Gear Review: Grudens Vector Wader

Photo: Courtesy of Grundens

Grundens made waves in 2023 with their first entry into fly fishing waders. The Boundary Waders are a personal favorite of mine, and I’ve worn them trout fishing in Oregon and chasing salmon in Alaska.

The Vector Waders are in the same vein as the Boundarys, but a step below in price. You’d assume that comes with a downgrade in quality and functionality, and often, you’re right. In this case, though, I think it’s more a case of the Vector waders serving a slightly different function.

Vector waders feature built-in knee pads, a feature you’ll see on many waders these days. They also feel heavier than the Boundary waders, although Grundens doesn’t publish product weights for either wader. The Vectors are also designed to offer “best-in-class ruggedness” and focuses on puncture resistance. Vector waders don’t feature GORE-TEX, utilizing a poly-nylon four-layer laminate instead.

For $499, the Vector waders are right in line with the Orvis PRO LT, Simms Freestone, and Patagonia Swiftcurrent Ultralight waders. Those waders have their own devoted followings, and I think the Vector will carve out its own spot.

Let’s take an in-depth look at why I think that way.

Build Quality

I’ve been underwhelmed by waders lately. Build quality has suffered on a few products, and I have leaks in waders that are less than a year old. For the price of waders these days, that just shouldn’t happen.

The Vectors have been solid since day one, and right out of the box, you’ll notice Grundens pays attention to the details. These waders feel solid, and they’ve held up well to my usual abuse—sliding down rocky banks, long walks from the truck, and busting through willows and cottonwoods.

Grundens makes a point to highlight the puncture-resistant laminate used in the Vectors, and while it’s hard to speak to that after only a few months of use, I haven’t put a hole in them yet.

The fabric used here feels slicker—and thicker—than the GORE-TEX used in the Boundary waders. Grundens calls it an “ultra-dense poly-nylon outer fabric,” which is actually a good description of what the wader fabric feels like.

The wading belt is a stretchy polyester/spandex mix, as are the shoulder straps. I’m surprised Grundens didn’t use the shoulder yoke system found on the Boundary waders (those are the most comfortable wader shoulder straps I’ve ever worn) but the ones on the Vectors are comfortable and easily adjustable.

Photo: Courtesy of Grundens

Pockets

Instead of the usual horizontal zipper to access an outer chest pocket, Grundens flipped it to vertical. This splits the outer chest pocket in two, which is handy for organizing gear. That pocket is only water-resistant, however, and the vertical zipper means you can’t wade as deep as you could with a horizontal zipper. It’s an interesting design choice, and I wouldn’t call it negative. If anything, it’s nice to have some organization built into the outer chest pocket. I don’t know about you, but that’s like the Island of Misfit Toys in all my waders.

You’ll still find a traditional zippered hand-warmer pocket on either side of the chest. They aren’t fleece-lined, but they’ll keep the wind off your hands.

The Vector waders don’t have any interior pockets.

Comfort

The Vector waders are built with “Grundens Wading Mobility Patterning” which means the waders are designed to move with you. Older waders, and the cheap ones you find at big-box retailers, are often designed to simply stretch as you move. That’s not bad if you’re rocking neoprene, but all that stretching does a number on the stitched seams you’ll find in breathable waders.

I haven’t experienced any moment when the Vector waders got in the way of my movement. The only caveat to add here is that I’ve found Grundens’ waders run small on me. I’d recommend ordering a size up so you have complete freedom of movement.

Another notable feature here is the neoprene boot feet. Grundens uses a “Dual-Density TiAlpha Warming Neoprene” to craft anatomically-shaped neoprene booties. I haven’t noticed my feet significantly warmer in these waders than in others, but that’s likely due to my use of wool socks when wading.

Knee Pads

The first waders with knee pads that I used were from Orvis. Since then, the technology has only improved, and Grundens might have perfected it here. These knee pads are thin enough I don’t notice them when walking around, but they provide just enough of a cushion when kneeling to save your knees.

Photo: Courtesy of Grundens

Final Say

At $499, the Vector Waders aren’t bargain-priced, but they’re not going to break the bank like other waders will. These are feature-packed, and even though they don’t sport GORE-TEX, I’d feel more than comfortable betting on the Vectors being more than durable enough for most anglers. Sure, I’d tweak, the pocket layout and add felt to the hand-warming pockets, but those are small things that shouldn’t make or break your decision to buy waders. The important thing is how they fit, and how you can move in them. Fit, more than anything else, will dictate just how long your waders last. In that regard, the Vectors succeed.