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It’s hard to imagine good fishing or waterfowling that doesn’t involve wet feet, but a good pair of hip waders can help. I suppose you can fish from a dock, or maybe manage to get in and out of a jon boat with your shoes dry, but being able to walk comfortably through the water is a huge advantage. And if the water’s no more than a couple feet deep, you really don’t need waders that come up to your armpits. For an awful lot of what we anglers and hunters do, hip waders will suffice.
In fact, hip boots have some distinct advantages over chest waders. They often cost considerably less, since there’s less material involved. In warm weather, they’re more comfortable because they don’t wrap your midsection in waterproof fabric. They take up less space in storage and transport. And they’re much easier to put on and take off. Here are our recommendations for the the best hip waders for a range of needs.
Best Rubber: Lacrosse Insulated Big Chief
Best for Hunting: Cabela’s 5mm Armor-Flex Lug Sole Hip Waders for Men
Best Wading Pants: Redington Escape
Best Budget: Frogg Toggs Rana II Bootfoot PVC
Best Rubber: Lacrosse Insulated Big Chief
Specs
Size: 10
Color: Forest Green
Materials: ZXT Rubber
Pros
Warm
Removable EVA footbed
Durable
Cons
Limited sizes
Introduced in 1951, the Lacrosse Big Chief is a no-nonsense rubber hip boot. The tough rubber resists puncture, and puncture is about the only thing that could make these waders leak. The basic build of these hip waders may be vintage, but modern materials are now involved, including an EVA footbed and 600-gram Thinsulate insulation. The calf harness laces and snaps around your leg so the boot moves with you, and Lacrosse’s Air-Grip outsole sheds muck.
Best for Hunting: Cabela’s 5mm Armor-Flex Lug Sole Hip Waders for Men
Specs
Size: 14-15 medium
Color: True Timber DRT
Materials: 5mm neoprene
Pros
Durable and warm
Bonded and taped seams
Reinforced knees
Cons
Limited sizes
These Cabela’s hip waders are made for walking in cold water, with thick neoprene, 800-gram Thinsulate insulation, and 8mm wool-felt midsoles for comfort. The Armor-Flex exterior, bonded and taped seams, and double-layer reinforced knees all work to prevent leaks. The TrueTimber DRT camo and air bob outsoles are good choices for waterfowling, and the side-release snap buckles on the belt straps are easy to operate, even with cold, wet hands.
Best Wading Socks: Chota Hippies
Specs
Size: Small-2X
Color: Tan and camo
Materials: 3mm neoprene stocking foot and three-ply laminate upper
Pros
Lightweight
Breathable/waterproof
Adjustable drawcord
Cons
Not good for winter months
Chota’s Hippies are cool, literally and figuratively. Wear them just below the knee, just above the knee, or all the way to your hip pockets using the knee-height cinch strap or the draw cord at the top. The socks are three-ply, 300-denier breathable material and the booties are made of 3mm neoprene, with gravel guards that fold down over the tops of your shoes.
Best Wading Pants: Redington Escape
Specs
Size: Medium
Color: Boulder/slate
Materials: N/A
Pros
Lightweight
Breathable
Waterproof up to chest
Cons
Not durable
These stocking-foot fishing waders feature four-ply breathable material all the way to the adjustable, hook-and-loop belt. The 3mm neoprene booties are warm enough for a brisk mountain stream, but not too warm. Built-in gravel guards keep sand and stones out of your wading shoes. You can carry things in the pockets, as long as you don’t mind if they get wet.
Best Budget: Frogg Toggs Rana II Bootfoot PVC
Specs
Size: 7-13
Color: Dark brown
Materials: Nylon-reinforced PVC upper with rubber boot
Pros
Affordable
Cleated or felt boot
Adjustable belt leashes
Cons
Not durable
Lighter than rubber, these nylon-reinforced PVC hip waders have taped seams to keep the water out and molded PVC boots for good support. The adjustable belt straps have quick-release snap buckles. The Rana II comes with lug soles for general terrain or felt soles for slippery riverbeds.
What To Consider When Choosing Hip Waders
Material
Rubber: It seems quaint in this high-tech age, but companies still produce rubber duck waders, and for the same reasons as always: durability and absolute waterproofing. They’re kind of heavy and certainly not breathable, but they’ll make it possible for you to spend long periods in the wetlands, concentrating on the game. Use them as waders for fishing or as hunting waders; the rubber construction is great for suppressing scent.
