Waders

[Jonas Staggs]

Looking for advice on waders with boots vs stocking foot waders.

 

I plan to use them for wading and float tubing. I will have to hike in with them for float tubing.

 

It seems stocking foot would be the way to go but that would require wading shoes. Anyone just use old boots or sneakers? I just bought a $100 pair of hiking boots and don't want to ruin them.

 

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. 

 

[mrpao]

How far will you be hiking?

From me limited experience with waders they are not particularly well suited for walking long distances.  

I always got sweaty in them and there is a chance they could get a hole from thorns. 

For just shorter walks it shouldn't be a problem to walk in with them on.

[Jonas Staggs]

5 minutes ago, mrpao said:

How far will you be hiking?

From me limited experience with waders they are not particularly well suited for walking long distances.  

I always got sweaty in them and there is a chance they could get a hole from thorns. 

For just shorter walks it shouldn't be a problem to walk in with them on.

 

For hiking in not too far. Maybe 1 mile max, it's on a 4x4 dirt road, but it is very hilly and steep and not a easy hike.

 

The other planned use for them is wading in small creeks. I think they would have a better chance of getting a hole in the small creeks vs the hike.

[Vilas15]

If you're doing this in warm water you could skip the waders and go with wading boots with a neoprene wading sock and light quick dry pants. That's how most people wet wade in the summer and youd still have the boots for the hike.

 

I wouldn't use waders with old boots, i think they'd be much more likely to wear a hole by rubbing than wading boots. And they wouldn't have drainage.

[throttleplate]

A few years ago I  was wading a creek in the philippines in shorts and hiking boots. When we were done for the day we went back to my friends nipa hut and were staning around talking.

 

I put my hand in my pocket to get the sand out and felt a squishy object and thought it was a snickers bar i forgot to eat so i pulled it out and it was a huge leach.

I did a shriek and threw the leach to the ground, everybody laughed.

 

I was wading this summer in minnesota lakes in the mid summer heat wearing shorts and old shoes.

The problem i encountered was the amount of sand that would get inside my shoes and afterwards theres a thing called swimmers itch and my legs were getting these super itchy raised spots on them after a day in the water. And beware of poison oak,ivy....

 

So now i wear chest waders, non insulated frogg toggs. I put expensive Soft Soles foot inserts into them or else they would be unbearable to walk in. The soft soles are thick nice arched inserts not the cheap flat inserts at wallmart.

 

I walk alot in them, jump into my car and drive to another lake with them on and no problem hiking through the woods to get to a spot but just beware of the big thorns as they could punch through and dont hook yourself.

[Jonas Staggs]

3 hours ago, throttleplate said:

A few years ago I  was wading a creek in the philippines in shorts and hiking boots. When we were done for the day we went back to my friends nipa hut and were staning around talking.

 

I put my hand in my pocket to get the sand out and felt a squishy object and thought it was a snickers bar i forgot to eat so i pulled it out and it was a huge leach.

I did a shriek and threw the leach to the ground, everybody laughed.

 

I was wading this summer in minnesota lakes in the mid summer heat wearing shorts and old shoes.

The problem i encountered was the amount of sand that would get inside my shoes and afterwards theres a thing called swimmers itch and my legs were getting these super itchy raised spots on them after a day in the water. And beware of poison oak,ivy....

 

So now i wear chest waders, non insulated frogg toggs. I put expensive Soft Soles foot inserts into them or else they would be unbearable to walk in. The soft soles are thick nice arched inserts not the cheap flat inserts at wallmart.

 

I walk alot in them, jump into my car and drive to another lake with them on and no problem hiking through the woods to get to a spot but just beware of the big thorns as they could punch through and dont hook yourself.

 

So your wearing stocking foot waders with no boots but a shoe pad inside them is that right? Maybe some "water sock shoes" from Walmart would do the trick.

 

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

If your going to be walking in I would recommend you get breathable waders.  Neoprene is heavy and doesnt breath.  If you plan to be fishing in the colder parts of the year get insulated breathables with a tear away liner.  Boot foot waders are better for mud so long as the boot is a good fit for your foot.  Stocking foots are generally more comfortable.  The wading boots are lighter then boot foot boots which makes walking much more comfortable.  You can also tie wading boots for a better fit when compared to boot foots.  

