Best Waders For Surf Fishing

Our Pick
Frogg Toggs Amphib Neoprene Chest Waders
5.0
$119.99 $73.96

Compatible with jeans, thermal underwear, or lightweight fishing pants, you’ll have a comfortable day in the surf with these waders if you choose the correct size.

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03/17/2024 06:04 pm GMT

The images of surf fishing are always set on sunny beaches, under clear blue skies, with just enough light breeze to keep the bugs off, and may a hang glider floating gently in the background. That’s the ideal when it comes to surf fishing, but the reality is often very different.

Those idyllic long summer afternoons spent casting a long 15-foot rod, loaded with a couple of ounces of lead weight and a chunk of bait, are something to treasure. However, the truth is that many more species of fish and a lot more volume of those fish are caught on cold, windswept northern Pacific, and mid-Atlantic stretches of sand or rocky beach.

What are the best waders for surf fishing, you might ask? That’s why we’re here today.

A pair of shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and maybe a cabana hat complete the idealistic fishing wardrobe, if you’re casting into the deep along the Oregon, Washington, or Northern California coast, the reality is much different. The same can be said of throwing bait into the Atlantic from Northern Virginia to the tip of Maine. It gets cold out there.

One way to reduce the cold is to stay dry, and the best way to do that is with a pair of high-quality surf fishing waders.

Let’s take a look at the features you need, the fabric, footing, and many other aspects of fishing waders, then break those features down with a few of the more popular surf fishing waders on the market.

Complete List of Our Picks For The Best Surf Fishing Waders

Our Pick
Frogg Toggs Amphib Neoprene Chest Waders
5.0
$119.99 $73.96

Compatible with jeans, thermal underwear, or lightweight fishing pants, you’ll have a comfortable day in the surf with these waders if you choose the correct size.

Shop on Amazon
03/17/2024 06:04 pm GMT
Premium Pick
Adamsbuilt Truckee River Wader
5.0
$299.93

An exterior belt offers a place to hang your gear, and a zippered front pouch provides a storage area for plastic tackle boxes, sunglasses, and other accessories you might want to take into the surf.

Shop on Amazon
03/17/2024 11:49 pm GMT
Budget Pick
Caddis Men's Taupe Affordable Breathable Stocking Foot Wader
4.0
86,56 €

If you’re concerned about an exacting fit in a pair of surf waders, look no further. Caddis has the largest variety of sizes on the market this wader.

Shop on Amazon
03/16/2024 03:02 am GMT
Value Pick
Redington CROSSWATER Waders
4.5
$149.99

These tan waders have all the basics you’d expect in a set of surfcasting waders. The straps are easily adjusted to fit any sized angler, and the attached nylon belt is great for securing those needed accessories.

Shop on Amazon
03/14/2024 09:09 am GMT
Versatile Pick
BASSDASH Men’s Breathable Lightweight Chest and Waist Convertible Waders for Fishing and Hunting
4.0
$149.98 $139.98

These waders are equally at home on the pounding surf of an ocean beach, wading quietly through a fast-moving trout stream, or in walking after duck decoys in heavy cattails on the shoreline of a cold northern lake.

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03/14/2024 04:14 am GMT

Surf Fishing Waders, What Should You Look For?

best waders for surf fishing

Surf fishing waders are a contrast in moisture. The good ones keep cold water out but allow the sweat generated from your body heat to wick away. It might seem counterintuitive, but this is a process that the best surf fishing materials have accomplished well.

The old days of strapping into a pair of chest-high rubber waders meant a day with your pants or long Johns soaked with sweat. The rubber kept the water out well, but it also kept the moisture you built up through sweating inside that rubber set of pants too.

If you’re ever worn a pair of solid, non-permeable rubber chest waders for any length of time, you probably remember that slick feeling and sloshing sound as your feet squished against your own sweat late in the day. It wasn’t on anyone’s top 10 list of things to feel while out on the water.

Rubber works great at keeping water away, but more fabrics are lighter, retain the same moisture prevention as rubber, and the best ones wick away your sweat, leaving the dry at the end of the longest day when you finally pull those waders off and head for home.

It’s not just the material in the waders lining your legs and upper body to consider, the feet of the waders are important as well.

Some are made fully encapsulated, meaning you just step into them, slide your feed into the integrated fishing shoe or boot, then you’re on your way.

Others have a more sock-like appearance and are designed to let you slide the waters inside a pair of fishing shoes or boots.

Both work well, and most of the time it’s simply personal preference on the design that an angler will choose.

