Category: MadetoWade
Neoprene Gravel Guards – Why are they tight fitting?
We get asked about the tightness of the neoprene gravel guards on the Primo Zip GD and S14 waders. We designed them to be tight fitting for one main reason – to keep sand and gravel out of your boot. Loose fitting gravel guards can allow sand, silt, and gravel to get up inside the boot, and can get pushed up by heavy current unless securely hooked in place. More about the lace hook below.
But first, let’s talk about the function of gravel guards. In this video I had been wading through a side channel that was full of thick and deep silty sand and mud. With each step I was sinking into the mud, and even though I had been wading in fast current only moments before the gravel guard was still firmly in place where it needed to be to keep the inside of my boots clean and clear of sand, mud and gravel.
Check out this short video for a detailed view of how I use the gravel guards
Tuck it up inside
The functional purpose of a tight gravel guard is that it makes the lace hook somewhat redundant, and in some cases the lace hook may not even need to be used. Fit is going to be different for everyone, depending on wader size and boot size, so this may not apply to everyone. Also, some boots have a lace hook attachment near where the gravel guard sits naturally, and some boots do not. For me, the gravel guards fit tightly enough over the boot that I don’t need to use the lace hook at all. I just tuck it up inside the gravel guard itself. The guard doesn’t move on me, even when wading in the heaviest currents.
Avoid damaging your boots and waders
I like tucking the lace hook up inside the gravel guard (and not attaching it to the boot) because stretching the gravel guard way down towards the toe on a boot, where the hook is located on some boots, can pull and put stress on multiple parts of the wader and on the boot and boot laces. My waders and boots they last longer for me because I don’t do this.
Something to keep in mind is that straight out of the box the neoprene gravel guards may seem tight, but they will loosen up a bit over time and become easier to pull down over your boot. They are designed to keep sand and gravel out of your boots, and will do their job well with or without the lace hook.
Happy fishing!
-Nick
Wading Belt Safety Tips
For wading safety, we highly recommend wearing a wading belt anytime you are in or around water in fishing waders. Why? Because it may help save your life if you end up falling in the water and swimming. A tight wading belt will help trap air in the lower part of the waders, and help keep them from filling up with water. Water is heavy, and waders that are full of water are extremely heavy and cumbersome. Even the strongest person will struggle to pull themselves out of the water with waders full of water. We hope you find this tip helpful. Happy and safe fishing everyone!
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Wading Belt │ Semi-stretch NeopreneOriginal price was: $14.99.$9.00Current price is: $9.00. -
Wading Belt │ Black$14.99
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Wading Belt │ Grey$14.99
Getting toasted.
Steelhead fishing is our jam, and we’re the bread that gets toasted. #steelhead #DRYFTculture #wadeandexplore #DRYFT #madefortheriver #madetowade
Winter steelhead stoke
Upcycling used waders into new reusable products
We’re pleased to announce new reusable products, in partnership with Recycled Waders. We’re taking unsellable returns and upcycling them into new and reusable bags and totes. By partnering with Recycled Waders we’re teaming up to bring circular life to old waders, keeping materials out of the landfill, and putting them back in consumers hands as long term reusable products.
The Process of Upcycling Fly Fishing Waders
The upcycling process for waders
When faced with the dilemma of what to do with the unsellable returns we’re receiving, we decided on teaming up with Recycled Waders to turn them into sweet new upcycled and reusable products. Each unsellable wader that comes back still has lots of usable materials, between the fabrics themselves, zippers, and buckles. Each piece is assessed for usability, processed and cleaned before being repurposed into a new item.
How the waders are collected, cleaned, and repurposed
The materials we’re using to make these reusable upcycled products come from returns that are in unsellable condition, warranty (defective) products, and excess materials from production. They are often used, dirty and damaged. The first step is to put them through a thorough cleaning process. Each wader that is deemed unsellable and fit for upcycling is cut into usable portions, and then laundered in commercial laundry machines.
Materials used in upcycling waders
The tops of standard waders make great tote bags. By utilizing them in their mostly original form they can turned into functional tote bags for carrying gear to the car, or groceries to the house. The leftover material from the legs work great to create smaller items like the accessories pouch. An emphasis is put on reusing as many materials as possible, but each upcycled product does need some raw materials required, such as thread, webbing, finishes and some zippers.
Making bags, wallets, and other accessories from old waders
Recycled Waders has been at this game for a long time. We leaned on their expertise to come up with an intro line of two items – a tote bag and a small accessories pouch. The tote bag is great for holding waders, boots, and clothing, and also makes a perfect grocery getter. The accessories pouch fits a bunch of fly reels, tackle, or works great as a toiletries kit for travelling.
Benefits of Upcycling Fly Fishing Waders
Environmental and economic benefits of upcycling
We are choosing to do this as a way to keep materials out of the landfill, and put them back into serviceable use as new products. Creating new materials incurs environmental and economic cost, so keeping those materials in use for as long as possible helps reduce the carbon footprint of that material. Additionally, a reusable bag in theory can help eliminate the use of single use plastic or paper bags.
By minimizing waste, reducing the use of non-renewable resources, and promoting the use of reusable products, the circular economy can help mitigate the negative environmental impact of consumption. This can help us all save costs as well by reducing the amount of waste generated and by minimizing the dependence on virgin materials. We hope you enjoyed this information, and for further product information please visit the links below.
Cold and clear winter conditions
Along comes a steelhead
DRYFT presents – GEARing up [video]
Filmed mostly in 2017, this short video highlights chasing hatchery and wild steelhead in the Pacific Northwest. This is GEARing up. #DRYFTculture
DRYFT in AK [video]
What’s #DRYFTinAK all about? For the past few years the DRYFT crew has been exploring some of the delights Alaska has to offer. In this video series we’ll share some of the highs and lows from those adventures. Welcome to episode 1.
