Breathable waders-HELP

[frozen4sioux]

Simms.

 

[espringers]

i am confused cause i thought north dakotans aren't allowed to nor do they hunt ducks over water. or are you guys deer hunting ponds/roosts. :;:huh:;:stirthepot

 

[JayKay]

I'm at LEAST as big a sucker as the next guy, when it comes to "more expensive equals better gear".

I currently have and use 3 pairs of waders, and probably wade (fishing, not hunting) 35 to 45 times per year. Honest here. Not inflating my days of usage.

In my experience, they pretty much all leak eventually. I've never had Simms (although I surely would love a pair), and maybe I'm way off base, but when I think about Cabelas for $120-ish for breathable stocking foots, versus well over $500 for Simms (and I DO love me some Simms gear), the choice is obvious. If I got 2 years out of Cabelas, and three out of Simms, then I can buy multiple pairs for less money. I did spring for Simms boots though, and I do love them.

I'm still wearing breathable stockingfoots now. When it gets cold, I'll switch to neoprene with insulated boots.

The breathables I have right now are Frog Toggs, and they've been very good.

When you're used to wearing neoprenes, and try out breathables, you'll feel like you could go for a jog. they're so much more comfortable.

gotta layer up though. Stand still in the cold for 2 or 3 or 4 hours, and even through a few layers, you'll know it.

Jaykay

 

[frozen4sioux]

Simms Guide waders are by far the most inexpensive waders ive ever used. They fit better too with more options....especially for someone as girthy as me.

Initial cost was higher, but it doesn't even come close to penciling out.

I love stockingfoot breathable waders. i love the flexability. I love the ability to layer to conditions.
I owned many many different pairs of cabelas waders before i bought my Simms.

Cabelas waders would leak 100% of the time, i always just hoped to have them go bad during the warranty period. Didnt always work.

When going through them heavy i fished 90-110 days a year. Wade fishing, boat fishing, float tube pontoon boat, with flippers kickicking, I put waders through brutal tests.

I still have and use, without issue my simms guide waders, they are that good. In adding it up i had spent 3 times the ammount on cabelas waders by the time i bought the simms, still have a pair of cabelas as backup or guest waders, just have to bring extra socks for them as the cabelas leak around the socks.

Cabelas and the other brands... they are all manufactured by the same place oversees.... do not breath nearly as well either. Was always soaked with sweat.

The Simms breath much better, last longer, have stood up to more abuse than I could have ever imagined, and i still use them today.

Flat out you can spend less on breathable waders ...initially..... but for the long game, nothing is as cost effective as the Simms Guide waders.

 

[JayKay]

Simms Guide waders are by far the most inexpensive waders ive ever used. They fit better too with more options....especially for someone as girthy as me.

Initial cost was higher, but it doesn't even come close to penciling out.

I love stockingfoot breathable waders. i love the flexability. I love the ability to layer to conditions.
I owned many many different pairs of cabelas waders before i bought my Simms.

Cabelas waders would leak 100% of the time, i always just hoped to have them go bad during the warranty period. Didnt always work.

When going through them heavy i fished 90-110 days a year. Wade fishing, boat fishing, float tube pontoon boat, with flippers kickicking, I put waders through brutal tests.

I still have and use, without issue my simms guide waders, they are that good. In adding it up i had spent 3 times the ammount on cabelas waders by the time i bought the simms, still have a pair of cabelas as backup or guest waders, just have to bring extra socks for them as the cabelas leak around the socks.

Cabelas and the other brands... they are all manufactured by the same place oversees.... do not breath nearly as well either. Was always soaked with sweat.

The Simms breath much better, last longer, have stood up to more abuse than I could have ever imagined, and i still use them today.

Flat out you can spend less on breathable waders ...initially..... but for the long game, nothing is as cost effective as the Simms Guide waders.

