Skwala Waders

Who Skwala is

Skwala Fishing is a fly-fishing apparel company with its headquarters showroom in Bozeman, Montana. Its about page lists Kevin Sloan as CEO and founder, and says most of the team are former fishing guides, several of whom previously helped build well-known outdoor brands. Hatch Magazine describes the company as Bozeman-based, with a CEO, a CMO and a growing line. Skwala's site lists waders, boots, jackets and bibs, shirts, shorts and pants, gloves and hats, in collections named Backeddy, RS, Carbon, Thermo, Fusion and Sol.

I could not find a founding year on the company's own pages, and I would rather leave it out than copy one from a retailer. The Fly Shop's review adds that the brand launched with a limited distribution model and opened five shops in Montana. That is the extent of what we could confirm, so the rest of this page is about the products and how to choose.

The Carbon and RS waders

Skwala's two wader lines are described in detail in The Fly Shop's gear review, which is the most thorough source I could open.

Carbon. The lighter, convertible wader. The review lists a heat-set shoulder yoke with buckle-less G-hook straps, a magnetic drop-top that converts chest-high waders to waist-high, articulated leg patterning, and booties of fully glued and taped 4 mm neoprene with abrasion-resistant soles. The fabric is a dense nylon face with a four-layer waterproof and breathable laminate, and the lining is antimicrobial jersey. The Carbon Collection pairs the wader with a full-length jacket and is meant for days when the forecast swings from warm to chilly.

RS. The cold-weather wader. It has a waterproof center zip, two fleece-lined hand-warming pockets, two exterior pockets, and an integrated wading belt. The face is a dense polyester microfiber with a four-layer laminate, and the booties and harness are similar to the Carbon's. It is aimed at anglers who layer underneath in the cold.

Both are stockingfoot, and the review says most sizes come in a foot option of 9 to 11 or 12 to 14. Layers, laminate and neoprene thickness here are the maker's and the reviewer's descriptions. We did not find an independent lab figure.

The wading boots

Hatch Magazine reported that Skwala was entering the wading boot market for the first time with the RS and the Carbon. The RS is built for rough terrain, with a fully molded toe cap, a rock plate, double lasting construction and a Vibram IDROGRIP sole with a three-tiered lug pattern, and a glass-impregnated D-ring lacing system. The Carbon is described as agile, with a hiking-boot feel, 7 ounces lighter than the RS, a rockered EVA midsole and a wrap-style tongue to improve fit. The article does not give sizes or soles beyond that. If you are comparing soles, our felt vs rubber guide explains the trade, and the wading boots page covers the type.

How the alternatives were picked

At our last check we track no Skwala waders or wading boots on Amazon US. Skwala's own site and dealers are where the products are sold. So the table shows alternatives, picked by a rule: the same product type (waders), the same foot type (stockingfoot, like both Skwala lines), a listed use of fly fishing, general fishing, or fishing and hunting, the closest price tier, and the most specs confirmed by the maker.

That gives 15 stockingfoot waders from Simms, Frogg Toggs, Compass 360, Bassdash, Kylebooker and Paramount. They are not copies of the Carbon or RS, and I make no claim that they perform alike. Two things to look for: the convertible designs (the Simms Freestone and the Bassdash Convertible are described that way in their Amazon listings), which are the nearest to the Carbon's drop-top, and the neoprene Frogg Toggs Amphib, which is the only neoprene pair and is the closer idea to a cold-weather wader. For more fishing waders, see our stockingfoot waders and best fly fishing waders pages.

Reading the table

Each value carries a small mark. Maker means the manufacturer's own page states it. Claimed means a manufacturer's claim, such as layer count or membrane name, with no independent lab behind it. Listing means it comes from the Amazon listing and the maker has not confirmed it. A dash means we could not confirm it. "More specs" under each model shows the rest.

The Foot column is the first thing to read, though here every row is stockingfoot, like the Skwala Carbon and RS. Stockingfoot means a neoprene bootie and a separate wading boot, which is lighter to carry in pieces, supports the ankle and lets you choose the sole. Bootfoot means the boot is attached, which is warm and simple and gives little support on a long rocky walk. Our bootfoot vs stockingfoot guide goes through it.

