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In their never ending quest to provide us with the finest
equipment, and an enormous array of items from which
to choose, and plunk down our hard earned cash to purchase,
manufacturers of fishing equipment have over looked what
could be a profit center of monumental proportion.
Have you noticed all of the zippers in vests, packs, bags,
materials packaging, and fishing shirts?
It was 1969, almost 40 years ago, that we landed a man on
the moon and returned him safely to earth. We had to figure
that whole deal out in less than a decade. By today's standards
our tools were primitive. We used slide rules, paper and pencil.
But, we reaped tremendous technological benefits as result of
lunar exploration.
The world has seen quantum leaps and advances since then.
The pocket calculator, the desktop computer, the laptop computer,
the pocket computer, the telephone computer. And oh yes, the
wristwatch communicator!
There are seven zippers on my computer bag!
Fly rods have gone from steel, to fiberglass, to graphite, to boron,
to ceramics, and yes even the old standby bamboo designs have
evolved.
All of my rod tubes have zippers!
We have had marvelous advancements in hooks. A plethora
of new materials hit the fly shops every year. New colors proliferate.
And tiers are constantly introducing new patterns. It seems that there
is a constant stream of new items available, even if they do the same
job as the old ones, not necessarily even better, just "new."
Patterns are similarly called new, even if they are essentially the
same. An Adams tied with grizzly and dun hackle thus becomes
a Gray Adams. Go figure!
All of my supplies now come in zippered bags!
Fly fishing expanded greatly after "The Movie." New members
joined the fraternity in droves, driving it ever forward in progress.
Some of them, thankfully, have simply progressed to somewhere else.
Most of our modern day authors were unheard of when the words
"One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind" heralded
the culmination of our greatest achievement. I have enjoyed Gierich,
Nemes, Talluer, Borger, LaFontaine and others immensely. They
have each made great contributions.
We have "Star Wars" technology all around us and it weaves its' way
into our everyday lives quite seamlessly. Gortex, Teflon, Silicon, Epoxy,
each are great advancements, and a result of achieving that lofty goal
so many years ago.
Medicines also have come a long way. Each day we are bombarded with
ads for Osteoporosis, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Weight Control,
Intestinal Disorders of all sorts, and let's not forget Viagra and Cialis to
help us stand tall when the moment is right. A new drug comes along it
seems like almost everyday fighting against or curing some malady.
Sometimes, it even appears as though we have gone and cured
ourselves of common sense!
As proof of the later, have you ever wondered at the moment of
urgency, why there is no zipper in your waders?
Really, I mean, we have seen tremendous gains in every aspect of
our lives. But is it too much to ask that we not have to remove our
vest, or our backpack, or our chest pack, or our fanny pack, or our
waist pack, or our shoulder bag, and our PFD in order to get to the
snaps, or the buckles or the Velcro attaching shoulder straps and the
Gosh Darned wading belt of our Super Dry, Absolutely Breathable
beyond belief chest waders, just so we can keep the inside of them
as dry as the manufacturer intended?
How many of the little accoutrements, nippers, forceps, tippet spools,
hook sharpeners, floatants, gloves, and other must have 'do dads'
have you lost in the process of removing gear to answer the real
call of the wild?
Ever been halfway to paradise, doing your little dance only to discover
after the rapture that you have stepped on your rod? Or, poked holes
in something with your carbide tipped boots. Like your brand new
breathable waders?
Why are there no waders made with a zipper?
Ladies we realize that you have unique problems, but if we can
just get the zipper configured to keep the water out, then, can
the drop seat be far behind?
Waders without zippers are the primary cause of un-intended "wet wading."
Of course wet wading might be a very real option in some areas. But rest
assured the AuSable in February is not such a place.
Think of the negative impact on other industries as well! How
much coffee are you going to drink knowing waders don't have
zippers. You may also want to curb your intake of fiber as well.
If we all get involved a campaign could be mounted to get all wader
manufacturers to begin putting zippers in all of their new waders. It
could be an option. Of course, you'd have to pay a bit more for an option.
Then, wouldn't you just be kicking yourself, if, in the moment
of truth, you realized you had erred on the side of economy?
It is a free country, and you should have the right to choose!
As of today however there is no choice. There are no waders
with zippers!
So let's mount the campaign, get the manufacturers onboard
and get waders with zippers on the market within this decade.
Join today, become a charter member of "Zipper Installation
Project Emergency Management." Write to your manufacturer,
tell him you belong to ZIPEM and you want a zipper in
your waders.
"One little zip for man, one giant ahhh for mankind!"
We landed a man on the moon and brought him safely back to
Earth. Don't you think we can get zippers for our waders?
I guess it - "Depends." ~ George E Emanuel
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