With its one piece design and minimal seaming, the Forge Wader was engineered to eliminate the most common failure points that have plagued waterfowl waders for years. But, our quality assurance begins long before your season does. 100% of our waders are pressure tested twice during manufacturing to guarantee the highest level of waterproof performance straight out of the box.

While our manufacturing QC protocol is as hardcore as our customers, we recognize that things can break that shouldn’t during normal use. If at any point within the Practical Product Lifespan of your Forge Wader you develop any of the covered defects listed below, your waders will likely qualify for free repair or replacement. If your replacement wader size is not available at the time of your warranty claim, you will receive a store credit for the original purchase price of your Forge Wader so you can re-order them once your size is back in stock.

Incidental Wear and Tear

First Lite’s wader warranty does not cover incidental wear and tear damage such as rips, punctures, abrasions, burns, staining, mold, or degradation of materials due to improper care/storage. If, after evaluation by Rainy Pass, it is determined that a warranty claim is not a covered defect or additional leaks were discovered, you will be offered a reasonable quote for repair within 72 hours after delivery. First Lite and Rainy Pass cannot guarantee repairs on waders that have been exposed to permanent field repair adhesives

Forge Wader Warranty/Repair Return Shipping Policy

Customers are responsible for shipping all warranty claims to Rainy Pass Repair for testing and confirmation of a covered defect. Upon confirmation of a covered warranty claim, First Lite will pay for wader replacement/repair and provide you with a $50 store credit to cover the initial shipping costs to Rainy Pass for testing. Warranty repairs will be completed and delivered back to you in 2-3 weeks after receipt. All waders sent in for warranty evaluation must be clean. Any moldy and/or unwashed waders received by Rainy Pass will be returned prior to evaluation and the customer will be charged for return shipping costs.

Field and Home Repairs

Barbed wire fence happens and learning to properly patch waders yourself is critical to getting you through a morning hunt, week long duck trip, or the rest of your season. Included with your Forge Wader are custom GEAR AID Wader Repair Patches, see below for best application methods:

• IN-FIELD:
  Clean the punctured area with water and dry as best as possible. Take two GEAR AID patches and, one at a time, rub them between your hands, using friction heat to activate the adhesive. Remove the backer and apply one patch to the exterior of the puncture and the second patch to the backside.
• AT-HOME:
  Clean the punctured area and dry completely. Take two GEAR AID patches and place them face down, using a hair dryer on medium-high heat to activate the backside adhesive. Remove the backer and apply one patch to the exterior of the puncture and the second patch to the interior backside.
• AVOID PERMANENT ADHESIVES:
  We do not recommend using permanent/solvent based adhesives for DIY repairs. In small applications, these adhesives can be effective at stopping leaks - but if they fail, they can damage fabric and will prevent us from performing a more professional, permanent repair.

First Lite Wader Repair Service

Waterfowl hunters wrote the book on “Gear Wear And Tear”. Inevitably, there will come a day when your waders get snagged on some barbed wire, punctured by unseen water hazards, or you catch your dog chewing on them trying to get at the snack stick you left in your chest pocket. When that day comes, First Lite and our partners at Rainy Pass are here to help with a full service incidental repair program to get you back in the water for a reasonable fee.

If your waders are in need of repair, please contact our Customer Service Team by completing the Forge Wader Repair Form linked below. See list below for all serviceable repairs and pricing:

WASHING AND DRYING

Regularly hand washing your waders (even just a quick rinse) and properly drying them is the best way to extend the life of your waders, especially if you hunt in salt water environments. Follow our expert wash steps below to keep your waders at the top of their game season after season:

1. Brush off any loose dirt and debris from your waders with a damp rag.

2. Fill your bathtub with a few inches of cool or warm water—use warmer water if your waders are heavily soiled. Add a mild liquid cleaner like GEAR AID’s Revivex Wetsuit and Drysuit Shampoo or GRANGERS Performance Wash.

3. Lay your waders flat in the tub and gently scrub the interior and exterior using only a non-abrasive sponge or soft-bristled brush.

4. Thoroughly rinse your waders with clean water and then hang them upside down by the boots to drip dry. Always hang your waders by the boots, never by the suspenders or in any way that puts undue stress on any of the materials or hardware.

**NEVER MACHINE WASH/DRY OR DRY CLEAN YOUR FORGE WADERS**

AT-HOME DWR APPLICATION

If you want to apply a spray-on DWR to your waders like GEAR AID’s Revivex Water Repellent or GRANGERS Performance Repel, do so after washing while the fabric is still slightly damp. For optimal results, use a blow dryer on medium heat to best set the DWR, moving the dryer continuously 6-8 inches away to avoid damaging the fabric and voiding your warranty. Allow your waders to dry completely, inside and out, before storing them.

STORAGE

Always store your waders in a cool, dry envrionment.

• Extended exposureto heat (like multiple hot days in the trunk of a car) can lead to fabric delamination and damage submersible zippers

• Storing in a humid/high moisture environment can trigger mold growth and compromise your wader’s fabric package

YKK AQUASEAL® ZIPPER CARE

• Do not fold or bend your AquaSeal® zipper at extreme angles and store in the closed position.

• Always zip your waders straight up in a slow, continuous motion. Angular pulling can cause misalignment of teeth and poor waterproof performance. 100% of YKK AquaSeal® Zippers are pressure tested during manufacturing. If you experience a zipper leak, there’s a good chance that the teeth are misaligned and not providing a good seal. In most cases, gently working the zipper straight up and down can quickly and easily restore the watertight seal.

• Be sure to routinely rinse your zipper with clean water to keep teeth and slider free of dirt and debris

• After cleaning, regularly apply a small amount of paraffin wax or an approved lubricant (like GEAR AID Zipper Wax Lubricant) along the teeth and gently work the zipper up and down to evenly distribute. This is the best way to maintain smooth operation and waterproof performance of your zipper.

• Avoid prolonged exposure to heat or extended periods of direct sunlight/UV radiation as this can degrade materials.