Looking for a new pair of waders. I do not want any waders with a handwarmer on the outside. I'm currently thinking about the Dan Bailey or Patagonia waders, but I'd like to know if any new products might hit the market this coming winter.
Yet another wader question
Looking for a new pair of waders. I do not want any waders with a handwarmer on the outside. I'm currently thinking about the Dan Bailey or Patagonia waders, but I'd like to know if any new products might hit the market this coming winter.
I have a pair of Simms Guide model waders that have worked fine over the last two seasons. If I was buying today, I would check out those new models with zippers by Hodgeman and at least one other company. I've seen them advertised but never yet seen them in a fly shop. That is one innovation worth investigating.
I bought a pair of the Simms River Teks which are Gortex and a combo waist high/chest high wader.
I can't rave enough!
In a word . . . SIMMS
I have probably fished in just about every wader on the market and sold many different brands as well over the years. I have NO connections to any of them anymore and I can honestly say that there simply is NO wader on the market that is as good as Simms. I have had numerous problems with FlyTech, especially after Stearns bought them. I lost track of how many high dollar pairs of Hodgeman waders leaked along a seam somewhere. I have friends with some of the other brands and few of them are happy.
So, 3 years ago, I finally bit the bullet and paid the $ for some Simms Guide Series waders. They are worth every single penny I paid and then some. While I fish with others and their new waders leak, I'm comfortable and dry. In just the past 6 months, I know at least 10 hard core anglers who made the switch to Simms and are now very happy campers.
Go with Simms and I'm sure you will be very happy
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Jeff - AKA Dr. Fish
If it has fins and swims than I must chase it!
I'll put in my 2 cents and give a thumbs up to Simms as well. I've fished in a pair of their Classic Guide waders for about 5 years now, and never had a problem with them. I don't know much about the pricier G3 guide waders, but I sure like the ones I have.
Dennis
I have to give a nod to the patagonia waders. I recently had a pair of sst waders that had many seasons on them develop a small leak in the crotch area. I sent them in for repair and recieved a brand new pair of there watermaster top of the line waders in the mail at no charge. That is a deal no one can pass up. They retail for $330.oo dollars and that is good enough for me to stick with a company that honors it's product warranty like that. The new waders are even better than the sst and have an extra layer of protection to boot. I have never used the Simms and I'm sure they are great waders.
If you consider that I got 4 years out of my first pair and hopefully 4 or more years out of this pair that is about $41.oo dollars a year. I'd say that was money well spent. Good luck
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You can't catch fish with your fly in the air!
I've had 3 pairs of R. waders and they all leaked the first season. The co. did replace them though and the replacements leak. Saved them for my pontoon.
I did the deep digging and bought $imm$ Guides 4 seasons ago. I'm still dry!
So....I'll get another pair when these go. They're great!
Jeremy.
I have the patagonia sst's. there are some features i really don't like (the built in suspenders and the gravel guards seem pretty worthless) but after three years of hard use they have yet to leak. but that being said, my next waders will be simms....
I also am a big fan of the Simms guide waders. I've had mone for five years and have had no trouble with leaks or anything else.
If you're still considering the Patagucci SST's, check out [url=http://www.sierratradingpost.com.:b1f68]www.sierratradingpost.com.[/url:b1f68] They often will have those at deep discount. I have ordered many items from STP and have encountered no problems to date. I haven't heard anything negative about those wader's, except for the fact that they are not gore-tex.
D. Micus, They have made changes to the new model in the suspenders that are alot nicer and added a pocket inside the front of the chest that can be accessed easily as well. I personally don't have a problem with the built in gravel gaurds but we may wear different boots or some other factor plays in. I feel they are worth the money.
I would love to try the Simms and see what all the raves are about. $500.00 + a pair is pretty steep no matter how you slice it. Like the saying goes "you get what you pay for".
Buy the way do Simms offer the same type of replacement warranty that Patagonia does?
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You can't catch fish with your fly in the air!
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