Chest-high waders

[Micheal]

Having just ruined a pair of hip-boots, well one of the pair anyway, I was wondering about replacing them with some waders.
But what am I looking for, at, or be aware of? What's a felt shoe?
Help!!!!!
Would like to be at least show some "smarts" before I get led astray by a salesperson.

[tamarackreg]

Be sure the legs of the chest waders are as long as yours to allow full movement or you'll tear the crotch.

[Bearfootfarm]

Felt soles/shoes are used if youre going to be wading on slippery rocks.

[hunter63]

Chest waders allow you to get into deeper water to get wet than hip boots.
I wear the heavy waders with the boot, less trouble to get on and off then Neoprene, and I use tham more to keep warm than wad real deep.

They are also seem less likely to tear on a bottom covered with snags and dead heads. IMHO.
My last ones have been LaCrosse

[jross]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Felt soles/shoes are used if youre going to be wading on slippery rocks.

New Jersey frowns on felt waders and we have freestone streams, which is what they were designed for.. F&G is concerned about the transfer of pathogens, eggs and other minute entities that cause cross contamination between water bodies across states and countries. Felt is notorious for holding lifeforms for a long time.

And wear a safety belt with waders.

[Ed Norman]

I use the boot footed chest waders and get them at least a size bigger. If I ever get tangled up in fast or deep water, I want my feet to slip out of those boots in a hurry. And I don't hike for miles in chest waders. My hip boots fit like boots and can be hunted in.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

I much prefer the neoprene waders. Much lighter and better traction with wading boots. I also use "Stabilicers" for traction on slippery bottoms. I prefer to wade wet here in Texas as often as I can.

[Micheal]

Humm, guess it's time to show how "not smart" I am.......

tamarackreg - will be trying them on before I leave the store!

Bearfootfarm - don't understand how felt would help, never had any problems with my hip-boots and slippery rocks - fast water yes; slippery rocks no....

hunter63 - hummm, have to check this out since I've never noticed if'n the waders I've seen are thicker or lighter or even insolated. Around here you definitely want something to keep you warmer.

jross - safty belt???? for???? don't they come like bib overalls?
Will have to check if the felt shoes are even legal in NYS?

Ed N. - Was thinking about the size bigger, but as mentioned before - for keeping warm(er) not for trying to get out of them faster; if that's at all possible? Had a problem going through some ice and getting out of the hip-boots a few years back and I don't think a size or two difference would have helped one way or another. I kept the boots on only to protect my wet legs from 20 degree temps.
Will be carrying the waders if I do have any distance to travel before fishing that's even what I did with the hip-boots.

YuccaFlatsRanch - I take it the "Stabilicers" are like the ice grippers around here; put over your shoe/boot and used to prevent slipping on the ice?
As to "wading wet" I take it shorts and sneakers type wading? Have done it a couple of times, but believe me the water where I fish isn't "warm" and I spent a lot of time on large rocks warming in the sun - I know why turtles do it!

Thanks guys at least now I think I'm better prepared to do battle with the salesperson - I think?

[fishhead]

I use waders a lot on my fish farm. For years I tried pair after pair of Proline but gave up on the brand because of seam problems. Some even leaked right out of the box. Now I use Ducks Unlimited. I think it's Stearns brand. The last 2 pairs are 2-3 years old and are now finally leaking in the crotch seam but that's repairable with Aquaseal.

[jross]

Safety Belt? Most waders today come with belt loops. A fast snap buckled fabric belt is to be tightened to seal the waders, preventing water from entering and pulling one deeper after falling, and if you do any amount wade fishing, sooner or later you will slip. It used to be thought that if a person used a belt and fell, they would turn upside down, but that has been proven false.