Day one is a vision of meetings and wading through the miles of aisles of guns in search of the latest, greatest hunting gear at SHOT Show. Don’t worry. We always love the guns too; believe it or not, there is a lot of hunting gear. We were searching for a “WOW” piece of which the industry has been in need.
We found the new Delta Wader at the Sitka booth, and although they don’t have it for women, it will have the guys taking a look. It’s a highly technical item and something I think you men should know about.
The Delta Wader is a very technical piece of gear. It is built with Sitka’s traditional attention to detail and has a warranty to make any hunter happy. The designers at Sitka have taken every detail into account and want you to go out and hunt, be comfortable, dry, and have the best chance at staying warm.
The priorities taken into account in the design process of the wader included special attention to the suspension system. The straps are a hook and loop design, which allows for approximately 8-10″ of adjustment (This varies slightly between size patterns.). The straps lay flat, close to the body and won’t cause your calls to become tangled.
If you’ve used any waders in the past, you know a belt is a must to prevent internal flooding in the event of a fall or slip into too deep of water. One thing you may have noticed is that preventing loss of the belt when you’re transporting or storing the waders is sometimes a chore. Sitka has designed the Delta Wader belt with an oversized head, so it’s not going to slip through the loops. You’ll never have to worry about it slipping out in the truck and not being where you need it when the time comes.
Sitka has added a built-in D-ring making it easy for a hunter to carry decoys to the field. There are chest-pockets for easy to access storage.
The front chest zipper is a waterproof YKK with aqua seal. A friend boasted that he was pleased, it unzips low enough that a man can relieve himself without undressing. On that note, if and when they design a women’s version, hopefully, they’ll remember that consideration for us as well.
As a hunter who spends time maneuvering in the field, maneuverability is important to me. I have to be able to get around out there and so do you. Sitka has put their waterproof seaming locations on the back of the leg but also added articulated seaming to the knee area.
If you’ve read my review of the women’s SubAlpine system by Sitka, you may have considered my account of the knee pads. If you haven’t read that, what you need to know is they are a God-send, or maybe a Sitka-send. The Delta Wader incorporates the flexible kneepad system along with protective laminate overlay for added protection.
Sitka partnered with LaCrosse Footwear to include a 1500 gram Thinsulate boot. You’ll be dry and warm, plus have the ultra-lightweight Aeroform rubber-soled traction. If you’re thinking of using these waders as a crossover to fly fishing, great idea, but take note there is not a felt sole. You may need sole spikes for those slimy rivers.
The boots are attached to the wader with an ultra-flex adhesive that will cooperate in extreme conditions. In the event a wader has an issue, needs replacement, the adhesive can be heated and the boot removed. The waders can be replaced or repaired and reattached, or vice-versa.
The Delta Wader will be available early in Sitka’s Marsh and Timber patterns, the summer of 2018, in 38 size combinations! Boot sizes range between men’s size 8 to 13. I’m hoping it won’t be too awful long before we see a similar product made for women.