Then read Material type and the layers. Breathable waders are laminates, and the layer count describes how the fabric is built. The Compass 360 Deadfall lists four layers and a PTFE membrane per the maker, the same layer count as the Skwala descriptions. The Frogg Toggs Hellbender PRO and the Simms Freestone also list four layers, while the Bassdash and Kylebooker pairs list three. A layer count is not a durability score, but it tells you how the pair is built. Where a Bassdash or Kylebooker listing gives a waterproof rating or breathability figure, it is the seller's number from the Amazon listing.

Choosing between them

If you fish rivers and walk a lot, every pair here is stockingfoot, so a separate wading boot lets you match the sole to the water. The Compass 360 Deadfall lists a one-year warranty, gravel guards (the cuff at the ankle that keeps grit out of the boot) and reinforced knees, and the Frogg Toggs Hellbender PRO lists the same features with four layers.

If you want a wader that adjusts to the weather, look at the convertible ones. The Simms Freestone and the Bassdash Convertible are both described in their listings as chest-to-waist, which is the idea behind the Carbon's magnetic drop-top, though the mechanism may differ. Read the listing before you buy.

If you want a lightweight wader to carry on a trip, check the weight column where it is filled in: the Simms Tributary is listed at 32.7 oz and the Freestone at 42 oz. Our lightweight waders page applies a weight rule, and the Skwala Carbon is the kind of design you would be comparing with.

If you want warmth for a cold-weather river, the neoprene Frogg Toggs Amphib lists 3.5 mm, which is warmer and bulkier than a breathable pair. The RS-style approach, a breathable wader plus layers underneath, is the one the breathable pairs in the table follow.

What "convertible" means, and when it matters

The Carbon's magnetic drop-top is a convertible design: the upper section of the wader folds down and holds at the waist, so a chest wader becomes a waist-high wader. The point is temperature. On a warm afternoon you fold the top down and let air in, and when the wind picks up or the water deepens, you pull it back up. Convertible waders are a common idea in fishing waders and rarer in hunting ones, where a full chest is usually the point.

The trade-off is that the folded section is bulk at your waist, and a wader that sits at waist height protects you only to that height. Do not wade deeper than the folded line suggests, and wear a belt with the top up or down. If you often switch between heights, look at our wading pants and waist waders pages as well, because a separate pair of wading pants can do the lower-body job on its own.

Fit and sizing

For Skwala's waders, the Fly Shop review mentions a foot option, so check the bootie size as well as the body size, and use Skwala's own chart. For the pairs in the table, the boot and body are sized separately. Measure your chest, waist and inseam, take the measurements to the maker's chart, and go up a size in the boot if you wear thick socks. Our wader size chart guide explains the measurements.

A stockingfoot wader adds one more fit question: the wading boot must go over the bootie. Wading boots for stockingfoot waders are often sized a size or two up from your shoe, to leave room for the neoprene. Try the boots with the wader on, not with socks alone.

Warranty

Skwala's customer service page says defects in materials or construction are covered, and that Skwala will repair or replace at its discretion for the product's practical lifespan. It also says wear and tear, misuse or neglect is repaired at a reasonable cost, and describes the repair process: submit the gear, Customer Service sends instructions, Skwala assesses the damage, and warranty repairs are free. Products bought on the Skwala site can be returned within 30 days with original tags and packaging, and retail-partner purchases follow the store's rules. That is an open-ended promise rather than a fixed term, unlike the pairs in the table, where warranties run from one year to the Simms Lifetime Guarantee. It applies to Skwala's own products, not to the alternatives.

Care and safety

Stockingfoot waders and neoprene booties benefit from a rinse, an inside-out dry and storage away from the sun. See our cleaning and storing guides, and finding a leak if one appears. On any chest wader, wear a belt cinched at the waist, and treat deep, fast or cold water seriously, because a flooded wader makes it hard to move.

(A magnetic drop-top is a clever idea. It is the first piece of wader design to resemble a refrigerator door.)

Where to go next

For the wider category, read waders, breathable waders and chest waders. For jackets, our wading jackets page explains what to look for.