My first waders were full neoprene, sticky, oversized hand-me-downs from I forget whom. They were far from perfect, but they got me out on the water. Over about thirty years I’ve seen the improvements in materials (hello breathability, fit, durability) and Patagonia has been hard at work advancing these since the get-go. These days we are spoiled with the bells and whistles of new gear making our time on the water easier and more comfortable than ever, and the new line of Swiftcurrent waders makes this even more apparent. They feature the same quality components and durability that we’ve come to expect from any Patagonia product—from a business known for their sustainability and conservation-minded ethics that they prioritize over profits. Worth noting: these waders are built without added PFA chemicals, a noticeable step towards reducing the amount of forever chemicals that enter our water and helps to keep our bodies and fisheries free of pollutants.

Above: The Swiftcurrent Traverse waders are built with a comfortable fit and plenty of range of motion for scrambling around to and from your honey hole.

To put the waders to the test, I wore them for 30-minute hikes through muddy, marshy, bottomlands on a cool morning that quickly turned into a warm afternoon. The breathability of the H2No Performance fabric works and kept my layers sweat free and dry—I didn’t even have to convert the bibs to waist-high mode. That feature is great on warmer days when you need waders, but don’t want to feel like you’re in a toaster oven all day. Unclip the shoulder straps and tug them down for a wading pant. Functional and simple double-duty.

I also spent multiple hours sitting in a puddle in an adult floatie launching casts for smallies, and stayed nice and dry on the inside. Like a temperate desert. Comfortable. The booties are easy to slip into and off. I’ve had waders with tight ankles and neoprene feet which end up being grabby. There is plenty of room in the size 9-11 booties and they’re a breeze to put on and take off, but not so much that they fold or bunch when getting booted up. The fold down gravel guards have a bit more give and space to them as well, which made lace-tying easy, and the float-tube flipper fixing just as simple.

Above: The DWR coated finish does it’s job of keeping water from saturating the H2No fabric after splashing through a sidechannel.

Then there was saltwater spray and showers while beach casting into Washington state’s Puget Sound. Still dry. Still comfortable. Still Patagonia quality through and through. The interior pockets are handy: one zippered for valuables or smaller items, and one drop-in pocket sure to fit whatever you need (point and shoot camera, large tippet spools, or medium-sized fly boxes all fit and I’m sure I could have crammed some other stuff in there too). The outside stretch stash pockets are great for items and accessories you need quickly at hand. Tools, tippet, extra flies, camera phone and other essentials easily fit and are accessible. I’ve lost enough tools by pinning them to the outside of waders and packs that I no longer like to do that, but there are multiple attachment points on the shoulder straps for those who do.

The best thing about putting on waders is that it likely means you’re going fishing or doing something fun. Other folks may use them for work related tasks, and I’m sure the Traverses will fit the bill quite nicely for that, but not much beats going fishing. The best and worst thing about taking off a pair of waders is that you’re likely done fishing. As much as I love to fish, after a full day of being wadered-up and tromping around in them, it is something I look forward to, even if it means the fishing has concluded. In both cases, the zip front access is a welcome feature. It makes entries and exits easier, as well as those micro adjustments of clothing. (Not to mention, riverside bladder relief.)

Above: Zippity doo dah, waterproof zippers sure do make a pair of waders that much better.

I was hesitant of zip front waders at first, thinking that it’s another possible point of failure, as I have had another brand’s zipper fail. These feature a YKK waterproof zipper; YKK is the quality zipper manufacturer, if you know your way around zippers. It’s a nice benefit that does makes things easier. And we can all use a little more ease, especially when the actual fishing can’t be categorized as such, which happens to me more than I like to admit.

There’s one thing I missed in these waders: they don’t have hand warmer pockets on the chest. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, but came to a comfortable work-around that entailed slinging a hand through the inside of the shoulder strap and resting it near my chest inside the waders. For some this may be of little consequence, but for the two-handed angler it’s a noticeable absence; we need a good place to keep one hand warm on cold winter days while the other holds the rod and controls the swing. In other fishing environments and situations this isn’t a big deal, as your off hand is usually busy with line control and the strip, strip, stripping of things. Hand warming pockets are the one thing I’d like to see with the Traverse waders, but can be found on the Swiftcurrent® Expedition Zip-Front Waders, if that’s something you can’t live without.

Above: A full front view of Ptagonia’s Swiftcurrent Traverse Zip-Front waders.

That said, the Traverse Zip-Fronts were built with weight and bulk reduction in mind, without sacrificing quality and toughness. And moving around in them, they feel a bit lighter and keep plenty of range of motion. They’re a great option for a warmer weather wader and it’s nice to have a pair that’ll keep you dry and cool. With their lower cost of entry, you’ll save money for flies or gas money and have a durable wader with most, if not all of the features of the others in the Patagonia line. Sounds like a deal worth spoiling yourself over.

Patagonia Swiftcurrent® Traverse Zip-Front Waders are available now for $549.00 from Patagonia—or support your local fly shop and ask for them there.