Waders and Wading Boots

[William McClendon]

Sorry if this is a well worn trail, but I'm looking to buy some waders and wading boots now. Which ones to get? Neoprene or Canvas? What weight? Boot foot or stocking foot? So many questions!
I'm not really looking to spend a lot of money, but I don't want sorry equipment. I'll be tubing a good bit in the ponds at Charlie Elliot and probably tubing the Hooch some once someone shows me how to fish there. Thanks for all yall's help!

[HNeal]

Neoprene or canvas? Hmm! I use lightweight coated nylon. I love them, but I do need long johns underneath. The neoprene can get hot in summer, but good insulation in winter.
The best is Gore-tex or similar, but $$$$.

Definitely I recommend the stocking foot waders and wading boots. I've had both and the wading boots grip the feet better for a better and more stable foothold.

[Owl]

Hey "Millam" !!!! I wore boot foot hippers for YEARS. Finally got some Hodgeman waders from BPS last winter. Have to do the long-john thing in winter , but otherwise They are great !!!! They cost me about 170bucks including the hodgeman wading shoes. ( both were in the HUNTING /SHOE dept.
You will appr. the stocking foot and wading shoes on hikes into the walk in ponds...I wouldn't wear boot foot's again even if that's all they made. I'd wade wet YR! Brrrrrrrrrrrr.r..r.r.r.r http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif
PS my boots velcro and the waders have neoprene footies, so's me toes stay warm in the winter. It's almost time to wade wet !!!!!!! Yeahhhhhhhh. I just need to glue some felt onto my tennis shoes. Bondini, ya think ???? http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif

[The Ole Man]

William
I use the Cabelas 3 millimeter lightweight neoprene stockingfoots at 60.00 and the Hodgeman Lakestream boots at The Bargain Barn for 40.00. Total inves $100.00. Did chunk the Cabelas stretch gaiters that came with the waders and put 10.00 more into some Cabelas zip up gaiters. Probably get something breathable when weather heats up-but saw a guy yesterday wet wade the Hooch for several hours-just shorts, socks and wading boots. What a bear.

[Drifter]

William,

I got to agree with the Ole Man here. The only exception....if your gonna do a lot of hiking and backpacking to your streams, you may want a set of nylon stocking hippers because the can be rolled up tightly and placed in your backpack.

'Course you said you'll be tubing the Hooch...so start out with a set of stocking foot, neopreme chest waders. If you get hot, you can roll them down to navel level.

Drifter

[Loren]

Owl,

For small streams, i bought a $10 pair of tennis shoes and used Goop to glue some industrial polypropylene felt to the soles. The Goop was water resistant (Marine, maybe?) at Lowes. Works great, but is no good on vinyl floors. Wooops, there I go again.

Loren

[Mr T]

William -- Four years ago I invested $29.95 in Cabela's lightweight nylon stockingfoot bib waders and another $29.95 in Cabela's canvas wading boots. They've worked great with shorts in water temps as low as 55 degrees. Any colder than that, I wear sweat pants for insulation. Use them about three weeks (total) a year and they still look like new.

Periodically, sportsman's guide will have canvas "hiking" boots at very low prices. Currently, they have some in limited sizes for $9.97. Got a pair of those last year with vibram soles and they're perfect waders when the bottom has sand or gravel. I then converted the Cabela's boots to felt soles for slippery rocks.

If you really want to go cheap, you can pick up a pair of K-mart vinyl stockingfoot waders for less than $10.00 but you might as well be wet wading 'cause you'll be soppin' wet from sweat condensation after about 30 minutes of fishing.

Mr. T