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[smellmysox]

Hi, I'm an novice angler, this is my 1st season fishing for steelies. I went shopping for wadders over at Fred's today, well it ocoured to me that I don't know a thing about them. Can anyone share some advice on what to look for? I'll be fishing the Vedder.

[leapin' tyee]

What is your price range and are you looking for neoprene or breathable waders?

[smellmysox]

Breathable, couple hundred bucks

[mikeyman]

Buy quality will last for years. Buy cheep it will last a year or 2. Depending on how much walking u do. Or how many days u r on the water. I buy boots a size bigger and slip socks over the neoprene booties. Helps cut down on friction and holes. Buy some aqua seal for minor repairs. Breathable waders are much more comfortable but make sure u wear a wading belt. I bought a less expensive pair of reddingtons seem to be holding up so far but time will tell. Long johns and one pair of thermo socks underneath. I like the t max From marks also got one of the hooded sweaters keeps me warm. Also a good dry wading jacket is reccomended.

[opwins]

G4 simms or the G3..  Will last you for years and can handle the abuse of serious hiking and bush whacking. 

[zap brannigan]

look up frogg toggs, good price amazing quality and backing.

almost no shops carry their stuff look online either the actual site or american sites like fishusa.com, got their pilot waders and have had 2 hard seasons on them fishing 3-4 days a week on average and have no problems at all, theirs a guy on here that reveiws gear he had good things to say, well priced and amazing quality.

[fisherforever]

Chiiwack Dart and Tackle carries Frogg Toggs

[BigFisher]

Simms Is the best brand of waders Iv used. I have a pair of brand new in box simms freestones size M if your interested.

[smellmysox]

Thanks for the advice guys. Bigfisher, thank you for the offer, medium would not have fit though.

I bought frogg togg waders and boots today. Couldn't wait to try them out so I ventured down to the Vedder. I had no idea how nice fishing in waders is. Honestly don't know how I fished with out them.

Sort of a side note. A riveted metal lace buckle popped out when I tied the boots up. I'm not concerned at all at this point, if that boot can't be exchanged because I used them in the river, no big deal I'm sure that's a quick fix for a shoe repair shop. It does however, that  makes me wonder if I should have spent a little more and gone sims.

[TheFishingLad]

These guys got it covered on the wader side, I'm going to talk about socks.

You want some super-comfy dry-warmness veer away from 1 pair. Get yourself a 2 pair sock system. Thin knee high sweat wicking pair underneath garnished with high wool socks. The wicking pair absorbs the sweat from your feet to your leg and evaporates. Heck even Marks sells a sock system now, but you can get better quality with buying your pairs individually.

If it's good enough for the Army it's good enough for you.

[FlyFishin Magician]

Thanks for the advice guys. Bigfisher, thank you for the offer, medium would not have fit though.

I bought frogg togg waders and boots today. Couldn't wait to try them out so I ventured down to the Vedder. I had no idea how nice fishing in waders is. Honestly don't know how I fished with out them.

Sort of a side note. A riveted metal lace buckle popped out when I tied the boots up. I'm not concerned at all at this point, if that boot can't be exchanged because I used them in the river, no big deal I'm sure that's a quick fix for a shoe repair shop. It does however, that  makes me wonder if I should have spent a little more and gone sims.

Where did you buy your boots (& waders)?  I'd take them right back to the shop and ask for an exchange.  There's no way that a boot buckle should fail on the first trip right out of the box.

I don't know much about Frogg Toggs, but I can say that Simms stands behind its products.  Several years ago, I bought a pair of Simms Guide boots and used them hard for a season.  At the start of next season, the fabric (mesh) part of the boot came apart from the sole.  I showed the folks at M&Y (where I bought them), and with no questions asked I was given a new pair of Simms Guide boots right off the shelf!  Again, I used them hard for the season, and the same thing happened the following year.  Again, I brought them back, and I received a brand new pair of guide boots - except that year, Simms changed the design of the boot.  Apparently, there was a design flaw that somehow resulted in the fabric tearing away from the sole.  I've used the third pair of guide boots for many years, and I still have them as a back-up to a pair of Freestone boots (vibram soles) that I bought a couple of seasons ago.  Both my Guide and Freestone boots are in good shape, and will hopefully last for years to come.

One quick note about vibram soles...do not, I repeat, do not attempt to walk on slippery logs or rocks with algae using these soles.  They are very durable, but on some surfaces, like those I just described, vibram = death slip!!!  Just ask Stratocaster who has witnessed me taking a spill on more than one occasion.  In fact, I'm going to go back to felt soles on my next pair of Simms boots.   

Good luck and please give us an update on how you resolve your boot problem.   

[zap brannigan]

Frogg toggs makes awesome waders but their boots aren't the best, I got Simms freestone boots can't go wrong with Simms boots.

[smellmysox]

I brought the boots back to Fred's today. No questions asked they took them back and gave me a deal on some felt bottomed Simms boots. Going out tomorrow in them.

[zap brannigan]

good to hear.

[rustybee]

One quick note about vibram soles...do not, I repeat, do not attempt to walk on slippery logs or rocks with algae using these soles.  They are very durable, but on some surfaces, like those I just described, vibram = death slip!!!  Just ask Stratocaster who has witnessed me taking a spill on more than one occasion.  In fact, I'm going to go back to felt soles on my next pair of Simms boots.   

My advise would be to skip the felts (more and more places are banning) and installing the hardbite studs on your vibram.