Waders In Kayak???
 

Would you not drown if you went over??? Whats with wearing waders in a kayak??? Please explain???

There are multiple youtube videos of guys in kayaks with waders on going for swims in pools to show how the waders will respond. If you wear a belt and a top you barely get wet. Even without a top the belt and water pressure keep a lot of water out. Granted it was in a pool but it showed you could go into the water then swim back to your yak and get in.

Ummm.....thanks Casey....think I will wet suit it when the time comes.

I usually just wear swim trunks and a life jacket. I have worn waders in a lake though. In the ocean I wore the shorts and jacket but may try my wetsuit this year.

Why bother with waders? I'll take a wetsuit any day. You're kayaking in the ocean. Are people really that worried about getting wet?

Thats what I think JD! Not to mention....I don't care how "tight" your wader belt is....if you dump and you start to fill up with water.....there is no way you are climbing back into a kayak with 10 gallons of water in your waders!!! They are also quite restrictive so it would be difficult anyway if you did stay dry???!!! You have to have a death wish to practice kayaking this way?

Precisely.

i wear waders in my John Boat but that's just when it's raining
so i don't have to worry about getting wet, and i can just get out and wade in places if i want to.

i was gonna ask you what you were planning to use,,,in the Kayak.

thanks for posting this question.

I've been weighing all the odds and ends here.Some times I have to cross a small area to fish an area that I wade.Waders even if they fill won't sink you to the bottom.They will add about 400lbs to you and not allow for an exit of anything less than rolling out.My only advice to guys wearing waders in yaks is make sure you have a sharp knife to cut your waders off.Life jacket is a must have.Dry suits are funny looking and pretty expensive but will keep you dry and warmer in colder spring waters.Not sure wetsuits will keep you warm if your staying mostly dry.Myself I've worn a rainsuit and waterproof sealskinz socks.Keeps you dry from paddle drips and splash.It's been said before and will be said again and again.Drysuits are the safest when yakking.Waders present danger and should be avoided.In the warm months just wear light breathable raingear and life jacket.My .02 .BTW Bigfish Larry have you tried to flipping the yak and getting back in yet.Thats another must do thing because it's only a matter of time that it will happen and you'll be more confident knowing you can do it.

Heat of summer, swim suit, vest....

I almost never wear my waders, unless is is a cold rainy night...
♠ But I did just pick up a wet suit, so I am looking forward to that...

Actually, when worn correctly, they do not fill with water. The surrounding water on the outside of your waders compress them forcing the air out of your waders and don't actually allow a lot of water in. It's been tried and proven by professionals.
I've worn my waders plenty of times. But, for comfort, I wear a pair of waist high waders and a dry top. Works for me.

I almost drowned years ago wearing waders albeit with no dry top in the yak years ago, the wading belt is no waterproof seal IMO. My waders filled with water then the bootfoots dropped below my feet stretching the suspenders. The boats acted like a drift sock catching the estuary current i was in making things even more dicey. PFD saved my butt. I currently wear a farmer john wetsuit with drytop in spring and fall but have also shortened my early season until about this time of year some sort of light splash gear over a wetsuit also helps with the cooling in the wind aspect if you get wet. I would use a drysuit if they were were more affordable.

As the saying goes, "Gear up for the water temperature, not the air temperature."

Right now, water temps are still below 55 degrees. Hypothermia sets in and you can become unconscious in as quick as 15 minutes in 50 degree water.
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/hypothermia.htm

Be careful out there. One mistake is all it takes.

I wear the wader/dry top combo when the water temps are cold. The dry top is an absolute must if you are wearing waders in a yak. Some water may trickle in through the neck seal, but for the most part, it's dry and you can manuever enough to get yourself back in.

Now waders with anything other than a dry top is asking for trouble.

The issue is dry tops are uncomfortable and almost strangle you at the neck seal, so guys just wear the waders to keep their butt dry, but if you go over, it's not gonna be easy to get back in. Sure, you can seal off the waders at the waist with a belt, but the belt needs to be so tight it would be really uncomfortable.

what if the belt was on the outside of the dry top lower so it's not
making you gasp for air... the elastic band belt isn't (doesnt seem) stronger than the water...
gettin in... :point: i hope -to not find out...:eek:

I still think it's nuts. A 5mil wetsuit should keep you in decent shape for waters down to 55 degrees. Colder than that, and there's not much point in going out anyway.

