Left to right: Men’s Expedition Zip Front; Men’s Traverse Zip Front; Women’s Traverse.
July 17, 2025
By Fly Fisherman Staff
Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We earn from qualifying purchases.
Patagonia Swiftcurrent Waders Left to right: Men’s Expedition Zip Front; Men’s Traverse Zip Front; Women’s Traverse. I used Patagonia’s new Swiftcurrent Traverse waders on a weeklong December trip to Argentina where we waded icy rivers in an alpine national park with hanging glaciers, pushed through the endemic thorns and brambles on the hot and dry Patagonian Steppe, and plowed through thickets of invasive willows on the Rio Corcovado as it wound its way toward the Chilean boundary. Time will tell if they can stand up to another 11 months of this type of abuse, but the waders navigated a dream trip that included plenty of crawling, kneeling, bushwhacking, raft-to-raft acrobatics, and boulder-hopping.
The Traverse is just one element of a completely new Swiftcurrent series that includes Men’s Expedition ($699), Expedition Zip Front ($799), Traverse Zip Front ($549), Women’s Expedition Zip Front ($799) and Traverse ($499). For men, the Traverse is zipped, for women the only zipped model is the Expedition.
The most significant difference between the Expedition and the Traverse is the weight of the fabric package. The Expedition is built from lightweight 5.1 oz. material in the upper wader to reduce bulk and 9.5 oz. 5-layer material in the lower wader—from the hips down—to make a tough, durable wader for extremely punishing conditions or for daily guide wear.
Advertisement
The Traverse is made from the same 4-layer, 5.1 oz. H2No material package throughout the wader so it’s lighter, more agile and mobile, and more breathable for long hikes on hot days. Both waders are made without using perfluorinated chemicals (PFAs) in the exterior durable water repellent treatment. Both have a gusseted crotch with an articulated seat and legs for a wide comfortable range of movement, and the whole series has been repatterned to reduce seam stress and increase durability and repairability. Both have heavy-duty scuff guards inside the cuffs to prevent wear and tear.
Both zipped versions have the same submersible YKK front zipper and the same slick, adjustable, quick-release suspender system for easy chest-to-waist-high conversion. On hot, dusty days in the Southern Hemisphere it was easy to slide the tops down and wear them as pants. On the interior, the Traverse has a large, quick-access drop-in stretch pocket and a zippered security stretch pocket for things like wallet and keys. On the outside there are two zippered stretch stash pockets for fly boxes, and multiple tool attachment tabs. For light and fast adventures, you could skip a pack altogether.
The Expedition Zip Front has two exterior handwarmer pockets with zip flaps for back-of-hand comfort and also two zippered stash chest pockets for fishing tools and fly boxes. Inside there is a removable waterproof pocket, a stretch zippered pocket, and a quick-access drop-in pocket. The regular Expedition has the same storage inside, the same handwarmer pockets, but a single large centered outside zipped storage pocket. Expedition waders also have removable interior foam knee pads.
Advertisement
For men there are three different wader models in 24 sizes. For women there are two different models in 13 sizes from XSS to 2 RM. The Women’s Expedition is only available as a zip front and has the same removable foam knee pads and removable waterproof interior pocket as the men’s version. The fit and the sizing are the only differences. All the materials and functionality are identical—there is no pink trim or “female colors” of any type. Both Men’s and Women’s Expedition waders are Basin Green.
The Women’s Traverse Waders are River Rock Green and have an extra-large, zippered stretch chest pocket on the outside with plenty of room for fly boxes. The interior pockets are the same as the Men’s Traverse.
—Ross Purnell
Simms ProDry Suit (Photo courtesy Simms Fishing) The original Simms ProDry Suit was designed for competitive bass anglers, but every boat angler saw the advantages. The new Simms ProDry Suit transcends bass-fishing stereotypes and is designed to overcome the worst weather any time of year in the Atlantic Northeast, running upstream on the California Delta, forging into the Louisiana bayous in December and January, or for drift boating just about any river when you don’t plan on wading. By shingling a great pair of waterproof boots with the ProDry Fishing Bib ($699.95) and the full-length ProDry Fishing Jacket ($699.95) you can stay warmer and drier than with waders and a jacket—and have more flexible, comfortable options for layering. Built with 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric, this jacket/bib combination is at home on any river, saltwater flat, or offshore canyon.
