I’ll also recommend Simm’s. I know people who have used the Orvis waders and had nothing but problems. I’ve used the Hodgemen’s as well and they were terrible. Back in the day, they made great waders but they haven’t made decent ones in quite a few years.
I have had breathable waders made with a manufacturers brand of breathable material and those made with Gortex. My vote is go for the Gortex. It cost a bit more but the quality is there and as someone said, the gold standard.
As far as waders and boots go, get the best you can afford. Waders are not something you want to skimp on in terms of fishing equipment. A bad day fishing is one where you don’t catch any fish. A real bad day fishing is when your feet hurt and your waders leak.
Dr Bob
In my basement I have leaky Orvis, Cabelas, and Hodgmans. I am currently using Simms G3, so far so good 15 months and holding. The Orvis lasted about four years before leaking, the Cabelas three years, the Hodgmans (3 of them) about three months (they were $40.00 so I bought three hoping to get two years out of each of them). I never realized it until just now that this is also the relative costs and performance of each from highest to lowest! I guess you do get what you pay for. This means the Simms should last five or six years, probably not. I fish a lot in subfreezing weather which I believe is especially hard on waders because they do allow water to penetrate to a certain extent and then it freezes inside the fabric, which I think starts to create holes or leak. I believe this is harder on waders than wearing a lot in the summer. Boots are the discontinued Simms Guides with Studded Aquastealth, still the best boot from Simms, and they are wide.
Glenn
Glenn et al -
The 300 plus days I have on the older, cheaper pair of Simms would probably be close to six years fishing for most people, maybe more ?? And they are still serviceable. From comments made by others, it seems I am probably more tolerant of some minor leakage than most ??
Late spring to early fall fishing around here means a lot wet wading. It’s not for everyone, but it sure beats wearing any waders on the warmer days.
John
John,
300 days would probably be five years for me, but when steelheading and the water is 33 degrees and the air is 20 degrees minor leaks become a major irritation. Four years is what I would expect from a high end pair of waders, with a minor leak that I can repair every now and then. Seam leaks are where nearly all of my leaks happen, which I figure is from ice. Seam leaks are impossible to fix, haven’t successfully repaired one yet, and used four tubes of Aquaseal over the years. Most of my wet wading is accidental or from really bad leaks, anyway not of my choosing.
Hope to get down your way in Sept and maybe help you fill in those 300 days.
Glenn
tigfly,
I am using, and using hard, a pair of G3’s at the moment. I’m going into my 3rd or 4th year with them. 4th I think, and they are still working just fine. I think you’ll find you get more years of service than you think out of them.
tigfly,
I never thought about the fact that I fish in cold weather so often and what it does to my waders. I just noticed that my G4’s have a very slow leak after about 60 fishing days in about 20 degree weather and NEVER bringing them in out of the truck (it gets difficult to pull the feet on when they are frozen… gotta take better care of them). Gonna fix them this week, hope they arent seam leaks…
Well, I have a new set of Simms coming, when they get here, then need to get boots. 300 fishing days, yeah that is about 10 years fishing for me at my pace which is picking up as the kids get older. The rubber ones I think have deteriorated over time, the seams are leaking at the top of the boots and one in each leg. I fished last year with “minor leaks” and at the end of the season in october when the water was COLD, the minor leaks turned into MAJOR leaks. I patched them up with Household goop and will use them for the spring salmon since the water is cold, not much wading and the extra heat generated in the rubber waders is welcome when you can see your breath and the guides ice up.
July, not such a good thing with that much heat in the waders so these new Simms are looking pretty.
Looking forward to these new ones. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
Dwight
Jed !! … LOL … I read your reply quickly:
I use felts only locally and aquastelth when going out of town or hiking.
And understood OUT ON THE TOWN !!
I’m thinking, … Wow … Joan must like that going out for some dancing and you in your wading boots!!!
You won’t be sorry about your purchase of Simms waders. I’m a big fan of all Simms products. And I think that they are the most cost effective especially if you fish a lot.
Greg
Shades, I’ve got a great tip for hard to put on or pull off waders. Use the plastic grocery bags over your feet. The waders are a breeze to get in and out of. Also a way to get multiple uses out of those hated grocery bags. You might get a little extra condensation that way, but in neoprene booties like the Simms, you get a little condensation anyway. I think this also eliminates creating leaks from trying so hard to pull them off or on. Sorry for the thread hijack.
Glenn