Specifically the bootfoot category:
What do you wear? What do you like?
I have personally gone through 5 pairs of orvis tailwaters xt’s. Great fit and great boots but they were not designed for rough saltwater use. So I was on the quest for a rugged pair of bootfoots . I had a pair of sno-bee breatheables and they lasted a few seasons but I can find them anywhere. Recently I plunked down $60 bucks on the cabelas waders. I have a feeling come summer they will be a sweat pool.
What do you like?
-Tommy
I only buy breathable stocking-foot waders i feel like boot-foots ones dont last as long. Simms is the best wader company hands down n the goretex they reinforce the legs with is made for saltwater my last pair i got 10 years out of em and they still have no leaks. They also make boot-foots and have a good warranty system but are pricey.
↓LL Bean Boot foot Emergers. Best boot foot waders in that price range by far. Good quality and backed by Bean’s wicked awesome warranty.
It sucks that due to the stocking foot craze most companies aren’t making quality boot foot waders. Bad news for us boot foot guys.
↓I use Simms G3 stocking foot With OTB Odhin boots. The odhins are feather weight & designed to fit force fins. They’re great for korkers since they’re so light. However they fill up with sand after half an hour. I have considered G3 Simms with bootfoot. Simms are the BEST & i have tried everything. Never buy Patagonia! Goodluck!
↓Specifically BOOTFOOT. I have stocking foot waders and boots that I like already.
↓-Tommy
I have been using the Cabela’s breathable boot foots
not bad
wet
↓I have a pair of Frogg Toggs Canyon Breathable Bootfoots. The waders are super light and have lasted one season so far for me. They are comfortable in both the hot weather and cold weather (if you bundle up underneath). Great value for under $100 p I went to fishusa.com
↓go on ebay and type in Snowbee waders…Snowbee XS for $69.99 brand new from Frank and Frans Fisherman Friend. I got mine in 2 days.
↓Anything LL Bean. When you get a leak, you just return them for a new pair.
↓LLBean (Emergers)boot foot has my vote. Comfortable,lightweight and lifetime warranty.
↓Tommy check out this website
↓http://www.flyndrywaders.com.au/
These are by far the best i have found over here in Oz for winter surfcasting on the mid north coast of New South Wales.
Custom made, choice of boots , longlasting and great back up service from a family company.
I may be old fashioned but im still wearing neoprene boot foot ProLines. Used to wear Red Ball. Thing is, I spend more time in cold, rocky, and muddy water than the pristine sand. Old habit from my duck hunting days out by McCormack Island and also on the N Shore. Id rather be warm for most of the time than only some of the time……oh yeah, and I still throw mono line and occasionally braid. Humans are creatures of habit…but that’s another story…Bill
↓I bought a pair of Cabela’s bootfoot breathables, lasted one season, they sent me another, 4 months in, they leaked and cabelas sent me 3 tubes of Aquaseal… Went to Beans breathable Emergers, one season, gave me another pair of cheaper (real) bootfoots which are holding up with some repair. Think I’ll stick with Beans unless something better comes along on this thread…
↓LL Bean Emerger Wader. Bulletproof warranty, no questions asked.
↓I’ve had my Chotas three seasons and still dry!!!
↓Simms with MuckBoots, got them from Cabelas on sale a few years ago, best Waders I ever owned.
Sean H.
↓Tommy,
↓It doesn’t matter what you buy, they are going to get beat up and wrecked. Its just the nature of the game, you know that. That being said, I opt to go for either cabelas or ll bean. Their warranties can simply not be beat, no questions asked exchanges.. Try to wear something underneath to wick away moisture and help keep you cool, I personally use under amor under my waders and wetsuit. A lot of guys complain about breathable gear and they they sweat their $%=# off in it not realizing their cotton pants or shirts are not breathable at all.
I must be ancient in that I am still wearing my old favorite red ball waders at back bays and beaches that is 27 years strong. Unfortunately they don’t make them, but I would definitely go with LL Bean for the great customer service.
↓Hey Tommy, I found the new snobees on E Bay… I also do wall with the cheap cabellas. Isually get 2 seasons out of them…
↓Hey Tommy, I had a pair of Red Ball waders for 15 years. If I new then, I would have bought 2 or 3 pairs. They held up great! I am now using breathables by Cabellas for 2 years. Recommended by a guy in my club so far so good.
↓Simms from LL Bean – best of both worlds. End of story.
↓I go with whatevers cheap cause they leak regardless
currently i have the cabellas boot foots
which I like but I dont like the fit of the boot so much
those fly and dry waders are suuuuupper gay
im leaning towards bean waders for the winter and duck season
↓Hodgeman website has a clearance section that has great deals. I got a pair of breathable stocking foot waders for less than $60 and couldnt be more pleased. I coupled them with their neoprene wading shoe which holds the new style korker very well and frog tog gravel guard. Good to go.
↓I’m in the LL Bean camp. I’ve been using their Emergers for some time with good luck. Although their policy is great, I’ve only returned one pair, which began leaking prematurely. If I abused them, tear them on a barnacle or whatever,it’s not the manufacturer’s fault, so I take the hit, patch them up, and buy new ones when I must. I’ve been using the Emerger bootfoot this season to fish for trout.
↓Another vote for the LL Bean Emerger breathables. Very comfortable, very light.