The new patterning in the 2025 version is designed to increase durability in high-wear zones while maximizing flexibility and ease of movement—fly casting and rowing immediately jump to mind. The articulated sleeves and single-hand-adjustable cuffs keep rain out, are unrestrictive, and work well in changing conditions when you need to add/remove layers.
Simms also introduced colors that are more appealing to fly fishers. Instead of the old blaze orange color, the new ProDry Suit comes in black and Driftwood to blend in to more earthy environments.
The ProDry Fishing Jacket has a 3-way adjustable hood to shield against precipitation without sacrificing peripheral vision. It has two exterior zippered chest pockets, dual zippered handwarmer pockets with a brushed tricot liner for warmth and comfort, and it has one zippered internal chest pocket to keep your keys and wallet safe and dry.
The ProDry Bibs have a full-length center-front zipper as well as thigh-high 2-way side zippers that make it easy to get in and out of them while wearing boots. The Bibs also have handwarmer pockets, abrasion-resistant overlays in the knees and seat for extra durability, and storage inside that includes a stretch-woven zippered chest pocket, and an interior stretch-woven drop pocket. The adjustable spacer-mesh suspender package gives you all-day comfort and works well with most layering options.
Dyna-King Trekker Vise Dyna-King Trekker Vise ($495) (Charlie Craven photo)The new Trekker from Dyna-King is precision-made of hardened steel on high-tech CNC machines in the Mayfly Outdoors factory in Montrose, Colorado. The jaws have grooves just like the popular Barracuda Deluxe vise that lock in hooks sized from 8/0 to #24.
Like the Barracuda, it is a full ball-bearing rotary vise with rotational lock and drag adjustment, but it’s shorter and lighter than the Barracuda, so it’s better for travel, and $200 cheaper.
The Trekker ($495, dyna-king.com) includes a bobbin hanger and is available with either a C-clamp or a weighted base.
Costa Finlet Costa Finlet Sunglasses ($154) (Marcus Hlace photos)A “finlet” is a small, detached ray of a fin. In a tuna for instance, the finlets are all those tiny fins between the dorsal fin and the caudal fin. Costa’s new Finlet frames ($154, costadelmar.com) might have the name due to the extra side shielding that increases protection and reduces glare in tough sight-fishing environments. Finlet frames have a base 8 decentered lens curve, which means the lens and the frames wrap around your face about as much as possible for full coverage. Any more curve in the lens would begin to distort your vision. The matte black frames have retainer-ready temple tips and double injected Hydrolite nose pads, and are available in four 580G (glass) lens options (blue mirror, green mirror, copper silver mirror, gray) and four 580P (poly) lens options (blue mirror, green mirror, gray, copper).
I distributed Finlets to our guides at Xingu Lodge deep in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil for a week of fishing in hot, humid, and sometimes rainy condition. The high-performance frames quickly became the preferred eye protection while slinging large flies and heavy sinking lines for aggressive and toothy payaras.
—Ross Purnell
Duck Camp Lightweight Performance DriRelease Hoodie The drawstring on the Lightweight Performance drirelease Hoodie allows you to protect your face from biting bugs or when the sun is particularly intense. Duck Camp Lightweight Performance DriRelease Hoodie ($79) The Duck Camp Lightweight Performance DriRelease Hoodie gives you the best of both worlds: It’s got a casual look and feel that makes you feel comfortable in any situation—at the lodge, at a restaurant, on the golf course, or running errands around town—but it also has all the performance you need when the sun and the heat kick in and you need a good shirt you can catch fish in all day. It doesn’t look “techy” but it has “hidden tech” that I put to the test for seven days at the equator in the hottest, most humid conditions possible. What I found is that the shirt material is comfortable and soft for all-day wear—it’s softer than your favorite old cotton T-shirt. But the 88% drirelease polyester, 12% Lyocell (made from wood pulp), and 8% Spandex blend dries 4 times faster than cotton, and that rapid evaporation keeps you cooler.
