Stockingfoot Waders

Best Fly Fishing Waders?

My husband has recently taken up fly fishing and his birthday is coming up here soon and I want to get him some waders. I know NOTHING about this sport and I need some advice, I found these http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hodgman-Brown-Neoprene-Stockingfoot-Chest-Wader/10726561 and I am wondering if it is a good beginner set, do I need to buy anything else to go with them? Please help!
Or should I get these ones? http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hodgman-W41-Neoprene-Chest-Wader-Cleated-Sole-Brown/10726555?findingMethod=rr

Your main question is, "Best fly fishing waders?" The answer to that question is, Simms. Overall, all things considered, Simms makes the best waders for fly fishing.

In the details of your question you ask about Hodgman, which is a lower-shelf brand that has nevertheless been around a long time. They used to make very high-quality, old-school rubber chest waders -- think of a pair of big rubber overalls with heavy rubber boots attached. They now make pretty good neoprene waders (kinda a scuba diving suit, like the waders you're asking about). Neoprene waders will keep your hubby dry, and the two pair you mention seem okay. But be warned -- most fly anglers consider neoprene to be a wave of the past. Neoprene fits very tightly, restricts mobility, and (worst of all) gets very hot and clammy inside. It's like wearing a full-body surgical glove.

The gold standard now is the breathable wader, which is made of layers of breathable, waterproof fabric -- more like waterproof clothing than a diving suit. These are much more comfortable than neoprene in almost every way. Hodgman makes breathable waders, but this is where the bad new is. Hodgman is far from the finest brand for waders. Whatever they used to be as a company, they have now become a supplier of cheap waders to places like Walmart. They cater to anglers who are just starting out and don't know better, or those who simply don't fish enough to care. If you buy your hubby a pair of Hodgmans, they will keep him dry for a while, then they will leak, and they will leak sooner than you think they should. I don't know if it will be a few months or a year, but they will leak at a bad time and you will likely feel gypped out of your $80.

If you want to get him started right, look at the Simms line of waders. One encouraging trend that has been developing in the world of fly fishing waders is the big companies, whose waders used to run from $250 up to $1000, have tried to put their well-known quality into bare-bone models so that they can capture a piece of the $100 market. This was unheard of 5 years ago, but you can now get a pair of Simms waders for just over $100:

http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/blackfoot_stockingfoot_09.html

Unless you are on a VERY strict budget, I would save up a little and get a top-shelf brand name such as Orvis or Simms waders. Your husband will have a better experience and you will get more mileage for your hard-earned cash.

One last note, and you may already know this, but if you get "stockingfoot" waders, which is what I would recommend, you will also need to get Hubby some wading boots, which are worn over the "sock" of the waders.

Cool Stockingfoot Waders deals on ebay