Breathable Waders - Every Fisherman Should Have A Pair

Fishing waders are an essential part of the modern trout and salmon anglers armoury. Without a pair of chest waders it would be impossible to reach many of the fishy lies that always seem to be on the opposite bank of the river. Modern technology has taken us from waders made of rubber to those made from neoprene and now we have breathable waders manufactured from the latest space age materials. Breathable materials are totally waterproof but they have a one way membrane sandwiched between the outer coatings that keeps water out whilst allowing perspiration to escape. They are roomier than the neoprene versions and much lighter and more pleasant than the original rubber versions.

Neoprene waders took over from the old style rubber ones and they're certainly much lighter than their rubber equivalent. However there's one problem with neoprenes, they're incredibly hot in the summer. I can promise you that you'd not want to hike a mile or two along your favourite trout stream in the middle of summer wearing a pair of neoprenes. At the end of the day you'd be able to empty the sweat out of them, not a pleasant thought. Of course this disadvantage in the summer is turned completely around come autumn and winter. Then the fisherman wearing the neoprenes will be snuggly and warm whilst everybody else will definitely be feeling the cold.

Rubber was the material that all waders were originally made from but rubber waders are extremely uncomfortable and heavy. It's virtually impossible to walk any distance wearing rubber chest waders and in fact the only time that they might seem useful would be if you could drive close to your favourite fishing spot and be in the river within a few short steps. Rubber is still used extensively in the manufacture of thigh waders (two separate boots that reach up to the tops of your legs), and it's the cheapest of the three materials which might affect the buying decision of the budget conscious or very occasional angler.

You should be able to find a good selection of breathable waders on most large online outfitter web sites. I tend to look at Bass Pro first, but there's plenty more online fishing and hunting outfitters to choose from.