SINGLE-PIECE CONSTRUCTION, FULL-BODY WADER

Abstract

A full-body, single piece construction wader can include a torso portion with sleeves, a pants portion including two pants legs, and boots that are integrated into the bottom of the pants legs. Overlay pieces of material can be used to reinforce areas of the wader or decrease the chances of water penetration. The wader can include waterproof zippers and seams. The wader can include mostly vertical seams and no horizontal seams across a chest or waist area of the torso portion to decrease water penetration and reduce the risk of the fabric tearing at the seams. The wader can include cuffs, pockets, holders, and other components that provide versatility, warmth, and prevent water penetration into the full-body wader.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Waders can be worn during a variety of water activities, such as waterfowl hunting or fishing. Waders can be made from a water-proof material that protects a user from water. A full-body wader can be made as a single-piece construction to provide improved protection from water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The features and advantages of certain embodiments will be more readily appreciated when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are not to be construed as limiting any of the embodiments.

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a full-body wader according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 1B is a right-side perspective view of the full-body wader according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 1C is a back perspective view of the full-body wader according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the full-body wader showing a torso portion in a closed, zipped position according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the full-body wader showing the torso portion in an opened, unzipped position according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a left-side perspective view of the full-body wader showing details of the torso portion according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the full-body wader showing the torso portion and a portion of a pants portion according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the full-body wader showing a pants portion and boots according to certain embodiments.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a front perspective view of a left and right boot of the full-body wader showing an overlay of material for the right boot and the pants leg attached to the left boot according to certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Waders are used for a variety of outdoor activities, such as waterfowl hunting and fishing. Waders are generally made from a water-resistant or water-proof material and come in a variety of styles offering different levels of protection from water. A hip wader generally includes boots and leg coverings that can be attached to user's belt. A waist wader generally includes boots and pant legs stopping at the waist, offering protection only to the lower half of the body. A waist wader often includes suspenders to keep the waders adorned during use. A chest wader commonly includes boots that are attached to a lower end of the pants legs and formed with a pants portion and a bib that partially covers the torso of a user—similar to overalls with boots. The bib commonly includes suspenders to keep the waders adorned during use. When adorned, a wader can provide a bather between water and the user's skin and clothing that can be worn underneath the wader. In this manner, the user can engage in water activities and stand in water—oftentimes for extended periods of time—without getting wet.

Generally, waterproof ratings are determined by the clothing manufacturer or fabric producer, with testing done either by independent laboratories or in-house. There are a number of different testing protocols that can be used. As used herein, a “waterproof rating test” is performed using the hydrostatic-column test procedure as follows. A 1-inch diameter tube is placed directly over the fabric. A predetermined amount of water is then placed into the tube and measured in millimeters from the bottom of the tube to the meniscus of the water. The fabric is pulled tight, and the tube and fabric are suspended in the air for 24 hours to allow visual observation of water penetration through the fabric. If penetrates through the fabric, then the test should be repeated with a lesser amount of water until no penetration occurs. The waterproof rating is determined as the height in millimeters of the water in the tube that does not penetrate through the fabric. Common waterproof ratings and the related water resistance provided are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1
Waterproof Rating	Water Resistance
(mm)	Provided	Conditions
0-5,000	mm	No resistance to some	Light rain, dry snow,
		resistance to moisture.	no pressure.
6,000-10,000	mm	Rainproof and	Light rain, average
		waterproof under	snow, light pressure.
		light pressure.
11,000-15,000	mm	Rainproof and	Moderate rain, average
		waterproof except	snow, light pressure.
		under high pressure.
16,000-20,000	mm	Rainproof and	Heavy rain, wet snow,
		waterproof under	some pressure.
		high pressure.	Think PNW.
20,000	mm+	Rainproof and	Heavy rain, wet snow,
		waterproof under	high pressure.
		very high pressure.

One disadvantage to traditional waders, such as those described above, is that the arms and other parts of the torso are not protected from water. Additionally, water can splash and enter the bib area or pants portion via the exposed areas of the torso. In instances when additional protection from water is desired, a user must place a separate, water-proof jacket over the waders. However, there are several disadvantages to using separate pieces. Some of the disadvantages include: it is more expensive to purchase a jacket in addition to waders; it is easier to misplace one of the separate pieces; a jacket tied around a user's waist when not in use or even when adorned can interfere with mobility during the outdoor activity; a separate jacket does not provide full-body protection from water especially in the event of submersion or splashing; and areas of the jacket and wader that are not attached are susceptible to water penetration.

