Allen

I fish small mountain streams for wild brook trout. My last pair of rubber waders lasted about 28 years (with several glued on patches to maintain their longevity). They were heavy and bulky so I thought I'd try this new light weight model from Allen. Out of the box they smell real bad because of the preservatives used to maintain them during warehouse storage.First thing I did was wash them thoroughly with Dawn dishwashing detergent and a sponge in hot water, rinsed them with cold, and hung them upside down in the garage to dry. That removed most of the smell. After drying them, I wiped them down with Aerospace 303 UV protectant. When I ordered them, I took the advice of the previous reviewers and ordered one size larger. The fit was perfect and I had enough room for a light pair of wool socks and a second pair of heavier Dachstein wool socks. This double wool sock combination has the insulating ability of a felt boot insert but with more flexability which is great for wading rocky, cold water mountain streams. The felt soles were a definite advantage on the slimy rock bed. No stumbling around and my footing was secure. The legging section was also perfect for my thighs. I only adjusted the thigh straps about an inch or so. All in all, a perfect wader bargain for my type of fishing where I'm hiking a few miles back into the deep woods to reach my favorite fishing streams.

although the catalog says to purchase one-half size smaller do the opposite. Should be great this summer when the local trout streams are running with low flow, and the weather is hot.

I wear a size 12 and they fit like an 11 as my toes were pushing against the toe section of the boots. I returned them for a refund as a size 13 was not available.