Tag: fly fishing

Dry your waders to avoid mildew damage

You’ve probably read or heard recommendations to dry your waders between uses, for comfort and to avoid mildew damage. You might be wondering why this is so important? The main reason is to avoid mildew growing on the inside which can damage the fabric and seam tape. Some amount of condensation will always be present on the inside of waterproof breathable waders, simply because of how the fabric functions. The material used on breathable waders works in this way; there are thousands of tiny holes, that are too small for moisture (water) to fit through but are big enough for vapor or air to move through. This allows air to flow through, hence making them breathable, but keeps water from passing through. Because the human body naturally passes moisture out through the skin, a bit of condensation build up throughout the legs, feet, knees and on the ankles is normal. If you’re interested we have more information about condensation here.

How should you dry your waders?

This is the easy part. Simply hang your waders up to dry in a warm well ventilated area, allow them to dry out completely between uses, and you’ll be ready for your next trip with dry and good smelling waders. In most situations we recommend just leaving the waders right side out, and hanging them by the hanging loop or clip the front buckle ends together and hang them up somewhere warm and well ventilated.

We’ve found that the only time we need to turn the waders inside to dry the inside is after we go for an inadvertent swim. If and when you fall in the river and fill your waders up, you will need to turn them inside out to fully drain and dry the inside before storing them. And remember to always wear your wading belt for safety!

The bottom line is that it pays to dry your waders to avoid mildew damage. Mildew is not only stinky and gross (and possibly harmful to your health), but it actually damages waterproof breathable fabrics and seam tape making them more likely to wear out and need to be replaced faster.

Do you waders have funk that you’d like to get rid of? Gearaid makes great cleaning products designed to work with our waterproof breathable fabrics.

We’ll leave you with these example photos below of what to avoid! The black spots shown over the fabric and seam tape is all black mildew, doing what it does best to damage and ruin these waders. So don’t ball your waders up and leave them on the floor or in the back of your truck!

mildew growth on fishing waders
example of mildew growing on seam tape on fishing waders
mildew damage on breathable waders
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Zipper care – 4 easy steps how to care for and clean your wader zippers

Waterproof zipper wader care tips

Take care of your zipper, and your zipper will take care of you.

From pocket zippers to waterproof zipper front wader models, all of our fishing waders have multiple zippers that provide different levels of function. The pocket zippers keep things organized and in place, while the main waterproof zipper on the Primo Zip front wader allows easy in and out access. All of the zippers need a little care from time to time to keep them running smoothly and operating for the long run. Here are four easy steps for how to care for your zippers.

  1. Keep all debris such as dirt, sand, fishing line, clothing, bait goop, and salt crust out of the zipper teeth.
  2. Use a cleaner and lubricate regularly.
  3. Always store and pack fully unzipped. The exception to this is when hanging your zip front waders it is recommended to hang them fully zipped up. Packing them fully unzipped helps prevent damage.
  4. Never force a stuck zipper. Instead lubricate thoroughly and gently back off.

Notes on storage and transport of zip front wader models. We recommend storing and transport your waders fully unzipped, with the exception of hanging zip front waders fully zipped up. Never bend or fold your waders when zipped up as this can add stress and create a weak point in the zipper.  When packing for travel, fully unzip your waders and roll them from the feet up and try not to pack them at the bottom of your baggage with heavy items on top.

A final point about waterproof zipper front models. Foreign matter caught in the zipper can result in damage which may not be covered under warranty. Keep it clean and never force the zipper. If the zipper sticks at all when zipping, stop immediately and gently unzip in the opposite direction if possible, and then clean the zipper thoroughly before using again. We recommend Zipper Cleaner and Lubricant and Zipper Lubricant Stick from Gearaid to get it sliding smoothly again.  Use the snap at the top to take stress off and keep it from pulling apart while wearing.  


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How to repair pinholes or tears in breathable waders

finished patch on breathable fishing waders

How to find a leak and repair your breathable waders

Use these instructions and photo examples below to find and repair pinholes, tears, or holes in your breathable waders.

Step 1:

If there is a visible tear or hole then skip this step and proceed to step 2.  To find a leak, first carefully visually inspect the area and see if you can see any tiny holes or tears. Often times you’ll be able to find the spot just by looking closely.  If there is no visible hole or tear, then the alcohol method works well to find it.

