Wader Care

[afishinado]

Critical Wader Care -- Advice From the Companies Themselves -- How to Wash and Dry Your Waders

I asked my friends from every prominent wader building company. How should we care for them? Here are their replies.

troutbitten.com

 

[linwood]

Critical Wader Care -- Advice From the Companies Themselves -- How to Wash and Dry Your Waders

I asked my friends from every prominent wader building company. How should we care for them? Here are their replies.

troutbitten.com

Thanks Afish.

 

[Bamboozle]

Once again, conflicting recommendations and differing opinions depending on the manufacturer.

Which is why I always call the manufacturer of whatever I own to get care suggestions...

 

[afishinado]

Once again, conflicting recommendations and differing opinions depending on the manufacturer.

Which is why I always call the manufacturer of whatever I own to get care suggestions...

Good advice ^

 

[Nocktavius]

Wader maintenance = take care of them, clean them after every big trip, keep them out of the sun, and still have the zipper and seams fail after 2 seasons. It’s a consumable- if ya wanna wear the fancy ones find a buddy with a pro deal 😂

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I hold the opinion that here is no care and repair of neoprene seams. I also refuse to buy $500 waders so I may be jading my own opinion.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I thoroughly rise with a hose after every trip and dry. More than one manufacturer recommends washing and restoring the DWR "once the fabric starts wetting out". Ok, how long do you find it takes for new waders (or those restored with DWR) before wetting out? I've never had a pair of waders last in this way more than 8-10 outings. That's about a month or less (during "prime time") for me.
I recall some debate on here about whether to restore with DWR or not.

 

[dryflyguy]

I think before the DWT treatment, you're supposed to run them through the washer too.
I've never done either to my waders.
And have had them - gore tex ones anyway - last for years

 

[Silent Ocelot]

It’s a consumable

Correct. I swap mine out every year and spend about $120 on a pair, not something I "ball out" with. Do the math, $12 a month for a waterproof subscription is not a lot, although I don't use my waders from May to Nov. Waders are a a wear item and will need to be replaced at one point or another. I don't care how cool the 1k Simms waders look, I don't foresee myself wearing anything like that in the near future. I put my money to better use with rods and reels, and other items.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Are the dregs from a spilled bottle of Gink harmful to breathable waders? I haven't seen any short-term problems other than the stains.

 

[Kyle]

interesting. my first pair of simms g3s lasted me ten years with no maintence at all done to them. except hanging them up to dry by the suspenders. often times never hung up at all and tossed in the my trunk. i finally tossed them because they stunk and i knew they were coming out with a new 2018 wader.

fast forward to the year 2018 when simms came out with new g3s and i still take care of these waders like my first pair. its now approaching 2024 and still have nothing wrong with my waders. minus a few mustard stains from river side lunches and i even had an ember land on the 3 layer part near the knee while warming up near a camp fire.

for whats its worth, all those years were hard fishing including winter steelhead, camping, warming up near fires. i even fell asleep in them one night.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

interesting. my first pair of simms g3s lasted me ten years with no maintence at all done to them. except hanging them up to dry by the suspenders. often times never hung up at all and tossed in the my trunk. i finally tossed them because they stunk and i knew they were coming out with a new 2018 wader.

fast forward to the year 2018 when simms came out with new g3s and i still take care of these waders like my first pair. its now approaching 2024 and still have nothing wrong with my waders. minus a few mustard stains from river side lunches and i even had an ember land on the 3 layer part near the knee while warming up near a camp fire.

for whats its worth, all those years were hard fishing including winter steelhead, camping, warming up near fires. i even fell asleep in them one night.

"

i even fell asleep in them one night." LMAO