Neoprene: For many waterfowlers, neoprene hip boots are mandatory hunting equipment. The fabric fits snugly, affording freedom of movement and superb insulation, and is far lighter than rubber. Its spongy nature gives it a fair amount of puncture-resistance, and if you do poke a hole in them, well, some waterfowlers see patches on waders as a badge of honor.
Look for 3mm neoprene for mild weather use and 5mm for colder conditions. Neoprene hunting waders commonly have good insulation in the boots.
Breathability
Hip boots aren’t just hunting gear. A legion of anglers—freshwater and salt, fly and spin—need to be comfortable enough to spend hours in the water. Dry feet and legs are essential for spring and late fall fishing when water temps are in the fifties. Even in the summer, “wet wading” is only fun for so long. Rubber and neoprene are clammy and heavy in these circumstances. Breathable fabrics, on the other hand, feel terrific. If the water is chilly, you can layer underneath breathable waders quite effectively; on warm days, the moisture-wicking is essential for comfort.
There aren’t many breathable thigh-high fishing waders on the market, but the Chota Hippies are worth a look. Chota doesn’t even call them waders, but rather wading socks. They are stocking-foot style, meaning they have neoprene booties for the feet and must be worn with wading shoes. Fly-fishers who already own chest waders and wading boots are all set; those who don’t own them can buy relatively inexpensive wading shoes from Chota and other brands. By the way, as with all waders, Chota Hippes will keep ticks away from your skin, an important consideration in many locales.
Other Gear Options for Wading
If hip boots are oversized footwear, wading pants feel more like clothing, which is somehow more casual and less of a hassle. Unlike hip waders, wading pants actually do come all the way to your hips, and that’s a good thing. Most times that I’ve worn hip boots, I’ve managed to get wet above them, no matter how careful I was trying to be. Wading pants have you covered if you need to wade through water up to your backside, while keeping you in shirt-sleeve comfort from the waist up.
Like other models, the Redington Escape wading pants even have hip pockets, although they’re not waterproof. And like all waders, even the most clothing-like, these are meant to be worn over actual pants, not instead of them. Pull them on over a pair of lightweight hiking trousers or even joggers, step into your wading shoes, and wade comfortably all day.
Price
There are many hunters and anglers whose need to walk in the water is occasional—who don’t plan on spending hour after hour, weekend after weekend in their hip boots. They see no need to invest in a high-end wader when a lower-priced model will meet their needs. Frankly, this is one of the best things about the whole hip waders category: you can acquire them for now-and-then use without spending a fortune.
Your local big box store will probably have acceptable options. Frog Toggs has become a popular brand among the outdoor recreation community, and its Rana II Bootfoot model will have you covered for everything from hunting and fishing to joining the community clean-up day at your local waterway. They come in lug or felt soles.
FAQs
Q: What is a good brand of waders?
Most people would agree that Simms, which makes all its waders at its factory in Bozeman, Montana, is the leading name in breathable waders. High quality waders are also produced by Patagonia, Orvis, Redington, and Frog Toggs. The Hodgman brand, which invented fishing waders in the 19th century, still makes a wide range of waders today.
Q: What is the best material for hip waders?
Breathable fabric like GORE-TEX is the most comfortable and versatile material. Wearing layers of thermals and fleece underneath makes them warm enough for cold-weather use, while their perspiration-wicking qualities make them comfortable on hot days. Neoprene is a popular choice among waterfowl hunters, because it insulates very well and allows ample freedom of movement. Rubber or PVC is simple, fully waterproof, and generally resists punctures and tears well.
Q: What size hip waders do I need?
Boot-foot waders are based on shoe size. If you expect to be wearing thick socks under them, you may want to go a size bigger. Stocking-foot waders tend to be sold in sizes like small, medium, and large, because you will supply the wading shoes. Make sure your shoes fit correctly over the neoprene booties. Wading boots that are a little too big aren’t ideal, but ones that are too small are pure misery.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, getting into a set of chest waders feels like an astronaut climbing into a space suit for a mission. When you need them, they’re great, but much hunting and fishing requires wading in water that’s only knee-deep. Hip boots will keep you dry without breaking the bank, and you can practically hop into or out of them with ease. Even if you already own chest waders, a pair of hippers is handy to have.
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