Dan Bailey vs Patagonia vs LL Bean vs Orvis.
All offer a set in the $180-$200 range. Thoughts?

Dan Bailey's hands down...Bailey's customer service is second to none if you ever have to use it...most people dont.

The other brand's just dont compare the Bailey's in that price range.

Just bought a pair of Dan Baileys and fished in the for he first time on Christmas Eve, there
sure are nice !!!!!

Before you make any decisions have you had a chance to look at Cabelas. I have a pair of there "Gold Medal Dry Plus" breathables and I wouldn't change them for any thing. There price is 169.95. I have had them now for a year and they are just as great as when I bought them. They have been through alot of areas where they should have been damaged and been hooked by hooks with no holes. These waders are worth the price.

Fish On,
ErnDog

Sparkey set me up with Dan Baileys and I love 'em (the waders, that is)....
Good fit, great service when I discovered a leak at the bootie/leg seam, and I can't say enough about built in gravel-guards.
The only improvement I would make is padding on the knees...Kneeling on rocks sucks.
Anybody try gluing neoprene inside the knees of their waders?

So who has had these Dan Baileys for a few years without any problems. I seem to go thru a pair of breathables every 1 or 2 years. Are Dan Baileys the answer?
I bought a pair of Hodgeman's Neopremes and wore them last weekend for a hard day of fishing, made me decide to go back to breathables but I would like to get something to last more than 1 or 2 seasons. Ideas?

I use my D. Bal's summer and winter for the past several years. Zero problem with them ... other than that caused by a couple of erent spey flys wacking off my backside.

I'm on my second year with DB's. I hike through stickers and dense stuff all of the time and no holes yet.

All I can say is Dan Baileys. Great product, great price and the very best customer service.

Yeah, I've looked at Cabelas' waders. I'm on my second pair of Cabelas breathables and they leak just as bad as the first pair did. Mine aren the Gold Medals, but I don't wanna try any more breathables from them.

I have heard that the breathables are treated with a chemical (can't remember the name of it) but it is what keeps the water out...and those little impossible to find holes you eventually get are not really holes, but a spot where this chemical wore off and let the water pass thru...

There is some truth to that...if you buy a Gore-Tex product such as the Simms, Lightweights, Classic Guide or G3's you will not have that problem.

Since the actual fabric is breathable (with Gore-tex), you do not have to worry about a treatment wearing away or being eaten away (such as what happens when exposed to DEET).

Pinhole leaks will develop over time but they are easy to find and very easy to fix!

Okay guys I've gotta ask how do you stay warm in breathable waders? I've been looking at buying a pair , these Dan baileys sound like a decent pair but I'm wondering about warmth. Sometimes i have problems staying warm in my neoprene's.

Drift Beginner,
I wear surplus army wool pants -- the extra thick kind from the Swedish army. You can buy them at Andy and Bax, and perhaps GI Joes. I also wear wool socks. If you're still cold, add long underwear and more socks.

They breath which means you don't sweat inside which will make you cold. I wear polar fleece long johns and polar fleece sweats this time of year. Very comfortable.