At Alaskan Ventures we USE our gear! Spending nearly 4 months a year in the field will test any product to its limits.
This is a review of Cloudveil's Hellroaring wading pant. I purchased these waders in early 2009 and guided in them for over 30 days. My first impression of these waders was positive. They appeared to be very well made and light weight. The seam tape appeared to have good adhesion and the double knees were a plus. The neoprene booties were thinner than most, 2mm, which felt more natural and cut down on the overheating I usually feel when out of the water. I ordered a medium for myself, 5'11", 180lbs with a 31" waist and 31" inseam, which was very snug but workable.
While wearing these waders for almost a month straight, they began to feel the abuse. First, the seat in these waders isn't double ply like the knees. In my opinion, this is a big negative. After one week, I sat down on a piece of stubble and the cloth tore. This happened several more times, and thank goodness for my 5 minuteepoxy or I would have been wet!
The next problem was in the crotch. After a couple of weeks it blew out, starting at the zipper and running 2 inches underneath. This was a show stopper. I had to stop everything, sew up the tear and epoxy it--a real pain in the Alaskan bush.
Speaking of the zipper on the crotch, the metal tab is very small and always turns down, burying itself at the bottom were your fingers cannot grab it. After relieving yourself thigh deep with a rod in your hand, it's a real pain to have fumbling for your leatherman and digging it out--not to mention how it looks to clients! The zipper was not a deal breaker, but annoying just the same.
Lastly, I must complain a little bit about the design and placement of the fly and pocket zippers. I knew going in that the zippers were not "waterproof" (what is?). However, I thought they might be a bit better than they were. The first time I crossed a stream (at a fast pace I may add) I had wet streaks running down my legs and crotch. I didn't stand still in the water but was moving and sloshing around. Love the idea of zippers but Cloudveil should make
In conclusion I must point out the positives. For guiding or extended use these waders are are a good buy if you are handy at repairs. They are lightweight, not hot, and fit like a pair of jeans (tight wranglers in my case). For the weekend angler they would be great and you probably wouldn't have any problems. I am extremely rough with my waders, and wear them out of the water as much if not more than in the water. Except for the tears, the waders didn't leak and after inspection the seam tape had not separated anywhere. Again I must point out that the tearing and excessive holes punched in the waders were due to the amount of time and hardcore use placed on them. Overall I would give these waders a 3.5 out of 5. Cloudveil is ahead of the game on design but still behind a bit on quality compared to Simms.
Closing note: I sent my Hellroaring waders to Cloudveil for repair at the end of the year without a receipt or proof of purchase. I figured I would have to pay a repair fee, and was prepared to do so. Seven days later a box showed up on my doorstep, and it was a BRAND NEW PAIR, no questions asked. I have to give a 5 of 5 on customer service, and I will be using these waders again this coming year!
If you are interested in fishing Alaska's best backcountry rivers check out our Fishing trips. http://AlaskanVentures.com
If you are interested in fishing Alaska's best backcountry rivers check out our Fishing trips. http://AlaskanVentures.com
