I’m wondering why I never got some of these, they seem perfect for summer. Anybody have them and love or hate them?
Hippies just seem so hard to find in my neck of the woods these days, as are 1960’s era VW vans. They must all be on the west coast.
Royce,
Yep, we had a whole of hippies over here on the west coast.
herefishy,
Regarding your reference to ‘hippies’. Is that for waist waders? Sometimes called guide waders. If so, yes, they are very handy for summer and unless you wade in deep water, for winter as well. If it refers to hip boots then they are not as good, no protection for the derriere.
Larry —sagefisher—
I’m only a few miles from Woodstock and there is still an overabundance residing there. I call it the land that time forgot.
No, they’re Chotas answer to waist waders, adjustable from knee to hip wader length, with a neoprene foot just like “real waders”.
OK, now I see.
http://chotaoutdoorgear.com/shop/hippies/camo-hippies/
I used to use hip boots, but I found I often managed to wade in just deep enough to get some water over the top. That is why I eventually went to the waist or guide waders.
Larry —sagefisher—
I have the Chota Hippies. I like them anytime I’ll only be wading knee deep. I’ve even used them in a pontoon boat with fins.
Sorry I didn’t make that too clear. I don’t have any business wading deep anymore, so think these will give me a reminder.
The one negative I found is that the bungee drawstring that is supposed to loop over you belt is really too short. But it’s not hard to find a way to extend it.
My legs are really short, that should help.
I used to use them all the time when fishing blue lines and other small streams but they are getting hard to find. Still have a pair or two of Orvis hippers and picked up a cheap pair from Cabela’s but i typically use waist highs now. Was fishing a stream where the water was up a bit past my knees but still had a few inches before it got to the top of the waders where there ws a bit of a gap between my pants anfd waders.was standing still for a bit when I happened to catch some movement-- looked down to see a nice size copperhead swimming between my legs. Immediately thought if he lifts his head an few inches Im in trouble. After he passed through and I started breathing again , I yelled to my fishing buddy “ill be right back” .drive to the closest flyshop and bought some waist highs.
Best,
Steve
Royce,
Sold my VW van to a car dealer on the west coast. Got 50% more for it and it was still worth it to them to send a Truck to pick it up from my house on the east coast…almost as hard to find hippers these days.
I have a pair of LL Bean neoprene hip waders that I wear in the spring when I help stock streams. I don’t wear em when I am fishing, because I forget about them and wade in too deep. Adios Philip
I have the Sims Hippers than can be knee high or hip high and love them. I too am at an age were I choose not to wade too deep. The water here is so clear that the next step can float your hat!!
Thanks for the replies, mine are on the way.
Always had the hip boots for small streams and creeks, chest waders for the main stream. Howsomever, getting to a certain age where I discovered the loss of stamina against the river’s current, I’ve resigned myself to shallow water wading, hence the chest high waders are out, and hip boots are in since knee high water is the main stay. Also, I like the heavy hip boots with some insulation factor - my skinny sparrow legs get cold real fast. (Damn this getting old)
I hear ya!
I have a pair of the old school Hodgman canvas hip boots
As the old adage says: “they’re a good way to measure how deep the water was when you got wet”
I like them cuz you can just throw them on and go, which is very handy for when you don’t want everyone knowing your secret fishin’ hole.
I think I’m going to love these, they have a buckle at the knee to keep them in place, then drawstring at top that you can hook over your belt. Great soft material and you could just throw them in a pack if you were walking in.
When I was young, I was a long haired hippie. I ended up following a conventional life and now the hair that I have left is now gray and short.
There are hippies in the Driftless area of Wisconsin. They work at organic farms. I have met some nice ones when I have been on fishing trips in the Driftless.
I have an old pair of Hodgeman hip waders that I use a few times a year when I fish during lunch break. It is quick to get in and out them. When I wear them, I pretty much need to know where I will be wading because it is easy to wade a bit deep and fill them up. I think that waist high waders are way more versatile and just as comfortable.