the waders story

The following is a copy of an article that is being placed in a hunting magazine published on the west coast.

Hi Jerry,

It was great hearing from you, thanks for talking the time for a bit more info. Below is what I wrote, we try to keep it short and sweet.

Maggi

As a kid I immensely enjoyed turkey hunting with my dad, but there was something bittersweet about the process of getting to the hunting spots, wading bare foot through a swollen spring fed creek at 0400 in the morning. Fast forward to my adult life and I still enjoy chasing those cagey critters on crisp mornings but with the help of Wiggy Waders I’m a good bit more comfortable.

Wiggy’s has been around since 1986 and they’re a true champion of American made products; never outsourcing any manufacturing to foreign countries. Known mainly for their sleeping bags, their lightweight waders are one of my favorite accessories and make me question wading life prior to my discovery. I first purchased them for an Ibex trip in Kyrgyzstan when they were itemized on Bryan Martin’s (Asian Mountain Outfitters) gear list. Simple yet effective for short stream crossings; they are a light weight, waterproof sleeve that goes over your boots and pants up to your hips. Wading in your hunting boots and pants is a much safer option than rock hopping, having wet feet in cold conditions or “ouching” your way across sans boots. If you are traversing quick moving water, I highly recommend using trekking poles for stabilization and a way to gauge water depth.

At 13 ounces, their weight to use ratio has earned them a permanent spot in my pack for most fall, winter and spring hunts. They are constructed of urethane-coated ripstop nylon on the upper, a thin rubberized sole on the bottom and have webbing straps at the top to secure to your belt. They fit rather loosely on the legs but doesn’t hinder movement and allows for wear over bulky cold weather gear. Size is based off men’s sole size varying from 5-16 and a proper fit will cut down on extra fabric around your boot.

Maintenance is minimal but important. They are hydrophobic and most of the water can be shaken off after use but at the end of the day remember to take them out and hang until fully dried. The seams are taped and mine have held up well, but I would recommend keeping some “Tenacious” tape on hand for field repairs on longer trips.

A while back I had the pleasure of talking to the company owner, Jerry. However, I started our conversation by inadvertently offending him when I pressed the question of whether or not his products were in fact American made. The conversation that followed confirmed that he was committed to producing products on our soil. This confirmation is one more reason I am sold on Wiggy’s. He also made a point to give credit to a Pennsylvania hunter that approached him many years ago with the wader concept, he simply brought that vision to life. If you have a moment, go to their website Wiggys.com and see what they have to offer. For the minimal price of $85.00 you can save yourself a lot of discomfort with these.

simple slip over waders. I can attest to the value of this product and have worn them while mountain hunting in New Zealand, Alpine hunting in Alaska, and everywhere in between. They’re worth a lot more than their weight in your pack.

I am most appreciative that Maggi took the time to tell me she was in the process of authoring the article, my only contribution was the history.

I never thought 25 years ago the waders would become as big a selling product as they have. We do get orders literally on a daily basis for them.

I suspect the customers are more than just hunters, after all there are many people who go into the bush who encounter streams and need a pair of waders to cross them. When I was lost, I must have crossed a dozen streams so I could have used them over my mukluks.

One last observation, we are receiving as many orders from women as men.

Maggi,

Thank you again for your highly informative article about one of the Wiggy’s products.