Manic Monday - Matt Tripet; a Simms Legacy
I have been asked on many occasions,
“Matt, how much do I invest in my wading gear and outerwear?”
It’s always been a pretty straight forward answer, usually presented with a rhetorical question on my part.
"How many people did you see out there today outlast us in the sleet and rain while the fish were running hard?”
This reply is very often followed with a chuckle by the client because there is a realisation from the day’s experience, nothing thins the crowds out like cold, wet weather and discomfort from the combination of inferior gear and tough conditions.
So there question is, are you really prepared for fishing the incoming autumn/winter?
Rather than spilling out a bunch of technical blah-blah-blah, I feel it best to provide a simple review and on the gear I have been using for the last few years and even provide a ‘return on investment’ for the budget minded anglers.
Age: 4 years old (approximately 800 fishing and guiding days)
Durability: Not one pin-hole, puncture, repair or reapplication of waterproof treatment in any shape or form.
Age: 2 years old (now retired - approximately 400 fishing and guide days)
Durability: Structurally these boots are still very much intact, still able to provide excellent support for people with weak ankles, carrying heavier loads (guides, expedition anglers, fishing photographers carrying heavier gear).
Age: 2 years old (worn, at a guess, 300 days as a smart casual jacket, skiing layer, cold weather jacket on the tough days out on the water)
Durability: No repairs, no dry cleaning required - has been washed in a gentle cycle in the home washing machine
The reality is, there is NOTHING like Simms in the Fly Fishing market. There are some very well thought-out and marketed companies in the fly fishing wading and apparel space but I find it difficult to comprehend if they come close to the technology invested, durability and comfort of Simms.
Now putting a dollar value on a new set of waders, boots and maybe even a kick-arse jacket might be an intimidating lay down the funds at your local outfitter. But the reality is, it’s not that much of an investment when you consider durability and comfort. To illustrate this a little more clearly, my Simms G4Z waders and G3 boots have only cost me about $2.00 every time I have pulled them on… and they are still going, keeping me dry, warm and out there when everyone else is packing up and heading to the closest coffee shop for a decaffeinated, soy frappuccino.
So the question remains, “how much do I invest in my wading gear and outerwear?”
Whatever Simms products suit your budget and enjoy the staying out longer, going further and catching more fish in the upcoming cooler months.