waders vs wetsuits

[GonnaCatchABig1]

i recently found my honey hole. and lets just say "it requires doing some work" to get to the fish. cold. wet. work. it is very exhausting doing all the physical work while your body is trying to stay warm. as i am sure most of you know from experience. i am completely wiped out.

any way. what are the pros and cons of each? i think i would personally rather go with the full body wetsuit. just because they seem lighter. and i really wouldn't be spending to much time in the water. i basically need something to keep me from suffering at the hands of the non water elements at dusk and night. such as wind and cool/cold air. no sun to dry me off etc etc. 70 degrees with a 10 mph wind and no sun felt like 30 degrees tonight. for the first time i said "i cant do this" after pulling in fish.

[Slingah]

you better gear up if your saying that now....get some 5 mm neoprene waders and polar-tec fleece.....this is HOT compared to October....

[fishaholic18]

Get a pair of LLBean waders and a Simms dry top and you'll be good.

[Christian]

dry top and a fleece, waders, and a nice belt. youll be golden.

[Pete_G]

Evaporational cooling when you're wearing a wetsuit is a big factor. While they're warm a chill can eventually catch up with you.

On a night like last night where the humidity is really low you'd be very aware of it.

Check out the new Aquaskinz Phantom and layer up with some fleece as previously suggested.

I usually only go to my wetsuit if I can't reach a spot in my waders or for safety reasons.

[OnTheLedge]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

Evaporational cooling when you're wearing a wetsuit is a big factor. While they're warm a chill can eventually catch up with you.

On a night like last night where the humidity is really low you'd be very aware of it.

Check out the new Aquaskinz Phantom and layer up with some fleece as previously suggested.

I usually only go to my wetsuit if I can't reach a spot in my waders or for safety reasons.

Pete....You wear fleece under a wetsuit?

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Robert

Pete....You wear fleece under a wetsuit?

Sorrry, I should have re-worded that post. I don't wear fleece under my wetsuit. If I need more warmth in a wetsuit I go to a higher mm or a better suit. Throwing a drytop over a wetsuit does help a lot though and I do that on dry, cool nights or later in the season when it's cold.

For the fleece I was talking about waders.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

Originally Posted by Slingah

you better gear up if your saying that now....get some 5 mm neoprene waders and polar-tec fleece.....this is HOT compared to October....

well thats exactly why i wanna get something. that water right now is gorgeous. but the wind and lack of sun around here is killin me. not too mention i'm sick of getting home with my feet all tender and water logged. plus we keep getting bit.. mine was only a crab yesterday.. but my buddy doesnt know what bit him and it took a lil gash out of the top of his foot. and jellies are starting to be a problem. not a major problem. only a few of them to look out for.. but if this spot still produces with warmer water... i'm sure the jellies will be worse.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

heres another question.. which of the two is more comfortable on a warm/hot night or day? speaking about out of the water.

[Pete_G]

If you don't like being waterlogged forget about the wetsuit. Stink and dampness are almost facts of life with wetsuits.

Plus my feet have seen better days after a few months stuck in funky smelling, always wet, boots. One of my toes is cracked, black, and just shy of rotting away.

You kind of have to try both. "Comfort" is relative. If I could be 100% dry like I often can in waders but fish in the spots I swim to, I would. But, the freedom of a wetsuit is really nice.

Keep watch at Ocean State Job Lot, Sierra Trading Post, etc. You can grab a suit cheap and give it a shot for under $50.

For hot conditions it's a split. With the wetsuit I just jump in and open the neck on my suit. Instant A/C. With waders I just wear less.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

thanks guys. i'm thinkin maybe waders now. it's a toughy. as one of the main problems is i don't have a dunk worthy reel. so getting out casting and then getting back in with out dunking the thing it key. still taking it in the shower with me after. it's been alot of work.. the morning and day tides are fine.. it's the dusk and night that kills me. sure the water is easier to deal with cause it warmer than the air. but out of the water is awful. i'll deal with it for a while as with 4 times fishing i hooked into a keeper each time.. key words "hooked into", the biggest spit the hook as i was going to grab him. his head came out like two inches, then a small swell came up behind him. giving him just enough slack to spit the thing. that one hurt. the other were still about 20 ft away. but that guy was right there. estimated at 38 inches. you should have seen me. he was in about a foot of water. the second the hook came out i dove on top of him. but missed.

[Slingah]

I saw wet suits in Ocean State Job Lot yesterday for $35.00......can't go wrong there....

[Chris in Mass]

Building 19 also - $39

[GonnaCatchABig1]

i heard about those deals. i hear building 19 also has waders for around $50. i dunno about buying something like waders from building 19 though. fill em with a hose and the become lawn sprinklers.. has any one bought a pair from there? if so.. will they last long enough to make em worth the $50? or should i thrown some more cash for the llbean and their guarantee?

[Chris in Mass]

Building 19 has the Body Glove. Mine was new in the original packaging. $29 for shortys and $39 for the full length. I needed a XXXL (6'2", 230) and Job Lot didn't have my size. I agree on the Building 19 Waders - I wouldn't go near them.

[Chris in Mass]

Two answer your second part about going more expensive. Depends on how serious you are, how many trips and under what conditions. My motiviation was wanting to try it a couple of times this season. I have been eyeballing two locations and doing a litlle wet wading with the NRS Wetshoe. So for $39, I'll be able to see if it is for me. If not, I'm not into for too much.

[Mike P]

You really need to clarify a few things.

From the sound of your posts it seems to me like you're "wet wading" in street clothes or shorts to reach a certain spot.

When you get there, are you fishing from dry land, or are you still in the water?

How deep do you wade? If no more than waist deep, go with waders. If water will come over the top of your waders, you need a wetsuit.

With a wetsuit, you might be tempted to bite off more than you can chew right now. Keep the fact that wetsuits make no one drown-proof in mind.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

i'm wading in around.. little over waist deep. but with some waves, often about lil under chest high will get wet. but at night when it's colder i will only go till about my stomach is wet. i just get a bit greedy during the day. i only wade out to cast. then make the long haul back to shore, to wait. which is where the problem of being wet at night comes into play. the wind is whipping and it's cold. we were shaking like crazy out of the water. another thing is, the crabs come out to play in full force at dusk through night there. i keep getting bit. not to mention all the fun rocks, and shells. so i need some foot protection. i'm close to just wearing my shoes in tonight.

if i got a wet suit, i would keep going out about mid stomach deep. if i got some waders i would go only about waist. no need to push it.
i just want to be warm. three nights in a row of freezing and and carrying and fighting fish and walking around alot is getting incredibly exhausting. it wouldn't be half as bad with out expending all that energy on shivering.

[Mike P]

I would stick with waders, especially if you're going to wade back to shore after casting.