Well, you just spoke my language. I have always thought them too expensive, given that they're just going to fail in a year or two, just like all the others. Just last night I spent 3 hours in the Missouri, and had a couple of damp spots on my shins when I took them off.

I always like a REASON to upgrade.

It's funny. Hindsight.. . . If I could have the money back, for all the pairs of waders I've had, I could buy the top of the line Simms no problem.

 

[Jigaman]

Like I always say (but don't always listen) "Buy nice or buy twice".

 

[guywhofishes]

how do stocking foot waders handle the cold (how do you keep warm feet)?

what footwear do you combine w them??

 

[JayKay]

I wear a size 12 shoe, so my wading boots are 13's. I wear a thin sock, and a thicker sock (I believe it was a two-pair "system" by Browning. This, along with the neoprene bootie, keep me feeling pretty good, even into December. After a couple/three hours, my feet are getting cold, but it's pretty bearable.

 

[martinslanding]

What are you using the waders for? I bought a pair of Frogg Toggs a few years back for Like $80 at fleet farm, I only use them a couple times a year mostly moving docks and lifts in and out. I have had no complaints usually we do about five sets of docks and lifts so they get used pretty hard, however I don't think they would be good for hard core waterfowl hunting...but shore fishing I think they would be good

 

[Meelosh]

how do stocking foot waders handle the cold (how do you keep warm feet)?

what footwear do you combine w them??

Fun story partially on topic.

Last year, me and a couple of equally idiotic friends tried one last water hunt in mid-November for ducks. Pretty hard freeze the night before had us breaking a little over a quarter mile of 1" ice to get to the spot. Knees and shins were bruised badly by the because it was cold enough to all freeze back up by the time we went back. Anyway, one buddy had a pair of the boots over neoprene sock type waders. The boots basically cut off circulation so bad his feet were getting VERY cold....so he decided to take the boots off I guess? out in the water and set them on the ice where they promptly froze solid. No getting them back on to walk back. We had decided to drag a small jon boat out with us that day, luckily, so we threw him and all the frozen decoys in the boat and drug the whole works back to shore with no ducks as they had all left the night before to bigger water. Waterfowl hunters are dumb sometimes.

 

[guywhofishes]

awesome story

- - - Updated - - -

had I attended the hearings yesterday I'd have worn some

I bet I would have made the news

- - - Updated - - -

Trump should have strode in sporting a pair

 

[campchef]

Runnings has a sale on Caddis stocking foot waders right now. Heck of a deal.

 

[JayKay]

Fun story partially on topic.

Last year, me and a couple of equally idiotic friends tried one last water hunt in mid-November for ducks. Pretty hard freeze the night before had us breaking a little over a quarter mile of 1" ice to get to the spot. Knees and shins were bruised badly by the because it was cold enough to all freeze back up by the time we went back. Anyway, one buddy had a pair of the boots over neoprene sock type waders. The boots basically cut off circulation so bad his feet were getting VERY cold....so he decided to take the boots off I guess? out in the water and set them on the ice where they promptly froze solid. No getting them back on to walk back. We had decided to drag a small jon boat out with us that day, luckily, so we threw him and all the frozen decoys in the boat and drug the whole works back to shore with no ducks as they had all left the night before to bigger water. Waterfowl hunters are dumb sometimes.

Seriously, if he got to ride in the boat, and all of you guys towed him back to shore, who's the dummy? Sounds like he really came out ahead..!

 

[Meelosh]

In retrospect, it turned out fine. But we were one false step away from things going really bad in a hurry.

 

[guywhofishes]

I still get shivers thinking about that poor kid from Bismarck not long ago. About as sad as it gets.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I still get shivers thinking about that poor kid from Bismarck not long ago. About as sad as it gets.

?

 

[JayKay]

?

I believe he was wearing waders, hunting a slough. Got tangled up in something, maybe some barbed wire, got tired and drowned?

 

[guywhofishes]

http://nodakangler.com/forums/showthread.php?7631-Sad-deal