 months at the geographic south pole. But both climates share this: Its better to dress and be a little chilly than to dress to the point of being comfy. Once you start moving, you’re going to start sweating if you’re over dressed. Then its chill time when you stop to fish! Its tough to dry out and get warm again in the Cold-Damp fishing environment. Just ask any one who has fished Cape Cod in the fall. (thats the coldest I’ve ever been)
Hope you catch a bunch,
Ol’ Bill