Some waders have been designed as a one-piece wader outfit that includes boots, a pants portion, and a jacket. While these designs can help reduce water penetration into the interior of the wader outfit compared to traditional waders and a separate jacket, there are disadvantages to these designs. One disadvantage is the location and total number of seams that connect the jacket portion to the pants portion. An increased number of seams, especially horizontal seams along the waist or chest, can create a higher risk of water penetration into the interior of the wader outfit via the seams. Moreover, each seam can create a weak area of the material whereby tearing of the material or expansion of the seam stitching can occur. Tearing of the material or expansion of the stitching can not only create an entry point for water but can also render the wader unusable and require purchase of a new wader outfit. Additionally, depending on the orientation of the seam in relation to the bias of the fabric, tearing of the material or expansion of the stitching can more easily occur. By way of example, a seam that is located horizontally along a waist area is generally considered to be a weaker seam compared to a vertical seam. Thus, tearing or expansion can generally occur more easily adjacent to the horizontal seam.

Another disadvantage is if the wader outfit is made from different materials. By way of example, a jacket portion made from one material that is attached with a seam to a pants portion made from a different material can be prone to leaks or tearing at the attachment seam because of the differences in material. Thus, there is a need for improved waders that solve the problems associated with traditional waders and wader outfits.

It has been discovered that a single-piece, full-body wader can provide improved performance and can be less prone to water penetration and/or tearing. The wader can be constructed as a single piece using the same material for the pants portion and torso portion—similar to coveralls. This single piece construction can result in a fewer number of total seams, better placement of the seams, and reduce the number of weak areas on the wader susceptible to tearing or water leakage.

A full-body wader can include: a torso section, wherein the torso section comprises an opening that converts from an open position to a closed position; two sleeves attached to the torso section; a pants portion comprising two legs; and two boots, wherein a bottom portion of the two legs are attached to an upper portion of the two boots, wherein the full-body wader is made from a material that has a waterproof rating of at least 6,000 millimeters, and wherein the full-body wader has a single-piece construction.

Turning to the figures, FIGS. 1A-1C show perspective front, right, and back views, respectively, of a full-body wader. It is to be understood that the full-body wader is manufactured as a single-piece construction. As used herein, “single-piece construction” means the full-body wader is assembled from the same type of base material for the torso portion and pants portion with seams mostly spanning vertically and does not mean combining a separate pant portion to a jacket or other upper body piece to form the full-body wader. An example manufacturing process that is not considered to be single-piece construction is forming a separate torso portion and a separate pants portion and then combining the torso portion with the pants portion, for example, with a horizontal seam near the waist or chest of a user. According to any of the embodiments, the material used to form the pants portion and the torso portion does not include a horizontal seam.

One example of a manufacturing process that is considered to be single-piece construction can include a first, single piece of material that forms the back of the torso portion and the back of the pants portion, a second, single piece of material that forms the front of the torso portion and the front of the pants portion, a third piece of material that forms the left sleeve, and a fourth piece of material that forms the right sleeve. A first seam in this example can span vertically from an area underneath a right armhole that attaches the right side of the front and back portions of the torso together to a lower edge of a right leg that forms an outer seam of the right leg and attaches the front and back of the pants portion together. A second seam can span vertically from an area underneath a left armhole that attaches the left side of the front and back portions of the torso together to a lower edge of a left leg that forms an outer seam of the left leg and attaches the front and back of the pants portion together. A third seam can span from the lower, inside edge of the right leg of the pants portion, up towards the torso portion, and down the inside of the left leg of the pants portion to form an inseam of the pants portion. A fourth and fifth seam can span across the top of the shoulder area to attach the top of the front and back of the torso portion together at a location around a user's neck. A sixth and seventh seam can span vertically down the inside of the third and fourth pieces of material to form the right and left sleeves. The sleeves can then be attached to the arm holes of the torso portion. It is to be understood that other seams may be included in the full-body wader, but these seams are optional and do not change the basic single-piece construction of the full-body wader as disclosed. Moreover, a “single-piece construction” is meant to exclude a horizontal seam around a waist or chest area that attaches a torso portion to a pants portion.

