thanks to working 40-60 days per season I've got to experience firsthand most of the stuff reco'ed here
what I've used the most is the Lacrosse Big Chiefs that AKMtnhntr mentioned.
but also have a pair of the old Cabela's bog busters that nwa mentioned
and while I do have chest waders, I never wore them hunting as some of the guys I worked with did.
the most I ever used for hunting was the waist high waders.
but I do think the chest waders are better for wearing hunting than the waist highs are. Reason being is you can take the belt off chest highs and thanks to the bib straps over your shoulders they stay up but ventilate a bit better (really subjective term there) than the waist high where the belt and elastic keep them tight against your waist with no where for sweat vapor to escape.
breathable is an over/misused term imo/e, if you're exerting enough to sweat, you're gonna get wet, just whether it's your warm sweat or cold rain, lake or stream water.
I'd be disinclined to disregard your outfitter's advice, but it wouldn't hurt to ask more questions.
i.e. the main reason guys I worked with used chest waders was for offloading gear and clients from amphib planes. Most of the rest of the time they would have gotten by fine in hippers.
but your outfitter may hunt some places where there's some deep stream or finger of lake crossings so he may indeed have a good reason for you to bring chest waders.
I wouldn't be quick to discount the advice of the guy that's taking you hunting to "his" spot.
but I'd want to know why, I don't enjoy wearing waist or chest waders for anything other than float hunting and even then I'll often wear hippers.