To do this turn the waders inside out, and spray or rub a small amount of rubbing alcohol over the area you think is leaking. Then flip the waders back right side out and look for the wet spot. Any leaks will show as a damp spot on the outer side of the fabric. Mark this with masking tape or a marking pen, dry the waders and then move on to the repair. 

Step 2:

Usually a small tear or leak can be completely repaired with just a little Aquaseal. Once you locate the leak, the easiest repair is to coat one or both sides with Aquaseal. A tip for using Aquaseal is to heat the bottle just a bit in warm water, which makes it much easier to use. To spread it, use a flat squeegee (a piece of cardstock or a business card works well) to form a thin layer over the affected area. 

We recommend using some masking tape to mask off the area around the tear or pinhole to keep it contained to just the area around the tear.

For a durable wader repair using the material supplied in the repair kit, usually for a larger tear or rip, use a piece of the fabric supplied to cover the tear. Cut a piece of fabric to the relative size of the tear allowing it to overlap. Then Aquaseal over the tear, stick the fabric down and seal the edges of the fabric with Aquaseal.

This will create a permanent patch. Before doing any Aquaseal repair mask off the area with some masking tape, scotch tape, or any tape to help keep the Aquaseal in a neat area over the repair. Make sure to remove the tape after 10-15 minutes while the Aquaseal is still wet. 

The seam tape that is included in the repair kit is heat activated. This is a bit more advanced, and there is potential for damage since you’ll be applying heat to an area of the fabric. For at home, an old iron set to medium high temp can work well to ‘iron on’ a bit of seam tape to the inside of the waders. This probably won’t be necessary and is not normally required. However this can seal the inside on a small tear, pinhole, or seam nicely when done correctly. This backing can also be done with gear repair tape like Tenacious tape.

Step 3:

Get back to fishing. 

Note: Also recommend carrying Aquaseal UV on trips. It cures within 20-30 seconds in direct or indirect sunlight (UV) and can save the day in a pinch.

Photo examples of patching a tear.

In these photo examples we will show you steps to locate and repair breathable waders. This example shows an abrasion in the breathable wader fabric, that is repaired using Aquaseal and a fabric patch.

1 – 3. Photos showing the hole. This tear is visible on the exterior and interior. Photo 3 shows what the alcohol test looks like. For non visible pinholes it will just look like a wet spot.

tear in breathable waders
tear in breathable waders inside
tear in breathable waders alcohol test

4. Apply backing on the inside. In this photo we used heat sealed seam tape, essentially applied with a hand held iron. In place of seam tape you can use a gear repair tape like Tenacious tape, or skip this step altogether. If skipping, we recommend putting some regular tape on the inside over the hole to prevent Aquaseal from squeezing through in the next step.

Patching breathable fishing waders

5 & 6. Apply Aquaseal. We usually cut a small piece of cardboard stock from the packaging to apply. Apply Aquaseal and smooth over the hole, making sure it completely fills and covers the hole.

Aquaseal for patching waders

7. Measure and cut a piece of fabric from the supplied repair kit. Tenacious tape can be used in place of wader fabric in this step as well. Just be sure to cut the tape patch oversized enough so that there is at least 1/2 inch extra on all sides to stick to the fabric, and not over glue.

cut a patch to size

8. Apply a thin layer of Aquaseal to the backside of the fabric piece. Again use a small piece of cardboard or a business card as a tool.

9. Stick it down and let it dry. If the edges are lifting up you can use some masking tape to hold it down temporarily. So long as there isn’t a lot of extra glue coming out the edges the tape can be removed once it is dry.

applying patch to breathable fishing waders

10. To make a clean looking patch, surround the patch and any areas you don’t want to Aquaseal over with masking tape. Then apply Aquaseal around the edges of the patch. Be sure to remove the tape while the Aquseal is still wet. Otherwise it will be permanent. This step is completely optional.

masking off patch

11. The finished patch. This patch may not be pretty but is very durable.

finished patch on breathable fishing waders
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We thank you for your support

Did you know DRYFT is a small independent family owned business? The two owners, Nick and Sam, and their families run daily operations and oversee all aspects of the business. If you’ve ever reached out to us with questions you’ve likely talked to one of us. We hand pack each order ourselves, and take pride in the products we sell. We appreciate your business and support and would like to say thank you. We hope you enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends.

-Sam & Nick

DRYFT owners Nick (left) and Sam (right) enjoying some of the fishing bounty that Alaska has to offer.
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