Another example of a manufacturing process that is considered to be single-piece construction can include a first, single piece of material that forms the left side of the torso portion and the pants portion, a second, single piece of material that forms the right side of the torso portion and the pants portion, a third piece of material that forms the left sleeve, and a fourth piece of material that forms the right sleeve. A first seam in this example can span vertically from an area above a groin area of the pants portion and up the middle back of the torso portion. A second seam can span from the lower, inside edge of the right leg of the pants portion, up towards the groin area, and down the inside of the left leg of the pants portion to form an inseam of the pants portion. A third and fourth seam can span across the top of the shoulder area to attach the top of the front and back of the torso portion together at a location around a user's neck. A fifth and sixth seam can span vertically down the inside of the third and fourth pieces of material to form the right and left sleeves. The sleeves can then be attached to the arm holes of the torso portion.

It is to be understood that any reference to a “torso portion” and a “pants portion” is for illustrative purposes only and to more easily reference different areas of the full-body wader and do not mean that the torso portion is assembled separately from the pants portion.

The full-body wader 10 includes a torso portion 100. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the torso portion 100. The torso portion 100 can include an opening configured to allow a user to adorn the full-body wader. FIG. 2 shows the opening in a closed position (e.g., after adorning), and FIG. 3 shows the opening in an open position (e.g., prior to adorning). The opening can span vertically on the front of the torso portion 100 from an area above a groin area to a neck opening. Although shown with one opening located near the middle of the front of the torso portion, it is to be understood that the opening and/or more than one opening can be positioned in a different location on the torso portion, such as the shoulders, side, or back, so long as the opening(s) allows a user to adorn the full-body wader. The opening can be opened and closed. The opening can include a zipper 101. Any of the zippers according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein can be water resistant or waterproof. An example zipper that is water resistant or waterproof is sold by YKK®.

As shown in FIG. 2, the opening can also include a flap. The flap can cover the zipper. When the zipper is zipped to close the opening, the flap can also be closed. The flap can include a piece of material located on one side of the opening and a closure on the other side of the opening. By way of a first example, a length of stiffened hooks can be located on the right side of the opening and a length of soft loops can be located on the left side of the opening (or vice versa)—commonly referred to as VELCRO®. By way of a second example, a length of a piece of fabric can include a magnetic strip or a plurality of magnets can be located on the right side of the opening and a corresponding piece of fabric can include a magnetically opposing strip or a plurality of magnets located on the left side of the opening. In this manner, the magnets located on the right side will be attracted to the opposite poles on the left side when in proximity. This allows the flap to be closed in order to decrease water penetration through the zipper.

The torso portion 100 can include a collar 102. The collar 102 can be located wholly or partially around the neck opening. If a collar 102 is included, then the opening for the torso portion 100 can span to the top of the collar. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the zipper or the zipper and the flap 101 can extend all the way to the top of the collar 102. The collar 102 can be permanently attached to the torso portion 100 or removable. For a removable collar, the collar 102 can be removably attached to the neck opening via a zipper, VELCRO®, hooks and eyes, or other types of fasteners. In this manner, the collar 102 can be removed from the torso portion 100 when desired. The collar 102 can be made from a variety of materials. The collar 102 can be made from a material having a greater stiffness than the material of the full-body wader 10. In this manner, the collar 102 can be more rigid and prone to stand upright and not fold over during use of the wader. The collar 102 can further include ribbing to assist the collar to stand upright during use. The collar 102 can be made from two different types of material, for example a first material for the outside of the collar and a second material such as a softer material (e.g., micro fleece) for the inside of the collar. Example collar materials include but are not limited to nylon, polyester, neoprene, canvas, leather, and combinations thereof.

The torso portion 100 can also include a loop 103. The loop 103 can be located near the neck opening. The loop 103 can be located on the front or back of the torso portion 100. The loop 103 can be located on the inside or outside of the torso portion 100. The loop 103 can be made from a variety of materials and can be attached at both ends to the torso portion 100 to form the loop. The loop 103 can be used to hang the wader on a hook, for example after use.

