A Few Words on Wearing Waders

[Spike]

I fielded a request about waders today from a So Cal angler who was sold on them after watching a video promoting their use on kayaks.

The surf zone and bad seas are a lot different than a swimming pool.  If you fish a pool, pond, skinny water or a thousand other places around the U.S., waders are usually OK.  Not for the Pacific Coast though!  A friend nearly lost his dad to waders and he was just perching in the surf zone from the beach. The stories of stream and river incidents are long documented.  As my endorsements grow to other regions, I'll probably grow into promoting waders...for the kayak fisheries where their use is not a potential liability.

[native brookie]

I don't think the surf--mine is the Maine coast, with smaller waves than yours--is any more dangerous than the rivers I wade all the time.  Given a choice between a swim in the surf and one in a Class 4 or 5 rapid, I'm not sure which I'd prefer.

I've spent a ton of time in canoes and drift boats with my waders on during float and wade trips.

The key is to be smart about it.  Wear a wading belt and keep it tight.  Wear a lifejacket when wading or paddling in any kind of risky spot.  Practice a wet exit with big clunky wading boots on.  (As a guy with  size 15 feet who paddles a decked kayak, this is not academic to me.     Don't stack your gear in the cockpit around you where it will impede your ability to get out of the boat.  Don't wear wader that don't let you move well.

It's not waders that are dangerous; it's the surf, or the river, or the cold.

[FishnDave]

I've been trying to figure out how to economically extend my fishing season here on the freshwater lakes and rivers in the Midwest.  I just bought a pair of waders to wear in the kayak, which will help when launching/landing when the waters are still rather cold.

I've got a Hobie Mirage Outback kayak, with the pedal-drive system, and I've wondered whether the pedaling motion is going to wear out my waders quickly.

Is there better options?

[jscott]

I wear waders at night when I am hooping....and I wear my booties over the feet of the waders so I don't wear out the bottoms of the waders and create a leak.  (I'm assuming you're worried about wearing out the feet due to pedaling)

[potto]

Waders may not be your best option with Hobie's pedal system.  My waders are thin, so I can see the wear and tear that might happen.
Good luck finding what works best.

[FishnDave]

Right, the feet, but also the legs of the waders are my concerns when peddaling.  The constant movement, and possibly some friction due to the legs rubbing together ( I don't know if they will or not, but they might.)

I had heard of the "100-degree rule", which was that it was unsafe to go kayaking if a combination of water temperature plus air temperature (Fahrenheit) totals less than 100.  Or, at least special considerations would be required for a total of less than 100.

[Chilli]

Hey this is my first post here and I am very very new to the sport and love it, but my best suggestion about staying warm is to dress out as if your going to do White water Kayaking/Rafting, I'm a white water raft guide where cold water is just something that you learn to deal with and I can stay fairly warm in as long as I wear a dry suit splash jacket and booties, there are some socks from NRS that are very good if you want to wear some shoes instead of booties that are around $25 a pair(which I would suggest).

I was out fishing on my kayak in 28-40 degree air temp I don't know what the water temp was and I was in that for most of the morning this past weekend and was actually starting the sweat and I really didn't get cold until I switched out my cloths for something dryer when I was back at the house.