A third component is the shoulder straps. If they’re narrow they will cut into your shoulder after just a few hours on the water. If they’re too wide, they can impinge movement and created sore shoulders from making unnatural motions when casting or retrieving a lure.

The Goldilocks Principle once again applies, not too narrow, not too wide, find a pair that’s just right.

The final consideration is more along the lines of Batman’s utility belt. Is there a way to hook a tackle box, net, or other fishing gear to the outside of your waders? Some are completely slick, so any additional gear requires a belt or suspenders to hold additional equipment.

Others offer reinforced hooks, belts, and loops for attaching that extra equipment.

With all this in mind, let’s step into (sorry, bad pun) the world of surf waders.

Best Waders For Surf Fishing Reviewed

Frogg Toggs Amphib Neoprene Bootfoot Chest Wader, Cleated or Felt Outsole

Our Pick
Frogg Toggs Amphib Neoprene Chest Waders
5.0
$119.99 $73.96

Compatible with jeans, thermal underwear, or lightweight fishing pants, you’ll have a comfortable day in the surf with these waders if you choose the correct size.

Shop on Amazon
03/17/2024 06:04 pm GMT

Constructed of proprietary Nylon, combined with traditional neoprene, these waders feature a thick 3.5 mm neoprene upper, hand-warmer pockets, reinforced knees, and insulated rubber boots all assembled into one leakproof design.

Reinforced knees are a great feature since this is the place where nicks, cuts, tears, and stress points from regular, repeated use while bending and walking can cause damage.

A high back design with adjustable suspenders makes this mid-priced chest wader a good choice for the serious surf casting enthusiast.

These waders are available in size 7 to size 13.  Surf waders are sized according to the foot size, but many users with larger feet and shorter legs have issues with the extended inseam lengths on the larger boot size.

The chest size is another feature tied to the boot. When you see 7 to 13, you need to really think, small to XXXL sizes.

Nothing is worse than a tight pair of waders, closing in on your chest all day. If you’re thinking about your gear, or how uncomfortable it is, you’re not thinking about the fish you’re trying to catch, and losing focus means losing opportunities to catch fish.

These waders are available in traditional green, classic camouflage, cattail pattern camouflage, or dark green. For those familiar with the camouflage world, the patterns are Mossy Oak and Realtree.

The waders have a little heft, weighing 5.63 pounds.

Compatible with jeans, thermal underwear, or lightweight fishing pants, you’ll have a comfortable day in the surf with these waders if you choose the correct size.

You’ll have to buy an extra belt since they’re smooth aside from the exterior pockets.

Adamsbuilt Truckee River Wader

Premium Pick
Adamsbuilt Truckee River Wader
5.0
$299.93

An exterior belt offers a place to hang your gear, and a zippered front pouch provides a storage area for plastic tackle boxes, sunglasses, and other accessories you might want to take into the surf.

Shop on Amazon
03/17/2024 11:49 pm GMT

Anglers don’t always consider the damaging effect gravel can have on a pair of waders, but the people at Adamsbuilt have.

They offer four layers of reinforced fabric at the knees and the seat of the waders for protection from sharp gravel if you were to fall forward or back while fishing.

A pair of attached gravel guards add extra protection to your knees.

The waders are constructed of premium microfiber fabric and are light in comparison with traditional neoprene-style waders.

They weigh just 3.3 pounds.

An exterior belt offers a place to hang your gear, and a zippered front pouch provides a storage area for plastic tackle boxes, sunglasses, and other accessories you might want to take into the surf.

You’ll need to purchase separate footwear since these are designed to slide inside fishing shoes or boots.

This is a higher-priced set of surf waders.

Reviews indicate the sizes run a little small, so if you usually wear XL, order the XXL set of waders.

Caddis Men’s Taupe Affordable Breathable Stocking Foot Wader

Budget Pick
Caddis Men's Taupe Affordable Breathable Stocking Foot Wader
4.0
86,56 €

If you’re concerned about an exacting fit in a pair of surf waders, look no further. Caddis has the largest variety of sizes on the market this wader.

Shop on Amazon
03/16/2024 03:02 am GMT

If you’re concerned about an exacting fit in a pair of surf waders, look no further. Caddis has the largest variety of sizes on the market this wader.

Beginning at small, and extending to XX-Large short stout, there is a size of wader that will fit you if you’re 5-5 and 250 pounds or 6-5 and 140 pounds. The variability with long, and stout added to the traditional small, medium, large and extra-large sizes creates a wide range of unique sizes in a reasonably priced wader.

These are light, step-in waders weigh just 2.2 pounds, and will require a separate pair of wading boots or shoes.

