What to look for when buying waders

[BIGINNER]

i'm looking o buy myself a pair of duck hunting waders.  and i was wondering what i should be looking for in waders?  how thick... boot size?    thanks for any help

[gaddy]

personally around here i go with the thickest neopreme i can get with reinforced knees & a boot i size over for extra worm socks. the neopreme seems to tighten to the body in the water for easier mobility & with proper underlayment will keep you a little warmer. also wont fill with water as quickly in the event of an accidental fall.

[vandeman17]

I agree with gaddy. I have the super mags and I love them 95% of the time. The other 5% is when I am hiking in them and sweating my @$$ off.  If you can, start with the cold weather ones and then down the road buy a lighter pair for early season and you are set!

[GoldTip]

My biggest requirement is that they be waterproof.  I hunt more cold weather which often means breaking ice at shore or even clearing area's to get in decoys.  For this I can't stand the neoprenes, they cut pretty damn easy with ice edges, even the thick ones with "armor" coating.  I currently use a pair of the cordura brush buster dry plus models from Cabela's and the 1200gr thinsulate boots.  Love them and have yet to have them leak.  Buddy has a pair that he's had about 6 years now and they are holding up very well.

[BIGINNER]

My biggest requirement is that they be waterproof.  I hunt more cold weather which often means breaking ice at shore or even clearing area's to get in decoys.  For this I can't stand the neoprenes, they cut pretty damn easy with ice edges, even the thick ones with "armor" coating.  I currently use a pair of the cordura brush buster dry plus models from Cabela's and the 1200gr thinsulate boots.  Love them and have yet to have them leak.  Buddy has a pair that he's had about 6 years now and they are holding up very well.

ok.. well i need more info on those.  lol  because i will most likely be hunting areas with ice, and i definately don't
 want my waders to get cut

[gaddy]

gold tip, those sound great & i see your point about the ice issue. ive never had a problem with mine. i find im able to move easier in the neos which is big for me. had a friend with some ice busters that were indistructable but he was not real comfortable in them. waders have come a long way since i got my last pair & i would love to be able to try some different stuff before my next set. i tipically hunt out of my little alu duck boat & the biggest problem i find is when it gets real cold & i freeze to the boat.

[vandeman17]

gold tip, those sound great & i see your point about the ice issue. ive never had a problem with mine. i find im able to move easier in the neos which is big for me. had a friend with some ice busters that were indistructable but he was not real comfortable in them. waders have come a long way since i got my last pair & i would love to be able to try some different stuff before my next set. i tipically hunt out of my little alu duck boat & the biggest problem i find is when it gets real cold & i freeze to the boat.

I too have never had a problem with my waders tearing on the ice and I also like the mobility of the neoprene for our hikes to and from our spots. 

[h2ofowlr]

Just make sure they aren't to tight so they can breath.  I have 3 sets i use.  I only use the 5 mil when it's really cold or in the boat.  Otherwise i use 3 mil or breathable waders.

[Green Horn]

Don't be afraid to spend a few pretty pennies. Last year was my first year duck hunting and I bought some pretty cheap ones. needless to say, I suffered severe jock itch and those dudes were extremely cold. I almost gave up duck hunting because of those pieces of junk! This year I'm going with Cabelas 5mm 1600 Supermags. There's no way i'm suffering like that again.

[Special T]

I think the armored ones are the way to go... I always had a bad experience with normal neo waders... Trying a Rubber/canvas one last year just because i couldn't find the armored kind... wasn't too bad but not as flexible as the NEO ones. 

[270Shooter]

I have the cheap cabela's 3 mm neo's. Hunted probably 30 days in them last winter and i never got cold once. They fit me like a glove and i always get the same size as my regular shoe as the boots run big anyway. I have had those brush busters before and i couldn't walk in the things, way too stiff. We hunted in -16 degree weather last november and i wasn't the least bit cold with these waders. 

[boots]

I also prefer the waders with the "armor" coating because they just seem more heavy duty and durable to me. Most of these higher quality waders will come with reinforced knees and they just seem to hold up better in my experience.

My waders right now are 5mm neo with 1200 gram boots, and they seem to work pretty well for me.

A lot of it depends on the type of hunting you do. If you hike in long distance then you will probably sweat with thicker/heavier waders which could lead you to being cold during the hunt. It can be a trade-off sometimes

[follow maggie]

I shave a a pair of 5mm neoprene red ball by lacrosse that I've been using for about 7 years and love them. They're warm and durable. They're too big for me so I can wear thick clothes and the big boots allow me to wear a pair of wool socks under another pair of wool socks that are 2 sizes bigger than my feet to stay warm.  Tis has been a blessing since I almost lost the fronts of both feet to frostbite a few years ago.  Love the heavy neoprene.

[helzbelz888]

i used neoprenes and they didnt last one season  stick poked a hole through and it wasnt a fun day of hunting thereafter.... i bought a pair of Alpha swampfox's made by lacrosse... breathables with reinforced knees. i have used them for two seasons and theyre the best hunting waders ive ever owned. if its cold i just layer accordingly with fleece pants and underarmour.. even in the coldest day of the season in the ice and snow i was comfy. they work great for me  .

[h2ofowlr]

A good pair of Levis, some rubber boots and a roll of duck tape should do you just fine.