FROGG TOGGS 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!

Nice fit, if not just a little snug. Lots of pockets and rings for gadgets. Seem pretty durable and well made.

I bought about 5 pairs of waders in the last 8 years, each would only make it a season and then I spent a little more in these froggs. The first pair made it 2 seasons of salmon and trout fishing and finally got a small leak which I was going to patch but I stored them away damp and through no fault of theirs I decided to just get a new pair and take better care.

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.

Nothing wrong with the product, but it was delivered during a torrential downpour (over 4” that day) and thrown on the ground near my driveway without being in a plastic bag. Could have easily been put on the porch out of the rain. Box was drenched, had to hang the waders up to dry to keep inside from mildewing.

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.

Fits great, and keep me plenty warm. Paired with the matching boots they do way better than all in one waders. If one piece fails it's an easy fix with replacing.

If you are built like an apple and you have tiny feet, then these waders will work for you. If you are an average sized, 6-foot-tall guy with size 12 shoes, these waders are not going to work very well for you. The upper torso portion is HUGE and I have to fold and bunch-up the waders to get a watertight fit for my waist belt. In contrast, the lower stocking-foot section is too small. If I'm fishing cold waters and need to wear several pairs of socks, then my toes are too tight inside the neoprene. There is no way that I can pull the gravel guards down over my size 13 wading boots, because they are just too tight to go over the ankle area of the boot. Very disappointing.

Excellent

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

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

Exactly as described, excellent buy at this price point. Finally have a pair of waders that fit my feet! I am 6'6, 235 pounds, size 13 feet. Ordered size 2X and my feet are not squeezed into the booties! I can even wear my wooly socks! Granted the waders themselves are pretty loose around the waist and chest but that is a small price to pay.

Ricevuti molto velocemente. Ho acquistato quesi wader con molta curiosità, ma devo dire che sono fatti molto bene. Li ho provati in acqua e non c'è stata nessuna infiltrazione minima. È un prodotto molto buono. Per ora non posso dire nulla poi il tempo dirà se sono anche duraturi.