Orvis Wader Size Chart: How to Measure and Pick a Size

Short answer

Open the Orvis chart for your audience (men's, women's or kids'), match your largest girth measurement first, then inseam, then bootie size. Orvis says its measurements are based on your body, not your street clothes. The charts are here: the men's chart, the women's chart and the kids' chart.

I am not reproducing the numbers. They are the maker's and they change. Background on the maker and the Orvis pairs we track is on the Orvis brand page. For measuring in general, see our wader size chart guide.

What each chart asks for

Men's. The chart is organized by letter size, Small through XXL, with length variants layered on top. It uses three measurements: chest (with a footnote that this can instead be the largest circumference), pant inseam given as a maximum length, and bootie size as a US shoe size range. It has no waist column.

Women's. Sizes run from X-Small through XXL. Each row lists bust, waist and hip (the footnote says these are largest girth), a recommended pant inseam, and a US bootie size range. A footnote gives a different bootie range for the Ultralight version.

Kids'. The chart is for kids' stockingfoot waders in Small, Medium and Large, with four columns: chest (or largest girth), inseam range, bootie range and height range.

So the one number that appears on every chart is the largest girth. If your chest is your widest point, use it. If your hips are wider, use the hips. That is how the women's chart is built, and the men's footnote says the same.

What the labels mean

The charts do not define the labels in words, so here is only what the rows show.

• Men's: Short, standard (no suffix), Long, XLong and King. XLong appears only under Large and XL, and King only under Medium and Large.
• Women's: Petite, Regular and Tall. Tall is offered in Small, Medium, Large and XL, while XXL comes only in Petite and Regular.

Length labels follow inseam, and King follows girth, but the numbers in your row decide. Read them for your exact model, because a label like Long is not the same length on every maker's chart.

Between sizes

The Orvis wader fit guide says to size up if you fall between two sizes, so there is room for layers underneath. It also advises a little extra length for mobility: stepping over rocks, crouching on a riverbank or sitting in a boat all pull on the inseam. Waders that fit over a T-shirt in the living room will be tight over a fleece on a cold morning. If you plan to fish in winter, measure over, or at least think about, the layers you will wear.

Bootie, boots and stockingfoot waders

Stockingfoot waders end in a neoprene bootie, and you wear separate wading boots over it. Two sizes matter. The bootie range on the chart tells you which wader size has a foot that suits your shoe size. Then the boots need room for the bootie. The Orvis fit guide says to start one size up from your regular shoe size for wading boots, to make room for the extra volume. I read that as a starting point, not a promise, so check the boot's own page.

The fit guide also says bootfoot waders have insulated boots attached and suit colder conditions, and the men's bootfoot chart on that page includes height and weight ranges and boot sizes. The Orvis waders we track are all stockingfoot or unspecified in our data, so I won't go further. See stockingfoot waders for how the foot types compare.

What our data shows

At our last check (October 2026) we track five Orvis waders on Amazon US. All five link an Orvis size chart. The sizes the listings state:

• Men's PRO Waders: Small to 2XL, with Short, Regular, Long and Extra Long fit types.
• Men's Clearwater Waders and Men's Clearwater Zip Waders: Small to 2XL, with Short, Regular, Long, X Long and King.
• Women's Clearwater Waders: XS to 2XL, with Petite, Regular and Tall.
• Kids' Clearwater Waders: Small, Medium and Large.

These are listing values from Amazon and are not confirmed by the maker, so the Orvis chart is the authority. Every fit variant is not offered in every letter size, as the chart shows, so check that the combination you want exists.

Buyer feedback on fit

I did not read buyer reviews for these pairs while writing this page, so I won't summarize them. Look at recent reviews on the exact pair for comments on length and boot room.

Women's and kids' waders

Use the women's chart for women's models. The Petite and Tall labels follow inseam, and the chart lists bust, waist and hip instead of one chest figure. Our women's waders page lists other makers.

For a child, use the kids' chart and keep the child in shallow water with an adult close by. Children grow, but waders much too big are a hazard, because fabric bunches at the legs and a boot full of water is heavy. See our youth wader size chart guide and the kids' waders page.

Before you order

Do a fit check on arrival: squat, step up onto a chair and raise your arms, in the layers you will wear. Pulling at the crotch or shoulders means too small or too short. If you are still choosing between kinds of waders, our breathable waders page lists what the makers state, and the waders page lets you filter by foot type and height.