# What do you wear under your waders?



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Not to get too personal, but what do you wear under breathable waders in the winter? Jeans and Under armour? Patagonia Capilene? Sweatpants? Im going to the Smoky Mountains for a few days, and have never waded this deep into the winter.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

No cotton garments for sure. I wear mountain hardware Power stretch top and bottom, and when another layer is needed I wear patagonia heavy top and bottoms. I also you feet will need to be layered to wick the sweat away from your skin. Heavy smartwool socks with a pair of light hickers underneath them.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

Rooster,
Where are you located? Last I was there, TMF Fly Shop in Ravenna had poly fleece bottoms & tops for about 20 bucks each. Good price & the stuff insulates when wet & is very lightweight.
Mike


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

I normally wear just pants. If you are going to do some walking then all that extra stuff will wear you down fast. Water level are still on the low side on the eastern side of the mountain as I found out yesterday and hiked almost 5 miles and used Dan Baileys LW waders and was very comfortable. You be hard pressed to find a lot of water in the Smokies right now. Beside with clear water it better and more productive fishing if keep wading to a minimum.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I figured someone would of said "NOTHING!" :B lol


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## Eriesteamer (Mar 9, 2007)

some mite said bear skin ( bare skin ) LOL


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

under armour type stuff, and as 007 said, no coton! i will not wear jeans or any coton under my waders ever. if its really cold under armour first, then a thin pair of polar fleace(sp?) over those, and the biggest thing is always wool socks! oh, and you will be atleast a little cold no matter what, but if you start catching fish you will warm up


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

fleece wader pants from cabelas.


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## jkurtz7 (Jan 17, 2008)

I wear neoprene waders when it's cold outside. I'd have to agree though with Mike, that fleece would be the way to go. Gotta plug TMF Sport Shop too, Frank will hook you up.

Jeremy

http://p099.ezboard.com/bfiberglassflyrodders


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## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

Steelhead made a good point - layer. I'm a skier and go at least once a week (and yes, we do have skiing in Ohio). I know skiing down a hill is different than wading through a creek, but layer is always key in a cold environment. It creates insulation. Don't over layer though, and make no room for air inside your waders. Over layering does not allow for air inbetween your skin, first layer, second, and finally the waders. Room for air needs to be present to warm inside your waders, which gives you that insulating effect. 

Lastly, don't be cheap. If you are warm blooded person and hate being cold, pay the extra money and get good equipment. I love under armor shirts. Never tried their pants though. Just don't be stingy on high quality material/manufacturer. High quality material will also be thinner allow for extra layering, allow for the insulation effect, and won't crowd the BOYZ!


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Whiska thanks, and I carry a back pack for fishing so I can delayer if need to! I rather be to warm than to hot any day, and always easier to put on more layers when you have them instead of leaving them in the truck 3 miles away .. lol..


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## BlueDun (Feb 21, 2007)

I know several people already said not to wear cotton. Just wanted to emphasize the reason cotton is not recommended. Damp or wet cotton draws warmth away from the body - even if you have a layer of under armor or silk skins or something between your skin and the cotton. Polyester materials (e.g., fleece) hold the warmth in while wicking away the moisture. If you wear something with cotton (e.g., blue jeans or basic cotton long johns) and you get wet, you are far more likely to develop hypothermia, whereas fleece will do a better job of protecting you from hypothermia.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

BlueDun said:


> I know several people already said not to wear cotton. Just wanted to emphasize the reason cotton is not recommended. Damp or wet cotton draws warmth away from the body - even if you have a layer of under armor or silk skins or something between your skin and the cotton. Polyester materials (e.g., fleece) hold the warmth in while wicking away the moisture. If you wear something with cotton (e.g., blue jeans or basic cotton long johns) and you get wet, you are far more likely to develop hypothermia, whereas fleece will do a better job of protecting you from hypothermia.


Nice job explaining the properties of fleece & cotton. Many of us said "fleece" or "not cotton", but didn't explain why. Thanks for finishing this off for us BlueDun!
Mike


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Yea thanks for explaining that I have been doing it for so long I assumed everyone knew about heat transfer with cotton vs synthetic fabric.


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