The included belt can be used to hang nets, fish pliers, or any other extra gear you’ll need out on the beach or riverside.

Redington Crosswater Fishing Wader

Value Pick
Redington CROSSWATER Waders
4.5
$149.99

These tan waders have all the basics you’d expect in a set of surfcasting waders. The straps are easily adjusted to fit any sized angler, and the attached nylon belt is great for securing those needed accessories.

Shop on Amazon
03/14/2024 09:09 am GMT

These tan waders have all the basics you’d expect in a set of surf casting waders. The straps are easily adjusted to fit any sized angler, and the attached nylon belt is great for securing those needed accessories.

These waders are made of 100% nylon, woven in three layers for extra protection.

They have neoprene gravel guards and include a zippered flip-out pocket.

They are step-in waders, so you’ll need to find a pair of good-fitting water shoes or wading boots to finish the ensemble.

BASSDASH 3D Boot Waders – Fishing & Hunting Chest Waders

Versatile Pick
BASSDASH Men’s Breathable Lightweight Chest and Waist Convertible Waders for Fishing and Hunting
4.0
$149.98 $139.98

These waders are equally at home on the pounding surf of an ocean beach, wading quietly through a fast-moving trout stream, or in walking after duck decoys in heavy cattails on the shoreline of a cold northern lake.

Shop on Amazon
03/14/2024 04:14 am GMT

The final waders in our review are moderately priced, but heavy-duty. These waders are equally at home on the pounding surf of an ocean beach, wading quietly through a fast-moving trout stream, or in walking after duck decoys in heavy cattails on the shoreline of a cold northern lake.

Built of heavy-duty 600 denier nylon fabric, they are resistant to thorns, branches, gravel, and just about any other natural corrosive you might encounter in a day’s adventure on the water. The seams are double-stitched and heat sealed. Designed for durability, they’ll handle the wear and tear that professional anglers can put them through with daily trips to the water.

A mesh lining eliminates the stickiness often found with inner PVC materials and makes them a lot easier to take off when you’re sitting on the tailgate of your truck as the sun sets.

Three-dimensional cutting around the knees adds more flexibility while retaining complete water resistance.

The adjustable elastic suspenders are designed for comfort, and strength with 1.5 inch wide straps to carry the weight on your shoulders as you tug through the sand and surf all day.

A chest storage pocket provides ample room for accessories, and the adjustable 1.5-inch wide belt with a quick-release buckle comes with D-ring attachments for snapping on equipment.

The sizes range from Medium 8-9 to XXL Long Feet 12-13 and 14 variations between these two extremes.

All models are boot foot style and come in color patterns of black plaid, heather grey, or patented Bassdash.

They vary in weight from around five pounds to seven pounds based on the size of the boot.

These are reasonable to moderately priced waters, and a great buy for the angler who may fish alone, but could supply family members with good quality equipment to get them started in the sport.

Conclusion

surf fishing during sunset

Surf casting waders have come a long way technologically since the early days when they were essentially the same material found in inner tubes inside automobile tires.

Those old waders had a strong petroleum smell, even after a couple of seasons of use, and were prone to degrading in sunlight as the UV radiation of the sun broke down the petroleum-based material.

Modern surf waders have a lot of similarities in style, but material, whether it includes a step-in boot or requires an additional shoe or boot to step into are considerations you would make.

The ability to find the exact size you’re looking for is another important consideration. You won’t want to bunch up legs from waders that fit around the waist but are too long in the inseam. On the other extreme, you don’t want to feel like the waders are pulling your shoulders all day because they’re too short.

Finding the right size, especially in foot size, and overall length is perhaps the most important consideration.

Finding fibers that breathe, while repelling water, and that have extra gravel guards, reinforced seats, and strongly protected knees is a must if you’re looking for surf fishing waders that will last more than just a season or two.

All these considerations must be balanced with how much you have to spend, or how much you want to spend on the best waders for surf fishing. You can get quality with a greater price, but how much quality difference is there if you’ve found a pair that is durable, watertight, and that fits you.

That extra cash won’t bring you extra fish, but it might make your time on the surf casting into the wind all afternoon much more enjoyable.

At the end of the day, its comfort, reliability, and durability are the main concerns.

Choose wisely.

For more guidance on choosing surf fishing gear, check out the pages below:

Captain Tyler Brady

Captain Tyler Brady

Hi, I'm Captain Tyler Brady, founder of A Fellow Fisherman. Thank you for reading this post and visiting my site. I strive to provide the best information when it comes to fishing, whether it is myself or A Fellow Fisherman that is part of my team. Now stop reading and GO fishing!

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