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[habzrule]

Hi all...I'm sad to say I don't yet own any waders 
Haven't been fishing out here very long and had a boat back east so...but anyways, I'm guessing the 21 degree sunny days are almost over and wearing shorts and no socks is no longer an option for river fishing.  Anyone have any advice on what brand/type of waders i should be looking at for the rivers around here this fall???
Seems like safety is an issue lately...maybe ones that aren't known to trap air in the legs or anything
I've seen some nice looking ones in some of the pics here that look like they run all the way up with shoulder straps, and fit like a glove...whatre them things?

  Thanks in advance

[Jonny 5]

I like my bare ?supra? waders. they are really insulated for those cold days, and they are light enought to walk for hours (Or maybe I am just really stong   ) ect.  I am really tall (6 4) and I was usually having problems with them not being long enough but bare makes them in all sorts of weird sizes.

Hope that helps.  They are probably aobut 160 - 200 $ I would guess.

Jon

[Trout Slayer]

they are really insulated for those cold days,

I bet you have a fun time in them in the summer eh  

go breathable, stay away from neoprene

Breathable for sure, just wear a pair of long johns or sweat pants when it's cold out.

[habzrule]

Around $200-$250 I think is about good for me...I guess i need some warm ones as I plan to fish for coho right through the fall/winter.  With a little luck I might actually catch one by then.  So far been skunked        hehe it's my first year trying for them and so far all I have done is cast spinners at the cap/cap mouth and look stupid pulling up weird looking ling cod and other freaks of nature.  But I plan to grab me some waders and head for the vedder.  

[habzrule]

sounds good guys, thanks for the tips

[Jonny 5]

Yeah, I had a set of breathables before, but like I said, the height thing was a problem.  It made for inflexibility at the knees, which was a problem when
I was hiking.

If your not super tall, but super rich  , then get some breathable waders as you can always insulate yourself.

hope that help

[Jonny 5]

hey fish4life, why don't you tell me what waders you have, and maybe instead of this useless banter, i will be able to decide if i can get some waders for a not so tall 6 4 frame.  thanks,

Jon

[Steelhead King]

If you just want a pair of wader for the winter and don;t mind it will get too warm.. Try the Bare " sport" the light greenish color one... its like $165+ a pair of boots for any other 80 ish..  so it will fit your budget.

[MERC]

At Steveston Marine and Hardware, they have the Sedge breathables for $190.00.  Look pretty decent.  I recommend wearing breathable waders with polar fleece pants (I got mine cheap at Nadex.  $10.00.) because the polar fleece breathe.  Yes, even the cheap ones.  Don't wear cotton sweat pants because the material just absorbs the sweat and the extra money you spent on breathables are wasted.  It's all about moisture management and moving sweat from skin to the outside.  If you get cold, you might want to think about neoprene.  Generally cheaper than breathables, and they come in thickness ranging from about 3-5 mm, with the thicker being warmer and also more durable.  Cheap neoprenes made by Crystal river or Browning start about $80-90 and top out about 350-400 for the really good ones.  All the manufacturers mentioned previously are reputable.  With boots too, you get what you pay for.  Definitely get boots with felt soles as they provide traction on slippery rocks.  I've used the Hodgeman waders and while not bad, they don't give you lots of support in the ankle.  But, they are reasonablly priced.  Good luck.  Try to buy the best you can afford otherwise you will find that you keep on upgrading and spending more money in the long run.

I tend to agree with Fulcrum.  I rarely go over my knees and use my waders mainly for rain protection and warmth too.  Waders are designed to keep you dry.  They shouldn't make you take chances in the rivers you wouldn't otherwise take if you didn't have them...

[Gooey]

The warmth factor of neoprene is nice when winter steelheading. 

I love the breathables in the summer and early fall (I had a pair on loan from a sho oncep) but come october and coho season I do a lot of bushwackin on the lower chehalis.  All I can tell you is that neoprene is stronger and much easier to patch when you get a hole or a tear.

I think my wife paid $149 for my Bear Supra's at highwater tackle last fathersday...Dave the owner is extremely helpful...if you are on the north shore give him a call (604 986 3239).

[The Gilly]

Neoprene = warmth + lower cost.
breathable = comfort + higher cost.

Hiking in neoprene is not desireable, trust me.  However, when it's really cold in dec-feb, I go with my neoprene.  If your just starting out, I would go neoprene for cost alone.  However, I managed to buy a pair of bear discontinued breathable waders for $150.00.  I wear my breathables 80-90%.
Go beathables if you can afford them and look for a pair of used neoprenes.

[Koho]

Agree with what Fulcrum and MERC said about not wading past the knees.  I've got a pair of Orvis Silver Label chest waders but rarely go past the knees.  I use it more for keeping dry in the rain, keeping warm, and staying relatively dry when hiking for long periods (the sweat goes through the waders).  They're perfect for spring thru fall fishing.  I've used them in the winter too but need to wear fleece pants and long underwear to do that.

Boots with felt soles are great too.

[Koho]

Got them in 98 so 6 years now.  Still using them with no leaks in the foot.  Don't know whether they leak above the knees though    ...actually they should be fine.

Before that, I was using some rubber chest waders that I got at A&N and they started leaking at the ankle after 2 summers.  I patched them up but was much better off getting the breathables.

[Rodney]

Regarding safety... If it looks too deep, it IS too deep. When wading, even if it is shallow, take the time to watch the flow for a few minutes before making any move into the water.

Since it will be the first pair of waders, hop into the tackle store and try out all the ones that may interest you. The best pair, after all, is the one that fits you the best. a pair of $500 waders may be worthless if you don't feel comfortable in them.

[habzrule]

I gotta admit, this forum is pretty sweet...everytime I have a question I get a bunch of info...even though my questions are mainly pretty newbish as this is my first year river fishing for Salmon   
Anyways thx for the help and advice from everyone,  I'm thinking i'll just go with some cheap hip waders for now and dress warm in the winter...I kinda started to think if I wore anything too effective I might get overconfident walking around some of these rivers...considering I've never even seen the Vedder...this year I think I'll mainly get too know the rivers and spy on what people are using to catch fish with