Skwala RS Waders Review — Two Seasons, Every Season

Everyone will tell you the Skwala RS is a warm-weather wader — light, breathable, athletic fit, ideal for sweaty summer approaches. Hang on, because I’m about to argue with everyone. I fish the South Platte and the Arkansas River tailwater year-round in these waders — full days at Deckers through January, early sessions on the Dream Stream in February, the occasional Cheesman Canyon day in the deep of winter. The RS performs better in cold than anything else I’ve worn, and yes, I’ve worn a closet’s worth.

I’ve owned two pairs of Skwala RS waders over the past two seasons — I’ll get to why I bought the second pair later, and it’s not the reason you’d think. I fish Deckers, the Arkansas River at Pueblo, the Dream Stream, Eleven Mile Canyon, and Cheesman Canyon — all of it, year-round. The RS has become the wader I reach for every single time I load the truck.

What the RS Actually Is

The Skwala RS uses a proprietary 4-layer waterproof/breathable laminate — an ultra-dense polyester microfiber double-weave face fabric bonded to their own waterproof/breathable membrane with C6 DWR finish. The result is a shell that breathes exceptionally well while staying fully waterproof.

The construction details are where the RS separates itself from everything else in the category:

Fourchette leg seams. Taken from glove construction, fourchette seams add articulation panels between the main panels of each leg. This is unusual in waders and it changes the fit completely — your legs move in the natural direction they want to move, rather than fighting a straight-seam wader that binds at the knee and hip.

Buckle-free yoke. The shoulder suspension system uses heat-set, anatomically patterned shoulder straps with concealed low-profile G-hooks. No exposed buckles. The straps distribute load across your shoulders differently than any buckle setup I’ve used — after a full day at Cheesman, my shoulders don’t hurt the way they used to.

Integrated lumbar wading belt. Built into the wader itself. Works.

Bootie. 4mm neoprene with a Spandura® reinforced sole panel and laminated antimicrobial jersey lining. Durable and warm.

Zippers. YKK Aquaseal waterproof zipper on center entry, YKK Aquaguard on pockets.

Pockets. Multiple zippered handwarmer pockets with fleece lining, plus exterior storage. Everything you need.

Fully glued and taped seams throughout. Weight is 55.6 oz in a Large. MSRP is $899.

Cold Weather Is Where These Win

Most wader reviews will tell you the RS is best in summer and shoulder seasons. I disagree, and unlike most opinions I hold loudly, I’ve actually tested this one.

Deckers and the Arkansas River at Pueblo in January: water temps 38–42°F, air temps sometimes in the 20s, ice in the guides. I wear the RS with a midweight Merino base layer on the bottom, a 200-weight fleece midlayer, and a shell on top. My feet are warm, my legs are warm, and I stay that way all day.

Here’s what makes it work in cold: the breathability of the 4-layer laminate means moisture vapor from your body actually escapes instead of condensing inside the wader. A condensation-soaked base layer is a cold base layer — that’s the failure mode for less breathable waders in winter. The RS vents efficiently enough that even on a cold morning, your heat stays in and your moisture gets out. The thermal math works.

The 4mm neoprene bootie is genuinely warm. Thicker than most comparable waders in this category. My feet have never been cold in these waders on the South Platte in winter. That’s the statement I make to every angler who tells me they put their Skwalas away in October.

Are Skwala RS waders warm enough for winter?

Yes — with the right base layers. I fish them at Deckers and the Arkansas at Pueblo in January with water in the 38–42°F range and air in the 20s, and my feet and legs stay warm all day. The 4mm neoprene bootie runs thicker than most in the category, and the breathable 4-layer laminate lets body moisture escape instead of soaking your base layer cold.

The right layering setup: midweight Merino bottom (200g or above), fleece midlayer on cold days, a wading jacket when the air temp is under 30°F. You can take layers off if you warm up — that’s what the trail in to Cheesman is for. You cannot add layers you didn’t bring. Start warm, fish all day.

