Carpenter’s Column: The fly-fishing fashion scene | Local

Stocking-foot neoprene and breathable waders showed up on this season’s runways at Paris and Milan, and they’re now springing up everywhere in catalogs. Hook and Hackle has pages dedicated to full waders in its “Spring trends.”

“What’s exciting about neoprene is it’s so versatile,” said Jerk Blandson, a Blue River stylist and fly-fishing guide who’s worked with celebrities such as the hip-hop recording artist Wooly Booger. “Works for surfers. Works for us. They’ll pair well with a wide range of tops,” he said, “mock turtlenecks, sweatshirts, long-tail T-shirts, and almost any kind of felt wading shoe.”

Still, waders can add volume in all the wrong places. We wondered whether we could find a neoprene wader that didn’t turn us into a playground kickball. We took a trip to our nearest fly-fishing shop and tested them out.

After months of wearing long johns and thick socks, we found something to like in all the waders. The common 3.5 mm thick closed-cell neoprene is lined for comfort and ease of donning and doffing, and all that roominess felt comfy. We did discover one shopping tip: Waders that are slimmer in the waist and hips, growing fuller above that, tend to be more flattering.

We liked the spring-like soft oranges and pinks, in a hydrangea pattern, on our breathable waders, for $189. However, the drawstring enclosure started at the waist, which seemed a little low. A higher drawstring would help minimize the wideness. The flowery pattern on the black stocking-foot neoprene wader for $169 was also cute, with white vines and small pink-and-red daisies, but we found it a little full. The $280 Topline breathable waders got bonus points for its bandanna-style pattern in turquoise, a popular color this season, but its gold sequin treatment made it a tad fancy for the Roaring Fork River.

We loved the fit of our last two waders, and they seemed to be most versatile. The Annebelle ring-dot wader from Orvis was slim to about 6 inches below the waist, and then gently filled out toward the chest, making room for a hoagie-style sandwich. The two layers of soft lightweight Gore-Tex felt great. The look is casual, so it’s best for weekends in the White Mountains. At $98 it’s our best value.

The ultra-soft polyester waders from Simms, for $290, were a little more sophisticated, with two layers of breathable membrane. It has adjustable elastic shoulder straps, and a laminated outer shell with neutral colors — pearly grays and browns — which flow together like watercolor paint.

“You don’t want to get too bright with waders.” Mr. Blandson advises. “They tend to scare the fish.”

Its pleats were sewn tight on top, and unfolded to a full, but not bulky shape. We’d wear it in New Zealand, and even in Patagonia without fear. It’s our best overall.