Orvis Encounter Waders Review in 2024 – Wading Gear

orvis encounter waders

Fly Fisher Pro is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Orvis encounter waders are among the Orvis’ broad line of fishing waders that are used for fly fishing. It is a perfect wader for anglers looking for Orvis quality in higher-end models but at a budget price. 

It is a breathable wader that is constructed with similar construction patterns with high-end waders. Anglers will surely appreciate its breathability, comfort, and body-specific sizing.

Unlike neoprene waders, Orvis encounter waders are suitable for warm water fishing as it cannot keep you warm. In this Orvis encounter waders review, you will get an insight into the features of these one of the best fly fishing waders and its applicability.

Orvis Encounter

Orvis encounter

Pros And Cons Of Orvis Encounter Waders

Pros

  • It is a comfortable and proper fitting wader.
  • The additional reinforced fabric offers extra durability and increases the lifespan of the wader.
  • It is budget-friendly
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • It is not as durable as other higher-end waders
  • It cannot keep you warm

About Orvis Company

Charles F. Orvis founded the Orvis Company in Manchester, Vermont in 1856. The company offers the best quality fly-fishing equipment, and it prides itself on customer satisfaction and service. Since 1965, the company is privately owned by the Perkins family with the headquarter in southwestern Vermont.

During the time, the major operations were in Virginia, Roanoke, and the United Kingdom. Today, Orvis is now an international, multi-channel retailer with about 1,700 employees. The award-winning company website, orvis.com, offers customers over 5,000 products and 32 million visits per year.

Not only the Orvis company, but there are also places in fly fishing vermont that you can visit for your next fly fishing trip!

Things To Consider Before Buying A Wader

You will need a quality pair of fishing waders for comfort and efficiency, whether you are fly fishing in a shallow stream or rolling rivers. You would also need  to consider what to wear under fly fishing waders. The best thing is that waders for fly fishing are available in different materials, styles, and sizes. This means you can either spend a little or a lot, and you will still find a set that is perfect for the type of fishing, season, and waters that you frequent.

Some of the things that you need to consider before buying a wader for fly fishing are:

  • The wader height
  • The wader materials
  • The wader styles
  • The wader features
  • The price of the wader.

features and benefits

Features & Benefits

Even for its price, Orvis encounter waders comes with lots of great features and details that amaze you. Before we head to Orvis encounter waders’ features, I will like to start by discussing how it is made.

How It Is Made

Orvis encounter waders are breathable chest waders that are designed with a durable 4 layer nylon fabric. This makes the wader lightweight and very versatile. It is perfect for warm days on the water as your sweat can easily escape from the inside while it keeps water from coming in.

Orvis design the wader with a material called Polyurethane laminate, which is also used in making modern waterproof wading jackets. This helps in keeping water out and protecting the wader from punctures from bushes, thistles, or stones.

Now, lets’ head into the features of the product.

Here is a video showing the features of Orvis Encounter Waders (courtesy: Brandon Ojala):

Belt Loops And Wading Belt

This Orvis wader fishing comes with a belt loop and an elasticated wading belt. This is nice as it helps to make the watertight around your waist area. With this, you can be sure that there is only a little water that can get inside the waders if you fall in the water. Furthermore, they come with a set of adjustable braces for adjusting them for height.

Hand Warmer Pocket And Zippered Mesh Pocket

This is another nice feature of Orvis encounter wader, and you will find it in front of the wader. The kangaroo-style handwarmer pocket helps to keep your hand warm when fishing under cold weather. The zippered mesh pocket helps to store your fly box save and just at your fingertip whenever you need them.

Interior Velcro Strip

This feature further proves that Orvis encounter waders are made for the convenience of anglers. The interior Velcro strip is a waterproof pocket where you can keep your fly box and other valuables while fishing.

Elasticated Gravel Guards

The bottoms of the waders consist of elasticated gravel guards that you can pull over the tops of your wading boots. This feature helps in preventing grit and sand from getting inside your wading boots to avoid leaks. It also features anatomically correct, sculpted, and neoprene booties.

Stocking Feet

This Orvis waders fly fishing features an excellent stocking foot. They are designed to be soft and spacious, and you can use to wear thick socks on them comfortably. The stocking feet make this wader perfect for fishers that are backpacking to their locations. This is because it is lighter than wader with boot-foots.

This also allows fly fishers to adjust the separate wading boots tight or loose to get that tailored fit.

Orvis Encounter Wader

What Are The Styles Available?

Orvis is among the little fly-fishing gear manufacturers that make its wader for fly fishing in different shapes and sizes to fit women, children, and even men of various stature. This helps save money as you can hand them to your kids or wife provided you are of the same size. Nobody will even be able to tell whether it is for a male or female as it will have a decent fit.

What Sizes Are Available?

