Gear Review - Redington Sonic Pro Waders

All Bum Trout gear reviews are unbiased, honest, and nobody pays me to say anything.  I wish somebody would though...

I've learned that you can't make a good wader review after using those shiny new things one or two times.  It takes a period of punishment and abuse to judge if a pair of waders are worth one's salt. 
 
I've had my pair of Redington Sonic Pro waders for roughly six months and have been putting them through their paces.  Long days of walking, banging through brush, and duck hunting in freezing temps.  Needless to say, I haven't been babying these things.  Here's the verdict so far. 

Comfort/Fit:  In very few words, the Sonic Pros fit nicely.  Redington went with an ergonomic design with these waders and the results are quite pleasing.  The Sonic Pros fit better than any waders I have used in recent memory.  There is ample room to layer up if needed yet even when I only have on a thin baselayer and a t-shirt it doesn't look like I'm wearing a trash bag.  Got to look good when you're fishing, right?  My favorite part of the fit comes from the articulated seams, especially in the knee and seat.  I have full range of movement without the binding I've experienced with other waders.  I can't understate how nice this is when you are trying to scramble up/down steep banks and jump over boulders.   


No Stiches

Features:  Can't complain with the list of finishing touches on the Sonic Pros.  First off, the fleece lined hand warming pocket provides a much needed relief from frozen winter fingers, and the best part?  The pocket zips shut.  This may not sound like a big deal until you find yourself rowing a boat all day long having your oars constantly snagging in the handwarmer pocket.  This used to drive me crazy.  The simple addition of zippers fixes this annoying problem.

Continuing on, the Sonic Pros have ample storage for keys, wallets, cell phones, fly boxes, beef jerky, or a small dog or ferret.  The external pocket is handy, large, and fully waterproof.  The internal flip out pocket is water resistant.  In addition, the internal pocket has plenty of places to attach hemostats, retractors, and all those other gizmos you find necessary to carry.  Just don't carry one of those ridiculous fish counters.  You don't want to be that guy, do you?  

The gravel guard lace hooks are different from what I'm used to.  I am familiar the metal tab style lace hooks that always inevitably get flattened and never work right again.  At first I was leery about the plastic hooks but now I really think they're a good design.  The only beef I have with them is that they are a bit of a pain to get hooked on your laces.  A task exponentially more difficult with cold fingers.  Once hooked however they never come off, and help keep your fly line from tangling around your boots.  

The wading belt design is yet another simple but smart feature built into these waders.  The addition of a couple extra belt loops on the waders keeps your belt from inadvertently falling off and getting lost (Something I've experienced more than once!).  The wading belt is nice and stretchy and extra wide.  Something I like.   
  


 Durability/Construction:  So far so good.  After a few dozen hard uses these waders look almost new.  I stumbled across a strand of barbed wire a few trips ago and my Sonic Pro's didn't get a single hole in them.  Redington says the Sonics are constructed with a 4 layer fabric in the lower leg and seat, and a 3 layer fabric everywhere else.  The thicker fabric on the seat and not just the lower leg is a nice feature as this area takes a lot of abuse.  So far the sonically welded seams show no signs of wear and the interior double taped seams look as good as the day I bought them.  The fabric is treated with Redington's DWR coating for added waterproofing.  As of yet it seems to be working, I've managed to stay dry so far.    
 

Love the Zippered Handwarmer Pocket

Value: Are they worth the $300.00 price tag?  In short, yes they are.  At $300.00 the Sonic Pros aren't the cheapest pair of waders you will find but they sure aren't the most expensive either.  For the money you get a LOT more features than what you will find in most other companies comparably priced waders.  For the price, you get Redington's top of line product while with many other companies $300.00 wader, you will only get a middle of the road product.  The Sonic Pros aren't made in the USA if that bothers you, but nevertheless the craftsmanship seems solid to my eyes.   


Innovative Gravel Guard Hooks

Overall Impression:  For what it's worth I am really impressed by Redington's Sonic Pro Waders.  If I had to grade them, they would get a solid A+.  They fit great, are loaded with high end features, and seem to be well build.  For those who like to wade fish a lot and are looking for a wader that will stand up to loads of abuse during long days of walking, I wouldn't hesitate recommending the Sonic Pros.  I also like the color scheme of these waders, did I mention that?  Hey, one has to look good while out on the river after all.  Am I right?      

Gear Review - Simms Freestone 2012 Wading Boots

All Bum Trout gear reviews are unbiased, honest, and nobody pays me to say anything.  I wish somebody would though...





The dog had nothing to do with this, promise.

