Thread: Inflatable Craft - Safety Precautions / Tips

Hi, I have both types, in fact I have 3 types:

- PVC Wader with gumboot.
- Neoprene wader which has "booties", and
- A "hybrid" - PVC type waders (goretex material) with booties

Here are my view on the three:

PVC WADERS, GUMBOOT TYPE:
- I only use them for papgooi nowadays, it's better than than the ones with booties (see why below).
- Although I do have the fit-over flippers for the gumboot waders, I find them very heavy, very hard and stiff, they hurt my ankles, they're uncomfortable, fins are small so you land up kicking your heart out, while others are flying past you with their bigger fins. In a short time I'm tired, sore and irritated - all this irritation causes me to have an irritating fishing experience, and you don't want that!
- In warmer weather I wear shorts, T-shirt and socks under the waders, and keep it on all day only if I'm fishing in muddy ground. If dry ground, I'll use it only at night to wade in and cast far. In summer I will only wade in if the water looks "suspect", and don't want to get any water diseases.
- In winter, I wear a tracksuit under it and keep it on all day, but loosen the straps when waiting for a bite. Helps to keep warm too.
- If you don't have any other waders for a float tube, this will have to do. Wear thick tracksuit pants so that the cold water on the waders do not get in contact with your skin, this causes you to get cold.

NEOPRENE WADERS WITH SOFT BOOTIES
- Much prefer this type, but a definite winner for winter months.
- Thicker material than a wet suit, but does not fit as tightly as a wet suit.
- Neoprene wader goes up to my chest, then I have straps that go over your shoulders to keep the waders up.
- For winter, you need to wear track pants (or thermal longs) under your neoprene's, also a shirt. You can still get a thin jersey on before you pull the straps over your shoulders.
- Then you can still wear a windbreaker over the waders - the windbreaker will get a bit wet, but it will help with the wind.
- I wear the big diving fins with adjustable foot grips. Much more comfortable for float tubing, except when you get holes in your booties (you are not meant to walk around with the booties type - you'll get holes in the booties, and when winter comes you get water in and your feet get freezing cold).
- Safety aspect? I suppose a good question Rebel532 raised. However I fit "snuggly" into my waders, so the advent of water getting in (and finding a place to hide) is virtually zero ..... I'm sure it has a certain level of floatation - at least I hope so!!

GORE-TEX TYPE WADER WITH BOOTIES
- I would use this in winter if I didn't have a neoprene wader, but with a thicker layer of clothing underneath.
- Also used for wading for fly fishing (but using the special boots with felt soles that you get).
- Otherwise, only for float tubing in Spring and in summer.
# Why Spring? You don't want to get cold even though the water is warmer - a few hours and you start feeling the cold .....
# Why in summer? I only use them in summer when I know the water is "suspect", or has leeches in, etc.

Hope this helps you guys.

Here are a few pics of the ones I have (similar).

Hi MP,

Price differences between PVC , Neoprene & Goretex?