What's your budget? I agree with sweetandsalt's previous post. Warranty and level of service are important factors I take in consideration when choosing waders. Waders are something that I advocate buying from a fly shop if you have one close buy. You can try on different models for size and see features first hand. Here are a few considerations based on my experiences with the brands I've used.
Fit--along with Warranty, this one is highly over looked IMHO. A better fit of your waders will help them last longer and you may avoid premature wear. This may limit you as to which brands and models will work for you. This may translate into more money. G3's for example probably have the widest variety of size of Simms offerings. Orvis has a good selection in most all of their models.
LL Bean has a pretty good selection as well. By far the most comfortable wader I've worn are the G3's and that's due to the fact that they're Gore Tex. Nothing breaths better IMHO. They come with a high price tag but one that I'll take given the comfort factor.
Basically as others have said, there are the big player name brands: Orvis, Simms, Patagonia, and Redington and LL Bean seem to garner the most accolades. I can't speak to Redington's warranty but all of the others I've mentioned stand behind their product and will work with you in whatever capacity their warranty details. LL Bean and Patagonia pretty much will swap you out, no questions asked. Simms and Orvis have wader repair, though Orvis seems to be slightly more limited than Simms in this capacity.
I recently had 2 pair of waders repaired. One by Simms, one by Orvis. I only had to pay for shipping to Orvis for a boot that was roughly 4 years old. I paid shipping one way to Simms (through my fly shop) for them to inspect and repair the boots within one year's time. I'm very pleased with both brands performance and service.
Orvis Guarantee:
"If you are not satisfied with your waders at time of purchase or if they fail for any reason within the first 60 days, we will replace them or refund your money, no questions asked. Beyond that, waders that fail due to manufacturing issues or defects will be repaired, replaced or refunded, at Orvis's discretion, free of charge."
Simms Guarantee:
Workmanship & Materials are Guaranteed for the Life of the Product. If a Simms wader fails due to workmanship or material defect during the life of the product, please return it to us for repair or replacement. All defective or damaged waders should be returned to Simms for evaluation and will be repaired, replaced or returned at the sole discretion of Simms Fishing Products. This warranty does not cover damages caused by improper care, accidents or the natural breakdown of materials over extended use and time.
30 Day “Across the Counter” Wader Exchange. If one of our waders leaks within 30 days of the purchase date, bring it back to the dealer you bought it from. Present your sales receipt, and we will replace it, no questions asked.
Within the First Year of Purchase, Your First Repair Is On Us. At Simms, we stand behind everything we make. But, from time to time, we all take a tumble in the pursuit of fish. If you accidentally damage your Simms wader during the first year of ownership, please send the waders to Simms and the first repair is on us. Go here to begin the repair process. Our online Repair Center is quick, easy and a useful tool to aid in your repair. To allow us to better serve you, please include a copy of your receipt when sending your waders.
Further, we will only charge you our actual cost for any additional repairs that you may need during the life of your wader. Our Repair Department is not a profit center. Simply bring the wader to your dealer or create a Return Authorization number and begin the repair process here. Once the Return Authorization number is created, we will work with you to repair or replace your waders.
A couple of other things to think about, think about how you fish. Do you fish a lot? Do you bushwhack? Are you climbing or crawling on rough surfaces alot?
If you fish alot, it's not uncommon to wear a pair of boots and waders out within a year or two. I was just in my local shop over the weekend and the owner was telling me about a customer who fishes almost every day of the year. He's guessing at least 300 days. This guy was talking to the owner about how fast he goes through gear. Think about it, if you bought one pair of pants and shoes and wore them every day for almost a year, would you expect them to be in good shape? Maybe not the best example, because you're not wading in them, but surely you know they'll be worn.
The shop owner's suggestion was to to get 2 pair of waders--even if a lesser cost and alternate. The shop isn't one to try and push sales just for the fact of making a larger sale. They want you back and will make recommendations to fit your budget.
Back on point--I own G3's and wear them in spring/winter/cooler weather and when it gets warm I'll wear a lighter pair of waders. (Orvis Sonic Seams) I've been happy with both, though if I had a choice, I'd wear the G3's every day of the year. They are by far my favorite pair of waders of all the brands/models I've owned.
If you can wait a little bit, you might find some boots on closeout since the IFTD show was just last week. There will be new models coming out that you might want to go with, or as mentioned closeouts on some of the models going by the wayside.
Sorry for the long read, let us know what you end up with. Happy shopping.