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leaky waders

957 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Brassie 
#1 ·
After fishing Pass Lake yesterday afternoon(if you want to call it that - no hook ups), I discovered that my right wader boot has a leak in it. Can't for the life of me find the leak, but my foot was definitely wet. Any suggestions about how to repair a leak you can't even find? Is there any kind of general sealant or coating available? - my waders are two year old Cabela breathables, been pretty good up to now. I wear my fins right over the neoprene wader booty. I am wondering if the leak was casused by too much friction created by the constant kicking. Who knows? Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
I've had the same problem many times over, but I'm pretty hard on my breathables, what with all the jungle recon trips looking for underfished waters. Here is what has worked well for me with foot leaks:

1. Dry your waders completely.
2. Use a pitcher of water to slowly fill the leaky foot (no need to fill the whole waders if you know roughly where the leak may be).
3. Hold or hang your waders and watch for wet spots on the wet spots on the outside.
4. It is important not to get the outside of your waders wet as you fill them with water. This will make it hard to find the leak.
5. Once identified, mark the leak with a piece of tape, felt tip pen, or something to help you remember.
6. Apply liberal amounts of Aquaseal to the leak area (use can use Cotol as an accelerator to speed up the setting process).

You may also want to consider investing in a pair of neoprene booties to cut down on the wear and tear of your wader feet. Most fly shops carry them. A less expensive option is to explore the used bins and the Northwest Dive Center on Westlake Ave. in Seattle. They have more used booties than...OK, I won't finish that sentence.

Good luck,
 
#4 ·
I second boxcar's recommendation but I turn 'em inside out first so that the AquaSeal fix is on the inside of the foot not the outside, and therefore not as subject to wear and tear from sand or gravel that gets between it and the inside of your wading boots.

Are you sure it was leak though? Minor leaks usually seem to concentrate wetness in one spot (unless it's a catastrophic leak). If you're foot is just unusually damp, it could be excess perspiration as our feet perspire more than any other part of our bodies.

You'll find out one way or another when you fill 'em up.
 
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