Snowbee XS-Pro waders
Warwick Powell & Jeanine McMullan sqeeze into the latest Snowbee waders.
It’s not often unisex and waders are mentioned in the same context, let alone sentence. However, Snowbee asked themselves how to make fishing clothing lighter, more durable, more reliable and more comfortable than what’s gone before, and they came up with the XS-Pro breathable stocking foot wader. As a design that claims unisex appeal, we thought we’d put it to a proper test.
THE BLOKE’S PERSPECTIVE
A few days before I was due to head off to NZ with John Black, his wife Jeanine and another mate Janine, for a week’s ichthyologic research, FlyLife HQ sends a query: interested in reviewing a pair of breathables, with a great new zipper down the front? Not one to say ‘no’ without a very good reason, FL HQ had my girth and foot sizes as quickly as the email would allow, and the waders were expressed to me in good time. I figured that a new pair of waders wouldn’t go astray as we planned on some serious immersion-based research; and the last time I was on the South Island, the water was freezing (not to mention the sleet).
As things turned out, the weather was stunning, in and around Nelson, and water temperatures hovered in the mid-teens. The days were balmy, daresay hot, and cold beers were gratefully consumed by mid-afternoon to cool us from the blistering 30 degree heat.
These were not typical conditions for testing a new pair of breathables. Still, for the sake of research, I donned the waders for a couple of days and generally found them comfortable. They weren’t going to keep me cool, but at least I didn’t get wet when wearing them. And the zip down the front came in handy whenever nature called. (How many beers was it?) I didn’t notice the lumbar support, until I unclipped the belt… which I guess makes it a very useful feature.
The real test came when my mate’s wife, Jeanine, decided to entrust hubby with 8-week old James for a few hours. But she didn’t bring any waders, did she? As luck would have it, the Snowbees in my size were also OK for her.
THE CHICK’S PERSPECTIVE
I’m sure everyone reading this has experienced that uncomfortably full bladder sensation while out in the middle of the river and had to make that hard decision. Do you a) hold it until you catch your next fish and the adrenalin rush will make you forget all about it; b) calculate the time it will take you to get back to shore, how many layers you will have to remove and if there is a good camouflage tree in the near vicinity; c) say bugger it, the fishing is lousy and go home to your own modern appliance; d) pee in your waders and not tell anyone; or e) reserve the right to refuse to answer the question until you know the river location, outside temperature, European wasp and blackberry/gorse status of the bank?
I bet you could also have a new competition at the fly fishing events based on time to get out of the water, strip off, do the necessary and get back onto the water in various makes and designs of fly-fishing apparel. This would be a real skill event, forget about the landing a dry fly in eggcup rubbish.
Anyway, they have come up with a whole different meaning for fly fishing at Snowbee—they put a massive zipper in the front. And yes, to answer the next question, they are waterproof. Developed for the diving industry, these water-tight zips are pressure tested to 1.7 Bar, and that’s deep wading. The fabric is also good. For the women out there, the outer layer is ‘Brushed’ to give a soft, rustle free finish and the knees feature pre-bent pleats for freedom of movement.
The waders come with adjustable and removable braces along with an internal flip-out pocket which is generally handy; and 4 mm Neoprene socks with integral gravel guards. I found the overall fit to be spot on, but the socks were slightly long and the ankle compression slightly tight. Still, I could put on my boots and didn’t notice the ankle compression once in the water.
I did find the front zipper really useful for breastfeeding young James, in the back of the car during lunch. However, if they designed them to be truly unisex in the bathroom department I think the zip would have to go a lot further around!
The colour is a 2-tone Sage Green, which is tasteful, and they come in a variety of sizes and body shapes. My husband voluntarily told me that my bum didn’t look big in these, but I guess he is laying the groundwork for another fishing trip soon.
TECHIE STUFF
The waders are constructed of an ultra soft Supplex Nylon outer shell, laminated to a high performance Breathable Membrane, allowing rapid vapour transfer to keep you cool, dry and comfortable all day. Supplex is specially engineered by DuPont to provide the soft, supple touch of cotton, with the strength, durability and performance advantages of nylon. Finer multiple filaments make Supplex flexible, lightweight and around 30% softer than standard nylon fabrics. It is also as strong as it is soft, resisting abrasion, punctures and tears.
The main body material uses a 3-layer laminate, whilst for additional protection there is a second layer of contrasting colour material used to form the knee and seat pads.
The waders are retailing from $390, which makes them not too expensive but not what you’d describe as ‘bargain basement’ either. Jeanine reckons if you could get 50 days on the water, the waders would represent ‘value for money’. That’s 8 bucks a day.
THE VERDICT
Comfort—8/10 (not too hot).
Manufacture Quality—8/10 (but durability to be truly tested).
Effectiveness—9/10 (no-one got wet).
Add-ons—7/10 (front pocket and lumbar support; but no hand warmers).
Zipper—WP 10/10, JM 7/10 (the designers need to think true unisex).
Value for money—to be determined. We didn’t get a chance to put the waders to the 50-day test, but I’m willing to be a guinea pig.
www.ejtodd.com.au