I do a pretty fair amount of bushwhacking also. One of the things I think helped me get so many years out of my 1st gen Redington zip ups and pant waders is wader gaiters.
On @Greg Armstrong 's recommendation I tried the Aquaz pant waders. Man, they are overbuilt (4 layers, made in Japan) and $110 less expensive than Dryft.Take a look at Aquaz. I have the zip ups and have been impressed with their toughness and durability. They’re very well made.
They are not well known, but apparently make waders for other well known brands.
AQUAZ Fishing Waders | Premium Fishing Apparel Company
AQUAZ USA is a premium fishing apparel company. AQUAZ has manufactured fishing waders since 1986, and we have one of the oldest histories in making fishing apparel.aquazfishing.com
I do a pretty fair amount of bushwhacking also. One of the things I think helped me get so many years out of my 1st gen Redington zip ups and pant waders is wader gaiters.
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This company ships to the US
Little Presents Wader Gaiter
Gaiters to wear over breathable wader. With them on, you will feel decreased water drag while wading…www.tenkaraya.com
On @Greg Armstrong 's recommendation I tried the Aquaz pant waders. Man, they are overbuilt (4 layers, made in Japan) and $110 less expensive than Dryft.
Their Zip waders look real nice -4 layers, mfg in Japan; also $100 less than Dryft and will likely be my next chest wader purchase.Aquaz Trinity Waist Wader
Discontinued - very limited stock A stockingfoot waist wader constructed of 4 layers of AQUALEX® Megaflow™ fabric. 5 layers around legs to mid-thigh. Single seam construction on outer leg eliminates the issue of fabric wear on inseam. Improved fit. Two hand warmer pockets with YKK®...aquazfishing.com
Aquaz Dryzip Chest Wader
WINNER OF "FISH ALASKA EDITORS' CHOICE AWARDS 2020"A professional breathable wader - 100% waterproof protection. Brand new designed Dryzip offers easy access using a 100% waterproof zipper. The new Dryzip is the 3rd generation style with upgraded features, comfort and durability. It is much...aquazfishing.com
They do protect the knees and legs from cobble when kneeling for stealth or releasing fish and crawling over logs, protect the legs from thorns and fish hooks, cut down on drag in the water, and can keep your legs a little warmer.
The pair of wader gaiters I have was from Esoteric Tackle in Great Britain, now discontinued. They are smaller; somewhere between Little Presents Large and King but at at £50 shipped were half the price of the LPs back in 2019 and have worked quite well. In 5 years they've gotten a lot of use and have saved me from serious injury twice when stumbling into beaver punji sticks hidden in chest high grass, plus countless scrapes from crawling over logs and boulders... I've had Mrs Brian do some minor repairs on her industrial sewing machine and though they are showing their age, are still working very well.
