Chest wader recommendation

Can anyone recommend a pair of lightweight, breathable chest waders? I have an older pair with an attached rubber boot and find them cumbersome for walking anything but a short distance.

Also, is it better to have an attached boot, or buy the boot separately? I will be walking with a 600 mm lens on a sturdy tripod.

Many thanks. 

I would take a look at these Orvis waders: https://www.orvis.com/p/men-s-ultraligh ... wader/2jby
I have not used them but the reviews are good and Orvis stands behind the things they sell.
Their sales people are usually very knowledgeable so I would call them and ask if these are best suited for your needs.
Personally I like the separate boots best if you do much walking as they fit better and are more comfortable then the attached one piece wader/boots which are always a bit too big in order to get them on easily. The separate boots usually have laces/closures so they fit snug.  Make sure to get the waders/boots sized correctly as a good fit makes them much more enjoyable to wear. If you can get to a store I would, as trying them on is important. If you can't get to a store I'm sure Orvis will work something out to get you fitted properly. I was a fly fisherman (had to stop after back surgery in 2012) so I've used many different waders over the years.

If you're going to be using waders in cold water (and believe me it doesn't take much) make sure the waders you purchase are insulated. Years ago I was in a swamp up to my chest (for about 2 hours) in my floating blind in the Spring and I developed hypothermia without even knowing it was coming on until I had much difficulty (once I realized what was happening) getting back to shore. My whole body and muscles "froze" up on me and I could barely move my legs to get out of the water! Pretty scary! I then purchased insulated waders and never felt that horrible feeling of hypothermia again! If you chose the non-insulated version, maybe insulated long underwear would do the trick too.

Since I steelhead fish a lot, I have many pairs of waders. My boot included are my go too for casual fishing (cabelas) easy to take on and off.. For fast water a boot extra is the way to go but make sure that the boot can accommodate the neoprene foot. Danner makes a good wading shoe with Patagonia breathable waders (we are talking bucks here). I have many pairs of neoprene wader which I just don't wear any more.

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it.

I am glad you shared your experience Mark Picard. I wouldn't have thought of that scenario, but now I will. Scary stuff, especially if you are alone in a secluded area.

Mark Robinson wrote:Thank you all for the information. I appreciate it.

I am glad you shared your experience Mark Picard. I wouldn't have thought of that scenario, but now I will. Scary stuff, especially if you are alone in a secluded area.

Just remember it's tough to get both light weight and insulated/breathable at the same time in the same pair if waders. I had a pair of neoprene (typical of insulated) waders which were great in cold water/cold weather but awful in warmer temperatures as I'd sweat like crazy. It got so I'd only wear them when it was cold - these were a thinner neoprene. They were also more difficult to walk in as the thicker material was harder to flex when doing things like climbing over obstacles requiring higher leg lifts. 

I went through a few pair including an expensive pair from Patagonia before finally buying a pair of Simms. They have really held up to heavy abuse. You might need to google it, but I once say on in depth review on YouTube where the reviewer put many pairs to the test including walking and rolling through thick sticker bushes, and the Simms held up the best.

Ron Niebrugge wrote:I went through a few pair including an expensive pair from Patagonia before finally buying a pair of Simms.  They have really held up to heavy abuse.  You might need to google it, but I once say on in depth review on YouTube where the reviewer put many pairs to the test including walking and rolling through thick sticker bushes, and the Simms held up the best.

This.

If you're going to primarily use the waders in cold weather and cold water, I'd go with the insulated (neoprene) variety.  Otherwise, for warm-, cool-, and moderately-cold-water, I'd go with breatheables.  They're better in warm- and cool-water, and, when combined with top quality fleece, are fine in cold water.  Most breatheables aren't the best for saltwater (the "pores" become clogged).

And for other than short walks, go with separate boots combined with stockingfoot waders.

As has been mentioned, boot fit is critical, for both walking and in-water comfort.  You don't want so much "stuff" (wader foot, extra socks, etc.) jammed inside your boots that your feet are cramped, else circulation will be diminished and your feet will get cold quickly.  Conversely, a too big boot will create blisters quickly.  Boots with more eyelets typically allow a greater range of adjustments to accommodate varying types of wader feet and amount of socks.

And, as Mark related, it's pretty scary trying to wade with leaden, unfeeling feet (been there, done that).

Decide which type of soles you want on your boots.  For rocky stream bottoms, felt or the newer "grippy rubber" is better than traditions rubber lugged boots.  For silty/muddy bottoms, the lugs are better.  Some boots offer interchangeable soles.  And there are strap-on over-sandals that have lugs, felt, studs, etc., depending upon the bottom type you'll be wading in.

Oh, speaking of fit - - - the better wader manufacturers offer more than the standard S/M/L/XL sizing.  They offer some variations in both inseam and girth.  Too-long legs will bunch and wear out more quickly at those bunched locations.  And not enough girth . . . well, there's not enough girth.  As with boots, try them on with the clothes anticipated to be worn.

Also as mentioned, the better brands (e.g., Simms) aren't cheap, but you get what you pay for.  That said, if you'll only be using them occasionally, the less expensive varieties are probably sufficient.

There's an endless number of choices.  In addition to manufacturers' web sites, I'd suggest checking out some fly shop web sites, and well as hunting/fishing/general outdoor web sites.  Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's, Feathercraft, The Fly Shop, Orvis, etc.

Thank you Buzz Bryson! I could not have hoped for a more thorough explanation. Great information.