I understand the concern. I've been using some sort of external kneepads for knee-wader protection since 2010, and the longer neoprene knee-shin-wader protection since 2018 for freshwater (in pre wet-wading temps), and saltwater with no abrasion on waders, yet good protection from thorns and even stumbling into unseen beaver "tailings" in chest high grass that likely would have punctured my waders and my skin.And something else to abrade your waders, maybe