↓I’ve been using the cheapo mobile cabela sauna waders for a few years now. So far so good in terms of leaks, but then again i only hit the montauk rocks a few times a season. I abuse them in that i don’t regularly rinse them off… still have some bluefish blood on them, i may want to get rid of that, what with the happenings on the south shore area… bleh.
Got my wife the flyweights from LLbean. $150, and if I knew any better back then, I’d have gotten llbean gear for their customer service.
↓Hi Tommy
I have been using those 60 pair of cabales for 3 years now and one small leak on the foot but not bad to fix. But your gona sweet your but off when it gets hot….Chris
↓LL Bean Emerger Bootfoot. LL Bean has the best warranty and they are very lightweight and breathable. I highly recommend them
↓LLbean seems to be leading the pack.
↓another vote for simms. used ll bean, cabelas and hogdeman prior to purchasing the simms. goretex is very breathable and does very well with abrasions. very well built. I have the G3. after 3 years of use it finally started to leak but very, very little. sent it back for repair this last december and had it back a week later free of charge. great company!
↓I’ve been using the Cabela’s breathable boot waders for 3 years. In cold weather I use UnderArmor/sweats in warm weather bathing suit shorts. So far so good. I’m too old and out of shape to be climbing onto rocks at the M, so I don’t beat up the waders.
Mike
↓Whatever you buy make sure they do not have felt soles. So far 22 states have banned felt soled boots. And they do not discriminate from freshwater to saltwater(Md.). Some company’s are having sales on the felt sole variety now and will not be making them in the future.Korkers have an insert sole for their boots now called svelte which has similar cracks and crevices as felt..it would not suprise me to see this type of sole banned also. No matter what brand you purchase once the hydrophobic coating on the outside is removed it renders the gore-tex fabric partially impaired and NONE of the rejuvination products out there now work.
↓Tommy you just cost me $70
SNOWBEE Full Body XS Breathable Chest Waders/Boot Sz10
studded soles on eBay.
Thanks you Tommy and Thank you all SJ posters for the great info and leads.
Tommy, why don’t you start a thread about fishing knifes, I need a new one
Mike
↓Wike,
↓When your hands are registered lethal weapons you don’t need to fish with a knife.
-Tommy
Got tired of bad waders switched to wetsuits how about a thread on wetsuits??
↓all i got to say is dry suits i got mine form gill its great. got the foot already in its light and breathable. its good for fall. summer its wet suit for. but i did just get a pair of ll bean breathable emergers with stocking foot for 95 bucks heard good things abojut them. using them for back bay fishing this spring they are light from what i heard so dont think you can fish hardcore with them
↓LL bean…best warranty and customer service
↓Beginning of every season I turn them inside out and fill them with water. Makes it easy to detect any tiny hole. Then I just dab with aquaseal. All waders will get these tiny holes when fish on and around rocks. Also when landing stripers, sometimes their fins puncture the waders making very tiny holes.
↓JACK DANIELS , BLACKBERRY, & OLD PAIR OF CHUCK TAYLORS WITH BOARDSHORTS ALL THE KOOL KIDS ARE DOING IT
↓Simms headwaters with the muck boot installed by simms, love em…… best I ever owned, $400.00 though..
↓Wetsuits are by far the best and safest especially on the rocks coupled with korker studed wading boots you can’t go wrong.
↓Yes, definitely Jack Daniels. When I bring my Jack fishing I never feel cold.
↓Coming up on the 4th season with Snowbee breathables with a spare pair in the box in reserve. After they’re gone ,who knows.
↓Simms discontinued their custom bootfoot program about a year and a half ago. They now do custom stockingfoot and relief zippers. Top of the line G4Z ( zipper) $ 699.95. Ive been using Orvis Silver Label bootfoots for some time now. Usually get 2 or 3 seasons out of them. Send them in for repair at the end of the season and they always sned me a brand new pair. This year they have replaced the felt sole with rubber soles pre drilled for studs. They wont be available till June. My friend has the LL Bean as a backupp and he likes them as well.
↓i prefer the stocking foot all the way
↓I usto use the Orvis Silver Label for 4 years till a few pin holes had me looking for a new pair. I went with the Simms G4Z in the bootfoot with Muck boots and love them. Going on 2 seasons now. But I don’t fish to aggressive like alot. I’m not on jetties or many rocks to snag on. Mostly sand beaches in NJ.
↓Hey Tommy, hope all is well!
I plunked down the big bucks and went Simms with Muck boots. I can’t imagine anything better an they were the only ones that come big enough to cover my arse.
↓Thanks for all the comments guys. I’ve been sweating in my Cabala’s waders for 3 seasons now, but they don’t leak so I stick it out. The deal on the Snowbee breathables on ebay was too good to pass up, so I should have my pair in a few days. I’m not disapointed with the Cabala’s waders, far from it, they’re just sweaty…even in the cold. The felt bottoms will be outlawed everywhere soon, too, so these have stud-bottoms.
Great thread.
↓Got tired of dealing with bootfoot waders that usually only lasted at most 2 seasons. Last fall bought a pair of Simms Headwaters stockingfoot and Korkers boot with the interchangeable soles. So far only used them about a dozen times but like the comfortable fit of the waders and steady mobility I get with the Korkers boot. Recently I put a tear in the wader by stepping in a mudhole(sharp shell I guess) I sent them back to Simms and they repaired them good as new at no charge.
↓orvis proguides. very tough waders. i prefer the wetsuit
↓