Need advice about Breathable Stockingfoot Waders

[Water Treater]

Thanks for the advice. I fish from a boat all summer long (I know, I know, boat fish don't count) and fish the surf (outer Cape Cod beaches) in the fall. My "5 years" of wearing Cabela's Gore Tex waders probably amounts to only 25 trips.

My Cabela's Gore Tex waders look almost new but their neoprene boot feet look tired and worn out and the right foot leaks. (I walk 7 to 9 miles each night I'm surf casting. I've worn out the rubber cleats on the soles of my Hodgman Bantam Weight wading boots. (Boots cost only 55 bucks and otherwise are in excellent shape. I'd buy these boots again. They're great.)

Yes, I do spend quite a bit of time kneeling on sand, but I'm not praying for fish. (I probably should) I tag and release stripers and blues for the ALS and I need waders with tough knees.

I wore neoprene waders for the few years I fished the surf and I hated them. Way too hot for the type of fishing (extensive walking) I do. Breathable waders feel flimsy, but they're not. The fabric is pretty tough. I wear breathable thermal long johns underneath my waders and I'm comfortable right up until cold weather in November.

I'll take your collective advice (skip the $ 425.00 wader price tag) and buy a pair that fits and that I'm not afraid to fish hard.

Thanks guys.

Bill

[eelman]

Buy the simms....there is no equall...........

[Slingah]

Water- Treater
If you only fish the sandy beaches of the Cape...why don't you try a pair of BOOT foot breathables from Cabela's?????
If you only did 25 trips in them over 5 years...the lug sole boot foots would probaly last you a life time
Stocking feet and wading shoes...don't work or last long in the sand

[Water Treater]

Slingah,

I do too much walking for boot foot waders. (Years ago I got blisters when using neoprene waders with boot feet.) Separate wading boots fit like a walking/running shoe. Built-in boot foot waders are too loose.
Also I can turn stockingfoot waders inside out and dry them completely in the sun in a few hours. I can also rinse with a hose the inside of the wading boots. Drying the boots isn't necessary but it's critical to get the sand out of the boots because the sand destroys the neoprene feet. Being able to completely dry the inside of the waders (and dry the boots, too) is a huge plus and the reason I switched to stockingfoot waders.

I realize that by design stockingfoot waders are more fragile than boot foot waders but stockingfoot waders are the only way to go if you do a lot of walking sandy beaches/climbing dunes like I do.

Your advice is well taken. If I fished close to the parking lots I'd do fine with with bootfoot waders. By the way, I've been very impressed with Cabela's top of the line waders, made in China. (ugh!). The yoke-style neoprene suspenders on Cabela's breathable waders are superior to the suspenders on Simms and other waders costing twice as much. Such is life.

Thanks again for your advice.

Bill

[NIB]

Never put neopreme or rubber in the sun to dry.I breaks it down in no time.

[Slingah]

Bill
I as well walk many miles on the sand (not so much the past couple years)and have gone through the agony of blisters and torn up ankle/calf area from rubbing
I have tried every style....and found no great anwser for waders in the sand......Ideally an attached rust/rot proof lace-up rubber sole woud be it....
But I will say what I found to be the best solution for me is boot foots with heavy calf high neoprene socks by Hodgeman..."super socks" hard to find but they the snug up the space and protect feet and chafing......