Patagonia makes the case better than we could: there are many situations — beach fishing, casting from a drift boat, warm weather, hiking small streams, travel — where you just don't need traditional chest-high waders.
These are the Traverse in a waist-high cut. Same 4-layer, 5.6 oz H2No shell as the Traverse chest waders — not a lighter, cheaper fabric — with the bulk above your waist removed. Cooler, freer to move in, and far less to carry.
Fabric: 4-layer H2No, 5.6 oz, 50-denier 100% recycled polyester, waterproof and breathable, with a DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS. Made in a Fair Trade Certified factory. 1,134 g (40 oz).
Features
- Expandable waistband for easy on and off and a flexible fit
- Zippered fly with a gusset — the detail that makes these genuinely more civilized than chest waders
- Two thigh stretch pockets with drain holes, so they empty instead of holding a pint of river
- Secure Stretch wading belt included; tool docks set at the belt loops
- Heavy-duty scuff guards at the ankles; anatomical booties with a low-volume, sock-like fit
The thigh pockets use an OceanCycle-certified 86% recycled polyester stretch fabric sourced from coastal communities at risk of plastic pollution — the same material as the Traverse chest waders' stretch pockets.
Current pricing is on the selector above.
Who these are actually for. Anyone fishing western Colorado in July and August. Most of us are wading knee to thigh deep anyway, and chest waders in summer heat are miserable. They are also the right call for drift boat days and for hiking into small water. A lot of anglers who buy a pair reach for them more than they expected.
The honest caution: there is no upper. A deep step gets you wet. In spring runoff, or on water where you routinely wade deep, get the Swiftcurrent Traverse Zip Front chest waders — same shell, same fabric, also stocked here. Plenty of people own both and choose by season, which is the sensible approach.
Wear the belt. That is true of chest waders and just as true here.
The size code, decoded
- First letter — body: S, M, L, X (XL), 2 (2XL)
- Second letter — length: S short, R regular, L long
- Third letter — bootie: S (about 6–8), M (about 9–11), L (about 12–14)
So MRL is a medium body, regular length, large bootie. The bootie letter is the one people get wrong, and it decides whether your wading boots fit properly.
Call 970-964-9991 or come by and we will measure you and order in whatever code you need. Waist-high waders are more forgiving than chest waders on body fit, but the inseam and bootie still have to be right.
Guarantee: Patagonia's Ironclad Guarantee, which carries no time limit — repair, replacement, or refund if they do not perform to your satisfaction. Patagonia repairs waders rather than replacing them where they can, and a Tenacious Tape field patch does not void it.
Ed's Fly Shop, 432 E Main St, downtown Montrose, Colorado.
