Dryft Waders - Anyone use or have experience with them?
- Thread starter Aleforme
- Start date
Well, I gave Dryft a try and they just aren't going to work for me. I didn't get to test them but I can say the quality, detail and design is really top notch. The customer service was great as well. Got them within 3 days or ordering.
The issue I had with them was sizing. I'm a big guy (6ft/265) so the 2XL fit perfectly in the chest and waist. I initially went with the standard length which is a 32 inseam. Fit great! BUT, with the standard inseam, the boot/shoe size is a 9-11 and I wear a size 12.5 to 13. My toes were really close to the end of the bootie and once I put on my wading boots, my toes were really crammed/jammed. And that was with just one pair of socks. Unfortunately, they do not offer the 12-13 boot/shoe size in the standard inseam to so you have to go up to the 34-36in inseam. Those are way too long. So my option are either to have jammed toes or big and long saggy legs.
At this point, it looks like the only zip waders with a shorter inseam AND larger boot size are the Orvis Pros. But dang, they are not cheap. I really wish Orvis made a mid-tier zip wader like Simms. Unfortunately, Simms is similar to Dryft in sizing and they will only custom cut their G2/G4 waders. So, right back at the Orvis price and my local shop says Simms has been running way behind. They can't even order most Simms stuff now as everything is out of stock. Sounds like Simms is putting more of a focus on direct order now for customers.
The issue I had with them was sizing. I'm a big guy (6ft/265) so the 2XL fit perfectly in the chest and waist. I initially went with the standard length which is a 32 inseam. Fit great! BUT, with the standard inseam, the boot/shoe size is a 9-11 and I wear a size 12.5 to 13. My toes were really close to the end of the bootie and once I put on my wading boots, my toes were really crammed/jammed. And that was with just one pair of socks. Unfortunately, they do not offer the 12-13 boot/shoe size in the standard inseam to so you have to go up to the 34-36in inseam. Those are way too long. So my option are either to have jammed toes or big and long saggy legs.
At this point, it looks like the only zip waders with a shorter inseam AND larger boot size are the Orvis Pros. But dang, they are not cheap. I really wish Orvis made a mid-tier zip wader like Simms. Unfortunately, Simms is similar to Dryft in sizing and they will only custom cut their G2/G4 waders. So, right back at the Orvis price and my local shop says Simms has been running way behind. They can't even order most Simms stuff now as everything is out of stock. Sounds like Simms is putting more of a focus on direct order now for customers.
I agree with you, wader manufacturers seem to think bigger people have small dogs (feet) that end with size 13.
The skinny fit of some waders is a no go for me as well.
You might also check out the Redington Sonic Pro waders which use the licensed Orvis welded seam technology.
I get maybe three years out of a pair at most but you can find the non zip model for around $225 online. I mostly fish saltwater in mine. They have lots of different size options.
I figure $75 per year for waders isn’t bad considering all the other money I piss away on fishing.
SF
I agree with you, wader manufacturers seem to think bigger people have small dogs (feet) that end with size 13.
The skinny fit of some waders is a no go for me as well.
You might also check out the Redington Sonic Pro waders which use the licensed Orvis welded seam technology.
I get maybe three years out of a pair at most but you can find the non zip model for around $225 online. I mostly fish saltwater in mine. They have lots of different size options.
I figure $75 per year for waders isn’t bad considering all the other money I piss away on fishing.
SF
Yeah, I'm looking at the Reddingtons as well. I need to find some to try on since I'm probably dead between the XL and XXL. They also have a lower priced zip wader that might work. And even their Sonic Pros are about the same price as the Dryft waders. The Orvis are $750 and that's just a hard $$$ pill to swallow for a pair of waders that are going to wear out eventually.
We have the same issue with "foot size" driving wader selection. I'm 6' tall, 32" inseam and weigh 150 pounds - I shopped and shopped for waders that weren't 2XL to get boot sizes available for my size 12's. What do I need 2XL waders (all that damn fabric adding drag when wading) for my physique? The answer was Redington Sonic Pro (not zippered). The did (don't know if they still do) offer two choices in feet sizes for their Sonic Pro brand: size large, feet 12-13. They fit me well, not too much excess fabric, seem durable (three years old now).
Yeah, I guess I understand you have to limit options to control cost to some degree but just offering 2 different boot sizes in the various wader sizes would make a ton of sense. If Dryft had a short seam 12-13 boot size, they'd have my money. Or in this case, would not be returning it shortly.
Although not germane to the original question here is my recent experience with waders. For years I had used Cabelas, then Orvis and finally Simms. Seemingly spending more didn't seem to contribute to longevity. With failures and returns it was more like having a subscription than buying an enduring product. Eventually it occurred to me that buying a cheapo that lasted 2 years made more sense than buying an expensive model that lasted the same amount of time. As my Aquaseal expenses mounted-particularly with the Simms-I had enough and shopped for something really inexpensive that would hopefully give me a couple of good years.
I found something called Compass 360 for about $88 and gave them a try. That has been over 4 years now and they have held up better than any waders I have ever owned. The past two years have been harsh on them with creek fishing and lots of brush beating and lots of on and off. They are really dirty and grubby but have yet to leak a drop-amazing! They are up to around $120 but should mine eventually fail I'll buy the same ones again. Four years of dry out of a product that chronically fails has been a very good deal.
I found something called Compass 360 for about $88 and gave them a try. That has been over 4 years now and they have held up better than any waders I have ever owned. The past two years have been harsh on them with creek fishing and lots of brush beating and lots of on and off. They are really dirty and grubby but have yet to leak a drop-amazing! They are up to around $120 but should mine eventually fail I'll buy the same ones again. Four years of dry out of a product that chronically fails has been a very good deal.
I actually looked at these but they just didn’t have the size that was right for me.
As an update, I ended up picking up a pair of Redington Sonic Pro zip ups. Found a good deal on them and they fit great. Fished this morning and loved them. We’ll see how they hold up.
And thanks again everyone for all the advise and input.
Jim
Just ordered a pair of Skwala RS after reading reviews for a month. Hope all those people that claim they winter fish like me actually mean it.