It has a zipper chest pocket for essentials like lip balm or tippet, raglan sleeves for increased mobility while casting, and a drawstring hood. The drawstring was critical in areas where biting sand flies were most intense. You can pull it closed to keep out more than just damaging UV rays.
—Ross Purnell
Grundéns Bedrock Wading Boots Grundéns Bedrock Wading Boots ($229.99) Our tester used this rugged boot extensively on the shelf rock, spiny ridges, and mud flats of the massive Susquehanna River. The synthetic upper of the Bedrock ($229.99, grundens.com) with perforated drainage holes sheds water quickly to stay light, and provides a comfortable ankle wrap that is appropriate for all-day use and long walks. He reported the size 11 was extra roomy so this is a great boot for cold weather and frigid water when you want to wear thick socks and don’t want to reduce circulation.
The supportive, molded EVA midsole protects your feet from irregularities on the bottom, and a molded heel counter locks your foot in place so you aren’t sliding around in challenging wading situations. Inside, the corrosion-resistant, saltwater-safe lacing hardware is concealed to prevent extra wear on your neoprene stocking feet.
The outsole is a durable natural gum rubber that gives positive traction in mud, wet grass, and clay. It’s also cleat/stud compatible to cut through river bottom slime and help deal with rounded granite boulders.
Riversmith Convoy Duffel 45L Riversmith Convoy Duffel 45L ($249.99) Waterproof on-demand storage is the key performance feature of the new Convoy Duffel 45L ($249.99, riversmith.com). Built to withstand the rigors of travel and harsh environments, this bag offers both wet and dry storage that’s padded, lightweight, and customizable.
I’ve used it to haul around my camera gear, fly boxes, fly rods, and clothing. Whether I need a carry-on for flights, secure camera storage for fishing excursions, or an overnight bag with organization, this bag is cross-functional and designed to protect critical gear.
A tear-resistant and waterproof shell protects your gear from the elements. A waterproof exterior zip pocket fits your smartphone, a long zip pocket holds your passport, and a Velcro pocket allows for quick-access storage. A microfiber-lined pocket safely holds sunglasses. The backpack straps are stowable in a slim pocket. MOLLE-style webbing on the face fits the Convoy PackOut Bag for extra storage. Lockable zippers keep items safe, and multiple handles give various carrying options. Two removable rod straps round out the exterior features.
The interior has three mesh pockets and one larger pocket attached to the lid. The main storage compartment unzips almost fully, giving easy access to the interior. An integrated dry bag gives you on-demand waterproof storage. Use it as a camera bag, boat bag, travel bag, or more. This pack will fit most, if not all of your fly-fishing adventure needs. Available in Shadow Kelp (shown), or Gray Cadmium.
—Dennis Pastucha
Patagonia Stealth Switch Packs 3L, 5L, 9L (Ross Purnell photo) The new Stealth Switch Packs from Patagonia are lightweight, minimalist, super functional, and above all flexible. Each pack has everything you need for a pack of that size, and nothing more—no useless bells and whistles. And every pack is adaptable so you can use it different ways on different days. The multipurpose 3L Stealth Switch Pack ($59) fastens easily to your wader straps for use as a slim chest pack, or to your wader belt as a hip pack. You can also clip it to a bar or strap on your raft. There are hemostat and zinger docks on the sides of the pack, a roomy main zipper pocket, two stretch zip pockets sized for tippet spools, a foam fly patch, and an embedded magnet on the top to temporarily hold flies while you’re rigging.
The 5L ($99) has more capacity—obviously—and more lash points and docking stations. It has two zippered compartments for fly boxes—each one has stretch mesh pockets inside to keep you organized. The front zippered panel folds out to 45 degrees and makes a great workstation. Although the same type of buckling lashes allow it to work as both a standalone chest or hip pack, it also has a removable neck strap to help distribute the weight when used in either position. I especially like the 5L pack integrated into a larger system, like clipping it to the outside of a backpack for long-range excursions.
