Best Wader Pants In 2022

Waders are a term that people usually mix into other types of outerwear. These aren’t snow pants, they’re not skiing pants or fishing trousers or any of that: they’re the multifunctional bridge in between all of those, so let’s talk about what you need in a perfect pair of waders.

How we Chose Our Selection of Wader Pants

Brand - When it comes to clothing, quality is key above brand name. However, when you’re getting into protective outdoor gear, these companies live and die by their reputation. If they don’t provide quality and fulfill the mission purpose, they’re not going to be around for very long. Brands are a big impact on wader pants, because it’s about function over fashion every single time.

Reviews - User reviews are the holy grail of information that help us determine whether or not a pair of wader pants are going to make it onto our shortlist. These help shed light on phony marketing tactics and hollow promises, and we hold them in very high regards before testing these products for ourselves.

Design - Design dictates function: things like reinforced knee padding, comfort and placement of harness straps, functionality of pockets, seams and more. You can tell by some of the products we reviewed (looking at you, Frogg Toggs) that aesthetics aren’t always going to accompany a flawless design.

Features to Look for in Wader Pants

Comfort - Whether it’s for work or personal activities, you’re likely going to be in your waders for five to ten hours at a time, so they’d better be comfortable. Many buyers look at function and determine their purchase on that alone, and while that’s not a bad way to approach it, this is where we use user reviews to help determine if you’re actually going to enjoy wearing them.

Warmth - Waterproofing and temperature resistance is only going to hold up so well if you’re freezing on the inside. Look at linings like nylon and neoprene, fabrics that can hold heat. Wader pants have the difficult task of creating a half-suit for your body to rest in, and somehow finding a way to make that waterproof environment ventilated and warm at the same time.

Water Resistance - If they’re not 100% waterproof, then they’d better at least be water resistant. This is where you’ll see fabrics like ripstop polyester, rubber and nylon used. Water resistance is going to be heavily dictated by the design.

Pockets - You’re not exactly going to have an easy time reaching down to your pants through the chest pocket, and finding your wallet, you know? Waders should at least have one or two small pockets that can help you out in a pinch, with the ability to hold a smartphone, wallet and keys.

Knee Padding - Sometimes the padding is removable, other times it isn’t, but it should always be there. You’re not putting these on for style or leisure; you’re going to get down and dirty, and need the appropriate support to ensure you’re not damaging your knees or twisting your joints. Knee padding also helps to stabilize you when you’re in an awkward position, whether it’s for work or retrieving a fishing line from the water.

Types of Wader Pants

Chest Waders - You might not be surprised to hear that these go halfway up your chest. Think of a pair of overalls: about seven inches below the neckline, generally used with a harness to help keep them in place. Chest waders also usually include booties, or foot enclosures made of neoprene. When you go with a pair of chest waders, you’re siding on maximum protection.

Under Waders - These aren’t designed to work with a harness, let alone go anywhere near your chest. They end at your midsection, but still have the necessary nylon or elastic loops along the bottom to connect to your boots. Then again, you could go with the next type of wader that we’re going to talk about and eliminate the need for those loops altogether.

Bootfoot - If you haven’t already guessed, these are waders that actually include an entire boot in the bottom. Some of these are simply boot liners made of neoprene that aid you in slipping into your other boots, and some are full-fledged boots that are meant to be used with your wader pants. Most often, these aren’t detachable.

Wader Pants FAQs

Q: What Are Wader Pants?

A: Wader pants generally follow a guideline of being waterproof, thickly made, and helping you during manual labor or during watersport activities. Waders are often misinterpreted as, but can also be used in place of fishing trousers, ski pants, and all-weather work gear.

Wader pants can fit on just your legs, include a boot end, and also have a chest section that’s held up by a harness. Their primary use is assisting you in staying dry during activities like fishing and hunting, but can also be used to aid in insulation. If you’re wearing long johns underneath your waders, you could sit out in a tree stand for hours without ever getting cold.

Q: Do Waders Keep You Dry?

A: That’s the primary draw to wader pants, though you have to be careful. We’ve listed the top ten waders here in this guide, but their effectivity also comes down to you. Pants-only waders, for instance, aren’t going to keep you dry if you’re not using adequate socks and tight boots. If the pant bottoms can’t be properly insulated and waterproof, then they will tread water.

If we’re talking about the general construction, then yes, waders are absolutely intended to keep you dry. You’ll often find that they’re made out of oxford fabrics, nylon or rubber, which are naturally water resistant.

Then comes the issue of sweating. The one fault of most waders is that they’re either extremely waterproof, or they’re breathable; it’s very difficult to achieve a hybrid of those two traits. While there are a few pairs we reviewed that achieve this syncrosy, you’ll often have to settle on a lining to help keep sweat off your skin. Look for fleece-lined waders, or consider wearing your own long johns underneath if you’re worried about sweating and chafing.

Q: Are Neoprene Waders Waterproof?

A: In most instances, they are waterproof if the brand creates them properly. Neoprene is waterproof, but it uses two different cell technologies, a male and female port, if you will. Water can enter through one, but will be blocked by another. This also allows it to be one of the most breathable fabrics out there, because the interior of your waders will help to not only wick away sweat, but produce a steady airflow that helps prevent sweating and odors from arising.

Q: What Are Breathable Waders?

A: Breathable waders either refer to neoprene being used in construction, or waders that don’t have booties or foot enclosures on the bottom. Breathable waders also tend to stray away from chest level or harnesses, and are almost strictly low waist pants.

That being said, you will find breathable waders in many categories. When they’re breathable, they’re allowing a certain amount of air flow, whether it’s from the interior materials or from an actual airway (loose-fitting leg holes) that grants ventilation.

Q: What Size Waders Should I Get?

A: It’s not an easy subject to approach. You’re not dealing with a pair of jeans, and waders don’t come in extremely specific sizes. Instead, you’ll go up the scales from XS to XLM, and you’ll have to use a chart to determine what that’s going to mean.

You’ll have to know what your leg length and waist circumference is before going into this. If you’re slender, you want to find tight-fitting wader pants. Getting ones with more room in the middle could destroy insulation at its most necessary section of your body (for chest waders).

In this instance, we would recommend going for the exact size that those charts tell you. This isn’t an inexpensive venture like buying a pair of running shorts; you want to avoid returns when possible, so follow your measurements to a tee, and you’ll find the right solution for you.