Hellbender Waterproof Chest Fishing Waders, Stockingfoot

My starting premise is Rule Number One: All stocking foot waders will eventually leak. Even if it is just a "small" leak (at first) a cold water wader leak is still a problem that is only going to get worse. Much worse. The only question is "When?" At one time in the not-too-distant past replacing the neo booties in a stocking foot wader was relatively straight-forward and cheaper than purchasing a new pair of waders. Not any longer (at least here in the Northwest). So began my hunt for a pair of new waders....and this online review of my new Hellbender waders. Spoiler alert: The waders are very well made and definitely worth the price! I just test-fished my first pair of Hellbenders on a local stream (checking for leaks, natch) and I can honestly report they are a great find--at least for my size. I'm 5-10" and about 155 pounds (size 10 shoes) and the stocking foot booties were the best-ever fit for me. Very comfy, well-designed and the easiest pair of waders I have ever taken off at the end of the test fishing. No struggling to get the booties off my feet, no leaks and no problems; what more can you ask of waders? Bonus points for the waterproof chest and hand-warmer pockets, plus an inside-chest zipper pocket for a cell phone. (Not sure if the zippered, clear plastic inside pocket is completely waterproof but is is well-placed and easily-accessed. It's a perfect location to carry a cell and have it conveniently accessible. ) Before taking a chance on these Hellbenders I seriously thought of purchasing waders costing $300 or more--just for the peace of mind when it came to warranties and repairing/replacing neo booties. I reminded myself of Rule Number One, did some back-of-the-napkin calculating and figured that even if these Hellbenders lasted only one fishing season it was/is cheaper to buy a new pair and replace them each year than it was/is to pay for repair/shipping costs. Some of the online reviews I read noted that the Hellbenders belt/shoulder straps did not have a quick-connect feature. My pair has a unique/different quick-connect feature, so I'm not sure if I have a new, improved model or those reviewers didn't know how to use the different style quick-connect that comes on the Hellbenders. Who knows? For me this product is very reasonably priced, well-made, comfy and has everything I want in a pair of new waders. I am hoping that in two years I can also report that these waders are also the most durable pair I have every purchased!

I got these based on borrowing these exact waders for my first outing. They were so much more comfortable than I could've expected. The fit is great for the winter, as I can layer up a lot. (I got them in large, I'm 5'7, 140 lbs, size 8 shoes) I love the front pouch pocket for hand warmers. And they are waterproof, evidenced when I fell in the river more than once in the same day; my phone, tissues and hand warmers all came out bone dry. I have worn them and hiked around, sat on rocks, concrete walls, the ground, you name it. They are well made. I'm sure that eventually these will need to be replaced, but I'm not sure that I wouldn't just buy another pair. If you are looking for a good, well-priced set of waders these are the ones.

Great fit and better price. You can always depend on Frog Riggs.

First and foremost, I believe I'm going to like these chest waders. I just received my size Large waders from Amazon today, and so at this point I cannot offer any comments on performance and durability. I will make a comment or two about design. For reference, I'm a 69-year-old, 5'7", 189 pound fly angler. The waders are good looking and have some nifty features, such as a D-ring mounted next to the right shoulder strap latch. This should come in handy for keeping items handy, such as a boga-grip or hemostats. There are some other negative points, that might seem insignificant to some. First, the waders advertise that the knee is reinforced. Well, the area on the leg that's reinforced isn't anatomically correct! A person's knee is higher on the leg than where the reinforced area is, so I think this "feature" will prove to be more of a gimmick than a true benefit. (Note to Frogg Toggs: raise this reinforcement area a few inches!) There is a nifty clear zippered compartment on the inside of the waders, and at first it seems like a good spot to store your phone. But, in order to access the stored item, you have to pull this storage pocket out from inside the waders, and with a phone inside that is no easy feat. In my case, I had to undo the shoulder straps. Once the pocket is flipped to where it's accessible, it is upside down. That means you'll need to be very careful retrieving the contents once you unzip the opening.....stuff could just fall out either into the water or into your waders. (Note to Frogg Toggs: place the zipper on the SIDE of the pocket and you'll solve this problem!) The neoprene bootie for a Large set of waders is supposed to fit shoe sizes 10-12. It happens that I wear a wading boot size 11 -- right in the middle. Yet my feet are snug in the booties. Why does this matter, you ask? Well, the friction of a snug fit will lead to early wear and leakage. Clearly Frogg Toggs should invite me to be on its design committee, or at least on a focus group, as I have been blessed with an abundance of common sense.

These are better than I expected. I tried a couple of other waders, I sent them back. The fit was off and/or cheaply made. In short, I’m keeping these! They fit well and are nice and light but still keep me warm and dry. The material is thin but doesn’t feel cheap, the workmanship is very good and the boots are very comfortable. These are a really good deal for the money, I’m very happy with my purchase.

I've owned several pairs of waders in this price range and these are the worst by far. I'm not sure there's one good thing about them so please be aware.. starting from the bottom, I ordered XL and I wear a size 11.5 in men's. The booties barely fit on my feet but they stretched out and probably caused wear on the seams. Next, the gravel guards are too short and too tight so I can barely get them over the top inch of my boots and they constantly ride up. The seam tape on the inside of the right leg started peeling off after about 4-5 months of use which leaked really bad until I patched it. The wading belt as well as the suspender clips don't buckle like every other pair of waders, instead they use a small plastic tab that comes undone constantly unless the belt and suspenders are worn very tightly. The hand warmer pockets are linked to the top zippered pocket on the outside of the waders so if you wade out past the bottom of any of the zippers they all fill with water which almost broke my phone but I noticed quick enough. Even if these were half the price I could never recommend them to anyone. Get any of the other brands in this price range and you will be much happier.

Excellent product. I fished in Alaska for a solid week with these waders and found the comfortable. Recommend!

We originally bought a pair of these for my son, and my husband liked them so much that he got himself a pair when his old waders ripped. They’re lightweight, breathable, and completely waterproof — perfect for long days fishing without feeling heavy or bogged down. The fit is comfortable, easy to move in, and they feel well-made for the price. We’ve had no issues with leaks, and they dry quickly after use. Great quality, great price — definitely recommend for anyone who spends time in the water!

So far so good. Decent waders for the price. Good fit.

Bought as my first wader. Used for 9 months in salt and fresh water intensively, waist deep wading and bush whacking, it finally had a small leak (not completely wet, just noticed socks are wet and a little bit water on the calves). Sent a request for Frogg Toggs customer service and customer rep Jana offered to send a replacement free of charge due to shipping distance is too far to send my wader for repair (and cost would be too high). Happened to a friend of mine and he was offered the same solution. I wouldn’t compare it to a Simms, Orvis or Patagonia, but for the price and quality, 100% recommended.

Weaders non étanche au bout 8 mois d'utilisation, comment activer la garantie ?

Spectacular

El vadeador se veía de excelente calidad, con materiales resistentes y costuras bien selladas. Sin embargo, tuve que devolverlo ya que la talla no coincidía con lo esperado. Recomiendo revisar detenidamente la guía de tallas antes de comprar. Aparte de eso, el producto promete ser duradero y funcional.