 |
 |
 |
Fishing Chest Waders
How Chest Waders Benefit Anglers
Chest waders are the most versatile of all waders enabling fishermen to venture into any body of water ranging from shallow streams to deep river pools. The key benefit of chest waders is that they truly enable the determined angler to access just about any location on a body of water while keeping him warm and dry. Even deep water that is over the fisherman’s head can be overcome with a chest wader/float tube combination. Being able to access promising looking locations is one of the keys to successful angling since the rule of thumb that 90% of the fish can be found on 10% of the water is inevitably true.
Chest waders utilize suspenders to keep them securely positioned on your body, and usually are loose fitting to allow freedom of movement. The added body coverage provided by chest waders also protect you during inclement weather or when wading in deeper water with strong currents. For added safety reasons, you should always wear a wading belt to prevent dangerous flooding of the wader if you fall or step into a deep hole or sudden drop off.
Types of Chest Waders
Chest waders are made in either bootfoot or stockingfoot styles. Bootfoot waders are all-in-one fishing units with the walking boot built into the waders. These waders are typically less expensive, but they cannot be turned inside out to expedite drying and do not provide the flexibility to select a boot to meet the water conditions. They are also heavier to carry.Stockingfoot waders do not have a hard-soled boot attached but include a waterproof, neoprene sock instead. Wading boots are purchased separately and fit over the neoprene sock. It typically costs more to purchase the wader and the boot separately but this has the added advantage of more flexibility to mix and match different types and styles of boots and waders. The boot you choose should be based on the type of wading conditions that you will be fishing in. Is it fast or slow moving water? Is the stream or creek bed rocky or sandy? If you need better footing some boots come with felt soles and studded cleats.
Redington Chest Waders
Redington makes 2 types of stockingfoot chest waders, standard chest waders and zip front chest waders. There are also a variety of models and sizes that include Crosswater, Palix River, Sonic Pro and Willow River (made exclusively for woman) waders. Zip front waders are easier to take on and off and also convert easily into waist high waders when the fishing conditions allow. The zipper feature increases the price of the waders by $75 - $100 but the added convenience is often worth the higher price for the serious angler.Both the standard and zip front waders are made with neoprene booties and breathable 3 layer nylon fabric. More features such as welded seams and additional pockets and storage are included in the premium models.
Interested in learning about fly fishing, click on the link to check out the informative e-book, Fly Fishing From Scratch!