Why Waders Leak!

So why do waders leak so frequently? I have done a lot of research on this, testing many different types, makes and styles. We keep a detailed record of every one we test, including make, model and the leaks we have found. If we see anything interesting or unusual we record it with a series of photos. I believe waders leak for 4 main reasons:

• Size problems

• User problems

• Storage problems

• Manufacturing problems

Size issues are the most common i believe. How often do you see a forum post saying "whats the best waders"? Next you get people listing their own waders, saying "x wader is best", followed by the same number saying its the worst. How is it possible to be both good and bad? How often do we get folks saying i have had 3 now, and all have leaked in the crotch? Well it could be a bad wader, there are loads out there. Or it could simply be the cut of that wader did not fit the angler, and they stressed it in the same place each time. Proper fit is vital and its possible you wont get one off the shelf that fits properly. I can sort that. You are always going to be stronger than a wader seam, and if all your waders leak in the same place, regardless of make and model then it may be you are the problem and not the waders. Too tall, too short, too wide, and so on. Too big is as bad as too small, so if the legs are too long it stresses the crotch. Don't believe me? Ok, pull your trousers down by 4 inches so you look like an American Rap artist and try to step on to a chair, like stepping out of a deep pool. Size issues manifest as a distinctive leak area, and stretch lines on the seam . It can – in bad cases, rip the inner lining. Ok, the sales team share some of the blame on this one, but you do also – you bought it, particularly if you bought online! If the waders are too tight they will strain when you walk, climb, or kneel, bend or sit down. So if you buy waders that are too small, and sit down in them at lunch time, then they will leak in the afternoon. A float tuber or rock hopper will need a longer wader than a bank angler as they are in positions the wader was not designed for. Long walks require a properly fitting wader, or rubbing thighs and calf's will rub through in a day. Size issues manifests as a distinctive leak area, and stretch lines on the seam, usually diagonal . It can – in bad cases, rip the inner lining. It often has diagonal striation lines, or twisted zip teeth, but this can also happen if you leave the zip half open and try to get them on or off. If the waders are too tight they will strain when you walk, climb, or kneel, bend or sit down. None of this takes time, it can happen in a morning.  Over the years we have specialised in sizing folks for waders, and everyone needs to measure in exactly the same way and once we have the accurate sizes we can match you to a wader thats both fits your size and planned usage

User problems are obvious. Sitting on rough or thorny ground, crashing through beds of thistles or brambles or hitting yourself with a large salmon double will all puncture your waders, and all this will always leave a distinctive mark. Standing on them, whilst dressing particularly on rough ground does them no favours. Basically with breathables, exposing them to anything spiky will puncture them, regardless of cost and thickness. When in undergrowth imagine you are carrying a balloon in front of you, if the undergrowth would burst a balloon it can puncture the wader. Remember also that not every wader is suitable for all environments, and rocky shorelines will need different waders from manicured salmon pools. In the same way as some tyres work better on some surfaces than others some waders last better in some environments than others. Cheaper or travel waders have their place, but its not a rocky shoreline! Wader boots also need some thought. New boots tend to cause more leaks then older worn and smoothed off ones.  Adding studs to boots can easily puncture wader socks, and as the felt or rubber wears faster than the metal stud, so it  is driven further into the wader as the sole thins as you walk on it. 

Storage problems are  more subtle. The fabric does not like to be tightly folded or creased. This can make for long thins leaks, typically along your shins or calf. Storage in a cold place, where they freeze and thaw regularly can badly damage the fabric, and in some cases can destroy them. We are finding a single freeze makes little difference, but regular freeze thaw cycles all winter can badly damage them. Boot foots do not like being hung by the braces. Not only will this stretch the braces but it also puts considerable and prolonged pressure on the seam between the boot and the fabric, a common leak point in boot foots. If hanging by the braces, use only the front 2 buckles, so the elastic back braces are not stretched. Finally leaving them in a place where mice can get to them is a disaster. If the damage is minimal then we can certainly sort it for you, if not it is a trip to the tackle shop I am afraid (or perhaps my special offers dept!)

Another common problem is standing on the wader fabric whilst getting changed, and this manifests upon testing as a series of pin holes on the back of the thigh/knee, an area which you would not expect to suffer problems in normal use, though is surprisingly common. Simply sit sideways on your car seat or on the tail gate if possible to put the waders on. If this is not possible, lean against a tree or the hut for support, rather than having to stand on the fabric.

Finally, if you do puncture your waders, crossing a fence or by having them hit by a fly, get them repaired as soon as possible. Leaking waders encourage mould to grow on the inside, and the mould can easily breach the pores in breathable fabric, causing the seams or fabric to seep water in. These damaged areas in time cause the waders to leak badly, and although this is easily repairable, it is far more costly than having a simple pin hole or rip repaired.

Ok, so as anglers we don’t always get it right, but the manufacturers must shoulder some of the blame as well. I am talking about the folks who make it here and not the suppliers. Almost no tackle supplier has their own factory, making only waders. Most, if not all manufacture some of their waders ranges by buying factory time, in a place that one week is making waders, and then next mountaineering jackets. To make waders at a sensible price, they are often made down to a cost. Taping the seams using a glue by hand would make for very expensive waders. So they are taped using a roll of tape that is coated with a dry glue on one side, and this tape and glue are heated and applied to the material. It melts, sticks and dries in seconds, just like a glue gun using the dry sticks. It is a thermo set glue and works well in many applications. Thermo sets are quite brittle once dry, but being very thin they are also very flexible. Your fishing rod is flexible but brittle. If you take a very thin tape of glue, with hundreds of stitch holes behind it and wiggle it back and forward a few hundred or thousand times it will develop tiny cracks, and the water will go through the stitching, and then travel along these cracks, you will get seam leaks – the most common wader leak. 

However we also see other problems. The tape for example must cover the seam, and from time to time we see a miss. Folds, creases and air spaces in seams, and under the tape are asking for trouble. I think the manufacturers are always looking for ways of improving. Improving the waders for you – and improving the profits to them. This is only fair. But using lots of little bits of material, with lots of seams makes for lots of stitching, stitch holes, seams and leaks. I think they are all looking for ways of moving the seams to places where they will see minimal stretches, flexes and seams, and some have managed to an extent.

 I am delighted to say that they have not fully managed! Warranty related issues tend to show very quickly after purchase, trip 3 on average and typically leaks appearing after 11 1/2 months tend to be non warranty damage, but only a test will confirm this. 

Anyway, that is why they leak, can we help and fix this – yes we can!