Hipper leaks

[Dick]

What do you folks use to keep your boots from cracking/weather cracking of what ever you call it.

I have a pair of Frog Tog hippers that are at most 18months old. They have started showing cracks on the boot portion. I had them hanging in the garage, but in the summer it does get hot inside. They were not left in the sun.

Do you keep them conditioned with something and if so what? I guess that I am going to have to buy new ones each season.

Stuff sure doesn't last like it used too.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Dick

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You never know how old they are when you buy them?

Air, heat, sunlight all hurt anything like waders or raincoats or fly lines or leaders/tippets or float tubes/pontoon boats, especially in the Sacramento Valley's summer heat.

I think you could go to some automotive parts stores and see if they have anything to put on them?

_________________________________________

Hip boots never sold well in our fly shop.

Maybe with Spey casting and drift boats it might be different today?

Duck hunters like hip boots.

[Dick]

Thanks Bill--- Old geezers are not very bold waders so hippers are OK over here on the East side.

[Idadon]

I just wear stocking foot waist waders/pants now days. I’m an old “Geezer” and worry about anything deeper then mid thigh. But you might try that spray FlexSeal stuff at Walmart.

[WLREDBAND]

<<< I had them hanging in the garage, but in the summer it does get hot inside. They were not left in the sun.>>>
Do you also store your car in the garage? The exhaust from your car when you start it up in the garage contains many compounds that will rapidly deteriorate plastic/rubber in waders and wading boots. 18 months of exposure to car exhaust could very well be the reason for cracking (or not!). I had the same problem with bootfoot waders and wading boots cracking and I now store them inside my house and that seems to have helped. I've patched the cracks with Aquaseal, and that provides a short term solution, but not a permanent solution. I've never tried any products like Armor All, etc. But once the cracking starts, it's pretty difficult to get it to stop.

[Tony Buzolich]

That FLEX-SEAL stuff really does work. If your boots are just surface cracking that would be perfect for them. Be sure the can is warm and shaken well before spraying.
Tony

[Ralph]

[QUOTE=WLREDBAND;192440]<<< I had them hanging in the garage, but in the summer it does get hot inside. They were not left in the sun.>>>

The garage can be deadly to rubber. Car exhaust (as mentioned) and ozone from any electric motors (freezer, water heater, furnace, etc) will attack rubber. If you must store your hippers in the garage, double bag them in plastic.

[Dick]

Thanks for the comments. I ended up buying a can of clear flex-seal and sprayed with three coats on the boot portions of the hippers. I will head down to the river and give them a try.
Thanks again to you all.
Dick

[Dick]

In case anyone is interested----the flex seal spray coats did the trick. No wet feet, I can get a little more time out of the hippers.
Even caught a small brown, rainbow and a 14-15" Mt. whitefish.