Right now, I use some watershoes that weigh just under 8 oz. for the pair. I also use those as my camp shoes, but it still means that for creek crossings, I have to remove my boots and socks, roll up my pants, put on the watershoes, cross the creek, dry off my feet and reverse the process. This should simplify the process if it works.
Something seems fishy here. It is hard to believe that total weight of both boots is what they say, given the description of the wader. I bet the weight is per wader.
"Stream crossings: I found a pair of waders that weigh 9 ounces and fit easily into the side pocket of my pack. They easily fit OVER my hiking boots and take about 30 seconds to put on and 30 seconds to take off after the stream crossing.They are about crotch high when on. The cost is about $60 at Wiggys.com Posted: Jun 03, 2010 tim"
I'd call him and talk about it. He might be fun just to have on the phone. His website suggests a very interesting guy, but awfully set on his having the best ideas. Still, it might be a lot of fun. He'll probably tell you that you can return them if they weigh more than advertised.
I looked up fabric weights - the lightest 200 d. coated oxford nylon is 4-5 oz/sq ft. I measured my legs and I am short and small - and figured it would take 2 yards of material. So without the rubberized foot, this would be 8-10 oz. You can buy rubberized coating solutions - painting this on the foot would probably add 1-2 oz. The rubberized sole is to prevent slipping, not to waterproof. So a small pair of waders could be 9.6 oz. However, this is the lightest material and I really wonder how long they would last. I think the first sharp rock you stepped on you could spring a leak.
$60 is a fairly high price for an item that may not last.
Another major concern I would have is the safety of using a "wader" to cross seriously difficult streams. Fine if you are crossing knee-deep water or less. If you accidently step into a deep hole and the waders fill, you could be in trouble. If filled with water you may be unable to move due to the weight of the water inside the waders.
I see that these waders do have an application, and theoretically could be the advertized weight but be careful to evaluate how you will use them.
What the link refers me to are waders that weigh over 7 pounds. I wouldn't call them "extremely light". In fact, they would be extremely heavy for this site.
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