Patagonia W's Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip Front Wader
In Stock • Bozeman, MT
Designed, built and field-tested by our team of women anglers, we've raised the standard for women's gear again. With a durable water repellent (DWR) finish made without intentionally added PFAS, thoughtful features and an evolution of patterning and fit, our women’s waders work harder, fish smarter and function better in all performance benchmarks.
Description
The Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-Front is Patagonia's expedition-grade zip-entry chest wader, designed, built, and field-tested by the brand's team of women anglers rather than adapted from a men's pattern. It's built on H2No Performance Standard 4-layer fabric -- a lighter 5.6-oz, 50-denier face fabric through the upper body for reduced bulk, and a tougher 9.4-oz, 100-denier face fabric on the lower legs where abrasion risk is highest. A submersible YKK zipper runs down the chest, letting an angler get in, out, or layer up mid-day without removing the suspenders and booties.
Fit is built around a gusseted crotch with articulated seat and legs, repatterned to reduce seam stress and improve mobility over a full day of wading. Fully adjustable, quick-release suspenders convert the wader between chest-high and waist-high wear, and a drop-seat system with a low-profile buckle at the center back allows a quick bathroom break without fully undressing. Storage includes two handwarmer pockets with zip flaps, two vertical-zippered chest pockets for fly boxes, and a removable, fully submersible interior pocket built with TRU Zip technology. Removable foam kneepads provide comfort while kneeling, and heavy-duty scuff guards at the ankles add abrasion resistance in high-wear areas; anatomical, low-volume booties are shaped for a sock-like fit inside a separate pair of wading boots.
Features
• H2No Performance Standard 4-Layer Shell — 5.6-oz upper / 9.4-oz lower, DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS, bluesign approved.
• Submersible YKK Front Zipper — Layer up, step out, or take a break without removing the suspenders and booties.
• Drop-Seat System — Low-profile buckle at the center back for quick bathroom breaks.
• Gusseted Crotch with Articulated Seat and Legs — Repatterned to reduce seam stress and improve mobility.
• Fully Adjustable, Quick-Release Suspenders — Converts easily between chest-high and waist-high wear.
• Submersible TRU Zip Interior Pocket — Removable, waterproof storage for valuables.
• Exterior Storage — Two handwarmer pockets with zip flaps and two vertical-zippered chest pockets for fly boxes.
• Removable Foam Kneepads and Heavy-Duty Scuff Guards — Comfort while kneeling and reinforced abrasion resistance at the ankles.
Size Guide
Patagonia sizes waders by girth first, combined with an independent inseam length and bootie size -- not by standard clothing size. Follow these steps to find your full size code (e.g. MRM = Medium girth / Regular inseam / Medium bootie).
1. Measure your chest at its fullest point, keeping the tape level under your arms.
2. Measure your waist at your natural waistline.
3. Measure your hips at their fullest point.
4. Use the largest of the three measurements to find your girth size in the table below.
5. Measure your inseam from crotch to floor, standing barefoot, to find your inseam length.
6. Match your street shoe size to the bootie size chart below; if between sizes, most anglers size up to leave room for a wading sock.
| Size | Largest Girth | Inseam | Height | Shoe Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short — 29.5" Inseam | ||||
| XSS X-Small - Short | 36" | 29.5" | 5'0"–5'4" | 6–8 |
| SSS Small - Short | 38" | 29.5" | 5'0"–5'4" | 6–8 |
| MSS Medium - Short | 41" | 29.5" | 5'0"–5'4" | 6–8 |
| LSS Large - Short | 44" | 29.5" | 5'0"–5'4" | 6–8 |
| Regular — 31.5" Inseam | ||||
| XRS X-Small - Regular | 36" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 6–8 |
| SRS Small - Regular | 38" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 6–8 |
| SRM Small - Regular | 38" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 8–10 |
| MRM Medium - Regular | 41" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 8–10 |
| LRM Large - Regular | 44" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 8–10 |
| XRM X-Large - Regular | 48" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 8–10 |
| 2RM XX-Large - Regular | 52" | 31.5" | 5'5"–5'8" | 8–10 |
| Long — 33.5" Inseam | ||||
| MLM Medium - Long | 41" | 33.5" | 5'9"–6' | 8–10 |
| LLM Large - Long | 44" | 33.5" | 5'9"–6' | 8–10 |
Materials
H2No® Performance Standard shell
(upper) 4-layer, 5.6-oz 50-denier 100% recycled PET polyester microfiber high-density taffeta face bonded to a 100% recycled polyester backer; (lower) 4-layer, 9.4-oz 100-denier 100% recycled PET polyester microfiber high-density taffeta face bonded to a 100% recycled polyester backer
Shell has a waterproof/breathable barrier and a durable water repellent (DWR) finish made without intentionally added PFAS
Made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory
Care Instructions
Machine Wash Cold, Use Mild Detergent, Do Not Bleach, Tumble Dry Low, Do Not Iron, Do Not Dry Clean, Front Load Machine Only, Do Not Use Fabric Softeners
FAQ
Who are these waders for?
These waders are built for women anglers who want a full-featured, expedition-grade wader designed and field-tested by women rather than a resized men's pattern. The submersible YKK front zipper and drop-seat system add convenience for long guided days, multi-layer cold-weather trips, or anyone who wants quick access without giving up kneepads, a submersible interior pocket, or the rest of the Expedition-tier feature set.
What is the submersible YKK front zipper and how does it work?
The front zipper runs vertically down the chest and is rated fully submersible, meaning it's built to keep water out even if it goes underwater rather than just resisting splashes. In practice, that means layering up or down mid-day without removing the suspenders and booties, all without breaking the waterproof seal of the wader once it's zipped back up.
What is the drop-seat system and how does it work?
The drop-seat system uses a low-profile buckle at the center back that releases to drop the seat panel, allowing a quick bathroom break without removing the suspenders, booties, or the whole wader. It's a feature built specifically into the women's Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-Front pattern and isn't found on the equivalent men's model.
How do I find my size — why does girth matter more than height or weight?
Patagonia sizes waders by girth first: take the largest of your chest, waist, and hip measurement, and use that to find your size letter (X-Small through X-Large) in the Size Guide -- not your normal clothing size, height, or weight. From there, inseam (Short, Regular, or Long) and bootie size (mapped to US shoe size) are chosen independently, giving a three-part size code such as MRM (Medium girth / Regular inseam / Medium bootie). Girth takes priority because a wader that's too tight through the body restricts movement and can't be fixed by adjusting the suspenders, while length and bootie size are comparatively easy to compensate for with layering or sock thickness.
What is H2No Performance Standard and how does the 4-layer construction work?
H2No Performance Standard is Patagonia's waterproof/breathable fabric standard. On this wader it's built as a 4-layer construction: a lighter 5.6-oz, 50-denier face fabric on the upper body for reduced bulk, and a tougher 9.4-oz, 100-denier face fabric on the lower half where abrasion risk is highest. Both are 100% recycled polyester microfiber, high-density taffeta, bonded to a 100% recycled polyester backer, finished with a DWR treatment made without intentionally added PFAS, and bluesign approved for responsible textile production.
What are the downsides of the Women's Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip-Front Waders?
A few honest considerations. At 1,500g, this is a heavier wader than lighter packable options, since the zipper, kneepads, and submersible interior pocket all add weight. The zipper and drop-seat buckle are two more mechanical parts to keep clean of grit and debris. And like any 4-layer waterproof/breathable fabric, breathability -- while good relative to lighter wader fabrics -- still has limits on hot, humid days of hard wading.
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