I used the Stealth Switch Pack 9L ($149) on a trip to Patagonia where I needed large volume in a single pack for longer hikes into remote regions of a national park and across large estancias. The sling pack converts into a hip pack, and the same system allows you to easily switch the sling from left to right shoulder setup and to access the water bottle holder from either side.
In sling mode, a stretch mesh pocket on the shoulder strap holds a phone, and there’s also a hemo and zinger dock to help keep your tools up front. The main interior has four large stretch compartments and a foam fly patch, and there’s another smaller zippered compartment for optimum organization. The packs are available in three colors, River Rock Green, Bundle Green, and Forge Grey. River Rock Green (with blue trim) is shown here.
—Ross Purnell
Abel TR Blue Line Edition Abel TR Blue Line Edition ($600) My Abel TR is my favorite trout reel of all time, possibly because it has so many memories tied up in it. The simple, elegant design uses only 21 perfectly machined parts, has no drag knob, and is extremely compact and lightweight. Despite the fact that it uses a classic click-and-pawl drag system—merely to prevent line overrun—I have used it for big migratory Alaska rainbows coming from Lake Iliamna, for powerful browns in Patagonia, and skyrocketing rainbows in Montana mountain streams. I love palming the reel and feeling a closer, more manual connection to the trout. That’s the same type of ethos I feel while hiking and exploring up almost any tributary in any state—less is more when your goal is to get away from the crowds.
Abel is paying tribute to this ideal with the new Abel TR Blue Line Edition ($600, abelreels.com), a collaboration between Abel, Airflo, OnWater, and Trout Unlimited to inspire people to spread out and try lesser-known waters. The special ceramic artwork represents topographic maps from five different watersheds: Colorado, Green, North Platte, Yellowstone, or Snake rivers. It’s available in three sizes 2/3, 4/5, 5/6 and in either ported or solid frame design. It’s available through dealers or you can buy it from Abel preloaded with an Airflo fly line. Each purchase supports Trout Unlimited through a giveback from Abel Reels and Airflo.
—Ross Purnell
R.L. Winston Rod Co. Pure 2 R.L. Winston Rod Co. Pure 2 ($995) It’s fun to chuck big streamers, or dredge hard-fighting rainbows from the bottom with heavy nymphs in fast water, but the essence of fly fishing—how it was born and how its spirit will remain forever—is in those minutes where a trout is nodding at the surface in plain view, daring you to catch it. This is both the foundation and the pinnacle of our sport, and it’s the situation designers had in mind when Winston developed its new Pure 2 rod series ($995, winstonrods.com).
These new joyful yet technical light-line rods come in line weights 2 through 5 and in lengths from 7'3" to 9' to match the most demanding hatch situations whether you are working pods on the Missouri or matching wits with spring creek trout in Paradise Valley. I used the 8'3" 4-weight Pure 2 on a Pennsylvania mountain stream crisscrossed with 50 years of fallen timber. There is absolutely no room for long casts. The spots were close and the casts had to be precise, delicate, and stealthy. The Pure 2 succeeded on all counts.
There’s some new technology behind these medium-action rods as well. The eight models in the Pure 2 rod series are the first to use what Winston is branding as “double-bonded NanoParticle graphite technology.” According to Winston, the use of NanoParticles in the resin binds the carbon fibers together better with less resin. This increases the material strength by 24%, allowing Winston to build rods with thinner blank walls so you can load the rod at close range, feel and control the loop better, and develop pinpoint accuracy. This lighter, delicate feel is a perfect match to the smooth, traditional feel of Winston rods in general, and this rod has more “Winston soul” in it than any rod in recent memory.
The 4-piece rods have a chrome Nanolite stripper guide and chrome-plated light wire snake guides. The uplocking nickel-silver reel seats have burled wood inserts and cigar-shaped grips. They come in a Winston-logo graphite rod tube and a classic logo rod sock.
