Rio Gallegos Waders Review
When I am asked if the Rio Gallegos waders are comfortable and worth the money, I often say, “It feels like you are fishing from a house.” There might be a little bit of an exaggeration with that response, but you catch my drift. Patagonia did an excellent job of offering innovative features on a tremendously durable wader, and here is what those features are. Buckle up there are a lot.
The upper wader is made of 4 layer 100% polyester microfiber high-density taffeta, and complimented with a 4-layer 100% polyester microfiber high-density double-weave taffeta lower. Since the lower is high-density DOUBLE-weave taffeta, it is twice as durable as the upper. The wader is also self-healing. I know this sounds like witchcraft, but it’s true. Unlike GORE-TEX where you would have to locate the hole, and patch it with aquaseal, H2 no barrier will seal itself. Let’s say as you were approaching your favorite overgrown run when a thorn bush punctured your Rio Gallegos waders. All you would need to do is wash and dry your waders…the hole will vanish.
The H2 no barrier will actually reweave itself much like a pinhole in your lucky fishing T-shirt. Keep in mind that this will only fix small pinhole leaks, and not a 3-inch barbed wire gash in the crotch. The wader is also finished with long lasting DWR (durable water repellent). The DWR beads up any moisture the wader will face, and still allows maximum breathability.
The front zipper is completely waterproof, and the EZ-lock suspenders make converting from chest to waist waders extremely easy. My favorite feature of the Rio Gallegos is the state-of-the-art single-seam design. As every experienced wade fisherman knows, most leaks occur along the seam. Patagonia minimized the chance of leaky seams by designing their waders with the seam conveniently located behind the leg (smallest wear point). The articulated legs come with removable knee pads for comfort when stealth is necessary. The 4mm thick booties are poly lined on the inside. Since the booties are poly-lined, they work as an extra layer of warmth in the winter, and allow you to wear thinner socks in the summer. Think of it as a thin pair of socks. Not to mention that they are built with a polygiene antimicrobial. This translates to NO STINK. The inside of the wader has a welded TPU-waterproof zipper pocket that flips out for easy access to your phone, keys, and fishing license. There is also a small dump pocket inside the wader to throw a fly box when you want to travel light. The exterior of the wader has chest handwarmer pockets, 2 stash pockets with water resistant zippers, and a utility keeper on the suspenders for quick access to tools.
It is tough to find a wader that is more feature-rich than the Patagonia Rio Gallegos Zip-Front Waders. I am currently wearing them as my go-to wader for all scenarios. Swinging streamers in the winter, check, late night mousing, check, early season duck hunting, check. I highly recommend these waders to anyone who considers him/herself to be a fishing enthusiast.