Waders for belly boat fishing.
Stockingfoot, always. A belly boat needs a wader with a fabric sock at the ankle so a wader boot can slot into a kick fin. Bootfoot waders trap water and will not seat inside any fin. We tested three stockingfoot waders across 38 sessions on Yellowstone-tailwater sloughs and the cold pockets of Pyramid Lake.
Fished for 38 sessions on Yellowstone tailwater sloughs & Pyramid LakeThe three waders worth buying
Simms Freestone Stockingfoot
Four-layer nylon, articulated knees, gravel guards that actually cinch. Sits at $349 and survives a hard fishing season.
Verdict: The wader we would buy at any price under $400. Sizing runs true.
Honest shortcoming: The chest zip pocket is too small for a modern phone in a Waterproof case. Use the front handwarmer pocket instead.
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Redington Sonic-Pro HD
Sonic-welded seams, no stitching to leak. $299. The best mid-priced wader for anglers who fish in cold water more than twice a month.
Verdict: Our value pick. Buy this if the Simms is $50 out of reach.
Honest shortcoming: The stockingfoot neoprene runs a full size small. Order up one size from your normal boot size, or you will not get a wader boot on.
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Orvis Ultralight Convertible
Packs to the size of a rain jacket. $449. Purpose-built for anglers who fly in to the fishing rather than drive.
Verdict: The right wader for the traveling angler; overkill for the local pond regular.
Honest shortcoming: The lightweight fabric is not built for scree walks to remote stillwaters. One brush with sagebrush pinholes it.
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