—Ross Purnell
RIO Products Ambassador Series RIO Products Ambassador Series ($99.95-$129.95) The new Ambassador series of lines from RIO Products ($99.95-$129.95, rioproducts.com) focuses on specialty situations and amplifies the knowledge and experience of some of the most respected pros in the sport.
The new Phil Rowley Lake Lines are merely his favorite existing RIO lakes lines—Stillwater Floater, Aqualux, Midge-tip, Midgetip Hover, Midgetip Long, and Midgetip Hover Long—with the addition of an integrated tippet ring to make it easy to attach Rowley’s famously long leaders. The ring sits inside the welded loop like a link in a chain. Available in 6- or 7-weight.
The Blitz Line was designed by Outer Banks guides Sarah and Brian Horsley to deliver big flies quickly to fast-moving saltwater fish with as few false casts as possible. The short 26-foot head makes this one a “shooter,” and the multi-density floating/hover/intermediate sinking profile maintains a straight-line connection to the fly for solid hook-sets. The line was inspired by false albacore in the Mid-Atlantic, but the Blitz line is at home in any fishery where speed counts and fish are feeding right near the surface. Available in 8- to 10-weight.
The Lake Chucker line was designed with help from the Pyramid Fly Co. for long casts and bigger mends with big indicator rigs. It’s a switch-style one-piece floating lake line with a 32-foot head that doesn’t just help carry long casts with an indicator rig. The rear-loaded body also boosts your roll casting. The line has a bright green running line, a gray head, and a bright orange indicator marker to show the best place to pick up and cast again.
Orvis Ultralight Wader Orvis Ultralight Wader ($379) (Photo courtesy of Orvis)The new Orvis men’s and women’s Ultralight Waders ($379, orvis.com) are built on a rugged breathable 4-layer chassis with a nylon shell, and mechanical stretch for extra comfort and more flexibility while maneuvering both in and out of the stream. These lightweight waders are super breathable and best for hot summer days, high-exertion blue-lining, and boat fishing where you occasionally hop out.
The Fidlock Snap magnetic fastners on the suspenders make it easy to slide the wader tops up and down to cool off, or for deep wading. If you haven’t used this closure system before, it really works. The magnets help snap things easily into place without fiddling, and the design angles make it all stay it place.
Two Hypalon loops allow you to pull the waders up and down for waist-high conversion, or you can use them as tool docking stations. There is a looped fly field for drying your used wares, and a single large external storage pocket with four-way-stretch power mesh on the interior of the waders. The front pocket closes with a YKK AquaGuard water-resistant zipper.
A single neoprene panel in the gravel guards provides the elasticity you need to stay streamlined in the water and at the same time reduces bulk and weight for a more packable wader.
Men’s sizes are small to XXL in short, regular, long, and extra-long, and women’s are XS to XXL in petite, short, and regular. The men’s waders average a mere 31.5 ounces and the women’s waders tip the scales at 29 ounces, so they are a great option anytime you purchase airline tickets.
Skwala Fusion Tactical Skwala Fusion Tactical ($229) The weight of this piece sets it apart from many other products in this category. It has the fit, UPF protection, and comfort of a sun hoody and it’s lighter in weight that many of the other fleeces and micro puffys on the market. It’s perfect for spring and fall days as a top layer but its fit and fabric make it a clutch midlayer in cold weather. Like other products in the Fusion product line, it’s made for light, fast fishing and high-exertion activities where mobility and an athletic fit are important. It weighs only 18.4 ounces (522 grams) but punches way above its weight for warmth.
The body is built from expedition-weight waffle-grid-backed fleece but the sleeves and shoulders have inverted waffle-grid fleece covered with Primeflex, stretch-woven face textile for durability as well as wind and water resistance. The result is that the sleeves and shoulders have the waffle grid sandwiched between two smooth exterior fabrics so the Fusion Tactical ($229, skwalafishing.com) slides on easily as a layering piece and sheds water. It also has sewn thumbholes so the whole thing wears better as a midlayer.
The half-zip hoody has Skwala’s popular dual side dump pockets and a full scuba hood that zips up to your lower lip. Available in sizes medium to XXL and two colors: black or Earth.
