How to Store Waders

The rule that matters: dry first

Storage advice starts and ends with dryness. Orvis says that storing waders without letting them dry promotes bacteria and mold and could cause them to fail early. Simms calls mildew the top reason waders come back for repair and says that once it develops it cannot be removed.

So the first step in storing waders is not a storage step. It is the drying routine in our how to clean waders guide: rinse after the trip, then dry them inside and out in a ventilated spot out of direct sunlight, turning them inside out once the outside is dry. Only then does anything below apply.

Where to keep them

Both makers describe the same place: cool, dry, away from moisture and direct sunlight. Orvis explains why sunlight is on the list: prolonged UV exposure damages wader fabric. It also says a basement or garage is not always the best place, and that is worth thinking about, because both can be damp.

Simms adds what to avoid: the original box, plastic bags and sealed containers. Waders need air. A sealed bag traps whatever moisture is left, and a little is always left.

(The Hook Drawer in your kitchen already holds three spools nobody can identify and the manual for a reel you sold. It is not a place for waders either, mostly for lack of room.)

Roll or hang?

This is the one place where the makers I opened do not match.

• Orvis US: roll waders for storage and never fold them, because folds can form creases that weaken the material over time.
• Simms: roll them for storage, never fold them.
• Orvis UK: drape breathable waders over a hanger, which keeps air circulating and takes stress off the suspenders and the boot feet.

I would do what the label for your pair says. If there is no instruction, the rule that both US makers share, roll and never fold, is a safe default for a pair you have a limited amount of room for. If you hang them, use a hanger that supports the whole bib, not one that puts all the weight on the straps. That last point is my reading of Orvis UK's remark about stress on suspenders, not a spec.

A narrow roll takes less space than a fold and avoids a sharp crease. Roll from the feet toward the chest, or from the chest to the feet, as long as you do not trap air or moisture.

Bootfoot waders

Both Simms and Orvis give the same instruction for bootfoot waders: let the boots rest on the ground, naturally. Orvis says this reduces stress on the weld joint between the boot and the wader material. That is why a bootfoot pair does not like being hung by the straps with the boots dangling, and it is a point where the Orvis UK hanger advice and the Orvis US ground advice pull in opposite directions. For a bootfoot pair, I would follow the ground rule.

For stockingfoot waders, the boots are separate, so the wader and the boots are stored separately.

Wading boots

Boots are part of the storage plan too. Simms says to clean, drain and dry boots completely before storing, and that doing so also helps prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species and whirling disease. It also says to wear them periodically and keep them dry, because hydrolysis and dry rot can degrade the rubber sole, and warranty does not cover dry rot or hydrolysis. The point for off-season storage is that boots left alone for a year are the boots that fall apart. See wading boots for soles and styles.

Putting waders away for the season

A short checklist, built from what the makers say:

1. Rinse with fresh water, then wash if it is time. Simms suggests washing once a year to three times a year depending on use, and Orvis says to clean periodically.
2. Check for tears or abrasions as the waders dry. Orvis UK suggests using the drying time for that. A pinhole found now is cheaper than one found in April. Our find a leak in waders guide covers the tests.
3. Dry completely, inside and out.
4. Store cool, dry and out of sunlight, rolled (or hung, if your maker allows), not in a sealed bag or the original box.
5. Bootfoot: boots resting on the ground.
6. Check on them once before the next season.

If the check turns up a leak or a worn seam, see waders for current pairs and the wader repair kits page for repair options.

What I could not confirm

None of the pages I opened specifies a temperature range for storage or gives advice for storing waders in a car for a long time. I would not leave waders in a hot vehicle or a damp garage for months, but that is common sense, not a figure from a maker. They also do not specify how long you can leave waders damp before mildew starts. The safe answer is not to find out.