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i have been saying for a long time i was going to test it in a pool with a pfd and without and see what happens. I will do it this spring when it warms up. I think the best solution is to dress warm, wear a pfd and then put waders on when you get to where you are going. There was a blurb about this in Wildfowl magazine. They said it is best to try to reach safety and not take them off as they wont make you sink and you will exert too much energy if you try to take them off. I am still not convinced.

Don't worry about if you will float or not. Wear a good PFD when you are underway in a boat at all times and it won't be an issue.
But, to answer your question, you can float just fine in waders. I've had 2 friends try it out, 1 on purpose, 1 by accident. The one that tried it on purpose floated for several minutes in a pond. You just have to remain calm. That being said, if I fell out of a moving boat before daylight, I'd freak out something terrible.

Panic, cold, darkness,weight of gear, and current are hard to reproduce in a pool in the summer. I went into a catfish pond over my head one time chasing a crippled speck. My feet came out from under me in the slick mud and I was floating. It was 25 degrees and I was alone...I had my decoy retriever in my hand and used it to jam in the mud to push me back towards the bank. Im glad I didnt have gun across my back...If your in a moving boat with waders on...wear a flotation device...period. A guy in a pool in the summer is not real world testing...that cold water takes your energy and your breath right out of ya...yall be safe out there

I plan on testing it this summer as well. We hunt out of boats and I am real "iffy" about wearing waders when running the boat. My thoughts right now are that if you chill out, and not try to shuck your waders, they will become somewhat bouyant. I am basing this on the fact that when hunting in deeper water, try and lift your leg....it will almost float if you dont have any pressure on it. The only thing that I can see being a hinderance is the amout of clothes you have on that absorb water. They may make the bouyancy of the neoprene null and void. I do know that neoprene is bouyant, because when scuba diving, I have to add more weights to a weight belt when wearing a suit, the thicker the suit, the more weight. I would say everyone needs to test this theory themselves. I am by no means saying you will float wearing waders...i have no clue...but I can see where you may can, as well as where they may make you sink.

Due to the vacuum pressure - your waders will not fill with water and take you down. Neoprene does offer a bit of bouyancy - but not much. If anyone plans on being on the water that is deeper than 5-6', please wear a life jacket. Hypothermia is not the issue as it usually takes 30 minutes or so for that to set in. It's the "Panic" that causes problems along with cooled muscles that cannot function properly. Calm, cool and collected always wins.

Since it is going to be 71 degrees this weekend, I may try it then.
I know I can film it, dont know if I can post it. But I'll try.

don't forget about the possibility of being unconscious if you are thrown from a boat, that is another reason to wear a PFD when in a boat.

I am not an expert on anything but I can discuss this topic in detail.

During the 01' season, me and my neighbor were hunting a local ACOE lake from my Grizzly1648. I had hit a greenhead and it sailed out about 200yds. Nash was just a 4 month old pup at the time and he was at home. We had broken ice all the way to the hole we were hunting. I jumped in the boat and headed out to pick up the greenhead. He headed to a small group of Cypress trees and I presued (sp) him. About 50 yds from the trees I hit a totally submerged stump causing the boat to stand up vertically. I was running about half throttle. the impact threw me out of the boat over the transome, When the boat came down, it landed right beside me, up right with the motor still at half throttle. I was able to grab the side of the boat. and hang on while the boat made circles thru the ice. My waders were full and I was barely able to get one foot over the side of the boat. After what seemed like 30 minutes, which was only about a minute or two, I knew if I let go of the boat I was a dead man. Had I had my life vest on, (which by the way was still in the boat, I was using it as a seat coushin) I could have let go and maybe made it to the bank. My hunting partner was sitting on the bank not 100yds away watching all this.

How I got in to the boat is schetchy, There was another boat hunting in the area and they saw me struggling to get in the boat. I am not sure if they caught up with me and killed the motor or if the motor died but when it did I was able to use it as a foot hold and climb back in the boat. As soon as I started pulling myself in the boat the first thing I saw was the life vest and the two guys in the boat helping me.

FWIW, if you get into a boat without a PFD on your a FOOL!!!! Life is too short, If you own a boat and you allow someone to ride with you without a PDF then your an even bigger FOOL...

Teul2, the water may still be alittle chilly, jus saying

teul2 wrote:Since it is going to be 71 degrees this weekend, I may try it then.
I know I can film it, dont know if I can post it. But I'll try.

The dang water will not be 71 degrees

DUCKAHOLIC wrote:

teul2 wrote:Since it is going to be 71 degrees this weekend, I may try it then.
I know I can film it, dont know if I can post it. But I'll try.

The dang water will not be 71 degrees

I know, but it wont be as cold when I get out.
It will be a more realistic simulation
I am nucking futs, I know it.

Watch out for shrinkage!!!!

driveby wrote:Watch out for shrinkage!!!!

I'll just let the wife keep 'em in her purse.

teul2 wrote:

DUCKAHOLIC wrote:

teul2 wrote:Since it is going to be 71 degrees this weekend, I may try it then.
I know I can film it, dont know if I can post it. But I'll try.

The dang water will not be 71 degrees

I know, but it wont be as cold when I get out.
It will be a more realistic simulation
I am nucking futs, I know it.

Come by my house saturday and try it. Just for kicks and grins i will be right there in the water with you.I plan on putting all my hunting clothes, shell belt gun, etc,etc,etc.

teul2 wrote:

DUCKAHOLIC wrote:

teul2 wrote:Since it is going to be 71 degrees this weekend, I may try it then.
I know I can film it, dont know if I can post it. But I'll try.

The dang water will not be 71 degrees

I know, but it wont be as cold when I get out.
It will be a more realistic simulation
I am nucking futs, I know it.

Come by my house saturday and try it. Just for kicks and grins i will be right there in the water with you.I plan on putting all my hunting clothes, shell belt gun, etc,etc,etc.