LL Bean Stocking Foot Waders

[salmo]

Five years ago I purchase a paid of LL Bean Men's Breathable Emerger Waders with Super Seam Technology, Stocking-Foot for roughly $190.00, probably on sale. I only fish about 8-16 days a year. I had a zipper installed in the appropriate location. I just retired them with no holes or leaks, except when I forgot to close the zipper. While I don't fish many days, I do fish some pretty ugly locations. Brushy, thorny spots with lots of logjams. I think that I'll offer them to my son who only occasionally fishes. Today the low end LL Bean stocking foot wader equivalent sells for $330.00. If I did my math correctly that's a roughly 74% increase in five years. That can't be just inflation. Regardless still a good pair of waders. My new pair were Simms Freestone. I have yet to put the new ones on.

 

[Bamboozle]

...Today the low end LL Bean stocking foot wader equivalent sells for $330.00. If I did my math correctly that's a roughly 74% increase in five years. That can't be just inflation...

Tackle manufacturers are like vendors in Middle Eastern open air markets....

As soon as one vendor has the "medjools" to bump the prices, the rest quickly follow suit based on nothing but greed.

Maybe 10 years ago, I bought a pair of aluminum Abel fishing pliers at around $100 when the ONLY high end pliers out there over that price were Van Staal, made of titanium at around $300.

All of a sudden, Hatch introduces a pair at $300 so the following years, the Abel pliers went up to $300. Now the Hatch are $375, Abel's are $350 and Van Stall have gone up $99. with no end in sight...

I like it a lot better when $100 fly lines, $500+ waders, $300 wading shoes, $100 nippers and $1000 plastic fly rods USED to be an exception...

 

[Swattie87]

Five years ago I purchase a paid of LL Bean Men's Breathable Emerger Waders with Super Seam Technology, Stocking-Foot for roughly $190.00, probably on sale. I only fish about 8-16 days a year. I had a zipper installed in the appropriate location. I just retired them with no holes or leaks, except when I forgot to close the zipper. While I don't fish many days, I do fish some pretty ugly locations. Brushy, thorny spots with lots of logjams. I think that I'll offer them to my son who only occasionally fishes. Today the low end LL Bean stocking foot wader equivalent sells for $330.00. If I did my math correctly that's a roughly 74% increase in five years. That can't be just inflation. Regardless still a good pair of waders. My new pair were Simms Freestone. I have yet to put the new ones on.

If they’re weren’t leaking what was your reason for retiring the outgoing ones? Not being critical, your money, spend it as you like, just genuinely curious.

I sometimes buy a new pair of waders before my old ones are totally shot, if I come across a good deal on a pair I know I like. I generally keep the old ones for brush busting situations or to take along as a backup on multi-day away from the house trips, until the leaks become overwhelming.

 

[salmo]

I have another pair as a backup. I'll be candid. I've upgraded my wading equipment out of vanity. I'm guessing this might be my last pair. I also purchased a new tux in January, which I will probably not wear again. Maybe just putting things in order. 🙂

 

[salmo]

Tackle manufacturers are like vendors in Middle Eastern open air markets....

As soon as one vendor has the "medjools" to bump the prices, the rest quickly follow suit based on nothing but greed.

Maybe 10 years ago, I bought a pair of aluminum Abel fishing pliers at around $100 when the ONLY high end pliers out there over that price were Van Staal, made of titanium at around $300.

All of a sudden, Hatch introduces a pair at $300 so the following years, the Abel pliers went up to $300. Now the Hatch are $375, Abel's are $350 and Van Stall have gone up $99. with no end in sight...

I like it a lot better when $100 fly lines, $500+ waders, $300 wading shoes, $100 nippers and $1000 plastic fly rods USED to be an exception...

Okay Boomer. I still miss the five cent Baby Ruth bars, $4.98 LPs, 45s for $1.29 and being afraid to buy a prophylactic from a woman druggist. Just saying.

