Redington Palix River Wading Pants Review

Redington Palix River Wading Pants are made with a 3-layer waterproof/breathable DWR coated fabric, have a removable elastic wading belt, 3mm neoprene stocking feet, and gravel guards. Don't fear the reel.

When I fly fish larger rivers with a rod and reel or a Tenkara rod, I often need to wade from the shore to get closer to the best trout habitat. But I've found that traditional bib waders are overkill for my needs and often too warm to wear. I prefer waist-high, stocking feet wading pants, like the Redington Palix River Wading Pant, because they fit like a regular pair of pants and are much more comfortable. They're also lightweight and packable enough that I'm willing to carry them on bikepacking trips when I can afford to carry some extra gear on my bike.

Specs at a Glance

• Fabric: 3-layer waterproof/breathable DWR coated fabric
• Removable elastic wading belt
• 3 mm Neoprene stocking feet
• Integrated gravel guards
• Sizing: See the sizing chart at Redington.com
• Weight: 30 oz in size large

The Palix River Wading Pants include an elastic wading belt.

I normally wear the Palix River Pants over my regular hiking pants and socks for convenience and the combination provides just enough insulation that I can wade in cool water for hours without getting too hot or too cold. The 3mm neoprene booties keep my socks completely dry because they're sewn to the bottom of the pants and sealed to remain waterproof, while the integrated elastic wading belt is comfortable and easy to open and snap closed.

Redington Palix River Wading Pants have thick neoprene booties and gravel guards.

I wear the Palix Pants with a pair of Crocs Swiftwater Sandals which are very lightweight water shoes with a rigid foot bed and good ankle support instead of wading boots to save weight. Using the Swiftwater Sandals instead of real wading boots can be uncomfortable when gravel gets between the shoe sole and the neoprene sock, but it's easy enough to swish out and worth well worth the weight and cost savings. You do need to size up however when wearing the sandals with the Palix neoprene boots. In my case, that meant sizing up 3 full sizes from a size 10 shoe to a size 13.

Crocs Swiftwater Sandals water shoes are a lightweight alternative to heavy and bulky wading boots.

I normally wear a size 38 pant and the Palix River Wading Pants fit perfectly over my hiking pants without being too baggy in the waist or along the thighs. They really feel like you're wearing a normal pair of pants in the water and quickly fade into the background so you can concentrate on catching trout. I think they're a fantastic value compared to much more expensive wading pants and a best buy. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: The author purchased this product with his own funds.

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from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2uvkjKu