You might say I'm kinda tough on my wading boots.  These were my old Simms Freestone boots at the end of their life this spring.  They were workhorses for several seasons, but when my feet started showing through the hole in the toe, and the felt was all but a memory, I figured it was time us to part ways.



The new model.

Now before I get to the gear review part, I just thought I should mention that most of my fishing time is spent wading.  Not just short jaunts either, I routinely walk several miles each time I am on the water.  I also spend a ton of time fishing small, high gradient mountain streams.  This kind of fishing consists of a lot of boulder hopping, which can really destroy boots (and ankles) rather quickly.  Needless to say, I look for a pair of boots that grip well, hold up to a lot of abuse, have solid ankle support, and are comfortable enough to spend a solid 12 hours in.

Figuring my old freestones worked so well, I invested in the 2012 model.  After an entire summer and fall of banging them around the rivers, here's the break down:

Comfort
       - I must say these boots are comfy!  After a long day of hard hiking and wading, my feet feel really good.  The fit is great all around.  The footbeds are nice and cushy, there's great padding, and these boots deliver solid ankle support.  So far so good.

Performance
       - I have been using the felt-soled version (a note on this later, I know felt is controversial) because of the kind of fishing I do, and the fact that 90% of my time is spent in the same watershed, felt works for me.  When I go on road trips, the felt stays at home!  The grip is what you expect for felted soles, they grip really well most of the time, just beware of the mud! 

Durability
       - After 6 months the boots look almost new.  The stitching is rock solid.  Toe guard rubber is holding up nicely.  Felt is in good shape.  I only have two concerns: 1. The laces are already showing some significant signs of wear, it won't be long before they will need replacing. 2. The eyelets are made of plastic which leaves me wondering about their long-term durability, I guess time will tell.


Not quite Ansel Adams.  Workin' on it.

The Verdict
       - Overall I am very impressed by what Simms has put together in what is their basic, consumer level boots.  I think for the price ($129.00ish) you get what you pay for.  Simms has really upgraded this model from previous generations and I love the addition of the hard rubber toe guards (smack into a few boulders and you will to!).  I think you could do a lot worse, just remember to buy an extra pair of laces.  You can check out the boots and spend your hard earned money if you wish at Simms Fishing Products.   


         - Important notes on felt.  When Wearing Felt, Clean, Inspect, and Dry when moving from stream to stream!  This is really important, in fact it is critical to prevent the spread of invasive species!  It's really simple to make sure your felt soles are clean and safe to wear at your next fishing destination.  First and foremost however, consider making your felt boots a home watershed only boot.  If you spend the majority of your life in one watershed and fish a lot of high gradient streams with large boulders, felt is probably a good choice.  If you are always on the road, felt should not be your first option. 

The following link is definitely worth a read and everyone should take this information to heart, please help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.  Stop Aquatic Invasive Species.

Adios

A Bum Gear Review - Airflo PolyLeader

All Bum Trout gear reviews are unbiased, honest, and nobody pays me to say anything.  I wish somebody would though....  

I'm usually not into doing gear reviews.  I'm not a big gear junky, my waders leak, I buy most of my fly lines from the fly shop bargain bins, etc... But every once in a while I find a product that I really like.  Enter the Airflo PolyLeaders. 

Now I have a bunch of sink tips of varying lengths and sizes, and one 300 grain full sinking line.  Now I love the full sinker for fishing from a boat on a big river like say the Missouri, Yellowstone, or Madison, but for wade fishing it's just too cumbersome.  Since the line likes to sink, I end up spending as much time untangling it from around my feet and rocks as I do actually fishing.  That's why you have sink tips right?  Correct, but one problem I have with un-tapered sink tips is how clunky they are to cast.  This is where the PolyLeader enters the game.

Guaranteed to Please

In my opinion Airflo really scored a home run with their sinking PolyLeaders.  They come in 5' and 10' lengths, and are available in a bunch of sink rates.  I have been using the 5' Super Fast Sinking PolyLeader lately for all of my wade fishing and can honestly tell you I love it.  The tapered design (just like your regular dry fly leaders), casts like a charm, and sinks fast enough to get the fly down and keep it there. 

Pick Your Flavor

I find the sink rate to be just right for wade fishing, you aren't hanging up in the rocks on every cast, and the 5' length still allows you to throw a mend in the line if needed.  With a simple blood or surgeons knot, attach 12-18 inches of 2x flourocarbon tippet and you are ready to go.

For $8.99 you can buy a couple of them.  Oh, and one will last you all season.  Not bad.  Find out more on the Rajeff Sports website: http://www.rajeffsports.com/polyleaders.php

A Perfect Pair.  Courtesy of Western Flies and Guides Fly Shop.