• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Waders

Alan Palmer

Alan Palmer

Senior Member & Supporter
Does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of chest waders? Going to be using them for trotting whilst in the river….very unlikely to be using them in summer so mostly spring/autumn. So not convinced I need to go to the expense of breathable waders, or am I making a mistake? My local tackle shop has offered me a very good price on Vass 450-70e…any users of these who can comment? Thanks
 
I was in a similar situation, wanting a pair of chest waders but not sure whether to have the expense of a breathable pair. I opted for the booted Trakker ones which are good for the money BUT wore them on a recent hot day and I was sweating inside them.
In normal weather conditions they're fine but like most things in life, the more you pay, the better the product. If I persevere with trotting mid-river I may well "splash the cash" for a more expensive breathable pair.
 
Alan Palmer said:
Does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of chest waders? Going to be using them for trotting whilst in the river….very unlikely to be using them in summer so mostly spring/autumn. So not convinced I need to go to the expense of breathable waders, or am I making a mistake? My local tackle shop has offered me a very good price on Vass 450-70e…any users of these who can comment? Thanks
Click to expand...
The 700E is a fantastic wader.
 
Breathables are notoriously fragile.

I use Vision breathables (for fly fishing) and a decent pair starts at about £150 (plus boots). I buy used boots cheap from eBay or fly fishing sites. IMO the best value combination is the waders sold by ‘diver Dave’. Sometimes he sells reconditioned pairs (better than new) very cheap. My other half got a good pair for £100. They do allow decent walks on warm days etc etc - but you have to treat them with a degree of care.

I use Ocean chesties for carp fishing (similar to Vass) and neoprenes (Snowbee) for work and they were also great for muddy winter Bristol Avon banks when I barbel fished there.
 
I’ve got a pair of Vass 700E, and I think they’re spot on. They’re fairly light and easy to walk, crouch, clamber up banks in. I’ve worn them in 25°c heat and yes you can sweat a bit, but I sweat when it’s hot anyway so it doesn’t bother me. Good value for money imho.
 
Thanks guys….I think I will get the Vass, have had lots of recommendations. I did look at the daiwa hybrid but was concerned about the weld between the 2 different fabrics being a weak point
 
I've got Vass 400es for general carping - primarily cos they're light(ish) and have low cut boots which means they can be donned in a hurry - bit sweaty however for walking up and down stretches and standing in them at waist height all day - have a look at the Daiwa Hybrids or better still some stocking foot variants with dedicated wading boots
 
I bought the Trakker boot foot waders as my first pair of chesties. When I first used them I immediately realised the boot part was far too soft and the pressure of the wader actually becomes very uncomfortable after just a short time in the river. If wading slack water they are fine but any flow puts pressure on your feet. I will change for stocking foot + boots next season but not sure which yet as its a bit of a minefield. Friends who have the Vass boot foot waders tell me the boot is quite substantial and have no problems with them.
 
John Newman said:
I bought the Trakker boot foot waders as my first pair of chesties. When I first used them I immediately realised the boot part was far too soft and the pressure of the wader actually becomes very uncomfortable after just a short time in the river. If wading slack water they are fine but any flow puts pressure on your feet. I will change for stocking foot + boots next season but not sure which yet as its a bit of a minefield. Friends who have the Vass boot foot waders tell me the boot is quite substantial and have no problems with them.
Click to expand...
Good point John, I agree that the boot can "pinch" in a strong flow
 
sorry to resurrect this thread but looking to get a pair of chesties for fishing the Wye....would you recommend studded (as banks can often be slippery) or normal rubber boots? been looking at Vass 650E or 700. Thanks
 
David George said:
sorry to resurrect this thread but looking to get a pair of chesties for fishing the Wye....would you recommend studded (as banks can often be slippery) or normal rubber boots? been looking at Vass 650E or 700. Thanks
Click to expand...
David, I fish the Wye regularly in summer in rubber sole waders, never had a problem.
 
Ben Marr said:
I'd always go breathable with seperate boots. Supatracks studs are very good to put in the boots if needed.
Click to expand...
I agree. I would say if you are bivvied at a lake for carp and you sometimes have to rush them on (night bite) then go for the boot waders. If you are roving the river, in and out and climbing, walking etc go for sock waders with boots.

John Norris always has decent deals on, I've been using these all season, they will last you;
www.johnnorris.co.uk

Guideline Laxa Sidewinder 2.0 Waders | John Norris

These Guideline Laxa Sidewinder 2.0 Waders are manufactured from a strong, 4-layer Nylon fabric with a 20 000mm water resistant and 5000g/m2/24hrs moisture transporting membrane. An environmentally friendly PFOA free DWR surface treatment repels both dirt and water from the outshell. Inseams on...
www.johnnorris.co.uk www.johnnorris.co.uk
 
Oh and Alan, even though you are using in the autumn/winter it is a mistake not to get breathable if you can afford the extra. You will use more layers and then you will still sweat 😃

Then when you sweat and the vapour has no where to go, it will cool in your layers and make you cold!
 
Go for breathables every time but buy some wading boots to suit ..aw cheaper boot and put supa tracks in them..if fishing on muddy bank the studs help massively. If you are bivvie up and need to get to the rod quickly go for rubber one but if you where then there can become cold as you'll sweat in them ..seirra x force boots are about the best iv used..hope this helps
 
Guidline Laxa are superb. I used the waist version for fly fishing because I had no need (or desire) to wade any deeper than the crown jewels. They fit like a pair of comfy jeans, unlike most baggy waders, which made them easy to walk in and easy to kneel or crouch. I used them with Simms Freestone boots. Expensive combination - about £500.00 I think. Sold mine when I gave up fly fishing.

The next best waders I found were the Vision Koski. These are chest waders and not too baggy. Now that I'm not fly fishing 3ft deep mountain streams I might buy some of the Koski's... chest waders do offer extra security in bigger volumes of water, whatever the depth.
.
 
Last edited:
I once had a set of neoprene chesties, reputed to be nice and warm 🙄. They were amongst the most uncomfortable things i've ever worn, not only that but they were cold also!
Back then I mostly used a pair of hunter streamfisher runbber thigh waders, they were great but unless I wore a pair of thick socks they gave me blisters on my heels.
I now have a set of greys breathable stocking foot waders with the felt soled boots that go with them, i've had them for a good ten years but not really worn them a great deal. When I have worn them it's always been in cold conditions when targetting grayling on a large spate river, so usually when the temp's are just above freezing after the sun has come up and started to thaw everything out. Many people imagine them to be cold to wear, but I found by putting on a thin pair of thermal leggings and a pair of jogger bottoms over the thermal bottoms and a knee length pair of thick socks over them I was nice and warm, even when stood in really fast flowing powerful flows of icy water.
My go too waders, waders which I wear for 99% of my wading are aigle parcours rubber thigh waders. They are ideal for walking miles of river, dropping into and climbing out of likely looking swims as I rove along the rivers. Because I fold them over between swims the only place I sweat is below the knee, and that is during the height of summer.
Regarding breathable waist waders, i've been on the lookout for a set for a few years, i've even bought several pairs only having to send them straight back due to them being faulty, one pair had a 6inch unsealed section of the stocking foot!
I would still like a good set, maybe one day.

These chest waders look quite good, having a 5 layer lower half...
www.ebay.co.uk

Wychwood New SDS Gorge Breathable Chest Fly Fishing Waders – All Sizes | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Wychwood New SDS Gorge Breathable Chest Fly Fishing Waders – All Sizes at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk

The vass waders are deffo not for me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top