Best New Waders & Boots of 2026: Patagonia, Skwala, Simms & Grundéns

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To read all of the nitty gritty, field-tested reviews of new fly-fishing gear for 2026, grab a copy of Gear Guide at the Outdoor Sportsman Group newsstand, through the Fly Fisherman Special Issues app available in the App Store and Google Play, or on newsstands today.

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Best New Waders: Patagonia Swiftcurrent Waders

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. They stood up to another 10 months of this on Pennsylvania’s thorn-riddled streams.

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.

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.

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.

$549-$899 | tcoflyfishing.com

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Best New Wading Boots: Skwala RS Wading Boots

After many years of design, field trials, and redesign, Skwala is finally stepping into the footwear category with two all-new wading boots: the RS Boot and the Carbon Boot. Skwala has been “kicking it” with waders and outerwear since its start in early 2022, and now for the first time has a complete fly-fishing kit that includes the important foundation of every adventure: how you get there. “This launch is a major moment for us,” said Kevin Sloan, Skwala founder and CEO. “We’ve built our brand around solving real problems for serious anglers, and now we’re extending that same ethos to footwear. These boots are designed from the ground up to meet the unique challenges of wading and walking.”

Skwala has two product families that extend across waders, jackets, and now boots. In Skwala parlance, RS means maximum durability, robust performance, and top-tier technology to take on the most challenging kinds of conditions. Carbon products are built around the “light and fast” ethos for maximum mobility, speed, and comfort.

The RS Wading Boot delivers maximum support and traction when navigating unforgiving terrain. It is double lasted with a fully molded toe cap, and a tall ankle collar built from engineered mesh. Underfoot, a dual-layer ESS rock plate provides rigidity and protection, but still allows you to feel the riverbed. This ESS rock plate is the same flexible plastic foundation used in many high-performance trail-running shoes. The Vibram IdroGrip outsole has Skwala’s custom-designed tri-tiered traction lugs to aid stability on irregular river bottom terrain. The boots have removable OrthoLite insoles and a glass-impregnated D-ring lacing system to minimize friction and extend lace life. Think of those slippery ceramic inserts on your fly rod stripping guide.

$329 | skwalafishing.com

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Simms And The Grateful Dead - Dead On The Water

Grateful Dead melodies have drifted across rivers, lakes, boat ramps, and campfires for decades. In many circles, it’s the unofficial soundtrack for the outdoors—fly fishing included. These godfathers of the jam band genre specialize in performances that are improvisational, raw, and emotional. You might say they “go with the flow,” which mirrors the experience of fishing itself. No Grateful Dead performance is the same, and no two moments on the river are ever the same. You adapt, enjoy, and immerse yourself in it.

The new Simms Dead on the Water collaboration celebrates this “flow state” with waders, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and sun hoodies styled and branded with Grateful Dead imagery.

The centerpiece of the collection is the GD Guide Wader ($999.95). Made in Bozeman, Montana, the waders are built on Simms’s popular and award-winning G3 waders with a breathable and comfortable Gore-Tex 3-layer upper and Gore-Tex PRO 4-layer lower, with Grateful Dead pocket and trim elements.

All Simms Dead on the Water products are limited edition and for a limited time.

Price varies by product | simmsfishing.com

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Simms Drifter & Drifter AT

What Simms has done with the Drifter and Drifter AT is provide the comfort of a pair of Crocs with significantly upgraded performance features. To be clear, if you plan on doing a significant amount of walking and wading over the course of a summer day, we recommend something like the Simms Pursuit Shoe ($149.95). But if you are fishing from a raft or drift boat, and plan on only occasionally dipping your toes, these light, easy-to-clean, quick-dry shoes are the way to go.

Simms has bridged the gap between comfort and functionality, and I think they’ve hit a home run here with a shoe that might make you give up your Crocs forever—even at home in the yard.

The Drifter ($79.95) has an ultra-light EVA upper and a non-marking gum rubber outsole, which makes it perfect for flats skiffs and drift boats from the Bahamas to Yellowstone. A tough 360-degree exterior nylon strap helps you cinch up the tension when you need to wade.

The Drifter AT ($99.95) ups the ante for improved wading with a Vibram IdroGrip outsole, a self-draining liner, and a self-draining neoprene sock for a more secure fit and protection from sand and pebbles.

$79.95 Drifter, $99.95 Drifter AT | simmsfishing.com

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Grundèns Vector Zip Stockingfoot Wader

In 2024, Grundéns released the rugged, functional Vector wader, which at $499 was loaded with features, including built-in kneepads and anatomically shaped, size-specific stockingfeet with Dual Density TiAlpha Warming Neoprene booties. This year, Grundéns took this mid-tier wader and added a fully submersible TIZIP MasterSeal #10 Zipper, making the wader super easy to get in and out of, and much easier to layer in cold weather.

Grundéns also added a Hauler Pocket, essentially a huge reach-through rear pocket that at least doubles the storage capacity of the wader, and in many cases negates any need for a backpack. We found this perfect for stowing cans of beer, but more practical people could use it for a rain jacket, and extras like hats, lunch, or sunscreen.

In the front of the Men’s Vector Zip Stockingfoot Wader are two handwarmer pockets, two chest storage pockets, and a welded tippet pocket with laser-cut holes. Thread your tippet through the holes, and it’s a built-in dispenser—no need to remove the spools from the pocket. With the front and back pockets, there’s a complete 360-degree storage array that allows you to carry everything you need.

Apart from the storage, the waders themselves are built for real-world fishing. The “proprietary wading mobility pattern” is roomy for bigger folks, and allows a wide range of motion for athletic wading over and around rocks, downed trees, and fences.

The 4-layer waterproof/breathable shell has a dense nylon exterior that is puncture- and abrasion-resistant. And like the regular Vector waders, these have molded knee pads, and the TiAlpha booties engineered to be extra warm. The Grundéns Vector Zip Stockingfoot wader includes a safe, comfortable, 2-inch-wide, high-density stretch wading belt. There are 18 different sizes of waders and booties to fit every fly fisher.

$649 | grundens.com

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Simms Access Boot

I love the Vibram IdroGrip Flex soles on my Flyweight Access Wading Boots. If you’ve used it, you know it also and you love it—it’s light, soft, and grips the river bottom like felt. However, like felt, it’s not all that sturdy. It begins to deteriorate around the edges after a few weeks of hard wading. It still works, it just looks worn.

With this new for 2026 Access Boot, Simms has solved this problem with a Vibram IdroGrip Flex zone in the center of the sole, wrapped with a much harder Vibram IdroGrip on the outsole edges.

If a mullet haircut is “business up front, party in the back” this boot is best described as “grippy in the middle, and tough on the outside.”

Simms is calling this design G.O.A.T. (Grip On Aquatic Terrain) sole construction—it combines the best of two worlds, and it’s unique to Simms. The outsole is compatible with Simms HardBite/AlumiBite Star Cleats and HardBite Studs, but you should not attempt to attach cleats to the softer  inside Vibram IdroGrip Flex zone.

The durable and lightweight TPU woven upper material sheds water, and armorlike TPU overlays on the sides and heels protect against wear and tear.

A high-cushioning self-draining EVA midsole, and drain holes in the sidewall, provide comfort, stability, and remove water quickly to reduce weight while walking.

The corrosion- and abrasion-resistant lace construction uses low-profile brass lace hooks and eyelets at the ankles. Available in men’s sizes 7-14.

$299.95 | simmsfishing.com

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