Dec 7 (2 days ago) | ||||
Let's face it, the water is starting to get cold. You want to be able to wade comfortably all day, but wet wading has you getting out of the water every 30 mins. What you need is a pair of waders. You can spend between $40-$700 on a pair of waders. What are the differences between waders?
Neoprene
Neoprene waders are fairly inexpensive and will definitely keep you warm, sometimes too warm. Neoprene is a relatively strong, stretchy material that sticks pretty close to your body. Neoprene comes in a different thicknessess, usually between 3mm-7mm. The thicker you go the warmer you are. Thicker waders are also harder to puncture. I would never go with 7mm in florida, unless you like being really toasty. A disadvantage of neoprene waders is that they dont "breathe" and your sweat stays has no where to escape. Overall they are a good all around choice for most anglers and range from $50-100 in most cases.
PVC/Rubber
Even though PVC and rubber are two different materials, I classified them in the same group because they work basically the same. They are usually pretty cheap and dont breathe at all. PVC waders are lighter weight than neoprene, but do not provide any warmth. Rubber is heavy and is a little warmer than PVC, but still does not compare to neoprene in warmth. They run between $35-70 in most cases
Breathable
Breathable waders are fairly new technology (1990s) compared to neoprene and rubber waders. They allow your body and sweat to breathe when in the water. You can comfortably wear breathable waders in 70 degrees or 10 degrees as long as you layer, accordingly. When breathable waders first came out, they werent very durable. That has all changed in the last 10 years are so, and they are models built for hiking and brush busting. Most breathable consist of either toray fabric (every company has a different name for toray) or Gore-tex. Gore-tex is the more durable and breathable material of the two, but costs quite a bit more. Toray has made many advances and is not too far behind, but it is a little bit heavier. Toray waders run between $80-500 while Gore-tex waders run between $300-700.
Neoprene
Neoprene waders are fairly inexpensive and will definitely keep you warm, sometimes too warm. Neoprene is a relatively strong, stretchy material that sticks pretty close to your body. Neoprene comes in a different thicknessess, usually between 3mm-7mm. The thicker you go the warmer you are. Thicker waders are also harder to puncture. I would never go with 7mm in florida, unless you like being really toasty. A disadvantage of neoprene waders is that they dont "breathe" and your sweat stays has no where to escape. Overall they are a good all around choice for most anglers and range from $50-100 in most cases.
PVC/Rubber
Even though PVC and rubber are two different materials, I classified them in the same group because they work basically the same. They are usually pretty cheap and dont breathe at all. PVC waders are lighter weight than neoprene, but do not provide any warmth. Rubber is heavy and is a little warmer than PVC, but still does not compare to neoprene in warmth. They run between $35-70 in most cases
Breathable
Breathable waders are fairly new technology (1990s) compared to neoprene and rubber waders. They allow your body and sweat to breathe when in the water. You can comfortably wear breathable waders in 70 degrees or 10 degrees as long as you layer, accordingly. When breathable waders first came out, they werent very durable. That has all changed in the last 10 years are so, and they are models built for hiking and brush busting. Most breathable consist of either toray fabric (every company has a different name for toray) or Gore-tex. Gore-tex is the more durable and breathable material of the two, but costs quite a bit more. Toray has made many advances and is not too far behind, but it is a little bit heavier. Toray waders run between $80-500 while Gore-tex waders run between $300-700.
"Indian River" Joel
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