In my previous reviews of Skwala gear, I’ve made no attempt to hide how much I love what this company is doing. They’re new, as of 2022, with just a few products. But a number of the items they have on the market are head-and-shoulders above much of their competition, and I particularly love what that means for anglers. When one company sets the bar this high, the rest will try to become the top dog. For us anglers, that means we end up with better gear.

As far as the Skwala Carbon waders go, however, there’s little to improve. These are a lightweight wader that absolutely nails the conversion from a chest to hip wader. Skwala spent a ton of time designing seams and fabric patterns to allow for maximum freedom of movement. The wader material itself is durable, breathable, and extremely comfortable. Priced at $499, the Carbon waders might be the best mid-priced wader I’ve ever used.

What Works

Conversion

No, these waders won’t convert the most ardent worm-dunker to the gospel of fishing only a single dry fly. Kidding aside, the Skwala Carbon waders are built around a unique suspender system that allows them to easily convert from a chest to a hip wader.

Plenty of other wader makers have attempted this before, to varying degrees of success. I think Skwala’s iteration is noteworthy, though, because of how effortless it is to switch.

Photo: Spencer Durrant

Two magnetic clasps hold the front suspenders in place, while a third one holds the back suspender. Simply pull down on the wader to release the clasp, and you’re not sweating buckets in the midday heat of summer. Conversely, if you need the extra warmth of a chest wader, the magnetic system makes converting it to cover the chest a simple process.

Shoulder Yoke/Suspenders

Something you’ll notice immediately about the Carbon waders is the lack of buckles. Skwala purposefully left the buckles off this model to reduce bulk and weight, and also to make the conversion from chest to hip wader more seamless.

The buckle-less shoulder yoke evenly distributes weight, and keeps the suspender straps in place when wearing the Carbon wader as a hip wader. They’re designed to slide right over your shoulders when putting on or taking off the waders, which negates the need for buckles.

Fit and Comfort

Something I’ve noticed about the Carbon waders is just how comfortable they are. Whether I’m hiking up and down the river, or rowing my drift boat, I don’t really notice or feel like I’m wearing waders. To me, that’s the mark of an exceptionally well-built piece of gear. The Carbon waders don’t get in the way of anything you need to do as an angler. That was a goal of the team at Skwala, who emphasize freedom of movement in all their gear.

You’ll also notice the built-in drains in the gravel guards. These prevent the water from pooling up in the creases of waders when getting in and out of the water, which is a nice feature if you fish from boats. The gravel guards are also a highly abrasion-resistant material, with the idea to reduce wear in the area where waders typically get holes.

Photo: Spencer Durrant

Additionally, the fit of the waders is fantastic. Ordering based on the size guide on the Skwala website resulted in a perfect fit.

Material

For years, the bar for quality wader material has been GORE-TEX. With all due respect to the companies who have done amazing things with GORE-TEX, it’s not the only option for creating a durable, breathable, waterproof material.

These waders are thin and are intentionally designed to lack the heft of an all-season wader. Yet, Skwala’s proprietary four-layer laminate material feels durable, which experience has revealed to be a fairly good indicator that something will be.

Only time will tell anglers just how hardy Skwala’s material is compared to the gold standard of GORE-TEX, but if early returns are any indication, I think many anglers will be pleased with how long the Carbon waders last.

On-the-water Feedback

I spent a week in northern Idaho fishing with two friends of mine. Both were wearing a set of the Carbon waders, and both had nothing but praise after using them. Whether we were hiking to a different stretch of the river, or jumping in and out of the truck frequently, my buddies both noted the comfort and fit of the Carbon waders as major selling points.

What Doesn’t Work

Pockets

Skwala had a tough job when they set out to design a great convertible wader. Too many pockets on the chest of a wader makes the conversion process clunky, and ineffective.

The Carbon wader has a single top-zip chest pocket that’s plenty big for fly boxes, floatant, tippet, and nippers. But there is no pass-through pocket, likely due to the desire to keep the Carbon as sleek and low-profile as possible.

I’d like to see some sort of pass-through pocket on a future Carbon wader, if at all possible.

Final Word

The Carbon wader might be the best mid-priced wader I’ve ever used. It’s incredibly light, and the conversion from chest to hip wader is a simple, easy process. I love the low-key, minimalist design, and how well-built these waders are. They’re designed for anglers on the move, and most importantly, they don’t get in the way of hiking, wading, or rowing a boat.

For $499, the Skwala Carbon wader is a great value and I certainly expect it to become a favorite among anglers as Skwala continues to turn customers on to its technical innovations and grow its brand.

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Spencer Durrant is a fly fishing writer, bamboo rod builder, and guide from Utah, who now lives in Wyoming. Connect with him on Instagram/Twitter, @Spencer_Durrant.