The Best Waders for Youth Hunters

Kids want to be involved in everything their parents partake in just as much as we want them with us. Especially when it comes to duck hunting and being in the marsh. Teaching them how to set the decoys, call ducks in, and line up the shot to successfully kill the bird; all of that is incredibly important and valuable. However, ensuring your kid is properly outfitted takes priority before any birds hit the water. From cream of the crop to budget friendly picks, lets dive into some of the best youth wader options on the market.

Chêne Youth 2S Wader

Chêne began to dominate the waterfowl world when they launched their waders in 2021 after several years of research and development. Shortly after, the Chene Youth trade-in Program was established and has been a game-changer for many people looking to provide quality gear for their children without having to break the bank every time their kid experiences a growth spurt. While the initial price point might be a turnoff for some people, this program allows for waders to be traded in for an exchange fee, provided they are in good condition, up until the child ages out at 16 and qualifies for the adult wader. These waders have all the bells and whistles, and are built for the youth who have bought into the world of duck hunting and want to be in the blind every day of the season!

$850 | chenegear.com

Drake Guardian Elite Insulated Youth Wader

A stalwart in the waterfowl community, Drake offers up their own unique set of youth waders as they made sure to have quality insulation since they recognize that kids tend to be the first ones out of the blind in harsh conditions. What stands out about these waders is that they provide significant space for gear storage with both internal and external compartments, and there are internal hand warmer pockets for your kid to have their own snacks on them while keeping their extremities warm. A respectable name supplying quality waders for kids, what more can you ask for?

$400 | drakewaterfowl.com

Banded RZX-WC Insulated Youth Wader

For those looking for a slimmed down fit with heavy duty boots for your child, these are the waders that you have been looking for. Comfort rated to a -10F to 50F, a fleece-lined hand warmer pocket, and 1600 gram Thinsulate Insulated boot, this wader has been built to keep your kid warm and comfortable on those cold weather hunts. With two camouflage patterns, Legacy for the flooded timber and Realtree’s Max 7 for the marsh and rice fields, your bases are covered when it comes to concealment.

$380 | banded.com

Gator Waders Youth Waders

What stood out to me about Gator Waders is that they offer two different types of waders instead of a one-stop-shop. The versatility of these distinct designs offers up the opportunity to try out both options to see which suits your child the best, based on the type of hunting they will be partaking in. The Shield Insulated Waders are perfect for the warm early teal season hunts all the way to the frigid January mornings, whereas the Neoprene Waders are designed for the colder months out of the year. If you are on the fence, give both sets of waders a tryout before making the decision on which pair your child is going to run this season!

$400 (Shield Insulated) | gatorwaders.com

$140 (Neoprene) | gatorwaders.com

Cabela’s Northern Flight Insulated Youth Waders

If you are looking for a pair of waders to pass down the line and then some, look no further. I spoke with a trusted friend recently, whose sons have outgrown their waders, and he had passed their waders onto a friend, who has since passed them onto another friend as his sons outgrew them as well. These waders offer young waterfowl hunters flexible mobility with an insulated neoprene and extra durability in the double-layered knee pads, which will help keep your child up and at it if they are the duck dog for the day. A built-in hand warmer in the front chest pocket will keep their hands from getting too cold and help prolong their time in the blind when conditions start to sour. Renamed in recent years, these are the same waders that Cabela’s has championed for times past.

$150 | cabelas.com

TideWe MarshLeaper Chest Waders

Your child has started to show an interest in waterfowl hunting, but you are not quite ready to open up the bank vault yet. Well, Tidewe has the waders just for you. The MarshLeaper waders provide everything you would want your child to have: comfort, warmth, and durability, at a fraction of the cost! If you know your child is going to go through their gear at a ridiculous pace, these waders might be the perfect ones to snag.

$90 | tidewe.com

Whether your child is full-send into the world of waterfowl hunting or they are testing the waters for the first time, there is a wader option out there for them. Find one that makes the most sense for the amount of time your kid is spending in the woods and welcome them into the hunting world in the best possible way, in the duck blind with you. 

---