I'm out of touch with the reps now so I don't know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Simms has started to look at a more moderate priced line of clothing and gear. It's happened to most of the "premium" brand outfitters out there, sooner or later. If they want to stay in business, it's an unfortunate / fortunate (depending on your view) fact of life. Moving manufacturing out of the US and on to China and elsewhere is also a fact of life in keeping a company alive these days. It's been a trend I've been watching for over the past 20 years.
WHY? Well being at the retail end...people love the high end labels and product, but don't love the high end price so in order to get the price to where people will buy it, they have to look at not paying North American wages. Sadly, it doesn't help our economy one bit. The good old days (50s and 60s) are GONE.

It doesn't mean that you can't get the same old good quality gear. It just means that the label will be able to be purchased by more. Marketing on the name is what it's about. They will just have a wider price range available. Just remember, like everything else, you get what you pay for.

As for GoreTex. It's the R&D you pay for with them now. They still produce the best of the membranes and probably always will, but does that mean the the others don't work? NOT AT ALL! Once Gore lost the original patent it opened up a world of great breathable products from a number of manufactures. Before that happened...the other stuff was...well... c r a p. There was a time when I wouldn't look at anything that didn't have a Gore label on it if I was looking at "breathables". Now thats not longer true. You can get some great products now without paying the Gore price tag. There is still some not so good stuff out there so it pays to educate yourself about breathable products before laying big bucks down on the table. But it always comes down to the same old, "you get what you pay for". You have to decide if it's the product or the warranty you want to put your money into. Cover all Warranties don't come free.