The torso portion 100 can also include a yoke 104. The yoke 104 can be a piece of material that is overlaid onto the torso portion 100. A yoke can provide extra support to a part of the torso portion 100. The material for the yoke 104 can be the same as or different from the material of the full-body wader 10. By way of example, the yoke 104 can be made from a stiffer material than the full-body wader 10. Example yoke materials include but are not limited to nylon, polyester, neoprene, canvas, leather, and combinations thereof.

The yoke 104 can be overlaid on an area of the torso portion 100 to extend from a neck opening towards a seam connecting each sleeve to the torso portion 100 across the top of a shoulder area. The yoke 104 can lie along the top of the shoulder area, for example as shown in FIG. 1A, or extend partially down the front of the torso portion 100, for example as shown in FIG. 2. The yoke 104 can have substantially straight edges and extend part way down a back side of the torso portion 100, for example as shown in FIG. 5, or can have curved edges and extend further down the back side of the torso portion 100, for example as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C.

The full-body wader 10 includes two sleeves 110. A first sleeve 110 can be permanently or removably attached to a right side of the torso portion 100 and a second sleeve can be permanently or removably attached to a left side of the torso portion 100. The sleeves 110 can include a disattachment mechanism, for example a zipper, that allows the sleeves to be attached to and removed from the torso portion 100. In this manner, a user can select whether protection from water on the user's arms is needed or desirable. As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeves 110 can include a vent 112 located near the armpit area of the torso portion 100. A section of the material making up the sleeves 110 can include a zipper or other fastener (shown in FIG. 2 as extending from a side of the torso portion 100 partially towards the elbow 111 of the sleeve) that allows a user to open the vent 112 via unzipping the zipper. It is to be understood that unlike removable sleeves, when the zipper of the vent is unzipped none of the material is disattached from the sleeves or the torso portion, but rather creates an opening in the sleeve material to allow air to enter the torso portion.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the sleeves 110 can include a cuff 113 located at a bottom opening of the sleeves 110. The cuffs 113 can be made from an elastic material and can be circumferentially attached to an inside of the bottom of the sleeves 110 such that water is inhibited from entering the sleeves 110 from the wrist area. The sleeves 110 can include a closure 118, for example a strap 114 and hooks (not shown), to help keep water out of the sleeves. The closure 118 can be located on an outside portion near the bottom of the sleeves 110. When closed, the closure 118 can cinch the material at the bottom of the sleeves 110 tighter. The closure 118 can be used in addition to or instead of the cuffs 113.

A thumb loop 115 can be attached to a bottom portion of the sleeves 110 either directly on or adjacent to the cuffs 113 or the closure 118. An opening 119 can vertically span partially up from of a bottom of the sleeves 110. A zipper can be used to open and close the opening 119. The zipper can be unzipped to open the opening and the sleeves can be rolled up towards the elbows if desired. A fastener (not shown), for example a button or hook, can be included on an inside of the sleeves 110 for engaging with a loop 116 that can be located above the elbows 111. In this manner, once the sleeves 110 are rolled up, the fastener can be secured to the loop 116 to keep the sleeves rolled up. When it is desired to unroll the sleeves, the fastener can be disconnected from the loop and the sleeves can be rolled down. The opening 119 can then be closed, for example by zipping the zipper. Other means of opening and closing the opening 119 can be used, for example VELCRO®.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the torso portion 100 can include one or more pleats 117, such as an inverted pleat, in a variety of locations. The pleats 117 can be extra material that provides increased mobility to a user during activity. According to any of the embodiments, the pleats 117 can be an inverted pleat located around a back side of the torso portion 100 and around a portion of the armhole. The inverted pleat can also further extend from the armhole around a front side of the torso portion. In this manner increased mobility can occur when a user's arm moves forward and backward from the body, for example during fly fishing.

As seen in FIG. 2, the torso portion 100 can include one or more pieces of overlay material 120 that are placed exterior to the full-body wader 10 material. The exterior material can form a variety of components including, but not limited to, hand warmers 121, pockets 122, mesh liners 123, drain holes 124, holders 125 for equipment (e.g., shotgun shells), etc. One or more fasteners 126, such as a zipper or VELCRO®, can be used to open the pockets 122 and provide access to the pockets.

