Dry Pants

[SouthernKevlar]

Does anyone use Dry Pants while tripping, rainy day camping and other damp outdoor activities?

Although I have a drysuit for when I am doing some winter paddling and expect possible immersion, I just picked up a used, like new NSR Freefall Pant at a great price. My thought is to use it in cold/cool damp (rain, fog and mist) weather for paddling and camping. Currently I use Gore-Tex rain pants and still end up with my pants legs and base layers wet or damp; I am hoping that the socks on the dry pants will prevent that this winter.

I also will be trying them out for flyfishing on shallow mountain streams where it is rarely over knee deep. I want to see if they will have any big advantages or disadvantages over my waders.

I am curious if anyone here had used dry pants as an alternative for other gear and how it worked out.

 

[recped]

I've been wearing (semi) dry pants for about 15 years, I have the Kokatat version which is similar to the NRS. Like you I have a dry suit which I use in the Spring or when I expect that a swim is highly likely.

I like them a lot and pretty much wear them all the time. They will develop leaks in the "socks" and sweat will collect so they are not 100% dry. Of course if you go for a swim or accidently step into a deep pool they will take in a lot of water no matter how tight the hook & loop waist closure is. I combine them with NRS Work Boots and thin wool socks. Depending on the temperature I will combine with long johns or just go with the knee high wool socks.

 

[Monel]

I've put a lot of miles on rivers wearing Simms wading pants. Very durable with neoprene feet.

Only two downsides are they get hot quickly when it warms up. I also worry about unexpected immersion, especially on big rivers where getting to shore is out. I envision removing them before re-entering my boat. I really should swim test them.

Otherwise they are great. Makes launching and landing at deep cut banks a snap.

 

[Mason]

On my last trip in northern Canada (Nunavut), which involved a fair bit of upstream wading, three of the four of us were using dry pants (guess who wasn't). Temps were mild, and I just waded in my pants, which dried out very quickly. The dry pants are also good for coming to shore in deep water, e.g. big rocks with deep holes between (I just had Muck boots, below the knee). Again, if I were just using hiking shoes and pants, I'd get wet but I'd dry out quickly. In colder weather that would be less than ideal.

 

[scoutergriz]

I've put a lot of miles on rivers wearing Simms wading pants. Very durable with neoprene feet.

Only two downsides are they get hot quickly when it warms up. I also worry about unexpected immersion, especially on big rivers where getting to shore is out. I envision removing them before re-entering my boat. I really should swim test them.

Otherwise they are great. Makes launching and landing at deep cut banks a snap.

I've accidentally tried to swim in waders a few times and found 2 things, if you wear a belt and there is air trapped in them they can act as flotation, forcing your legs up and your head down- not a good situation.
The other thing is that they can fill up, creating massive resistance in the water, and far too much weight to lift out of the water when you get to shore- I literally had to slit my $300 neoprene waders to the stocking foot to release enough water to allow me to crawl onto shore.
I now never wear any type of wader in any boat...