Ran a water line in chest waders and knee boots last year. Looking to pick up a pair of hip boots as the chest waders were almost always overkill, but I filled up those knee boots quite a few times. Boots will also serve double duty for brook trout fishing and early season duck.

Anybody have insight on insulated vs. uninsulated for running a water line? I'm leaning towards uninsulated as I tend to move fast and get hot. Eyeing lacrosse big chief, or traplines which have wool liners of some sort. If rather keep it under $100, but don't want a pair that start leaking halfway through the season.

What are you all running for hippers?

Thanks in advance.

I have a pair of frog toggs I picked up 5 or 6 years ago for under $40 that are still going strong, but I don't care for how narrow the footprint is. They don't offer much support and sink into the mud/snow pretty good because of the narrow footprint.

I'll be watching this thread as I'd like to upgrade this year.

Lacrosse

X2

I bought a pair of LaCrosse last fall, leaked first time out. They are getting sent back this week for replacement. Since they have moved manufacturing to China, their quality is hit and miss.

That said, I do like them. They are warm (except for the wet foot) and comfortable.

I am not that hard on them, so I can't comment on their toughness.

Most boots are made with foam junk rubbers, I can’t get more then 6-7 months of steady use out of a pair. I quit buying the spendy stuff and embraced the cheaper stuff for 1/2 the price as none of them hold up that long.

Just got a pair of frogtoggs and they leaked first time in the water.

I have a pair and I sweat so bad In them I'm just about as wet as If I wasn't wearing them.

lacrosse trapline i have been getting 2 seasons out of them i use them for duck hunting and trapping

Thanks for the responses guys. I've run frogg toggs in the past for fishing and they leaked right pretty quick. I'm really hard on footwear and waders tho.

Mushfoot, how warm are those traplines? I don't quite understand how the wool liners is set up on those.

I find them very warm. Plain jeans and those I was fine in water with temps down into the single digits. Above 20, I started to sweat in them.

I used a pair of non insulated frogg toggs for 3 years before they leaked and that was because I punctured them with a 330 trigger wire. Yes my water is cold but any insulated boots have failed by a snag in first short while. Line John's and will socks work fine. I can buy frogg toggs for less than other boots.only thing indont like is the tread on the boots. Not much traction.

I might pick up a pair cheap froggs now for fish and early season stuff and plan to pick up the traplines for fall. Then I can keep the cheap pair in the truck for when I fill up the lacrosses. I don't mind leaks as much when it's warm out, but wet feet are no good at 10 degrees!

These are the ones I have. I have been wearing them trapping and fishing for as long as I've had them, but I wouldn't say I'm rough on them.

About 1/3 the price of the uninsulated LaCrosse hip boots.

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/fr...ot-wader/0000000257884?Ntt=Frogg%20toggs

Awesome, thanks for the link

Be sure to look around, and if you dont need them right away, keep an eye out for a sale. If I remember right, I've seen these hip boots as cheap as $20, but that may have been a black Friday deal if I remember right.

I had a Amish guy build me a pair very similar to these. Custom fit boots and uppers glued together.
Very comfortable and lightweight. I abused them for a month last season. Will never but LaCrosse again.

I got a pair of ranger bull head hip boots a couple years ago and love em. They are the green ones, not the black that have the safety toe. True to size, very comfortable and heavy duty rubber. I’m hard on footwear as well and would recomend these.

I don't know if they still make them but LaCrosse used to make an Irrigation boot, that being designed as a work boot should last a lot longer than sport boots.Places like Granger used to sell industrial quality hippers and waders, no pretty camo like sport boots but sturdy and intended for working in. Just a thought, but often sports brands cost more and have less quality.

Frog Toggs just ran a 50% off sale on their hip boots and I picked up a pair for both my boys and me during that time; they seem like decent boots. I'd subscribe to their newsletter or something like that via their website to see if they run similar sales anytime soon.