Finally, looking at all the money I had spent I thought "why not just get a pair of premium Simms waders and be done with it?". It turned out I couldn't find a pair that fit! The problem for me was the bootie, my foot was too big for the bootie even on their extra large waders ( I can wear large, but have purchased extra large for the larger bootie). Since I do a lot of winter fishing, I wanted a bootie with room for wool socks.
When I have the problem of really cold wading/ float tubing and I don't feel the booties don't have enough room for heavy wool socks, here's what I would suggest:
Wear heavy polypropylene wick-dry type socks that will keep moisture away from your skin. That will reduce the bulk inside of the bootie versus wool socks. Then put on your waders, and over your wader's stockingfoot booties, put an additional pair of neoprene booties. This only works if you have large enough wading boots, and is usually no problem for fitting into flippers if you are floating. I find that extra insulating layer of neoprene will do the trick to keep my feet warm.
I also will wear a pair of lycra or silk 'tights' (to reduce bulk), then a fleece pant inside the waders. Never wear cotton pants inside your waders if you want to stay warm in cold weather!
Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