You can wear old sneakers or boots on stocking foots, but the problem is that they soak up water and become really really heavy.  Good wading boots don't soak any water in.  Korkers makes an excellent wading boot.  Depending on the terrain or bottom you can swap out the sole of the boot to get the best traction.  If you have the felt soles in and want to go fish off a jetty you can just pop the felt sole out and put the sole with aluminum or titanium cleats to bite into the wet rock.  Good waders and wading boots aren't cheap but cheap waders may only last a season or 2 until they start to leak and you have to buy another pair.  Your better of buying quality waders that have a lifetime warranty so if they leak you can send them back and get a new pair.    

[gim]

I have a set of chest neoprene waders that I mostly use for duck hunting and I will tell you first hand that they suck when it’s warm out. Not much worse than walking around and sweating in a pair of sticky moisture ridden waders. They are better suited for cooler temperatures than late September warmth.

 

However, I will say that they always keep me dry. Walking around in them is somewhat cumbersome too so the less distance that I have to wear them, the better.

[redmeansdistortion]

With waders, you definitely get what you pay for.  I'm running 6 seasons on a pair of Simms Freestones as well as Freestone boots without any leaks.  The Simms are comfy and lightweight and easy to hike in.  I pretty much live in them when I'm in the back woods of Michigan hitting streams.  Hiking boots can be worn as wading boots, but the soles aren't designed to grip in water and depending on the river environment, this can be a safety concern.  With true wading boots, rubber soles are much better to hike in than felt.  Felt is only good for fishing rivers with a lot of large rocks, but they are no good for hiking to your destination.  They can become muddy which greatly increases your chances of slipping, plus the felt wears out much faster walking over terrain.

 

Try waders on in a store before you purchase if you can.  Everybody sizes their waders differently and a size from one manufacturer will fit differently from the next.  Breathable waders are the way to go.  They're cool to wade in the summer, and if you find yourself fishing in the cold, you can layer under them.  I fish in my waders year round.  Lastly, and I can't stress this enough, get a wading staff or even a hiking stick so you can probe the river bottom.  Clear water can be deceptively deep, and you can find yourself taking a drink just steps away from where you are standing.  Just because you can wade doesn't mean you should.  Try and wade only as a last resort, either to cast to a spot you can't hit from the bank or to go around obstacles.

[Vilas15]

I'll say in regard to felt soles, make sure they aren't illegal where you fish. They basically pick up any invasives in the stream and can transport them if you pack up and head to another stream. They'll give you great traction on rocks but aren't good for hiking. I have korkers boots which can swap out the soles but I only use the rubber since they're better for hiking.

 

I'll second the comment about breathable stocking foots being more versatile. Better when it's warm and oyu can layer under them when its cold. I think boot foots are really only popular for cold water fishing great lakes tributaries in my area. I've started wading last season with Orvis Ultralights and so far so good.

[throttleplate]

5 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

So your wearing stocking foot waders with no boots but a shoe pad inside them is that right? Maybe some "water sock shoes" from Walmart would do the trick.

 

 

no they are not stocking foot waders, they have the rubber boot with good non slip bottom traction but if you dont put good insoles in them then its like walking on stainless steel truck tire material.

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, Vilas15 said:

I think boot foots are really only popular for cold water fishing great lakes tributaries in my area.

I know some guys that fish in boot foots, but they tend to wear the waders they use for duck hunting.  Nothing wrong with that, could get expensive having to buy 2 sets of waders.

[NorcalBassin]

There were quite a few years where most of my fishing was in the form of flyfishing for trout in high mountain lakes out of a float tube, and I found stocking foot waders with wading boots/shoes to be the best. I'm a big fan of Simms' waders (and boots) and couldn't be happier with their quality and performance. My longest hike into a lake wearing waders and a tube on my back was around 5 miles, and that would have been pretty brutal with built in boots.

[Jonas Staggs]

8 hours ago, throttleplate said:

no they are not stocking foot waders, they have the rubber boot with good non slip bottom traction but if you dont put good insoles in them then its like walking on stainless steel truck tire material.

 

I see, and they are chest high you said? Sounds like those would be a good idea for me