Chest Wader Recommendations?
- This topic has 19 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated Jun 15, 2014 at 3:21 pm by
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I’m looking at purchasing some chest waders and was wondering if anyone had any input on the Simms freestone waders. They are made with Toray fabric which I’m not familiar with, but a buddy of mine has them and they looked pretty solid.
I’ll be fishing mostly in Georgia which has dense shrubbery in most locations so there is a good chance for snags.
Should I consider another brand?
Thanks,
MikeSimms are by far the best and most durable waders made, in my opinion. I have a pair of G3’s that I have beat the shit out of all over the Western US, Michigan, and 4+ years in New Zealand, and they are still going strong. If I were you, I would strongly consider stepping up to the Headwaters model, which features Gore-tex instead of Toray. http://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/waders/headwaters-stockingfoot.html
Alternatively, you may be able to pick up a closeout pair of last year’s waders. I would particularly look for their “Guide” model, which was basically a stripped-down pair of their G3’s without the pockets and extra features. It’s a great wader, and it should be close to your price range on closeout sales. Call around to some fly shops and see if they still have any in stock and are willing to do a deal for you, or at last resort you can hit ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Simms-Guide-Stockingfoot-Waders-NEW-in-Box-Closeout-Size-XL-/321417354053?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad5f79b45Great feedback Tim! Does anyone know if the Simms lifetime warranty still applies if purchased used on eBay?
Take a look at the Redington Sonic-Pro waders. I’m about a year into a pair here in GA and they seem to be holding up well. And they are about the same price as the Simms Freestone.
Simms offer a lifetime warranty for workmanship and material failure, a 30-day “across the counter” exchange for any leaks, and a free repair within the first year. More here: http://www.simmsfishing.com/cs-guarantee. Simms has a great reputation for their quality of customer service, and I can vouch for that excellence first-hand. The reality is that any wader will eventually leak. If you smash through enough blackberry, walk enough miles, jump enough barbed-wire fences, and wear them long enough, your waders will spring leaks. However, like any soft-good, there can be a big difference in the amount of abuse that different brands and models of waders can endure before wearing out. Buying a quality-built wader will help to prolong the initial leak-free period, after which aqua-seal or manufacturer repair can further prolong their life.
Good luck with your search for your ideal wader, Mike. There are definitely plenty of good options available from a range of manufacturers.
Mike, wader warranties are pretty irrelevant. Tim is completely right: they all leak eventually. You just repair them with Aquaseal and go on. I have two pairs of Simms Guides which are both thoroughly trashed but they still keep the water out even though one pair is over 10 years old.
Zach
Thanks for all the great feedback folks. I’m going to go try some different waders on soon and then make a decision. I may go the eBay route if i can find a good deal. Really appreciate all the feedback.
Hi Mike,
I skated around Simms for years and years because of the price.
Now I have a pair of the G3’s and I couldn’t be happier.
The sizing was one of the main buying points as I was sick of the not quite right fit of the cheeper stuff.
Seems that most of the stuff out of China only comes in short, short & fat and short and really fat with small feet..lolThat said, I have noticed Reddington now have a few more sizes in their new range of waders.
I have one of their new Jackets and it’s pretty sweet for the money.www.dsaphoto.com
A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.
I got the redington Sonic pros zip up this year and they are great. I fish a lot of heavily wooded rivers and brooks as well as ocean shoreline. They Are durable and comfortable with 4 layers at the legs and butt.
The feet are a little big and the zipper is a little tough to sip but it definitely hold out water.
Check them out on Sierra Trading Post for decent pricing. I still have my Simms headwaters but I have beat them and patched them several times. I am rough on waders and rods. That’s the reason I started building and repairing rods.Another vote for simms. I have been wearing the same guide model for almost 10 years now. In the first year I fell onto a cut cottonwood stump thanks to a beaver on the Madison. It was like a punji stick going I to my thigh. I sent the waders back to simms and they provided a pair of G3’s as loaners in my size while mine were repaired. Man I’d don’t want to give up my loaners. Since then I have repaired them with aqua seal from time to time but they are still going strong. I’m starting to look at replacements and it will only be simms. I have friends who have bought cheaper waders and they are on their second or third pair now compared to me. Just can’t beat quality.
EricI have to put in a good word for Patagonia waders.
A pair of breathable waders used to last me about a year… or less. Then I bought a pair of Patagonia’s and had them for about seven years before they sprung a few leaks in the feet that were difficult for me to fix. So I sent them in to Patagonia. Rather than fix them they sent me a new pair. I’ve had this pair for about four years, I treat them poorly and they never give me any problems.
I’m also a big fan of Yvon Chouinard.
Jeff, I am surprised I haven’t heard more people mention Patagonia. I tried on the Patagonia Skeena River Wader this week and I was impressed. Patagonia waders feel more comfortable than Simms waders to me.
Right now I’m leaning towards going with the Patagonia Skeena’s, or Orvis Silver Sonic Convertible if I decide to go the cheaper route.
Simms Guides for 10+ years and still going strong…
Buy Goretex, cry once…
I had a pair of waders made by another prominent brand in Toray fabric, they lasted 3 months in salt water and then delaminated. I called them weepers, and turned them into rain pants.
Best Regards,
Beechy
Patagonia sent you a new pair, Jeff, because they do not possess repair facilities–all their waders are made abroad. As much as I like and respect the Patagonia brand and their corporate philosophy, in this regard they are not exactly living their reduce/reuse/recycle ideals. Simms will repair waders (I had a new set of boot feet put on my ~2000 pair of Guides a few years back), giving you more use out of the same pair. Patagonia is just not set up to do that because of their offshore manufacturing. Simms offshores a lot of product as well, but their waders are actually made in Bozeman. I’ve watched them do it.
I’ve had a pair of Freestones for going on 6 years now that have served me well, although they have sprung a small and (hopefully) repairable leak in the last few weeks. If these aren’t repairable, I’ll likely be going for a new pair of Headwaters.
I don’t think Simms makes the Freestones in the US, though. Do they? All the other models are US-made, but I think the Freestones are imported.
I may be a day late but … I have a pair of zippered Orvis Silver Sonics. I like them. For older men and in COLD weather a zipper is worth the extra dollars. My only complaint, and a small one it is, would be that the belt needs to be a couple of inches higher on the waders.
After trying on many different waders, reading a bunch of reviews and listening to all the great advice on this forum, I finally decided to go ahead make the big investment. I tried my best to not just go the Simms route, but in the end I purchased the Simms G3 Guide Stockingfoot Waders from Blue Ridge Fly Fishing shop. I’m pretty confident I made the right decision given the dense shrubbery / bushes I’ll be getting into here in North Georgia and the Appalachian mountains.
Getting into fly fishing has seriously increased my desire to take more trips back home (Arkansas) where my family and a lot of friends live, because I know I’ll get a chance to fish the white river while I’m there. However, next up I’ll be taking my first trip to Yellowstone in a few weeks with the wife. We’re only going to be there for 4 days so I’m not sure how much fishing we’ll get done, but I’ll at least get a good taste of it.
Thanks again for all the great feedback!
Mike
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