The Cheesman Approach

The hike into Cheesman Canyon is 1.3 miles, 600 feet of elevation change on volcanic rock. In May and June with air temps in the 60s, a heavier wader turns that approach into a sweat-soaked misery. I’ve hiked it in waterproof pants and stuffed the waders in my pack until I hit the river — that’s how compact and packable the RS is. That’s not possible with a heavier membrane.

In winter, the approach is cold and the RS is comfortable from the parking lot to the water. You don’t overheat on the trail, and you don’t arrive cold — the breathability keeps you regulated in both directions.

For Deckers, where you park roadside and walk 50 feet to the water, the approach advantage matters less. But Cheesman, the Dream Stream corridor, and lower Eleven Mile Canyon all reward a wader that’s comfortable to move in.

Fit and Feel

The cut is athletic and trim — noticeably slimmer through the thighs and torso than Simms or Patagonia at the same tier. Less material drag when wading. Cleaner silhouette when stalking fish in clear water.

I’m 5’11”, 175 lbs, and I wear a Large Regular. Skwala sizing is accurate; use their chart. The common advice to size down from your normal wader size is overstated in my experience — the chart gives you accurate guidance.

One point: the athletic cut may not work for every body type. If you run wide through the hips or thighs, the RS may bind. Orvis Pro is worth trying if the Skwala geometry doesn’t fit you.

Durability — Two Seasons In

The knees show surface scuffing from Cheesman’s volcanic basalt. That’s expected and cosmetic. No delamination, no leaks, seams intact. I’ve dragged these waders across basalt, waded through spring runoff at 400 CFS, and fished in rain and sleet. They’ve held up without issue.

The 4-layer proprietary laminate is thinner-feeling than thick GORE-TEX Pro waders — that’s where the weight savings come from — but thin doesn’t mean fragile. These are not indestructible, and I am not a gentle wader. I’ve given them hard use and they’ve shown up every time.

Skwala as a Company

Skwala is in Bozeman, Montana. Fly fishing is their entire company — no ski line, no hunting gear, no lifestyle apparel. Every design decision they make is about fishing. Their customer service is the best in the wader category; if something goes wrong, you’re talking to people who are on the water.

Smaller than Simms, which means slower product iteration and fewer SKUs. The tradeoff is a company that actually listens to anglers in a way the large brands don’t.

Against the Alternatives

Simms G4Z ($999): Heavier GORE-TEX Pro shell with more bulk. The G4Z is a serious wader — probably the most abrasion-resistant in the category — but the buckle yoke, straight-seam legs, and heavier hand mean you feel it over a long day. I reach for the RS more often. At $100 less.

Patagonia Swiftcurrent Expedition ($649): Lower price, strong Worn Wear warranty. The shell doesn’t breathe at the same level, and the fit isn’t as athletic. Good wader at a meaningful price difference.

Orvis Pro ($779): Comparable membrane technology, slightly lower price. Works better for shorter torsos. If the Skwala athletic cut doesn’t fit your body, the Orvis Pro is the next call.

Bottom Line

I’ve owned a lot of waders. The Skwala RS is the only pair I’ve replaced with the exact same model. That’s the second-pair story from the top — no dramatic blowout, no warranty saga. I just liked the first pair enough to buy them again on purpose, which for a gear obsessive is about as close to a love letter as I get.

The proprietary 4-layer laminate breathes as well as anything on the market. The fit is the best I’ve worn. The fourchette seams are not marketing — they genuinely change how you move. And with the right base layers, this wader handles Colorado winters without complaint, which is not what most people will tell you about it.

$899 is a serious purchase. I’ve made it twice, and I’d make it again — buy once, cry once, then apparently buy once more anyway. For how they compare against Simms, Patagonia, and Korkers on the boot side of the wading system, the wading boots comparison rounds out the full gear picture.

Rating: 5/5 — the best wader I’ve owned, in every season.

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Skwala RS Waders are available directly from Skwala. Size per their sizing chart — it’s accurate.

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