The torso portion 100 can also include two or more belt loops 130. The belt loops 130 can be permanently attached around a waist area of torso portion 100. The belt loops 130 can have a desired height and width. The torso portion 100 can also include a belt 131. The belt 131 can be placed through the belt loops 130. The belt 131 can include a belt buckle (not labeled). The length and width of the belt 131 can vary and come in different sizes, such as small, medium, and large. The belt loops 130 and the belt 131 can have dimensions such that the belt 131 can be placed through the belt loops 130. The belt 131 can be made from a variety of materials, such as nylon, polyester, spandex, neoprene, or a combination thereof. A ring 132 can be attached to a bottom of one or more of the belt loops 130. The ring 132 can be made from a hardened plastic, metal, or metal alloy. The ring 132 can have a variety of geometric shapes, including but not limited to, D-shaped, U-shaped, or O-shaped. The ring 132 can be used to removably attach hunting or fishing equipment, for example a stringer.

FIG. 6 shows a pants portion 200 of the full-body wader 10. As shown, the pants portion 200 includes two pants legs 201—namely a left pants leg and a right pants leg. The pants portion 200 is an integral part of the full-body wader 10 formed as a single unit with the torso portion 100 as discussed above. The pants portion 200 is made from the same material as the torso portion 100 as part of the single-piece construction.

The two pants legs 201 can include a pants leg overlay material 210. The pants leg overlay material 210 can provide another level of protection for added durability and to further prevent water penetration into the full-body wader 10. Although shown with the pants leg overlay material 210 being attached to the two pants legs 201 at a location above the knees, the pants leg overlay material 210 can be attached at a variety of locations, for example closer to the groin or below the knees. One or more drain holes 211 can also be included near the seam 400 that attaches the pants leg overlay material 210 to the material of the two pants legs 201. The pants leg overlay material 210 can also include a cuff 212 located at a bottom end of the pants leg overlay material 210. The cuffs 212 can be made of an elastic material that helps keep the pants leg overlay material 210 taut against the boots 300.

A reinforcing overlay piece of material can be attached on top of the material forming the full-body wader 10. The reinforcing overlay material can reinforce one or more areas of the full-body wader 10, for example, the elbows 111 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the seat 202 of the pants portion 200 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower portion of the pants leg overlay material 210 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, or the knees of the two pants legs 201 (not shown). The reinforcing overlay material can provide improved durability to areas of the full-body wader 10 that are commonly subjected to more stress or wear during use. The reinforcing overlay material can be the same as or different from the material that forms the full-body wader 10. The overlay material can have a waterproof rating ranging from 0 to 20,000 millimeters (mm) or more.

The full-body wader 10 also includes two boots 300—namely a left boot and a right boot. Although FIGS. 1A-1C do not show the boots, it is to be understood that the boots are an integral part of the full-body wader. FIG. 7 shows the two boots 300 and two pants legs 201 of the full-body wader 10. A right boot 300 is shown with a pants leg overlay material 210, and the left boot 300 is shown without a pants leg overlay material 210 or where the pants leg overlay material 210 is rolled up towards the knee. The two boots 300 can be made from one or more materials that have a waterproof rating of at least 10,000 mm. The boots can be made from a number of materials, including, but not limited to, neoprene, rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any combination thereof. The two boots 300 can include one or more of the following features: one or more pull tabs 302 on each boot (e.g., a front pull tab and a back pull tab); an adjustable strap 303 for decreasing the opening 301 of the boots; a reinforced rubber shell; an anti-slip sole 304; a heel kick tab 305; and a steel shank and/or steel toes. The pull tabs 302 can assist a user in placing a foot into the boot.

