REVIEW: TideWe x Minndak Slough Dawgs waders

I’m just not a fan of what I call the ‘S-Hook Style’ suspender clips, preferring the Old School snap-lock parachute clips, per se. I find them difficult to adjust – NOTE: I realize you should in theory adjust them but once; however, with different weather and different clothes, an adjustment is sometimes necessary – and, after they’re worn a bit, the attachment points or pockets on the straps often expand or ‘WOW Out’ and allow the S-Hook to frequently slip out of its own accord. Nitpicking, perhaps, but I don’t care for them.

That said, I like the suspension system overall. The suspenders themselves are a wide 3.125” wide, nicely cushioned, and ride where they should. The suspenders are fully adjustable via 10 1” increments (pockets) on the straps themselves. The increments are labelled ‘A’ through ‘I,’ presumably to allow an equal and visual means of adjustment side to side. A little unnecessary to me, but perhaps convenient to some. Each suspender does sport a D-ring, albeit it on the small side, and I do use the D-rings to secure decoy anchors (Texas rigs) when I’m wading and picking up a spread.

A note here. From this point, I’ve broken the waders into three sections – Upper, or from the wader belt up; Lower, or from the belt down; and the Accessory Package.

Beginning with the included wader belt, which is an adjustable 2” wide elastic band finished with a parachute style ‘Quick Clip’ fastener in front that’s reliable and easy to clip/unclip while wearing gloves. The belt secures to the waders themselves via four 1.25” loops, as well as a sturdy 4” loop at the small of the back, that embroidered with the company name (TideWe). The system is simple, but stays put and works as intended.

The key to this upper portion is a well-made 20” German TiZip waterproof zipper, complete with a heavy duty T-style pull; again, a plus when wearing gloves. And for you fellows, TideWe has designed the central zipper to be long enough, i.e. to the crotch, to allow for in-the-field ‘relief,’ so to speak, without going through the Seven Basic Gymnastic Movements. Nice touch, TideWe.

To the left and right roughly 2.75” from center are 6” x 6” zippered pockets; 7.25” further on each side is a fleece-lined, also zippered, handwarmer pocket. There’s also a 7” x 7” zippered pocket on the inside, as well. No shortage of on-board storage compartments here. An innovative addition to these waders are the 4” long expansion zippers located at the top and on each side. These allow, I’m assuming, for the waders to ‘grow,’ per se, fitting comfortably should the weather dictate heavier outerwear, e.g. a pile-lined jacket or waterfowl parka.

From top to bottom – Upper and Lower – the waders are constructed of a smooth 100 percent polyester material, which I find not only rugged and long-lasting, but excellent at repelling natural irritations such as beggar ticks and cockleburs, along with providing a high degree of protection against briars, beaver sticks, Devil’s Club, and any of the 1,001 sharp and/or pointed things found in the marsh.

I like the fact the knees are reinforced for a full 15.5” finished with substantial stitching in all quadrants. Seven-inch integral gaiters at the bottom of each leg help protect the boot upper from wear and tear, while four drain holes are incorporated into the backside of each gaiter. Strong elastic keeps the gaiters tight to the ankle, preventing mud, grass, and other material from working its way underneath as you wade. The boots themselves – Size 12 as tested – are comfortable and sport 1,200 grams of Thinsulate insulation, along with what I’d call a ‘semi-aggressive’ tread heel to toe. A series of deeper treads on the toe portion allow the boots a better grip on slick surfaces.

I’ve been wearing a set of TideWe’s ‘QuestWade’ chest waders for a couple seasons now, and have been impressed with their functionality, not to mention the boot’s ability to stand up to the abuse I put my waterfowl gear through hunting the western Washington tides on a daily basis. One of the things I greatly appreciated with the QuestWade series has been carried over into these new TW/MD waders, and that’s the accessories package. Included in the box are –

Boot Hangers – I’m always trying to figure out where to hang my chest waders, post-hunt, so they’ll dry and be ready for the next trip. TideWe solves this issue by throwing in a simple, yet very workable boot hanger. A huge tip of the ‘ole hunting cap for that one.

Insoles– Thin, but better than going without. In my QuestWade’s, I dropped a set of SuperFeet insoles, and life became so much nicer. And I’ll do the same with the TW/MD boots. A little spendy, they are, but well worth the improvement.

Zipper Lube – Use it, and use it according to the provided instructions. It makes a difference, believe me.

Repair kit– Also with instructions. The kit is designed for at-home repairs. For in-the-field quick fixes, I carry a small roll of Gorilla Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape. This will usually keep me relatively dry until I can get home and do something more permanent.

Cell phone case – The upper zippered pockets on the TW/MD waders aren’t waterproof. They help, but they’re not watertight. To address this, TideWe has included a ‘work through’ cell phone case with a lanyard. I find it a little on the cumbersome side, but a nice touch.

All in all, I like the new TW/MD chest waders. While many so-called duck hunting gear items have not been, these were obviously designed by folks who spend quite a bit of time in the marsh. They know what is and isn’t necessary when it comes to outfitting a set of chest waders, and have implemented many of the features I would have, e.g. the ankle gaiters, full-length lower reinforcement, and wide cushioned suspension system, had I been on the design team. The accessory package, per usual, is a very nice touch. And the price point of $500 is, to me, reasonable for a long-lasting (with care) product of this nature. I’ll be wearing a set of the new TW/MD chest waders come October, to be certain. I’m not sure if they’re make me jump higher and run faster, but they’ll keep me dry. And that’s what I’m looking for.