Ok so I got a pair of these wades last year with about six months left in the season. I teamed them up with a pair of Alta V2 boots with felt soles. They have seen about 60 outings, have not been cleaned or treated, though they are hung up when not in use. Leaving waders especially when wet scrunched up in the boot of the car or wader bag is a guaranteed way to shorten the life of the waders.
As a guide & instructor my waders see a lot of use and to be honest abuse. Clambering up or sliding down steep banks, long distance walking through fields, forests and scrub. Worn when giving lessons & courses throughout long demonstration days. You name it they see it and I can honestly report I’ve not had so much as a pin leak.
The diver Sonic waders are 4 layer though they remain light, have a good comfortable shape in the body and bootie with built in gravel guards that do what they are supposed to do “keep gravel & silt out “. There are no signs of tearing around the guard hooks, a common failing on many waders.
The breathability is excellent and kept me nice and dry throughout one of the hottest Summers we saw in a decade.
There was several times when I thought right I 've put a pin hole in them either via the hook or thorns that moment when your sure you've done it an you spend the next hour checking every ten minutes to see if your lovely new waders are leaking, but to my delight the waders are very tough despite their lightness.
There was several times when I thought right I 've put a pin hole in them either via the hook or thorns that moment when your sure you've done it an you spend the next hour checking every ten minutes to see if your lovely new waders are leaking, but to my delight the waders are very tough despite their lightness.
The two front exterior pockets are ample, with a mesh lined outer on one allowing for flies to dry, tippet material, spare heads etc and a waterproof pocket which is great for the mobile and keys or anything else you wish to keep dry. There is of course the ususal handwarmer style pocket that will be ideal in colder conditions.
The belt loops are ideally placed at the right level allowing for the waders to be worn rolled down either with the use the easily adjustable straps or without.
What has impressed me most are the new sonic welded seams. Through my own mistake I ended up with a pair that was one size too small ( a little short) and this is normally the kiss of death for waders as getting up and down banks, kneeling etc puts large amount of strain on the seams and will invariably end up with leaking seems with the older style of seam. Not these waders however which have held up very well with no signs of imminent failure. The two images below clearly showing the difference between the older style and the new sonic welded seam. I would say it's clear as to which is more likely to suffer from leaky seams.
The Alta V2 boots have also proved themselves to be well up to the task of heavy duty use, despite being one of the lightest & most comfortable boots I have worn to-date. Giving ample support to the ankles without an overly tight feeling. Now mine have the felt soles which will be a little lighter than the rubber soles but not by much. I screwed 10 carbide tipped studs into the soles of each boot and the grip has been excellent making for some very comfortable & safe wading regardless of the type of terrain. The studs also providing for good grip on wet grass ensuring I don’t end up getting down the river bank quicker than I want to.
All in all an excellent pair of waders & boots that do what they are supposed to do, keep me dry and comfortable.
Bear in mind that these are a mid range wader and very competively priced. Would I get another pair ? Definitely.
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