As can also be seen in FIG. 7, a bottom portion of each pants leg 201 is integrated into a top portion 301 of each boot 300. In this manner, water is prevented from entering the inside of the boots. The top portion 301 of each boot 300 can include a material that is attached to a lower end of the two pants legs 201 via a seam or a seamless design (e.g., via a heat bonding process or with the use of an adhesive). If a seam (not shown) is used, the seam can be covered with a heat-bonded material seam cover 203. The seam cover 203 can be affixed over the seam to provide added protection from water penetrating into the full-body wader 10 and the boots 300. As can also be seen, if the two pants legs 201 also include a pants leg overlay material 210, then the pants leg overlay material 210 can cover the pants leg material and the top of the boots. It is to be understood that that the full-body wader 10 is a single-piece construction and the boots, pants portion, and torso portion are formed as a single unit. Accordingly, the boots are an integral part of the full-body wader 10 and are not separate elements from the wader in which a user can insert feet into the boots and then adorn the wader.

The material used to form the full-body wader can be water resistant, more preferably waterproof. The material can be, among others, a polyester, nylon, neoprene, a polyester/polyurethane laminate (PUL), a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), cotton, synthetic waterproof fabrics, or vinyl. The material can be a fabric coated with a durable water repellant (DWR), polyurethane (PU), or other waterproof coating or finish. The material can also include two or more layers of different materials, for example, an outer layer and a breathable, waterproof membrane, including, but not limited to, a PU laminate or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane. The material can also be a laminate. The material can be constructed of a single layer including, but not limited to, neoprene or other similar material.

The material used to form the full-body wader can have a waterproof rating of at least 6,000 millimeters (mm). The material used to form the full-body wader can have a waterproof rating of at least 10,000 mm. The material used to form the full-body wader can have a waterproof rating of at least 15,000 mm. The material used to form the full-body wader can have a waterproof rating of at least 20,000 mm. The waterproof rating of the material used to form the torso portion and the pants portion can be the same or different, so long as the same type of material (e.g., a polyester) is used for both the torso portion and the pants portion. By way of example, the pants portion that would have more exposure to water can have a waterproof rating of 15,000 mm, while the torso portion can have a waterproof rating of 10,000 mm.

Any of the seams 400 can be configured to be waterproof. By way of example, the seams 400 can be stitched or welded. Stitched seams utilize thread to join pieces of material together. Welded seams is a process by which pieces of material are joined together via a heat and pressure treatment without the use of thread. Any of the seams can be sealed—either critically or fully. Critically means just some of the seams 400 or a portion of a given seam is waterproof, for example on areas of the full-body wader 10 that are most prone to water penetration and pulling of the fabric material during use. Fully means all of the seams are waterproof. By way of example, seam tape can be used as a seam sealer. Ultra- or lightweight-seam tape can be used for lightweight fabrics, while activity-seam tape can be used for thicker fabrics. Seam tape can include a heat-activated adhesive on one side of the tape. Accordingly, seam tape can be placed over some or all of the seams 400, and then heat can be applied to the seam tape to adhere the tape to the fabric and seal the seam against water penetration. By way of another example, vinyl cement can be used as a seam sealer. The vinyl cement can be applied, for example via a brush or spray application, to one or more areas of the seam 400. The vinyl cement then dries and protects the seam against water penetration.

In practice, a user can adorn the full-body wader 10 by performing any or all of the following steps—placing the opening 101 of the torso portion 100 in an open position, for example, by unzipping the zipper(s), then rolling the pants leg overlay material 210 of the two pants legs 201 (if included) up towards the knee area to expose the pull tabs 302 of the two boots 300, inserting a leg into the corresponding pants leg of the wader and inserting a foot into the boot, pulling upwards on the pull tab(s) of the boot to position the foot within the boot, repeating this process with the other leg, inserting an arm into the corresponding sleeve, inserting the other arm into the corresponding sleeve, pulling the torso portion over each shoulder, and closing the closure, for example, by zipping the zipper.

The full-body wader can include other components not shown in the drawings. Other components can include, without limitation, a hood, gloves, integrated gloves, an internal suspender system, and components specifically related to fishing activities, waterfowl hunting activities, and other activities where protection from the elements, including water, mud, ice, snow, and/or wind is desirable.

The full-body wader can have a variety of dimensions. The dimensions can include but are not limited to an inseam length for the pants portion, sleeve lengths, and chest width. The full-body wader can have different sizes, for example, adult small, medium, large, extra-large, youth small, medium, large, etc. The sizes can also include long sizes or petite sizes, such as adult medium long or adult small petite. Long sizes can increase the inseam length for the pants portion and the sleeve lengths while petite sizes can decrease the inseam length and sleeve length compared to regular sizes. The boots of the full-body wader can also come in a variety of sizes, such as women's size 9 or men's size 11. Thus, the full-body wader can be used by people of all ages and genders.

