Best Practices for Wader Care and Fit, with Natalie Cullum

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

James Hathaway

Bass, Fishing, Bonefish, Wilderness, Flyfishing, Trout, How To, Steelhead, Bluegill, Fly, Orvis, Sports, Salmon, Panfish, Education, Rosenbauer

4.8 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I get a lot of questions about wader care, storage, and washing instructions. Fit can also affect how long waders last and how comfortable they are. Waders are one of our most expensive purchases, outside of a rod and reel, and in order to make them last longer we need to take good care of them, so they stay waterproof and comfortable. My guest this week is Natalie Cullum [27:14], Orvis product developer in charge of waders and technical outerwear. She knows all about the fabric used in waders, the technology involved in their construction, and how critical fit is in their comfort and durability. If you are looking for a new pair of waders this season, or if you want to make your current pair of waders last longer, this podcast is essential listening.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and tips from listeners, including:

Is the Orvis Tippet Knot a suitable substitute for the blood knot?
Do you think there is a chance that dry-fly purism will come back?
Does a saltwater line cast worse in fresh water?
Can you suggest a use for the fluffy material at the base of a Coq de Leon feather?
Do you have any tips for dry flies in salt water?
A listener suggests some kind of national organization to purchase public lands that are planned on being sold as part of the inflation reduction act.
Will there be Orvis Pro Wading Boots in size 15?
What is it that Tom brings on the water that most people might not have in their pack or vest?
I keep catching landlocked salmon of the same size. Can you suggest a way to target the bigger ones?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, and welcome to the Orvis Fly Fishing podcast.
0:13.5	This is your host, Tom Berzumauer.
0:15.3	And my guest this week is Natalie Cullum.
0:18.0	Natalie is the outerware developer for Orvis, product developer.
0:24.8	And Natalie is actually the designer of the Orvis waiters, raincoats, you know, anything technical that you wear outdoors.
0:35.7	She's the one. And I get a lot of questions about waiter fit, waiter care, how to store your waiters.
0:44.6	And so Natalie is going to answer these questions on the podcast today.
0:50.6	And no better person than the person who actually develops the product and knows their
0:55.9	ins and outs and knows the fabrics used and all the waterproofing that goes into them.
1:00.9	So I hope you enjoy this and I think it'll be a very educational podcast.
1:08.6	And before we get into the flybox, I just want to give you a heads up on some places that you might want to visit this year or maybe next year if you're planning a fishing trip.
1:21.3	These are Orvis endorsed operations and you can find all the Orvis endorsed operations by going to Orvis.com slash adventures.
1:30.6	There will be an interactive map there.
1:32.5	You can see what part of the country you want to go to and then look for the Orvis endorsed guide,
1:39.9	Outfitter, or Lodge in the area you want to visit.
1:43.0	Our first operation is a guide. Jeremy Nolan of heads-up fly fishing.
1:49.9	And Jeremy guides in a lesser-known and less pressured part of Colorado, southern Colorado,
1:57.4	and he fishes from the Anamis River that runs right through the heart of downtown Durango.
2:03.2	He's got private water options on exclusive ranches, high mountain creeks and lakes, and also lesser-known stretches of the world-famous San Juan River.
2:14.6	So they've got options, or he's got options for the needs of every angler, whether you're
2:19.8	a ranked beginner or an advanced fly fisher.
2:24.5	They've got float and weighed trips 365 days a year.
	...

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