The Orvis encounter waders for men available in different sizes to fit men from 5’5 to 6’5” or above. If you plan to take your children to fly fishing, you can get the Orvis Encounter wader for kids, and it ranges from 4’ to 5’3” in height.

There is Orvis Encounter Women’s Wader that will fit women from petite to extra-large size. Another thing about the women’s wader is that it caters to the variety of hip, waist, and bust sizes. If you’re still looking for a great wader for your little one, here we have our waders for kids recommendations.

Social Proof

After scouring through the internet, here are some user reviews about this wader fly fishing that I think you should see.

“Great Waders! A good pair of tough waders, no leak, no sweat. booties on Orvis waders tend to run to the larger size they fit.” -Bill Chilton from Amazon

“I received the XL SHORT waders for an early Father’s Day present, and I have to say why didn’t I buy breathable a decade ago? I’m 5’4”, and stocky. 235 pounds, but not a blob.

These waders fit quite well. Plenty of room in the chest, stomach area, and groin and not overly long. They kept me dry, and comfortable in 90 degrees plus Missouri heat. I have to admit I now have a new understanding for layering which brings me to the reason I gave these a 4 out of 5 stars.

Being a short stocky guy, I have thick ankles, or cankles, calf/ankle. No real thinning ankle area. I think you get it. I have discovered that the leg portion of the wader tapers dramatically as you approach the stocking foot. It is my concern that if I try to layer up on socks, the joint between the stocking foot and the neoprene boot is going to separate, or I’m never going to be able to use these waders in colder temperatures because I won’t be able to layer up adequately below my knee. This is kind of disappointing because I want to love these waders.

Other than the narrow lower portion of the wader, they are great. Light weight, comfortable, nice wading belt, removable suspenders, well built, good range of motion, kept me dry.” – marnold72480 from Orvis.com

Alternatives To Orvis Encounter Waders

Here are some alternatives to Orvis Encounter Waders that you can use for your wading trips.

  • Hodgman Mackenzie Nylon and PVC Cleated Bootfoot Chest Fishing Waders
  • Allen Black River Bootfoot Hip Waders
  • Orvis Pro Waders

Hodgman Mackenzie Nylon and PVC Cleated Bootfoot Chest Fishing Waders

Hodgman Mackenzie

Available at: Amazon

This is a lightweight wader that is built for extended use in water. It weighs about 35% lesser than traditional rubber chest waders, and it is made with tough fabric for flexibility and to reduce chafing. It is made with heavy denier nylon and a PVC coating to keep you dry and comfortable.

It comes with adjustable suspenders for comfortable fit and numerous pockets to store tackles, lures, and other needs. It comes with a PVC fishing boots that you can easily slip on with straps or laces, and it helps in improving mobility even in rough terrain.

Allen Black River Bootfoot Hip Waders

Allen Black River Bootfoot Hip Waders

Available Here: Amazon

This is one of the best hip waders for fishing hip-high waters. It features an integrated belt loop and take-up strap built from rugged nylon with two-ply upper fabric, and they are both lightweight and waterproof. It also comes with a sturdy boot with cleated soles suitable for rough terrain.

The belt loop and take-up strap help anglers to wear the wader comfortably and to prevent slippage.

Orvis Pro Waders

Orvis Pro Waders

Available Here: Amazon, Trident Fly Fishing

This wader is a great product for anybody interested in fly fishing. It is made with proprietary Cordura fabric instead of traditional DWR-coated nylon. It is designed with five layers of Cordura on the legs and four in the upper section. However, these waders are heavier than the past models, but it is puncture resistant.

One of the great things about this product is that it comes with removable knee pads, which means you can use them when needed. It also comes with lots of pockets, a fleece-lined handwarmer, waterproof zippers, and a stretch-mesh pouch.

1 lightweight lightweight Lightweight heavyweight
2 Made with 4-layer nylon fabric Made with heavy denier nylon and a PVC coating Made with rugged nylon with two-ply upper fabric Made with five layers of Cordura fabric on the legs and four in the upper section.
3 Comes with pockets Lots of pockets No pockets Lots of pockets
4 Knee pads not removable Knee pads not removable No knee pads Removable knee pads and gear pocket
5 Available in different sizes. Not available in different sizes Available in one size Available in different sizes

Conclusion

Having the best waders for anglers helps in landing the big catch during the fishing season. Orvis encounter waders are budget-friendly waders suitable for fly fishing.

It offers anglers quality found in higher-end models while at a budget price. They are breathable chest waders, and you will find them in different sizes and styles. They are also suitable for all types of gender.

Save Up To 50% At Trident Fly Fishing

We’ve partnered with Trident Fly Fishing to get you EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS on a huge selection of fly fishing gear. I highly recommend checking out their USED GEAR SECTION to save a ton on a premium rod and reel.

Trident Fly Fishing Deal

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top