Therefore, the various embodiments are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the various embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is, therefore, evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

As used herein, the words “comprise,” “have,” “include,” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps. While compositions, systems, and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the compositions, systems, and methods also can “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. It should also be understood that, as used herein, “first,” “second,” and “third,” are assigned arbitrarily and are merely intended to differentiate between two or more sleeves, pants legs, etc., as the case may be, and do not indicate any sequence. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the mere use of the word “first” does not require that there be any “second,” and the mere use of the word “second” does not require that there be any “third,” etc.

Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the elements that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent(s) or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.

Claims

1. A full-body wader comprising:

a torso portion, wherein the torso portion comprises an opening that converts from an open position to a closed position;

two sleeves attached to the torso portion;

a pants portion comprising two pants legs; and

two boots, wherein a bottom portion of the two pants legs are attached to an upper portion of the two boots,

wherein the full-body wader is made from a material that has a waterproof rating of at least 6,000 millimeters, and

wherein the full-body wader has a single-piece construction.

2. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the torso portion further comprises a collar, and wherein the collar extends from a neck opening of the torso portion.

3. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the torso portion further comprises a yoke, and wherein the yoke is a piece of material that is overlaid onto the torso portion.

4. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the torso portion comprises a zipper, a flap of material, or a zipper and a flap of material spanning the length of the opening.

5. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the two sleeves are permanently attached or removably attached to the torso portion.

6. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the two sleeves comprise a vent located near an armpit area of the two sleeves.

7. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein each of the two sleeves comprise a cuff located at a bottom opening of each sleeve.

8. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein each of the two sleeves comprise a wrist opening that vertically spans partially up from of a bottom of the two sleeves, wherein the wrist opening converts from an open position to a closed position, and wherein when the wrist opening is in the open position, the two sleeves are configured to be rolled up towards an elbow area of the two sleeves.

9. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the torso portion further comprises one or more pleats.

10. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the torso portion further comprises one or more pieces of overlay material that are located exterior to a material of the full-body wader, wherein the one or more pieces of overlay material form a component, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of hand warmers, pockets, mesh liners, drain holes, holders for equipment, and combinations thereof.

11. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the torso portion further comprises two or more belt loops and a belt, and wherein the two or more belts loop are located adjacent to a waist area of the torso portion.

12. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the pants portion further comprises a pants leg overlay material, wherein the pants leg overlay material covers at least a portion of the two pants legs, wherein the pants leg overlay material is attached at a first end to an outside of the two pants legs, and wherein a second end of the pants leg overlay material covers a bottom of the two pants legs and a top portion of the two boots.

13. The full-body wader according to claim 12, wherein the pants portion further comprises one or more drain holes located adjacent to the first end of the pants leg overlay material.

14. The full-body wader according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing overlay piece of material, wherein the reinforcing overlay piece of material is attached on top of the material of the full-body wader, and wherein the reinforcing overlay material reinforces one or more areas of the full-body wader.

15. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein a bottom portion of each of the two pants legs is integrated into a top portion of each of the two boots, wherein the top portion of each of the two boots comprises a material that is directly attached to bottom portion of each of the two pants legs via stitching, a heat-bonding process, or an adhesive.

16. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the material of the full-body wader is a fabric coated with a coating, and wherein the coating is selected from a durable water repellant, polyurethane, or a waterproof coating.

17. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the material of the full-body wader comprises one or more layers of fabric, wherein the one or more layers of fabric are selected from the group consisting of: a breathable, waterproof membrane; a waterproof coating; a laminate; neoprene; and combinations thereof, and wherein the breathable, waterproof membrane is made of a polyurethane laminate or an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane.

18. The full-body wader according to claim 1, wherein the material of the full-body wader has a waterproof rating of at least 10,000 millimeters.

19. The full-body wader according to claim 1, further comprising one or more seams.

20. The full-body wader according to claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the one or more seams are configured to be waterproof.