I'm not risking my life for a handful of schoolies that I could catch from shore.

I wear a wader belt under my dry top as a extra layer of saftey, then I ALSO have an aquaskinz belt that I put on over the dry top, but its a last line of defense in case water gets in through the dry top, the dry top has tight seals on the bottom as well.

Johnny: a wet suit is probably a better option and I would probably go that route if I already owned one, but a lot of experts have confirmed this combo works well

oh I should also note that you should also wear some kind of thermals as a base layer that work even when wet. I have mysteriosos that I wear under all of this. Believe it or not, they were designed to use as a base layer of a wet suit!

When the water is cold... like now, I wear waders/dry top/belt and a conventional PFD. I am confident in it's performance should I dump.

When the water gets warmer, I go over to the wetsuit... 5 Mil and a surf top. and an INFLATABLE PFD

Summer, shorts, t-shirt and the inflatable.

Do whatever YOU think is safe.

Larry, this video is decent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYwG5...rom=PL&index=6

There you have it. Myth Busters. :kewl: :hee:

waders aren't gonna protect you if this happens though! :eek:

funny, the guy looks awful calm for someone in that situation :hihi:

WOW!... Best demo I've seen, note that being able to perform a self rescue is KEY. No matter what you wear.

No current or 3-4 ft seas in that pool. Not a real litmus test

Dude... he SWAM in them w/no belt. W/waders, surf top, belt, PFD... I'm confident in any seas I would venture out in. Again, being able to do a self rescue is key. Also, w/the pfd... I'm SURE I could jetison my waders if by some freak accident they filled up.

What exactly do you think will happen?

1. IF the waders fill it will have NO impact while IN the water.
2. IF they fill AND you are wearing your PFD you WILL float.
3. IF they fill AND you are unable to get back in your Yak, pop the suspenders, pop the belt, and pull off the waders. and GET BACK IN THE YAK!
4. I can't stress enough how important it is to GET BACK IN THE YAK before you get too cold. That should be your FIRST priority. If it is, and you are wearing the proper gear (see above) you'll be out of the water before ANYTHING can happen.

5. IF you get seperated from your boat, AND it's cold, , AND your waders fill you MAY be in a bad situation... In that case nothing short of a dry suit will be of any use to you. If that concerns you the $$$ for a dry suit is inconsequential.

Note the highlighted phrase... no one is suggesting (or should be) waders w/o a pfd.

also note he writes "ALBEIT WITH NO DRY TOP"

it works as a system, with no dry top, the system is useless and chit like that can happen!

Everyone wears waders and a dry top. Couldn't agree more with JF.

If you're really concerned, get a breathable dry suit. I can't even imagine how much a person would sweat kayaking in a wetsuit, but it would be impressive if the wind and waves weren't cooperating. Bring lots of water if you plan to go far.

Wetsuit is actually pretty comfortable. If I get hot I just splash some water down the neck. 99% of the time it's night, so that helps too.

I am very comfortable in my wetsuit. My greatest fear is not self rescue it is getting separated from the boat. Even on the video demo, the guy gets wet to his crotch from being in the water for a minute.
If separated at sea that amount of water will surely increase until you will be as cold as a guy wearing shorts and a T-Shirt. At least a wetsuit has insulating properties that will actually help you if submerged or floating alone. I have had this debate before and speaking from 12 years of yak fishing experience, that I will never wear waders in a kayak again. I made my one mistake and I almost paid the ultimate price, I have had my wader legs filled up to my thighs in 60 degree water in an estuary current where I could not reenter the boat. At the same time I had a 36" bass (she flipped me when she hit while I was off balance) pulling my kayak with the current with the rod in the rod holder upside down. After side stroking with the yak about 50 yds to shore I landed the fish.
To each his own and I hope we all have a great and safe season.