It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 08:06


1, 2  Next New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 14:00 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 01/05/18
Posts: 29
Location: US-WI
What is everyone using for wet wading pants? I tend to bushwhack through brush to get to a lot of spots and I'm rough on them. I have been using Simms Superlights and they're getting ragged after a few outings.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 14:57 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Have you tried Military BDU's. They are definitely tough and dry fairly quickly (but not nearly as quickly as wading pants). They are also inexpensive, which makes them worth a try. If not for fishing, they are good work pants.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 16:18 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
I like SUPPLEX Nylon because it dries so fast and doesn't wick as much as cotton, but before that I used military BDU pants like Carlz suggested.

As far as brands, I like cheap & on sale and could care less about features and being stylish. I have a pair of Cabela's branded pants close to 10 years old and before that I bought Redington and got many years out of those too.

FWIW - I wet wade from April until early November so they get a LOT of use.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 16:31 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/12/16
Posts: 4093
Location: USA-CO
I use any of my lightweight synthetic fishing pants -- Columbia, North Face, Ex Officio, etc. -- that is when I'm not wearing shorts. Some, e.g. North Face are heavier and possibly more abrasion-resistant than others, but all dry fairly well. Here I'm stylin' in the very thin Ex Officio pants:



When I was a kid, I always waded wet, even in the springtime. I wore some of my father's old, worn-out chinos which, although cotton, were worn so thin that they dried pretty quickly. There were no synthetics then (1950s), at least that I knew about or could afford.

Carlz has a very good suggestion about BDUs.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 17:54 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/26/07
Posts: 1385
Location: Ada, Oklahoma
I have used Columbia brand pants, but I mostly use Supplex pants from Academy Sports & Outdoors because the price is much less though the quality is still good.

Larry


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 18:28 • #6 
Sport
Joined: 01/05/18
Posts: 29
Location: US-WI
I think I will check out the ones from Academy. I'm pretty hard on these and I don't think they will last no matter the brand. My Simms pants have holes in the back of the legs...


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 19:04 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Cheap nylon cargo pants. I always end up with a decent REI dividend, so a few of their zip offs. Always wade in full legs, but sometimes driving home in shorts is more comfortable.

Did just order some Simms Bugstopper pants, after a tick bite produced circular bruising. No real problem, but would like to avoid an issue.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 18 Jul 2020, 20:36 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/09/13
Posts: 637
Location: US-TX
I wear 5.11 ripstop type pants as they are rugged and dry quickly. Can't remember which one specifically but mainly poly and many pockets.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 28 Nov 2020, 19:14 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/06/07
Posts: 1437
Location: US-VT
Read the title too quickly and placed a "my" in between Wet and Wading.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 28 Nov 2020, 23:37 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Shorts. sometimes nylon shorts


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 29 Nov 2020, 10:45 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
I dunno.....just wear shorts, your legs will heal. :)


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 29 Nov 2020, 12:56 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
Garden variety synthetic outdoor pants. I have a pair of OD Columbia pants that are really durable. Probably any brand will work tho. REI is a good place to shop. Sierra Trading Post also.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 07:29 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/26/12
Posts: 1778
Location: Dubois Pa
For the last couple years I have been using the nylon stretch wrangler cargo pants from Walmart. $21 comfortable, cheap, and dry quick enough

Bob


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 09:03 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
If I can wet wade it’s shorts unless there is a lot of thorny bushes it’s long pants which dry on the hike back to the car.......Aurelio


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 15:06 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
I can wet wade from Apr-Nov where I live. I purchased three pair of Cabela's nylon pants with the zip off legs from the Bargain Cave several years ago. They have gotten quite a bit of use over the years and remain in great shape. Unfortunately after the Cabela's/Bass Pro merger, I don't seem to find near as many great deals in the bargain cave as I did before.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 15:20 • #16 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
I've used a number of different pants (always pants for both sun protection and vegetation protection) but for the most part Columbia hiking pants (anything that is quick dry) has worked very well for me. Being quick dry also typically means they're thinner and not as tough as say, a pair of blue jeans. I'd never be caught dead wet wading in a pair of blue jeans (if you want to be miserable, go ahead and try it). Sierra often has a variety of pants available from a number of manufacturers and for the most part, they all work just fine (plus, they're typically pretty inexpensive). Bottom line though, every time I've worn shorts while wet wading, I've gotten home and wondered why the hell I wore shorts (especially when pants were an option) while wet wading...

Cheers!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 21:56 • #17 
Sport
Joined: 01/05/18
Posts: 29
Location: US-WI
There’s way too much bushwhacking here in Wisconsin to wear shorts. I bought a pair of the Duck Camp Co over the summer after my Simms Superlights started to fall apart. I recommend them.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 23:45 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
"way too much bushwhacking here in Wisconsin to wear shorts" (I'm going to assume that you aren't being shot in the back for wearing shorts?)
I guess I've never been where other people or wildlife hadn't made a trail along the stream, but wet long pants would make me want to just stay home, or wear waders. I suspect they'd hold infectious microorganisms against the skin too. But I can often wade fish hours with out wetting shorts and long pants get soaked to the knees in shoe deep water.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 30 Nov 2020, 23:59 • #19 
Sport
Joined: 01/05/18
Posts: 29
Location: US-WI
I’d post pictures but it’s a pain from the iPad. Think walking through chest high grass, scrub brush, and woods to get to untouched water. Sure, there are areas with trails, but your odds of catching 20+ inchers increases exponentially with a little work.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 01 Dec 2020, 17:47 • #20 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
" but wet long pants would make me want to just stay home, or wear waders. I suspect they'd hold infectious microorganisms against the skin too."

Can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not wading through a bog.

Hence the quick dry aspect of it. They really do dry very quickly. Hot air, cool water = wet wading. Shorts = scratched up legs. Waders = hot and miserable. Personally, I've tried it all and do what works best for me and the waters I fish.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 01 Dec 2020, 21:20 • #21 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
" Hot air, cool water = wet wading"
A lot of warm water in the mid-south and one never knows what wildlife is in it, shorts=sunshine on the skin and almost instant drying. If ever encounter a place that I can't walk through without scratches, I might get a pair of those convertible things with zip off legs. But raccoons and otters keep the paths open along most creeks here, and legal access is at bridges mostly. I fished with a guy that used Orvis quick dry pants and they seemed to get dry faster than bib overalls, so ...


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 01 Dec 2020, 22:57 • #22 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
Those convertibles are actually pretty great. Not for me, but the best of both worlds.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 02 Dec 2020, 01:28 • #23 
Guide
Joined: 09/11/19
Posts: 134
Location: Canada, Alberta
I typically wear longer shorts and roll up my neoprene socks, so my legs are essentially covered but have better air flow and feels more comfortable than pants.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 02 Dec 2020, 07:38 • #24 
Sport
Joined: 04/17/15
Posts: 67
Location: Colo/Wyoming

Shorts always.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Wet Wading Pants
Post 02 Dec 2020, 12:58 • #25 
Sport
Joined: 01/05/18
Posts: 29
Location: US-WI
One encounter with wild parsnip and shorts and you'll be wishing you had pants on. I was fishing from bridge to bridge this past summer where I was going to walk the road back to my car. The bridge at the end was a field of wild parsnip on both sides of the creek and the bridge pool was too deep to wade. I decided to walk through it and was fine. I imagine I would have been in rough shape with shorts.


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

1, 2  Next New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group