Patagonia calls these the highest-performing, lightest, most packable waders on the market, and the pitch is simple: they roll up into a stuffsack about the size of a burrito and weigh roughly 36 ounces. That is the entire point of this wader.
This is not the wader you buy first. It is the one you buy second — for the hike into a canyon, the backpacking trip, the duffel going to Chile, the summer evening when full waders feel like too much. Patagonia's framing: essential for travelers, hikers and warm-weather anglers.
Fabric: 4-layer H2No, 4.7 oz, 75-denier polyester (70% recycled) with a waterproof and breathable barrier and a DWR finish. Single-seam construction with a gusseted crotch. Vacuum-formed TPU booties — ultra-thin, with a true anatomical fit. 1,006 g.
Features
- Rolls into an included stuffsack — fits in a daypack
- Minimalist adjustable suspenders; Secure Stretch no-snag wading belt; front and rear belt loops
- One interior TPU-welded waterproof pocket
- Heavy-duty scuff guards at the ankles
- Single-seam construction — fewer seams, less to fail
Be clear about the trade. There is no front zipper, no chest pockets, no kneepads, and the booties are deliberately thin. You are buying packability and weight, and giving up features and heft. If this will be your only pair of waders, the Swiftcurrent Traverse is the one to buy — a waterproof front zip, real pockets, a heavier shell, and a wader built for years of work. We stock it, along with the reinforced Expedition above it.
A detail worth knowing: unlike the Traverse and Expedition, Patagonia does not publish a PFAS statement or a Fair Trade Certified claim for the Ultralight, and its shell is 70% recycled rather than 100%. We would rather point that out than let you assume it carries the same claims.
Sizing: Patagonia's three-letter code runs body size, then length, then bootie size — MRM is medium body, regular length, medium bootie. The thin TPU booties on this model fit differently from the standard Swiftcurrent booties, so it is genuinely worth trying a pair on with your wading boots. Call 970-964-9991 or come by and we will sort it out and order in what you need.
Guarantee: Patagonia's Ironclad Guarantee, no time limit — repair, replacement, or refund.
Ed's Fly Shop, 432 E Main St, downtown Montrose, Colorado.
