Taking The Leap

**Lonewolve** · 02-10-2011, 04:35 PM

After 13 years my Redington Barrierflex have given up the ghost.So i guess i will be buying my first pair of Simms waders.
A while back i acquired a pair of simms guide boots size 13 with aquastealth and studs.I have a pair of Gary Borger boots and i cant say enough about them.The Guide boots however are squinchy.
Does Simms size fall on the small side?
I'm looking at getting G4 Pro stockingfoot chest waders,and also a pair of Rivershed Boots with starcleats as well.should i just go and get size 14's?
Let me know what your experiences with Simms waders and boots have been.This is a bit of dough and i want to make a great purchase as worry free as i can.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

**littlej81** · 02-10-2011, 06:21 PM

I bought a pair of Hodgman stockingfoot chest waders two years ago and they have held up great. They cost all of $75 on sale from Cabelas. You may not have to spend so much money to get a decent pair of waders. Remember that a lot of the steep prices come from paying pros to endorse your equipment.

**AaronJasper** · 02-10-2011, 07:09 PM

I used to wear Hodgman waders back in the day and I can tell you that I knew Carrie the customer service person. We became quite friendly if you know what I mean

I was wearing them out every two weeks. Simms and Patagonia make the best waders hands down. I really like the new boots from Korkers.

**bobo** · 02-10-2011, 08:42 PM

If you're looking for a pair of size 13 waders. Albright has some on sale for $40. Breathable and fairly rugged. Can't beat the price.

http://albrightflyfish.com/items/tri...aders/list.htm

**littlej81** · 02-10-2011, 08:53 PM

From the Roughfisher.com

WTF is up with gear these days? Manufacturers complain about recruitment and the often high barrier to enter this sport, yet they release stupid ass shit like a pair of goddamn nippers for $50 bucks. For fifty bones, that babdboy better be sporting a Class 4 laser that'll cauterize your tag ends of tippet. Recently read was a conversation debating the merits of zippered waders. No offense, but the items brought up for comparison were a couple of high buck models topping the charts at $425 and $450. $450! For a pair of waders!? What the hell has this industry come to? $450 waders puncture on barbed wire just as easily as a pair of $150 breatheables. Between angling, guiding, and my other occupation (fisheries management), I spend a lot of days in the water. Alot. I've been wearing the same beater pair of waders for going on 6 years now and not one hole or leak has sprung. Not one patch in those badboys. They aren't a pair of Patagucci or Simmps, but rather a $150 middle of the pack model store brand that didn't break the bank. What's the secret? I take care of them.

I'm not the only who's refusing to drink the kool-aid; I know of a fellow blogger and angler who'll soon be ditching his Simms for a similar performing "generic" at a quarter of the price. I'm not saying that the innovation or the technology that gear companies are bringing to the table are unappreciated, because I love gear. I'm a gear junky. But I don't believe that the bar for a mid-level piece of equipment should be set so high. Retail markup on soft goods are ridiculous. The same goes for hard goods in this industry; every "pro" knows the general rule of thumb for wholesale that a fly rod or reel is going for. Times are tough on everyone right now, but a $500 fly reel from a start up company is no way to enter the marketplace. Perhaps take a look at cutting profit margins a bit or ditch the no-fault warranties to move more product. I suppose you'd need to first move out of the Neolithic Age in order to begin embracing the principles of micro and macro economics in the Digital Age. All I know is that an $1100 spey rod isn't going to curry much favor with recruiting folks from the bait dunking and gear tossing crowd. Bubba ain't gonna pay $1100 for any gear but a new compound bow or an AR-15.

**Esopus Guy** · 02-11-2011, 09:23 AM

If you ever had to strip down in 20 degree weather to take a leak the zipper models are quite appealing at any price. I do otherwise agree with you.

**Troutastic** · 02-11-2011, 01:19 PM

I've had the Simms Rivershed waders for 4 years now. At the time I bought them they were Simms' "middle of the pack" model, which I believe has since been replaced with what they call the Headwaters. They are the bottom line Gore Tex waders that Simms makes, and when I say "bottom line," I assure you that they are still top of the line waders.

As stated before, I have had these for 4 years. I have definitely put a fair share of pine hole leaks in them, and then last summer a nice 2" gash from sliding down a granite slab in Cheesman Canyon. Patch kit is super easy to use, and the Aquaseal is a fine product for the pinholes.

What I'm getting at is that Simms makes awesome waders. However I don't see the need to get the $600 G4s and G3s, their middle of the pack line is awesome just as well. They don't break the bank either at under $300 for those Headwaters, and the Gore tex makes all the difference.

**Lonewolve** · 02-11-2011, 03:08 PM

Ok, i guess what im askin about is that i heard or read both good things and bad about Simms waders,one that the neoprene booties on the stocking foot waders have issues.It s a lot of clams im investing here.As i have mentioned earlier i have a paiur of redingtons that have been through combat and for 13 years they aside from pinholes from not being careful around wild roses and blackberry brush they are the standard of durability i measure by.When i purchased them they were my first breathable waders and at the time i was whining about spending 200 clams for em,but i more than got my money out of em also a hell of alot of memories made while wading in them.Now i wouldn't scoff at spending 500 for the Simms warranty and reputation as long as i know that they stand behind their products.
I have a Double layer winstopper Guide jacket i bought in 1997 and it still looks as good as the day i bought it. I have seen the windshear cabelas jackets and i swear by cabelas for hunting clothing the best there is. but that jacket and the orvis and north face jackets don't even compare to the design of cthe Simms windstopper double layer jacket.
Now buying my first waders from Simms and also getting the proper size boots to go with em is a investment im willing to make.
Questions i have are : #1 Are the Simms wading boots a bit on the small size or do i have to order a size larger?
#2 Are they available as bootfoot,you know maybe a few bucks extra for Muck boots installed ?I know a few years ago they offered theG3 waders with a hunter boot installed for a few bucks extra,and from experience bootfoots are the way to go in winter.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace