Waders

Shawn Hollis

Shawn Hollis

Active member
Two posts in two days must be some kind of record for me! But, I need to ask about waders. I need to get some more and hate buying something that only lasts at best two seasons. I did go to breathables on this last go round and like them (lacrosse swamp fox) but I wanted to see what folks are doing. Are the neoprene ones Rogers has any good? I have always used Lacrosse but I am not opposed to another brand. Does it seem like the price on them has increased 30% in the past couple years? Share what you know. thx
 
My favorite so far are the Cabelas ultimate 5mm neoprene with the 1600 gram boot. I beat my equipment pretty hard and manage to get 4 to 5 seasons out of a pair. I'm on my 3rd pair now. The only thing I don't like with these boots is that the suspenders tend to slide off your shoulders very easily. It's easy to fix and the only negative I have found with these boots.
 
Shawn, for breathables I use Orvis. They've got a great warranty and are very well made. Not really sure what to do about neoprenes, but I'll be watching this thread since I may need to order a pair now that I'm in "colder country" of FL in Tallahassee, instead of the tshirt weather central FL.....
 
X2 for the cabelas supermag 1600. I'm not necessarily hard on them, mostly coastal salt marshes and meadows. Occasional underwater logs/branches. They have held up well. Just tested them out in the lake today and still no leaks. This is will be my 7th year with them.
 
hahahah yeah yeah yeah I know......northern FL....where the coldest it's ever gotten is 17 degrees and last year there was a week or two below freezing all night....that's FRIGID to me....you laugh now.....you would laugh even harder (I know cuz I laugh at myself I find it awfully amusing) to find out that where I work keeps the air at about 70 degrees in the summer and seemingly into the fall since it's still that cold (some rooms are colder) and almost every single day I've been there I've worn THREE lab coats most all of the day just to stay comfortable

so YUP I'm thinking I'm going to need some warmer waders (or antarctic level thermals) to stay warm when duck hunting this far north hahahahahaha
 
I have Orvis breathables which are great for early season end Sept. Four seasons with no problems.
My first neoprene were from LL Bean bought 13 year ago. No problems until year 10 when seams began to leak. Easy repair and I still use them for mid season, say until early November. 3.5 mm neoprene but not much boot insulation as I discovered hunting the end of the season in late January on the Eastern Shore of MD. Hunting partner was warm as toast with his 1600gm 5mm Neoprene Cabelas waders. Ordered a pair and they keep me warm late season layout boat hunting, but a little clunky if you have to walk much in your marsh....
 
I'm sold on the breathables, even hunting in the sub-freezing temps that we get here in Connecticut. When it gets really cold I wear fleece wading pants with them. Nice and toasty, and no clammy sweating. Quality in all hunting waders seems to have hit the skids. Had Drake neoprenes that didn't last a season (they referred me back to Cabelas who only gave me store credit back), got two out of a pair of Mack's breathables before the inseam stitching failed (which they warrantied). I wish Simms would come out with a pair of hunting waders, but they seem all smug and happy with the fly fishing market only.
 
Count me in as a breathables convert as well. I switched over last season to the Cabelas Dry Plus and used them from the early season through the snow and ice in late January. Fleece wader pants and boot liners and I was all good.
 
Shawn,

Cabelas 5mm neoprene Supermag 1600 waders in both chest high and waist high for the times it's bitter cold but shallow huntning. I just purchased the waist highs in Cabelas bargain cave for half off. Just checked again and I see the price went up slightly. Early season I like the Cabelas breathable Dry Plus in waist high.
 
Count me in as a breathables convert as well. I switched over last season to the Cabelas Dry Plus and used them from the early season through the snow and ice in late January. Fleece wader pants and boot liners and I was all good.


Me three. So long as they are big enough for plenty of wool and fleece and polypro layers underneath, I never get cold. I do look like the Michelin man, or Grimace from the old McDonald's commercials, in camo.
Click to expand...
 
Cabelas warrior II's work well for me I , 1.5 neoprene in the legs and seat/ breathable from the waist up. I did just get the waist high super mags with free shipping for December & Janurary.
 
Thanks for all of the replies! Sounds like supermags may be in my future. Any body have any luck sealing up crotch leaks? I have tried the shoo goo and stuff from cabelas in the past but never really got the results I wanted. I have thought about the stuff the guy sprays on a screen door boat bottom on TV. If I can fix the breathables and get through till Christmas that would be great.
 
I've used the Cabelas brand "breathables" for the past 2 seasons. They've held up well. Love them over neoprenes. On cold days I just layer up and I don't feel any less for cold.
 
I have Simms G3 Guide breathable wader for the last 8 years. They are getting a little ragged but still keep me dry. Had to put aquaseal on some of the seams the last couple of years but they are still going strong.
Before that a pair of waders wouldn't last me the year. Simms are expensive but if you get them at the end of the fishing season you can get some great deals.
 
Best waders I ever owned were the old Cabelas 600 denier brush buster. Uninsulated..simply laminated cordura with an insulated boot. I still have a pair that has been beat for over 18 seasons including barnacle crusted ledge on the coast of Maine and they still don't leak! They stopped making them like 10 years ago and I've never seen anything close since.
Even the "ultimate" neoprene's seem to not stand up to what I dish out. I'm still lookin
 
One thing I'll throw out on this subject. If you don't currently use a boot dryer, I would highly recommend one. Since I've started using one, my waders seem to last longer. And if you hunt back to back days, it real nice to put on warm, dry waders. Best $40 I've ever spent.
 
Anyone have any experience with gander mountain guide series waders, 3.5mill/ 1000 gram in the boot, 1 yr warranty on sale 139.00 never heard to much about them.
 
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