Waders of death?

and for all the guys with the itchy syndrome.....stop peeing in your suit and all will be cool

Not necessarily. . . . I never pee in my wetsuit and still after a long day seated in the kayak, it gets uncomfortably itchy. A couple days in a row can leave you with "monkey butt" - TMI, I know, but if you've been there, you know what I mean.

Hey, what do you know! He didn't sign his name, but that's Ric Burnley folks, the video wader test monkey. He finally passed the intelligence test needed to get on the site.

I can kid 'cause we go back a ways, and because Ric's a stand-up guy and definitely hardcore. I hope you'll welcome him.

Hey Ric,  welcome to our club/site!  Uh, we argue a lot - like my family - but we respect each other.  As you can tell, we've had this "discussion" more than once.  Like most arguments, both sides have merit.  I think Polepole probably has it most right:  It depends on the situation.

Anyone with enough balls to jump in 38 degree water with just waders is all right with me - Welcome!

Dave

Jhfish, the trick is to wear some poly briefs under the wetsuit. Not 100% cotton though. Jim

For the past few yrs, I've been sporting paddling pants and a splash jacket worn over my farmer-john wetsuit. Throw on some neoprene gloves and booties and you're good to go. This is a setup I feel very comfortable in...and I would recommend it to any newbie or pro kayak angler! Seriously!

For the past few yrs, I've been sporting paddling pants and a splash jacket worn over my farmer-john wetsuit. Throw on some neoprene gloves and booties and you're good to go. This is a setup I feel very comfortable in...and I would recommend it to any newbie or pro kayak angler! Seriously!

Are paddling pants watertight? Like are they short drysuits?

Are paddling pants watertight? Like are they short drysuits?

No, they just keep the splash off your wetsuit.  You hear complaints about wetsuits getting cold ... mainly due to the evaporation factor.  Paddle pants address this "comfort factor issue".  I'm surprised I don't see more people wear them.

-Allen

These are the paddling pants I use: NRS Endurance (though I also have a pair of Kokatat and an older pair of NRS pants that I loan to friends). I got them @ REI for about 60 bucks.
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=25872
Wear these over your FJ wetsuit and you'll stay dry & warm. My only complaint is that I can't simply pee in my wetsuit anymore    Because I don't want a bunch of my pee sloshing-around inside my paddling pants. (Yeah, contrary to popular belief, it's pretty cool to pee in your wetsuit...everybody whose cool is doing it...crotchrot be damned, turn on the peter heater!) Fortunately, there's a zipper in my FJ wetsuit that makes it convenient to "whip it out" while OTW...but granted, the zippers are on my ankles and I realize not everybody is gifted enough to perform this stunt...

I've been considering getting some of the Endurance pants to wear just as you mentioned Sin.

.but granted, the zippers are on my ankles and I realize not everybody is gifted enough to perform this stunt...

NICE

Are paddling pants watertight? Like are they short drysuits?

No, they just keep the splash off your wetsuit.  You hear complaints about wetsuits getting cold ... mainly due to the evaporation factor.  Paddle pants address this "comfort factor issue".  I'm surprised I don't see more people wear them.

-Allen

I love my splash pants basically a wind breaker light weight easy on/off no seals, just snaps or zipper sides. It gets too cold foggy or rain I slip them on and am nice and warm again.

I too usually wear a neoprene farmer john with a kokatat drytop and paddling pants. Forget about getting a little splash on your wetsuit. The important thing about paddling pants and drytops is they provide wind protection that the neoprene doesn't. I don't wear the tempest pants with the sewn in booties. IMO, those are just fancy overpriced waders.

1.5 hours in 50 degree water with FJ and a dry top? On a windy day with your kayak being blown out to sea? As I was sitting on the hook in SPB yesterday I was thinking about going in. Oh it looked so inviting, That cold miserable death by drowning after being hypothermic for a half hour. Lets not forget that a person died in Tomales Bay last year while just being in the water for 30 minutes.  Some dudes wear board shorts on the open ocean. I am with SteveS. Lets see someone with the wader preference eagerly depart from the safety of the kayak and swim with current for a half hour. Then I will tow your ass to shore where the paramedics will be there awating you. Ric Burnleys test was a farce and we all know it. As far as a quick dunking is concerned he was good. Maybe thats all he was trying to prove. Just a quick dunking. Like a fucking donut.

Swimming in cold water for 30 minutes is one thing and we all know that the cold will demolish just about anyone. I think Steve's test is more a test of getting to land from a dumped yak. For a test like this a PB would be a must. Even getting out of the water back on to the kayak would mean that the swimmer is wet and cold and unable to heat themselves back up in the wet clothes.

-Brian G

Yah, i know you're gonna die if you have to spend too much time in the cold. I'm wondering can you actually make it back to land before that happens. I'll arrange the PB, but let's wait till the water warms and we get a nice big current. maybe June-isH?
BTW: i was out there yesterday and it was RIPPING...i'm convinced that you won't catch the boat. And...I admit...I wore my waders, dry top paddling jacket, and belt...and it felt freaky

...and it felt freaky

Hmmm, if that "freaky" feeling is anything like when Ab diving and it's murky and low vis-any furbags in the greater area are all hauled out and being rock sausages....I get out of the water. Paranoia or 6th sense?

Thanks, DaveW.  I'm married to a red-head so you can't hurt my feelings.  It depends alot on region, too.  A lot of guys wear waders and dry top because they have them for surf fishing.    The best thing you can do is test your system - in warmer water with controlled conditions.  And "warm water" doesn't include pee...

OK being a newbie and still outfitting my outback, really great info here on both sides of this issue. I have used my waders in the mountain lakes on a Friends yak, which got me hooked! being pulled around my a 3 lb trout.

Now I need to move up to the bay for Hail's & sturgies and the big blue for Salmon & Rockies and Will be moving up my anitwet gear.

I think I'll be following Sin Coast's system

Thanks for all the info

Dangerous Trebles

Waders aren't going to make you drown. They'll just make it very difficult to reboard the yak. And they won't protect you from hypothermia as well as a wetsuit or drysuit would. Right?

I am posting late to this, but yes, right on all counts. In my opinion, waders are designed for and should only be used where the likelihood of getting water into them will not result in a life-threatening hypothermia scenario. So that means: wading and  kayaking still waters with little chance of prolonged immersion (getting separated from boat, etc.). While I wear waders fishing lakes inland, I always wear a dry suit or at least 3 mil wetsuit in the ocean and only in a lot of company the wet suit. I did serious sea kayaking drills with the BCU out of Bodega Bay and I found I couldn't stay strong after 30 minutes in the cold Pacific in a 3 mil wet suit. I switched to a dry suit and practiced for 3 hours in the surf and out in the bay with no discomfort let alone loss of function. I literally felt no cold at all. Get an inexpensive dry suit and save your life. You are worth it.