Looking for some ultralight waders and boots, or perhaps hip waders to strap to my backpack while out on backpacking camping trips.
Really trying to keep the weight down, hiking in the Virginia mountains with a 40 lb pack, would like to keep the additional weight of waders to a minimum.
Seems like the mountain paths keep getting steeper every year…
found some breathable hip waders on sale at Dick’s–very light–durable on the stream–and a great price–if there is not one nearby try their website. Boots are really a personal preference thing but would wading sandals work? Try the Redington website
Hi Bill,
Saw these in the new catalog.
[url=http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=76KC&dir_id=758&group_id=12436&cat_id=12445&subcat_id=12446&prodgroupid=95577&prefix=je&varcatidsrc=SF07&feature_id=47&item_code=76kc01:41ff2]Neos Hippers[/url:41ff2]
Lightweight, packable, and eliminates the need to pack additional boots. Should be great for those creekin’/hiking trips.
Fly Rod and Reel Magazine has an article rating breathable waders. In it they look at L.L Bean Flyweight Breathables. $59, a pretty good price and would likely fit the bill.
Bill:
The boots are the heavy part. In about a month; I’ll start wet wading which I do for 80% of the year until I start shivering and freezing my butt off in the late fall.
If I was you; I’d just get a a pair of light weight wading shoes, a neoprene bootee and just wet wade. I personally hate wearing waders or even hippers and can’t wait till it warms up enough to leave them home.
I will wear the wading sandles in the summer when the water is warmer. The stream I was at this past weekend - the water was in the 40’s. Nice to camp near, but to cold for wading.
The Neos Hippers look like they might work out. Orvis spec’s are 2 3/4 pounds, so they are low-weight, which is a plus when you consider everything else in your backpack. Tent, sleeping bag, etc. So light weight is really a priority.
Have to give them a call to see how big to oversize the foot to fit over your hiking boots.
The lightest wading boots I have ever encountered are also very well made, comfortable, and…basically…my overall favorites. They would be excellent for a backpacking fly angler or hike-in angler. Check out the William Joseph wading boots. Their chest waders are also very lightweight, but durable. But I haven’t had them long enough to truly have a well-formed opinion about how they stack up to others yet. I do know that I have worn them in cold weather and 80 degree weather already, and I have not broken even the least bit of a sweat…even after hiking in them for 2 miles.
There is a new wader at LL Beans.
www.llbean.com
It is light weight and cost $59.00 (or maybe $69.00). Seems like a nice product for the price (and it has a great guarantee)
jed
Cabelas sells Three Forks hip waders in lug soles, felt sole, and stocking foot versions. I checked out their stocking foot version at their store and they are pretty light in weight. You could wear the stocking foot hippers with a pair of lightweight Teva type sandals, which would be about as light as you could get. Any type of wading boots are heavy.
The one’s I mentioned weigh about as much as a good pair of sneakers.
If you want some lightweight wading shoes you can get some cheapo lightweight neoprene wet-shoes and epoxy old carpeting to the sole of the shoe. Then you’ll have good grip on slick rocks while still providing protection for the neoprene boot attached to the waders. Or if you can find something lighter that will still protect your stocking foot waders, just epoxy the carpeting onto them and…presto.