 

[Jay_H]

I had the same LL Bean waders for about 8 years before I got a small leak in the stocking foot. I reached out to Bean and got a replacement pair for $75. Great customer service and the new ones are just as good (so far). So in about 9 years I’ve spent roughly $285 dollars on 2 pairs of waders and 2 pairs of boots from them. (2nd pair of boots were a brand new eBay find)

 

[Swattie87]

LLBean used to be about the best bang for your buck with stocking foot waders. They’re still good, but they’re priced more in line with their peers now, other mid-grade range stuff. I bought a pair of lower end Orvis waders and a pair of Patagonia’s I got for about 50% off last two times. I’d say both are similar in quality to the LLBean Kennebec’s I bought 3 times in a row before that. Both the Orvis and Patagonia (sale price) pairs were less than the Kennebecs when I bought them this time. Happy with both pairs, was happy with my Kennebec’s too though. They’ve just priced themselves up into steeper competition. When they were $200, they were head and shoulders better than anything else out there at that price point.

 

[JG63]

Tackle manufacturers are like vendors in Middle Eastern open air markets....

As soon as one vendor has the "medjools" to bump the prices, the rest quickly follow suit based on nothing but greed.

Maybe 10 years ago, I bought a pair of aluminum Abel fishing pliers at around $100 when the ONLY high end pliers out there over that price were Van Staal, made of titanium at around $300.

All of a sudden, Hatch introduces a pair at $300 so the following years, the Abel pliers went up to $300. Now the Hatch are $375, Abel's are $350 and Van Stall have gone up $99. with no end in sight...

I like it a lot better when $100 fly lines, $500+ waders, $300 wading shoes, $100 nippers and $1000 plastic fly rods USED to be an exception...

That’s why I search out older quality rods and reels to collect and fish when the price is right - I look for oddballs like Cortland branded reels, old pre Diamondback REC rods, St. Croix USA made rods and of course Don Green designed USA made Fenwicks and Sage stuff - I maintain my old lines (the more lines you have in circulation, the less wear on each individual unit 🥳) - my older Redington waders don’t get used much so I keep them cool, shaded, and dry on the basement when they’re not needed

 

[Bamboozle]

I maintain my old lines (the more lines you have in circulation, the less wear on each individual unit 🥳) ...

I have perfectly good have fly lines in use that are older than some PAFF members...

Take care of your stuff and it will last a couple of lifetimes!!

 

[Bamboozle]

Okay Boomer. I still miss the five cent Baby Ruth bars, $4.98 LPs, 45s for $1.29 and being afraid to buy a prophylactic from a woman druggist. Just saying.

There are always vending machines for the latter, but those are probably up $ 1.00 from my youth...

 

[salmo]

I was pretty surprised to find out that our local high school gave them out to my son daughter's classes in the early 2000s.

 

[wildtrout2]

There are always vending machines for the latter, but those are probably up $ 1.00 from my youth...

I lived dangerously when I was young. Thankfully, coitus interruptus always kept me out of trouble. As they say, timing is everything. 😉

 

[salmo]

That’s why I search out older quality rods and reels to collect and fish when the price is right - I look for oddballs like Cortland branded reels, old pre Diamondback REC rods, St. Croix USA made rods and of course Don Green designed USA made Fenwicks and Sage stuff - I maintain my old lines (the more lines you have in circulation, the less wear on each individual unit 🥳) - my older Redington waders don’t get used much so I keep them cool, shaded, and dry on the basement when they’re not needed

I have to check my St. Croix rod to see where it was made.

 

[wildtrout2]

That’s why I search out older quality rods and reels to collect and fish when the price is right - I look for oddballs like Cortland branded reels, old pre Diamondback REC rods, St. Croix USA made rods...

I have two (one as a back-up) St. Croix 4pc 7' 3wt Imperial rods. They are both USA made. I'd part with one if there's a reasonable offer.
I don't fish nearly as often as I used to, so needing the back-up isn't likely.

Interestingly, the one rod has USA printed on it, while the second one doen't have USA marked on the rod itself, but there's a USA tag on the tube, that I didn't notice initially.

 

[salmo]

I have two (one as a back-up) St. Croix 4pc 7' 3wt Imperial rods. They are both USA made. I'd part with one if there's a reasonable offer.
I don't fish nearly as often as I used to, so needing the back-up isn't likely.

Interestingly, the one rod has USA printed on it, while the second one doen't have USA marked on the rod itself, but there's a USA tag on the tube, that I didn't notice initially.

I bought a 3wt. 7’ two piece from someone on this site. I’m going to check out where it was made

 

[LLR]

I was also very impressed with the LL Bean stocking foot waders 6-10 years ago.